A Brighton Labour councillor has quit the party after becoming the third member to be investigated for alleged anti-semitism.
Councillor Kate Knight announced that she had quit today (Monday 20 July) after being reported for a slew of recently unearthed posts on Facebook. Brighton and Hove News understands that she had been facing suspension.
This means that both Labour and the Greens now have 19 councillors each. Councillor Knight will continue as an independent.
Councillor Knight said: “I abhor anti-semitism which, along with all other forms of racism, is a scourge that blights our society and every political party. I am not anti-semitic and I regret if anything I posted caused distress as this was not my intention.
“I do not want this matter to distract from the vital work that the council needs to do as we all continue to come to terms with the effects and future consequences of covid-19.
“So, after deep reflection and with much regret, I have resigned my membership of the Labour Party with immediate effect and I have advised Councillor Nancy Platts of this.”
Council leader Nancy Platts today said that it brought shame on the whole Labour Party to see these posts. She said: “On behalf of the Labour group, I am truly sorry to the Jewish community for the hurt these posts have caused.
“I reached out to a leading member of the local Jewish community last week. Following that conversation I have recirculated information to my group to read, stressing the importance of checking the reliability of sources before sharing on social media.
“Anti-semitism is a poison that must be challenged wherever it raises its head. Hatred towards Jewish people has no place in our society.
“I have agreed with the Labour group that we will establish a code of conduct for all Labour councillors. This will have emphasis on social media and the absolute necessity of ensuring people know that what they are sharing comes from trusted sources of information and the importance of recognising anti-semitic tropes.
“Councillor Knight has taken the right action in resigning from the Labour group and the Labour Party.
“We will continue to take steps to address anti-semitism and actively challenge racism in our city.”
The party said: “The Labour Party takes all complaints of anti-semitism extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.”
The Sussex Jewish Representative Council said: “We are concerned to hear that a Labour Party councillor from Brighton has resigned for alleged anti-semitism.
“How is the Jewish community here meant to have any faith or trust in this Labour-led council? How many more reports, investigations and suspensions do there need to be before all Brighton and Hove CLPs (constituency Labour parties) are put into special measures?
“This latest councillor has repeatedly posted stories denying there is any issue of anti-semitism in the Labour Party and claimed that anti-semitism was being weaponised to attack Jeremy Corbyn.
“There is a troubling pattern of behaviour here from a small number of councillors and this has not been addressed in any substantive manner.
“We are also bemused that the leader of the council has stated that she reached out to a “leading member of the Jewish community” but did not contact the Sussex Jewish Representative Council, the recognised body for such communications with our community.
“We would suggest that if she wants to apologise to our community she does it through the correct channels.
“It is time she and the Labour Party take a long hard look at how they deal with anti-semitism starting with acknowledging that it is present and exists in the city and in the party.
“Words, statements and press releases are meaningless unless they are backed up by action and education.
“It is difficult to imagine how the Brighton and Hove Labour Party can regain any credibility at this point and, subsequently, as the council is Labour-led, it does bring into question their ability and sincerity in tackling any form of racism when they have so frequently ignored the glaring issue of anti-semitism.”
Last week, Councillor Anne Pissaridou was suspended for allegedly anti-semitic Facebook posts. Councillor Nichole Brennan is also being investigated for demonstrating against the party’s adoption of a wider-ranging definition of anti-semitism in 2018.
In April, days after this came to light, Councillor Brennan described criticism of her actions as “white supremacy”. She is not suspended.
All three were selected for last year’s elections on a Momentum slate. Labour narrowly avoided losing control of the council, ending up with 20 councillors. The Greens won 19 seats.
Being suspended means that a councillor cannot attend Labour group meetings or represent the party – but the party still expects them to obey the whip and considers them to be a Labour councillor.
The posts that Councillor Knight has been reported for, which were posted from 2016 to March 2019, nearly all said that accusations of anti-semitism levelled at Jeremy Corbyn were a smear or manufactured by Israel.
