Jo Bird

Jo Bird  (politician)
Jew process: Jo Bird's play on words
Religion	Jewish
Interests	Jewish Voice for Labour
Party	Labour Co-op

Jo Bird is a British politician who has been the Labour and Co-operative councillor for Bromborough in the Wirral since August 2018. Cllr Bird hopes to succeed Louise Ellman as the MP for Liverpool Riverside and, in a video released in October 2019, said:

“I am one of many Jewish members of the Labour Party here in Liverpool City Region. We don’t recognise the description that Louise Ellman paints of the Labour Party being institutionally anti-semitic.

“My experience is a very welcoming Labour Party. For me as a Jewish person, as a socialist and as a human I’m proud to represent this community. Louise Ellman was elected on a Labour ticket, she should resign and call a by-election as she is no longer part of the Labour Party.”

In the event, Kim Johnson was selected for the Liverpool Riverside seat and she became the city's first black MP at the UK/2019 General Election.

NEC candidate

Jo Bird applied for the vacancy on Labour's National Executive Committee created by the election to Parliament of former NEC member Claudia Webbe but was narrowly beaten by right winger Johanna Baxter, after what was described as an attempt to rig the NEC election.

"Jew" process

On 4 March 2019, Jo Bird was suspended by the Labour Party pending investigation of allegedly antisemitic remarks she made in May 2018 at a meeting in support of political activist Marc Wadsworth, who was expelled for behaviour deemed "grossly detrimental" after a confrontation with Labour MP Ruth Smeeth in 2016.

Both a recording of a speech leaked to the Jewish Chronicle from the meeting and a blog written by Jo Bird for Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) struck a similar tone on the issue, mentioning Labour members such as Mr Wadsworth and former London Mayor Ken Livingstone:

"JVL is campaigning with others to overturn Marc Wadsworth’s unfair expulsion, clear his name and to defend Jackie Walker (who is black and Jewish) and others earmarked for the next phase in expulsions.

"JVL is calling for disciplinary hearings to be paused until a due process has been established based on principles of natural justice. What I call Jew process."

Tory councillors engage in antisemitism

Speaking at a meeting of Wirral Council on Monday 4 March 2019, Cllr Bird was video recorded (from 01:30:40 to 01:33:20) saying:

“I’m sorry that the Wirral Conservatives feel the need to leave the chamber at this point. You will not be able to hear the voice of Bromborough and New Ferry residents, nor my apology for my words being misunderstood…”

(see 01:31:00 interruption by Mayor Geoffrey Watt to facilitate the Tory / Independent walk-out)

“…thank you, it is unfortunate that the Conservative members have chosen to leave, thereby depriving their own residents of their voice in this chamber. And I’d like to address everybody, fellow councillors and residents of Wirral. I nip out during the Christian prayers here partly because I’m Jewish. My great-grandparents were refugees from ethnic cleansing and fascism in Europe. My grandfather never knew his cousins because they perished in the Holocaust. I know from lived experience…

(see 01:31:54 Independent Councillor Chris Meaden is seen walking out)

"…what racism against…

(see 01:31:56 Independent Councillor Moira McLaughlin is seen walking out)

"…Jewish people looks like, and it’s vile. Just today I received anti-Semitic hate emails. I was told that it is time for Jews to leave the UK, that I’m low-life, go and crawl back under your rock, and that I’m a Nazi. And actually what gives me nightmares these days are political moves to the right and the far right, for example, Conservative leaders like Theresa May, creating what she herself calls a hostile environment for migrants who enrich our country, such as the Windrush generation. And we’ve seen just right now the hostile environment created by Conservatives in the Wirral. It is Labour who have led every piece of anti-racist legislation in this country. As you know, at our last council meeting, this birdy has a self-deprecating sense of humour and I’m sorry if any offence has been caused by my plays on words. That was not my intention. As councillor for Bromborough / New Ferry, I welcome the proposed budget and the much-needed fund for New Ferry. The fund will help to rebuild lives and the livelihoods of people and traders devastated by the gas explosion almost two years ago. Thank you all for your support.”

 

Related Documents

Title	Type	Publication date	Author(s)	Description
Document:We condemn the suspension of Jo Bird and the appointment of Lord Falconer	Article	4 March 2019	Admin	As Ken Loach said: “If it looks like a witch hunt and behaves like a witch hunt – it may well be just that. This is intolerable and must end now.”
Document:Who should hold the next prime minister to account? Our best hope lies with the Green party	Article	12 June 2024	George Monbiot	The Green party has a chance of winning six seats in this election – Brighton Pavilion, where former party leader Caroline Lucas is standing down, Birkenhead, Bristol Central, Clacton, North Herefordshire, and Waveney Valley. If you live in one of these constituencies and wish to evict the Tories, this is the most effective way to use your vote.

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