• I WRITE further to your article (Leading Labour councillor tells Jeremy Corbyn to resign, March 14). It is obviously harmful to me to see stories based on misrepresentative selectively leaked emails, which seek to give an incorrect and damaging impression.

However, my chief concern is the fear that misleading briefing like this creates in Camden’s Jewish community. I have lived my whole life in Camden and I know the vital contribution that Camden’s Jewish community has always made to every aspect of life in our borough.

Camden’s Jews deserve to know that their politicians stand with them as fear rises in their community. My political opponents preferred a cheap shot at me that could increase fear in the Jewish community, rather than actions to reassure the community.

I therefore write to give some reassurance that I have always stood in solidarity with Jewish friends and neighbours when they are in need and always will.

• When Jewish constituents asked me to support the rebuilding of their synagogue in the face of real hostility from some other residents and councillors, I stood with them and faced that hostility myself. This inspired me to campaign with a small group of other councillors for changes to the council’s planning policies to be less hostile to approving places of worship for minority religions.

• I persuaded officers in the Constituency Labour Party to hold a special meeting on tackling anti-Semitism when concerns first emerged, and advocated for strong condemnation of the problem.

• When calls came from the local Jewish community for Camden to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism, I voted in favour of its adoption, spoke in favour of adoption, sought to convince doubters that they need not fear the adoption, and served on the working group which was set up to oversee the implementation of the decision to adopt the definition.

• When several new Jewish candidates, and even Camden’s longest serving Jewish councillor, were all turned down to be Labour candidates in Camden, I offered my support and gave practical assistance.

• When others have sought to minimise the problems of anti-Semitism which have so shockingly emerged in some parts of the left, I have argued against them and convinced doubters to take the very real problems seriously.

I am a socialist, and it deeply pains me that there is anti-Semitism on the left. We will only tackle it if we all face up to it and take responsibility for eliminating it.

Anti-Semitism is an anathema to everything we stand for and everything we believe in. Anyone who displays hate or prejudice towards minorities has no place in left movements and must be rooted out.

The dreadful events in Christchurch, and before that in Utoya, Finsbury Park, Pittsburgh, and the murder of Jo Cox, all show more than ever the need for unity to fight a worldwide far right threat that brings violence into the peaceful communities we have created together. I always have and always will stand with minority communities in that fight.

CLLR THOMAS GARDINER
Labour, Kilburn ward