Many were posted after she was selected to run for Labour in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean in July 2018.
In August 2018 she posted a link to a story headlined “Israel running campaign against Jeremy Corbyn”.
In 2016 she said that she was certain that accusations of anti-semitism are “a vehicle for a vicious attack – not even thinly veiled – on the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn”.
The same year, she posted: “There is NO (anti-semitism) crisis in the Labour Party.”
In March 2019 she posted an article asking if the attack on controversial former Labour MP Chris Williamson was the start of another coup, to which Councillor Pissaridou replied, saying: “It is.”
Mr Williamson had then been suspended from the party for what a leaked Labour report said was “a pattern of behaviour … widely regarded as offensive and as baiting the Jewish community”.
The following day she posted a quote from film director Mike Leigh saying that accusing Williamson of anti-semitism was part of a witch hunt.
Councillor Pissaridou has stepped down as chair of the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee but remains a member of the Labour group, although she cannot attend its meetings or represent the party.
Councillor Knight was selected in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean last year after long-serving councillor Anne Meadows quit the party, citing bullying and anti-semitism.
Councillor Meadows then contested the ward for the Conservatives but lost.
Councillor Knight was a hard working Councillor committed to representing the people in her ward, some of whom are the most vulnerable in our city. I am proud to know her.
I am sure Mosley worked hard for his constituents, too.
what a disgusting post this is. Kate Knight is a socialist not a fascist. It is the people who are accusing Kate and others of ‘antisemitism’ who in the 1930s supported Moseley. Yes Tory scumbags were the main antisemites then and they are now.
The witchhunt of Kate is vile.
You’re comparing Kate Knight to Oswald Mosley?? Whatever it is you’re smoking you’ve inhaled way too much….
This is a sad loss for Labour and for the city. Kate Knight has been a fantastic councillor. She will be very much missed.
All for nothing, too. Nothing remotely antisemitic in what she posted/said/liked. The term antisemitism has become devoid of all meaning.
Labour are for the many not the Jew (plus people on benefits)
this is a classic example of genuine antisemitism. It substitutes ‘Jew’ for ‘few’ thus implying Jews are amongst the handful of rich and powerful people who control the wealth in society.
Isn’t it strange how those who cry ‘antisemitism’ are the biggest antisemites of all?
Mark thank you for perfectly illustrating that real, local anti-semitism is alive and well (and properly terrifying)
Councillor Knight is amongst a cohort of people that have sadly poisoned Brighton & Hove Labour Party in recent years and contributed to its descent into the gutter.
Her rampant racism and obsessive factionalism brings great us on us all who aspire for the Labour Party to be an anti-racist, inclusive & inclusive political force.
Recent weeks have provided much exposure about how unsafe Brighton and Hove Labour Party has become for people of Jewish faith in recent years.
Thankfully times are now beginning to change.
So she’s not anti semitic but she supported the Jeremy Corbyn’s disgusting views. The Labour party is infested with her type.
Sorry, what comments specifically? Jeremy Corbyn has made NO antisemitic remarks.
Your language ‘infested’ is similar to that of the Nazis who also talked about Jews being a bacillus and ‘infesting’ German society. I think we know what your politics are about
This is a tragedy on so many levels – a loss for the most vulnerable and needy in this city, for whom Kate strived so hard to fight their cause and a loss for the Labour party itself which will lose her enthusiasm, ideas, fairness and leadership. I am proud to call her my friend.
So sh claims she’s not anti semitic, but her posts clearly were, so that makes her snti semitic and a liar.
So as a Brighton & Hove Albion supporter, if I share posts from Crystal Palace, have I become a become a Crystal Palace supporter?! I hope not…
‘her posts clearly were (antisemitic)’
Perhaps you could give an example of WHY they were antisemitic? No? I thought not
Verifiable fact: Cllr Meadows was rejected as a candidate by her ward members.
