Britain’s Anti-Semitism Czar Resigns From Parliament Over Labour Anti-Semitism

Labour MP John Mann leaves the Cabinet Office in Whitehall, London on January 31, 2019. Image by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images

By Marcy Oster September 9, 2019

(JTA) — A longtime British Labour Party lawmaker who serves as the country’s anti-Semitism czar announced his resignation from Parliament in protest of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to act enough against rampant anti-Semitism in the party.

John Mann’s announcement on Saturday comes just weeks before likely snap Parliamentary elections. He has served as a Labour lawmaker since 2001. He told the London-based Jewish Chronicle that he would remain a member of the party.

“It’s my party. I want to see Corbyn resign from the leadership. And I want all the anti-Semites out. But I’m not resigning. Absolutely not. I will carry on this fight from within,” he said.

Though Mann is not Jewish, he has been a champion of the movement to combat anti-Semitism and has served as head of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Anti-Semitism.

Earlier this year he was named a government adviser on anti-Semitism, by Theresa May, a day before she stepped down as prime minister. He retains this position despite his resignation.

“I’m not retiring, far from it,” he told the JC. “The role will allow me to devote 95 per cent of my life to fighting the war against anti-Semitism, rather than the five per cent I was able to devote while working as an MP.”

Mann told Corbyn in his resignation letter that the party leader should reign for the good of Labour.

He told the JC Corbyn’s “failure to lead is the big problem – as is the problem of anti-Semitism on the left. Corbyn is an enabler. His unwillingness to undo the damage he has done has had huge consequences.”

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