Board of Deputies reacts to Keir Starmer victory in Labour leadership election

Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to the news that Keir Starmer has been elected Labour Party leader.

Marie said: “I would like to congratulate Sir Keir Starmer on his victory in the Labour leadership election and wish him well in his new post as Leader of the Opposition, especially at this time of an international health emergency.

“We were very pleased that he and all the other leadership contenders signed up to the Board of Deputies’ Ten Pledges on antisemitism. The new Deputy Leader Angela Rayner also signed up to these pledges and we also congratulate her on her election victory. Now they must act to rid the party of the awful disease of anti-Jewish racism.

“As the Corbyn era comes to an end, it is clear that history will not look kindly on Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party, where anti-Jewish racism has been allowed to run amok and some at the highest levels of the Party have appeared to collude to protect – rather than discipline – antisemites.

“Keir Starmer has made some headway already today in the statement he made and in the letter he has written to us. We have always said that the Labour Party leader will be judged on his actions rather than his words and this remains the case today.

“In his letter, Keir Starmer recommits to implementing the Ten Pledges, and we will now work with him and Angela Rayner to draw a line under this awful period in Labour’s history and that the party can begin to repair its relationship with the Jewish community in the months and years ahead.”

Read Keir Starmer’s letter to Marie van der Zyl here.

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