Unverified & unsubstantiated allegation: Cllr Meadows left the party due to ‘intimidation’.
You might want to revise your story to reflect this.
This city’s Labour Party and council so contaminated with antisemitism it defies description. Every single post going back the last 10 years of every single councilor should be unearthed and examined. How can Jews feel safe in this city with this lot in charge?
I’m also a Jew but I don’t find Kate’s comments at all antisemitic. It’s strange that with all the froth and fury no one has said what it is about her posts that were antisemitic, It’s like the incoherent right, not being able to say why they don’t like what she said, shout out ‘antisemite’ instead of yah boo sucks!
The unsavoury views of Cllr Knight were well know well before the election. Local and national Labour chose to do nothing. She should never have been allowed to stand for Labour. Good riddance to her. May others now follow.
Agree totally, A L Brighton.
Her views are and always have been abhorrent.
Leopards don’t change their spots.
Labour moves one step closer to Number 10 with every antisemite and conspiracist that leaves or is expelled.
Perhaps you can give an example of Kate’s ‘abhorrent? No? perhaps being a reactionary you don’t like what she says
This is ridiculous. There’s nothing remotely antisemitic here. Those that claim otherwise are either delusional or disingenuous.
Kate’s resignation is a tragedy for the Labour Party and makes a travesty of freedom of speech. The witchunt must stop – the country is in crisis and yet petty-minded self-seeking individuals continue to undermine our local Council by reporting ‘perceived’ anti-Semitic comments by dedicated and hardworking councillors. Probably no coincidence that the last three have all been women. Nasty, underhand tactics seeking out comments and tweets from years back and misinterpreting them from a small local group are a serious threat to democracy. And the Labour Party continues to allow this to happen also thereby lose extremely talented Councillors. I despair!
Extremely talented and antisemitic. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck the likelihood is it’s a duck.
and if it writes like an idiot and talks like a fool the chances you are both!
Kate Knight is a hard working, excellent councillor! She is totally antiracist and far from antisemetic. Ive known her years and I am Jewish. The Labour Party and a few writing here have made a mockery of the fight against antisemitism and racist by conflating it with Israel. The Labour Party really has gotten itself into a mess over this issue. That’s sad for all decent people.
I am also Jewish Peter, and I completely agree with you. The pronouncements of the Sussex Jewish Representative Council do not represent me.
Maybe someone could explain what exactly you can say about Israel’s behaviour towards the Palestinians, it’s illegal occupation and proven manipulations to influence foreign politicians (just ask Priti Patel) before you get accused of anti-Semitism.
So as a Brighton & Hove Albion supporter, if I share posts from Crystal Palace, have I become a become a Crystal Palace supporter?! I hope not…
Its such a shame Labour hate Jewish people so much
it’s a shame Catherine that you are such a fool, but that’s life!
Ian. Do you hate statues and get benefits and bang on about affordable housing because you have a bad job per chance…
your reply shows that you are a bigot. Yes I love Michaelangelo’s David and I hate the idea that Edward Colston, responsible for thousands of African deaths should have pride of place in the centre of Bristol. If it was a statue to Himmler would you be equally happy to have it for the sake of ‘history
Benefits are essential to prevent poor people starving because of the iniquities of capitalism in which unemployment is an inherent part. Boy you are a little fascist
Shocked saddened and livid all at the same time to hear the news that yet another woman cllr, a decent hard working socialist has been bullied out of her position within the party. Kate has represented what I consider to be my old manor of Moulscecoomb and Bevendean admirably. Having lived there and represented this ward myself and being a former pupil of Moulsceoomb juniors I have appreciated the work that she has done,particularly in working with parents and staff to prevent the school from becoming an academy. Showing class solidarity didn’t end well for me either in Labour party terms. I was expelled in 1992 for five years.This was mostly for backing the anti poll tax unions and being prepared to go to prison rather than pay. The party then lost the seat for the first time in history to the Tories. Back then if they wanted rid of you they called you a Militant and talked about ‘Reds under the beds. Now they label you ‘ anti-semite.’ Like Kate Knight and Anne Pissaridou and Nikkie Brennan I abhor racism in all of it’s forms. Shocking to see life long Socialists be maligned in this manner. Shame on you who have bullied and harrassed these women. Shame! Shame! Shame!
