05.11.2020

Freedom of speech

Open letter to the Labour leader, Labour Disputes and Labour Legal Queries

Dear comrades

I am a member of the Labour Party, Hampstead and Kilburn CLP.

In early October 2017 I received a letter (dated October 3) from Sam Matthews, then the party’s Head of Disputes, expelling me from the party. The letter contained an insinuation that I had published an “anti-Semitic article”. This smear was not only false, but entirely gratuitous, as the reason given for my expulsion had nothing to do with the content of the article in question. That reason, however, was found to be ineffectual, and my expulsion was rescinded in a letter from the said Sam Matthews, dated October 26 2017.

I have since then demanded several times an apology for the ‘anti-Semitism’ smear; but my demands were ignored.

I now have pleasure in drawing your attention to my article, ‘An immoral dilemma: The trap of Zionist propaganda’ (Journal of Palestine Studies Vol XLVII, No4, summer 2018), attached herewith; to my article ‘Messianic Zionism: the ass and the red heifer’ (Monthly Review February 2020); and to my article, ‘Weaponising “anti-Semitism”’ (Weekly Worker April 23 2020).

Please advise me whether, in your considered opinion, public expression of the views put forward in these articles is compatible with my membership of the Labour Party. If it is not, I would respectfully ask you to point out specifically which of these views are incompatible with membership. I wish to add that I am determined to continue advocating these views.

I am writing this as an open letter, because the issues that it involves are not private, but of concern to members and supporters of the party, and indeed to the general public.

Sincerely

Moshé Machover