Only one direction for Jewish vote in local elections

London and the major counties face local government elections on 3 May. They are a crucial test of public feeling on the way the country is being run, as it is generally acknowledged that in local elections , rightly or wrongly, most people tend to vote with their eyes on national issues.

In the absence of credible minority parties, politics in England has returned to the position of the past – a basic two-horse race. Not since the 1980s has there been such a contrast between the programmes of the parties in question.

In simple terms, the Conservatives stand for a free society where the individual and his faith and culture matter, private enterprise is encouraged and military strength and patriotism are appreciated.

The Momentum-driven Labour Party stands for increased state control of the economy, oppressive egalitarianism, support for terrorist groups and unilateral disarmament.

For the Jewish community, the contrast is even greater. This Conservative government is the most positive ever. It stands solidly with Israel. It supports religious freedoms, Jewish security and Holocaust education. If any Conservative politician were to make outright anti-Semitic statements, he would almost certainly be disciplined, if not removed from the party.

The current Labour Party is riddled with anti-Semitism. Numerous politicians within it are vocally hostile to the existence of Israel and make the most offensive remarks about Jews and even the Holocaust.

They have a negative and secularist approach to established faiths (Islamist terror groups cynically excepted), which poses a potential threat to faith schools and other religious needs. Occasionally, anti-Semitic offenders are disciplined, rarely expelled from the party.

Jeremy Corbyn repeatedly trots out the platitude that he is utterly opposed to antiSemitism. But his own conduct throughout his career, both before and after his leadership of Labour, reveals the opposite.

Truthfully , he is the most hostile party leader with which our community has been faced. Just like his insidious friend Ken Livingstone, every time he “tries” to mitigate an adverse statement or act attributed to him, he digs another hole that merely exacerbates the situation.

Corbyn’s cold, nonchalant responses to Justin Cohen’s probing questions (Jewish News, April 29) spoke volumes about the Labour leader’s apathy, or sheer blindness, regarding anti-Semitism.

And the straw that has irreparably broken the camel’s back was his four-hour attendance at that obscene , blasphemous charade of a “Seder” staged by the perverse “Jewdas” group – just days after the demonstration against him.

Neither the Board of Deputies nor the JLC should waste time having further meetings with Corbyn.

He is irredeemable.

Unless and until the Labour Party ditches Corbyn for a much more moderate leader and purges itself of the Momentum scourge, it is utterly treif as far as any self-respecting Jew is concerned.

The coming local elections promise to be as much a trial of the leader of the Opposition as of the government’s performance.

It is essential that every available Jewish vote is cast – and in one direction only.