I do not know anything about cllr Knight, though she was far more polite in answering a Public Question about Libraries than her predecessor. The article does not make clear whether she has left the Council entirely or just Labour.
Bring on the Byelection Chris, then perhaps we can get a Brighton First Councillor elected–one who knows how to spend public money as if it were their own, on the BASICS, as erroneously promised by Labour’s Warren Morgan in both 2015 & 2019 but never delivered. One who realises and practices the responsibilities of public office and who can happily leave all you childish FASCISTS OF THE LEFT, in your 57 varieties, to continue playing politics amongst yourselves whilst not understanding the first thing about this art. So preoccupied are you all with your TERMINAL EGOS that you’ve failed to heed the warning from history: “SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMETH.”………..TAKE HEED!
Extremely talented and antisemitic. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck the likelihood is it’s a duck.
Or a Swan!
Councillor Knight is a woman of great integrity, honesty and sensitivity. She cares deeply about others and works hard to support the people in her Ward and others.
I have known her personally and through the Labour Party for years, and I know there is no way she behaves in an antisemitic way nor has such views.
Unfortunately in the present time, very complex issues involving the history of the development of Israel, the fate of the dispossessed Palestinians, anti-Arab feeling, issues of Apartheid, racism, and also definitions of “Zionism” or “antisemitism” are referred to online as if they were simple. Statements which have not been, or cannot be, substantiated are presumed by readers to be true. Readers make instant judgements with no knowledge of the background, causing damage all round.
The foreground to all this should be the issue of truth. If a false claim is made, the reader can blame the maker for the lie. If a true claim is made, but the reader thinks it to be a lie, the reader blames the maker again.
People have a right to the chance to justify their statement, quote sources, tell the whole story, give evidence, have the argument. And there are some things which are of course a matter of opinion. As the meme has it, we are all entitled to our opinion. But we need to be clear about the difference between opinion and fact, which is not always easy and often depends upon definition.
I would argue strongly against the statements by Rachel Lewis. And I regard that of “Tom”, whoever he is, as appalling, shameful, a total slur with no justification on someone who works hard to make other people’s lives easier.
Shocked and saddened , that Kate Knight one of the most committed socialist that worked so hard for her community. Labour is a poorer place for losing people like Kate.shMe on the people who smear good people without any evidence. This makes me very sad and angry .
I do not believe that anyone with knowledge of the situation thinks that this is borne of concern for the welfare and happiness of anybody in our community.
God save us from mind reading technology when it comes along.
Absolutely NO ONE will be deemed fit for office with the full contents of their heads and pasts on public display.
Though I suspect it will be the biggest liberals who prove to be the biggest hypocrites in that scenario.
In the 80s the suits in the Labour party accused socialists of being violent militants and expelled them for not paying the poll tax. Today the Labour party’s wealthy elite accuse socialists of antisemitism and expel them for pointing out that it is a witchhunt.
How can commenting positively on something published by a Jewish organisation – Jewish Voice for Labour – be called antisemitic? Kete Knight is one of the most inspiring, caring and authentic people I know. She is an anti-racist and always stands up against sexism, racism and bigotry of all kinds. If the Labour party is now suspending people of her quality, it is sliding into a mediocre, Mcarthyite gutter.
Disband Brighton Labour party now -what a cesspool of racism and hatred it is.
isn’t it strange how all these Tories are so concerned about racism and hatred. The party of racism and Empire. The party who when it presided over Kenya in the 1950’s turned Nairobi into a concentration camp – Hola. They even invented a special instrument of torture to crush men’s testacles and cut them off.
