Jeremy Corbyn has agreed to meet two of the largest Jewish groups 'without any preconditions' as he defended his decision to meet with a radical left-wing group known as 'Jewdas'.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council had written to Corbyn at the end of last month after the Enough is Enough antisemitism protests. Although the Labour leader is thought to have initially offered a meeting, there was some concern from organisers about going ahead without a plan for concrete action.
Now Corbyn has told JLC chair Jonathan Goldstein and BoD president Jonathan Arkush he has accepted their agenda for the meeting.
Both groups had criticised his decision to attend a Passover seder meal at a church in North London with a left-wing Jewish group which is highly critical of mainstream Jewish bodies.
The meeting at St Peter De Beauvoir, Hackney, prompted widespread criticism at why he had chosen to meet with Jewdas rather than the mainstream Jewish groups such as the BoD and the JLC.
But Corbyn defended the decision, telling the BBC on a campaign visit to Swindon: 'I went to a very interesting and very enjoyable seder supper and I spent a lot of time talking to young Jewish people about their life in Britain and experiences of antisemitism they have had and how they view the future of our country.
'I think that is what political leaders should do – listen to people.'
He added: 'Antisemitism is a cancer and awful in our society and has to be eradicated wherever it rears its head.'
He wrote to Goldstein and Arkush: 'I place no limitations on the points you would wish to raise and am happy for the agenda to cover the issues you've already outlined.
'I appreciate and understand the anger you express and reiterate my determination to fight antisemitism within the Labour party and society at large... I recommit to doing all I can to address the anguish and distress caused to many people in the Jewish community.
'I would welcome an early meeting with your organisations to discuss the issues that you have raised. I am a strong believer that engaging in meaningful dialogue is crucial to finding effective solutions and resolving disputes and I am clear that such a meeting would be just the start of a fruitful ongoing exchange on eradicating antisemitic behaviour and discourse within the Labour party.'
