• LARA Horne is mistaken (The anti-Semitism row have people questioning Labour’s ability to represent them, September 13): Camden Council considered that the IHRA definition might impede free speech and set up a monitoring group which included Sir Geoffrey Bindman.

We have yet to hear their findings. Cllr Simon Pearson was one of 300-400 people who attended the mass lobby of Labour’s NEC called by Camden Momentum to oppose IHRA.

IHRA has already been used to prevent and postpone meetings, for example: the Israeli embassy urged Manchester university to curb the free speech of a Jewish Holocaust survivor; some universities cancelled Israel Apartheid Week; and Hampstead & Kilburn CLP used IHRA to stop discussion of the Al Jazeera documentary The Lobby which exposed Israel’s interference in both Tory and Labour parties and student unions.

Sara Tal Kalman is wrong to say that IHRA protects Jews – “We need an apology from Cllr Simon Pearson” – the ultra-orthodox who face most anti-Semitic attacks are almost never mentioned in this context and some of them were part of the mass lobby.

IHRA’s seven out of 11 examples refer to Israel, making clear that its primary purpose is to silence Palestinian self-determination and criminalise the movement for Boycott Divestment and Sanctions by shutting down criticism of Israel.

IHRA has been condemned by Palestinian civil society, 100+ UK BAME groups, 40+ Jewish organisations internationally, and prominent lawyers such as former appeal court judge Sir Stephen Sedley.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of PCS and new president of the TUC, noted that there has been “the most systematic attempt to shut down all those advocating justice for the Palestinians in a way that should trouble all those who want to expose injustices”. Cllr. Pearson was “exposing injustices” and defending Corbyn’s “ethical foreign policy” by lobbying the NEC.

MICHAEL KALMANOVITZ & SAM WEINSTEIN
Jewish members of Momentum