These are the people whose Monday Club allied with the Nationa Front (holocaust deniers) in the 1970’s and half of whose members oppose having a Muslim as Prime Minister.
Yet they are now concerned about Labour ‘racism’. ‘Antisemitism’ has become the favourite weapon of the Right. Can’t be anything to do with Israel can it?
I think its unfair people say labour are anti-semitic , scroungers, bitter to people with good jobs and feel they should get handouts as they are not all anti-semitic
It is obscene & antisemitic to weaponise a religiion – judaism – so people are encouraged to believe criticism of vicious Israeli Govt behaviours somehow equates to antisemitism. It does not. Israel is losing its Jewish support worldwide. In the Labour Party that makes those millions of Jewish moralising critics antisemites. Confused?
Its all about Labour using Jews to slap each other about inside Labour’s warring factions. They disrespect Judaism by doing it & get away with it!
It’s more than a little ironic that at a time when Russia is being implicated in meddling in UK politics the Israeli government aided by its supporters over here has been proven to be interfering in UK domestic politics yet we rarely here anything about that – I wonder why?!
And what a great way to start the day: just read that Cllr Brennan has now resigned too, and joined Knight, and hopefully Pissaridou. And read Peter Kyle’s scathing assessment of the state of Brighton Labour – well said Peter: sometimes he seems like the only grown up politician in Brighton and Hove Labour, the rest of them seem like total cranks, obsessives and tantrum throwers!
Let me tell you something. My dad grew up in the East End. He took part in the Battle of Cable Street in October 1936 in which thousands of Jews and non-Jews prevented Oswald Moseley from marching through their area. The Zionists told him and others to stay at home.
He was a small man and after having been beaten up by Moseley thugs for walking down the wrong street (Ridley Road) he took up boxing piration for a nation-state to defend himself.
In time he became a prosperous businessman with right-wing views on privatisation, benefits etc. But do you know what? He swore never to vote Tory because they had worked hand in glove with Moseley, they had Hitler sympathisers high up (the Anglo-German fellowship) and in some cases councillors who were members of the Tory Party and the British Union of Fascists.
He was a Zionist unlike me. We used to argue a lot but he never accused me of anti-semitism. Why? because my dad knew what antisemitism was and it wasn’t criticism of Israel but hatred of Jews because they were Jews.
Those on this list who use ‘antisemite’ as a means of attacking those they disagree with, because they lack the verbal ability to tackle their arguments, fill me with disgust. You drain antisemitism of all meaning. Its about hatred or hostility to Jews as Jews. Nothing at all to do with Israel.
People like Peter Kyle are disgusting because they use us Jews as a means of pursuing their pro-imperialist policies. The idea of the right-wing being opposed to antisemitism is laughable and most of those who use it assume all Jews are Zionists. They are not.
Most Jews who died in the Holocaust were opposed to Zionism. According to the trolls and trash who use ‘antisemitism’ as a weapon to beat others, the victims of Hitler were also antisemites. Just how sick can you get?
Now Ian – that was some lengthy tantrum you just threw: hard to know where to start! You have a really extreme view on Israel/Palestine as does Lloyd Russell Moyle, Cllrs Knight, Brennan, Pissaridou, Tony Greenstein and the rest. Why did all these councillors repost or spread Rothschild banker conspiracy theories then? What has that to do with Israel/Palestine? Why do they retweet and spread conspiracy theories about Jews controlling the world or the UK or US? Why do they say every accusation of anti Jewish racism against Labour is a smear? Why do they call Jews who complain of left wing antisemitism liars? To the left antisemites there are good Jews (who hate Israel, Zionism etc, like you say you do) and bad and evil Jews (the 90% of UK Jews who are mainstream small z zionist Jews). I am sure you know all this anyway – a sensible politician knows the toxicity and extremism of the whole debate, and should do nothing to entrench, inflame or spread already existing divisions here in Brighton and the rest of the UK: focus on the issues that really matter in Brighton – jobs, education crime anti social behaviour the state of our streets etc – that is what they were elected to do, NOT to pontificate about Israel/Palestine or spread anti Jewish conspiracy theorues. And one final point Ian – leave Palestinians alone! They don’t need or want you to fight their battles..they are perfectly capable of fighting their own case as are all peoples everywhere: Peter Kyle is a grown up about this – all people like you do is increase the hate, increase the divisions, increase the extremism: so play nicely in future Ian – or its the naughty step for you!
