31 October 2019
•
2 Cheshvan 5779
• Issue 1130
The nightmare before Chanukah? VOICE OF THE JEWISH NEWS It’s the moment we’ve hoped for and dreaded in equal measure: the end of Corbyn’s Labour or dawn of Corbyn’s Britain. An early election amid Brexit chaos has long been considered the worst possible scenario by the vast majority in our community, whose nightmare is the photoshopped image on this week’s front page – a smiling Jeremy Corbyn waving outside Number 10 after an election victory. Instability, according to many observers, offered the Labour leader the best chance of carving a path to Downing Street, while a resolution of Britain’s Brexit balagan and passage of time left his chances significantly dented. Suggest to most of British Jews in recent months that we are heading for a pre-Brexit election and the reaction would be horror – the result of years of simmering anger over the party’s handling of antisemitism, the lack of zero-tolerance, the hounding out of leading lights, the wilful failure to even consult on the definition of Jew-hate, as well as the leader’s historic choices and behaviour. But here we go: voters will head to the polls in five weeks’ time amid gridlock in Parliament and uncertainty and frustration on the streets. If you believe the polls, however, Corbyn’s
chances look slim. Labour is on average 10 points behind the Tories in recent national snapshots and frustration abounds over what’s perceived to be its confused position on the biggest issue facing the country. On antisemitism there are increasing signs the scandal has impacted on wider society; a ComRes poll for Jewish News in April showed a staggering 55 percent of adults felt Corbyn’s handling of antisemitism rendered him unfit for the highest office. It’s to the credit of so many in our community – and our allies – that this issue has not been allowed to disappear from public view. But – and it’s a BIG but – we’ve been here before, assuming a sizable poll lead guarantees victory. Ask Theresa May. Respected pollster Sir John Curtice suggested this week that a record number of non-Tory or Labour MPs could now be elected, making it harder for either to muster a majority. It might be tougher for the Conservatives, he suggests, to woo enough allies to govern in such a scenario. Throw in the uncertainly of an election focused on one issue, taking place at the height of Continued on page 18
EXCLUSIVE: Poll reveals how Jewish community will vote – See page 2