The Jewish Left’s Lost Ground: A Tale of Two Alliances

The recent rally against antisemitism in London, where Rabbi Charley Baginsky was met with boos from the crowd, has left many in the community feeling uneasy about their place on the left. This event highlighted a growing trend: as figures on the right take ownership of condemning antisemitism and robustly defending Israel, liberal and left-wing British Jews are increasingly feeling isolated.

Research by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research shows that support for Labour among British Jews is at an all-time low, with just 58% of Jews favouring the party in 2025 – a drop from the 75-80% historically recorded. Conversely, the Green party has seen a surge in popularity, with 18% of Jews now backing them.

The shift cannot be attributed solely to disillusionment with Labour’s handling of antisemitism. Rather, it reflects a deeper concern about the left’s ability to tackle the issue effectively. For some Jewish leaders, the Jeremy Corbyn era was a turning point – it weakened the bond between Labour and the Jewish community. The subsequent attacks and abuse following the 2023 Israel attacks have pushed many to reevaluate their stance.

Raphi Bloom of the Jewish Representative Council believes that Reform UK is now gaining traction among Jewish voters. He points to the party’s swift response to anti-Jewish racism as a key factor in its growing popularity. Moreover, he notes that Reform has managed to bring over genuine allies from the Conservative party – a move that Labour has struggled to replicate.

David Feldman, co-director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Study of Antisemitism, highlights two key dynamics driving divisions within British Jewish political life: growing disagreement over Israel and deepening arguments over what drives antisemitism. According to Feldman, the widespread notion that antisemitism is driven by the pro-Palestine movement has become a pervasive narrative – with some even suggesting that the wellbeing of Jewish people is necessarily opposed to that of Palestinians.

This narrative can have disastrous consequences. The New Israel Fund’s decision to withdraw their backing from the rally reflects this growing unease. Their chief executive, David Davidi-Brown, explained that his organisation had to consider the impact on their Palestinian and Muslim allies. This pragmatism is not surprising – in an era where the left is increasingly polarized, Jewish leaders are being forced to choose between their commitment to social justice and their loyalty to Israel.

The rally’s decision to invite Reform leader Nigel Farage, despite allegations of teenage antisemitism against him, has sparked concerns about the event’s values. Andrew Walters, an Independent councillor in Salford, believes that aligning too closely with the right can be detrimental. He warns that any party based on despising other groups should be viewed with skepticism – and that the far-right’s anti-Muslim agenda is being capitalized upon by both the far-left and far-right.

As British politics continues to polarize, it remains to be seen whether the Jewish left will find a way to reclaim its ground. The complexities of antisemitism cannot be reduced to simplistic solutions or ideological purity tests. Instead, the future of the Jewish left depends on its ability to navigate these treacherous waters – and emerge with a commitment to social justice that does not come at the expense of its own identity.