Anne Pissaridou posted or rather shared one Rothschilds post 4 years ago. And that is it.
So when you say ‘Why did all these councillors repost or spread Rothschild banker conspiracy theories then?’ the answer is that they didn’t. You are simply a liar.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly declares that Israel is a state of its Jewish citizens not all its citizens. That is what a Jewish state means. He also stated, on behalf of a coalition that includes what’s left of the Israeli Labor Party, that when they annex 1/3 of the West Bank, the Palestinians living there won’t be given citizenship.
That to my mind is apartheid. To racists like you, who are mourning the loss of white supremacy in South Africa, it is a perfectly ok situation to have people living under military rule for 53 years whilst settlers steal their land.
There are 2 systems of law in the West Bank – one for Jews another for Arabs. That to most peope is apartheid. So all your verbal flatulence counts for nothing. People like you who supported all the iniquities of the British Empire were 2 a penny.
Your type 80 years ago was cheering Hitler to the rafters in Germany. Today you cheer Zionism instead. After all there is no greater supporter of Israel than White Supremacists like Trump, Tommy robinson Britain 1st etc.
Oh and yes, the good Jews are anti-racist Jews and the not so good Jews are the Zionists. What is your problem with that? Weren’t the good Whites in South Africa those who also opposed apartheid?
I’m just here to point out the misspelling in Labor party……have a nice day.
Wow – I wake up to find we have a new administration in Brighton, the Greens! Though I am not a Green myself I wish them luck and hope they can build a clean racism free council …and clean up my city too!
And from Ian, as ever, there was yet more hate, more extremism, more division….I mean this sincerely: you and people like Pissaridou, Knight, Brennan, Russell-Moyle should humbly reflect on how you have collectively brought the local Labour Party to its knees, and made it a by-word for crankery, obsession and antisemitism. Please take some time to truly consider what your clear extremism has sadly done to this city.
Ha Ha Ha Sounds as if someone is very pissed off not to be recognised as the leading member of the Jewish community – perhaps they should apologise for committing perjury against a member of Brighton Palestinian community in an abortive attempt to get them convicted of antisemitism. result – they were laughed out of court and reprimanded by the magistrate. Stop posing as a someone with any moral stature.
“We are also bemused that the leader of the council has stated that she reached out to a “leading member of the Jewish community” but did not contact the Sussex Jewish Representative Council, the recognised body for such communications with our community.
“We would suggest that if she wants to apologise to our community she do it through the correct channels.
David B
Ian Brown seems to like insulting people who disagree with him, calling them “fools” etc.
I have voted labour but never for a Marxist like Corbyn. Most people I know and they are of all political persuasions have always found Peter Kyle to helpful, hardworking, sympathetic to problems and nothing like the extremists claim. While Israel is not a perfect society, Arab Israelis can vote in the Knesset as MP’s , work as doctors, lawyers etc. unlike most if not all Arab countries. You should google Mosab Hassan Youssef in the UN. He is the son of one of the people who formed Hamas. It won’t change your mind but it may give you food for thought.
Also, I must have missed the survey of holocaust victims who were asked if they were Zionists or not!
Fakes are really fashionable at the moment. I cannot understand why. Ian Brown is also a fake, just saying.
Labour is a cesspool of anti-semitism and Hindu hatred.