Oxford University’s Labour Club (OULC) came under fire this week after allegations of widespread anti-Semitism within the society have emerged.
Minister for Universities, Jo Johnson MP has demanded investigations into the allegations, in a letter to the University’s Vice Chancellor, writing: “There can be no justification for attacks on Jewish students, and no tolerance for institutionalised racism”.
The university’s Jewish Society this week released a dossier of eight separate racism allegations against OULC, following the resignation of the Labour Club’s co-chairman Alex Chalmers who said a large proportion of the members “have some kind of problem with Jews” and some expressed support for Hamas.
The resignation came as OULC members voted to endorse Israel Apartheid Week. The JSoc claimed students backed Hamas terrorists’ efforts to kill Jews, sang about rockets over Tel Aviv, and discussed “an international Jewish conspiracy”.
A letter from the Israeli Embassy in London’s Chargé d’Affaires, Eitan Na’eh also condemned students for their “disgraceful activity”.
Dozens of public figures, including Baroness Deech, and leading lawyers Lord Carlile and Lord Pannick, signed an open letter to the OULC, urging it to reverse its “distressing decision” to support Israel Apartheid Week.
A Labour party spokeswoman said the party supported an inquiry announced by Labour Students, the national students’ group affiliated to the party.
