Jewish Labour members have reacted furiously after the Brent East constituency Labour Party (CLP) passed a motion in support of pro-Palestinian protesters planning to challenge a police ban on them marching close to a synagogue.
An emergency motion tabled at Thursday’s monthly meeting of the north London CLP said the local parry “utterly rejects the insulting and erroneous assumption underlying this ban that those who care about the suffering of the Palestinians are hostile and threatening to members of the Jewish community attending synagogue services in central London. ”
One angry Jewish Labour member said it was time local MP Dawn Butler MP “stood up for her Jewish constituents and called out this toxic student politics.”
Another Jewish activist accused their local party of “needlessly stoking fires of community discord.”
The motion, proposed by Philip Flanders, a Stonebridge ward delegate, passed by 12-4 votes with two abstentions, having been seconded by Councillor Tony Ethapemi.
Brent East CLP emergency motion
Using language with echoes of Labour during the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, the Misuse of Public Order Powers motion said Brent East CLP resolves to “fully support those who challenge the Metropolitan Police’s misuse of their Public Order powers through their ban on marching or assembling near the BBC in Portland Place on Saturday 18th January 2025.
“This support would extend to supporting and helping, as much as possible, those who may get arrested for defying this unfair ban.”
A Jewish Labour source told Jewish News:”Yet again Brent chooses the worst possible timing to show its blindness to the most sensitive and nuanced of cross community issues.
“Most people will be celebrating the prospect of a ceasefire that will see hostages freed, an end to hostilities and the prospect of more aid flowing into Gaza.
“Brent East activists instead think it’s more important and an ‘emergency’ to back cranks in the PSC who think their right to march near synagogues on Saturdays is more important than Jews’ right to worship without intimidation on Shabbat.
“It’s time the MP for Brent East stood up for her Jewish constituents and called out this toxic student politics.”
People take part in a Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstration near the Israeli Embassy, in Kensingston.
The Metropolitan Police had used powers under the Public Order Act to prevent the PSC led march to form up in Portland Place, near to Central Synagogue on Shabbat. It followed persistent complaints from shul goers and local businesses about disruption caused by the Palestine demos.
Police have no powers to ban a demo, but instead warned organisers to move the start point of Saturday’s protest to Russell Square.
Thursday’s meeting of Brent East CLP, which has long been dogged with activists aligned to the Momentum organisation, also included a parliamentary report from local MP Dawn Butler, who had earlier signed a Palestine Solidarity Campaign petition condemning the police decision to move the march.
The petition also claimed suggestions that pro-Palestine marches are “somehow hostile to Jewish people ignores the fact that Jewish people have been joining the marches.”
A local government report from Brent Council leader Cllr Mohammed Butt was also on the agenda of Thursday’s meeting. It is not known if either Butler or Butt attended the meeting.
Also appearing as a guest speaker at the meeting was Labour NEC representative Jess Barnard, known for her hardline anti-Israel views.
Butler became Brent East MP last July having previously served as MP for Brent Central (2015–2024) before boundary changes came in, and Brent South (2005–2010).
Former London mayor and outspoken anti-Zionist Ken Livingstone had previously been MP in Brent East.
Jewish News has contacted Brent East CLP and Dawn Butler MP for comment.
