Politics
The Board of Deputies just smeared Polanski to suck up to Farage
On 10 May, a ‘Rally Against Antisemitism’ took place in London. While it’s good to oppose racism, people have questioned the organisers’ motives. As Green Party deputy Rachel Millward commented:
I will never attend a march fighting antisemitism, where Zack Polanski isn't invited but 'Gas the Jews' Nigel Farage is.
And well done to the over 2000 Jews who signed a petition to withdraw Farage's invite to this. https://t.co/8MOA5YYqtH
— Lisa Moorish (@LisaMoorish) May 10, 2026
People are specifically criticising the so-called ‘Board of Deputies of British Jews’, who were the ones to invite Nigel Farage but not Zack Polanski.
Polanski warning
The Board of Deputies of British Jews presents itself as a group which defends the interests of British Jewish people. People criticise the group for using their position to defend ‘Zionism’ – i.e. the ideology of Israel existing as an expansionist colonial state that serves as America’s foothold in the Middle East.
It’s easy to see why the Board don’t like Zack Polanski, anyway, as he’s previously called them out:
Conflating Antisemitism with criticism of the Israeli government is dangerous.
The Board of Deputies keep muddying the waters.
This isn’t about him being Jewish – it’s about his position as Vice-Chair of Labour Friends of Israel. https://t.co/9QBgY7EhMR
— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) January 15, 2026
On Sunday 10 May, the Guardian reported on an open letter criticising Reform UK’s inclusion at the event. The piece noted:
Michael Wegier, executive director of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, told Haaretz that Reform UK “is a serious party with many supporters, local councillors, and an increasing number of members of Parliament from month to month, which cannot be ignored. They have also expressed very broad support for the fight against antisemitism. There was no way we would not invite them.”
He added: “We did not invite the Greens’ Zack Polanski because we very strongly do not believe he has done enough to root out antisemitism from his party.”
The thing about Reform ‘fighting antisemitism’ is that the party is pretty blatantly not doing that. In fact, Reform seems to actively be tolerating known antisemites in its midst, as we’ve reported:
Mainstream media have spent days calling @ZackPolanski an antisemite; why are they silent on Reform's failure to suspend an actual antisemite?
By @willem_moore_uk https://t.co/VlrTrc7R3R
— Canary (@TheCanaryUK) May 4, 2026
Ben Rowe posted Islamophobic, antisemitic and racist memes. Reform said it was 'investigating', so how come he's now a sitting councillor?
Via @willem_moore_uk https://t.co/xKyGhLh6TI
— Canary (@TheCanaryUK) May 10, 2026
Another Reform activist just got exposed for antisemitism, and once again there's crickets from mainstream journalists and politicians
By @willem_moore_uk https://t.co/Ye7wR92fkd
— Canary (@TheCanaryUK) May 7, 2026
Clearly, an ‘anti-racist’ movement which includes Nigel Farage isn’t going anywhere. As such, it seems like the Board of Deputies aren’t trying to rally Britons against antisemitism; they’re trying to cut British Jews off from the mainstream British opinion that Israel is a genocidal rogue state:
if your protest against antisemitism involves nigel farage then it’s not a protest against antisemitism, it’s a protest in favour of division and exceptionality https://t.co/3XwGwlYnh3
— enter shakira𓅮 (@BARFJAMiN) May 10, 2026
‘Conspicuous absence’
On 1 May, the Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland accused “proudly anti-racist voices” of going “silent when Jews are being stabbed in the streets”. Freedland was referring to the Golders Green attack, which ended up being less straightforward than the media initially suggested, as we covered:
On Wednesday 29 April, Essa Suleiman allegedly stabbed three men — two Jewish and one Muslim, in Golders Green. At the time of the attack, Suleiman was living in supported housing, having previously been detained in a secure hospital. Suleiman has a history of mental illness, and was referred to Prevent in the past.
The initial response was to label the incident an ‘antisemitic terror attack’, with the government raising the threat level in response. In light of the above information coming out, however, these moves would later seem to be premature. Much of the public would not become aware of this fact, however, as the media initially continued to report that Suleiman had only attacked two Jewish men – not that he had also attacked a Muslim man (each of these attacks are alleged at the point of publication).
In response to Freedland, Labour MP and current peer Luciana Berger asked the following:
Every word of this.
Where are the bands?
And the brands?
And the otherwise *proud* anti racists.I. Can’t. Hear. You.
You are conspicuous by your absence.
In response to the rally on 10 May, Berger attracted the following comments:
That Stop the Hate were one of the organisations associated with this told me everything. They come to counter Palestine rallies and play ‘another one bites the dust’ on loud speakers as people pass
— Phil (@Unofficial_Phil) May 10, 2026
Oppose racism in all its forms
To be clear, we absolutely stand with Jewish people who face antisemitism. What we don’t stand for is the political Zionist movement claiming it’s ‘antisemitic’ to take offence to Israel’s ongoing apartheid and genocide.
When outfits like the Board of British Deputies demand that Zionism must be tolerated within the broader anti-racist movement, they know exactly what they’re doing, and it’s not protecting the interests of British Jewish people.
Featured image via Sky News
By Willem Moore
You must be logged in to post a comment Login