Barry Gardiner MP, the Researcher and Israel

Labour MP Barry Gardiner, aside from being rather greedy with his expenses, was the Vice-Chair of the Labour Friends of Israel. However it seems that either Mr Gardiner has had a massive change of heart, a rethink of that friendship so to speak, or he doesn’t vet his new staff very well.

This is Joseph “Seph” Brown, Gardiner’s new Campaign and Communication Manager (nice title!) While Joseph was at LSE he was, rather ironically, the Anti-Racism Officer of their Student’s Union. He didn’t really practice what he preached though. As campus newspaper The Beaver reported in March:

“A senior Students' Union official has criticised the conduct of the Union's Anti-Racism Officer because of comments he made which allegedly intimidated a Jewish student.

Union Communications Officer Dan Sheldon said that Anti-Racism Officer Joseph Brown's behaviour during the occupation of the Old Theatre, when Brown referred to having "shot down a Zionist", was "unacceptable", "foolish" and "beyond belief".”

And that’s not just it;

"He even went so far as to pretend to hold a machine gun and said 'I loaded the bullets in, aimed, fired, and shot down that Zionist' (including the motions that go along with all those actions - and a huge smug smile on his face, searching for approval from the group).”

His colleagues at the student union were damning:

“It's about basic human civility, something Joseph Brown has failed to consider on more than one occasion. I am glad that he will not be leading the Students' Union next year, after being defeated in his sabbatical ambitions by such a large margin"

Although Gardiner was critical of Israel’s attempts to stop the Hamas rockets over the New Year, such disgusting behaviour and incitement of anti-Israeli violence can surely not be condoned? By a self-proclaimed friend of Israel?

It seems that Brown has been somewhat active in making his views about Israel known elsewhere. It is not known whether he was standing by the "Israel is Guilty of Murder” banner in his official capacity as a spokesmen for the LSE Palestinian Society, an organisation long suspected in London student politics or harbouring blatant pro-Hamas views. He clearly doesn’t agree with his boss though, who is critical of both sides, saying:

“Let me not try to hide my prejudices and affiliations. I voted for the Iraq war. I have always spoken out against terrorist violence and many years ago I became a vice-Chair of Labour Friends of Israel. I instinctively side with a democracy and I instinctively mistrust any organisation where old men load up women and children with explosive jackets and send them as suicide bombers to attack an “enemy” that includes other women and children.”

Scratch beneath the surface of the pro-Hamas Gaza , keffiyeh wearing, student occupations and again and again you find thinly veiled anti-Israeli and aggressive anti-Jewish sentiments. Why calling for Zionists to be shot not a barrier to employment in the party of government? Instead of being ostracised for his extremism, Joseph Brown has been welcomed in to the open arms of the Labour Party.
TB spoke briefly to "Seph" to check some facts earlier. When he called in again to put some questions to his boss, the office was mysteriously on answer phone.

At best Gardiner is dreadful at vetting candidates for jobs in his office, at worst well he has employed Brown knowing of his extremist views. He wouldn’t do that…

Would he?