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One of the two British Labour lawmakers who has called for a vote of no confidence against leader Jeremy Corbyn has been exposed as a pro-Israel member of the U.K. parliament unlike Corbyn who is known for his pro-Palestinian activism and support for boycotting Israel, according to a report by Electronic Intifada released Friday.
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Just hours after Brexit referendum came out in favor of the U.K. leaving the EU, lawmaker Margaret Hodge, backed by colleague Ann Coffey, called for a debate on Corbyn's leadership among the party's parliamentary representatives when it next meets on Monday.
They blame Corbyn for not doing enough in campaigning for a “remain” vote, arguing that he is in part to blame for its outcome. However, Corbyn professed critical support for the EU throughout the campaign and campaigned as part of the "In" crowd.
Reports suggest Hodge has been planning a coup against Corbyn since May. The right-wing member of the Labour party is a registered supporter of Labour's Friends of Israel, an Israel lobby organization within the party.
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According to Electronic Intifada, under Prime Minister Tony Blair Labour's Friends of Israel was seen as a must-join group for a successful career as a Labour MP, but its influence has been declining over recent years. Hodge was a former minister under Blair.
The plan to oust Corybn seems to have been initiated following a media frenzy over Labour’s “ongoing anti-Semitism crisis,” which many see as a campaign against Corbyn’s stances on Palestine and his support for boycotting Israel.
The Electronic Intifada said the “crisis” was mostly manufactured, and was based on fabricated and exaggerated claims of anti-Semitism that “were deliberately aimed at smearing Corbyn, the left and the Palestine solidarity movement in general.”
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