Where's Shami?

While idly flicking through the channels I accidentally came across a debate in the House of Lords on antisemitism.  It was about half-way through when I found it, so I looked it up on Hansard, interested to read what Baroness Warsi had said, and Lord Fink. 

"Jewish friends..."

However, I did see Baroness Jenny Tonge who was anxious to tell us that she wasn’t an antisemite and that some of her friends are Jews but “They are not like other Jews, that’s why they are my friends.” (Oh wait - that was Mahathir Mohamad at the Cambridge Union)

Baroness Tonge is:

“sick of the filthy abuse that I get online, sick of the accusations of anti-Semitism being levelled against me and appalled that I never get any apology, even when the accusations are found to be fabricated, as they were two years ago. 

Finally, I wish noble Lords to know that I am not anti-Semitic. I have never been anti-Semitic, and I never will be anti-Semitic. I have Jewish and gentile friends who will vouch for me. But I am anti-injustice, and I think that the people of Palestine have suffered a terrible injustice over the last 100 years at the hands of the Zionist movement—I apologise if noble Lords do not like that phrase—and presently by the Israeli Government. On that I shall not be silenced.

That was her contribution to a debate on antisemitism. I’m sure it was relevant, just not necessarily in the way this debate was intended. (Bit like Eric Morecambe and those rearranged notes on the piano)

The rest of the speeches were typical HoL speeches - a bit doddery and shakily delivered, but well-intentioned.

You’d think the expert on antisemitism might have put in an appearance. But no, Baroness Chakrabarti was nowhere to be seen.

Update:
Jeremy Corbyn awarded Shami Chakrabarti a peerage for her ‘autobiographical style’ investigation into antisemitism in the Labour Party. Oddly, she didn’t turn up to the debate on that very topic, which was held in the House of Lords two days ago. Perhaps she was indisposed?

Baroness Chakrabarti must be feeling better now. She has had plenty to say about Mark Field’s heavy-handed response to a climate change activist’s intrusive protest during Phillip Hammond’s Mansion House speech.

“Shami Chakrabarti, Labour’s Shadow Attorney General commented: “While it is a relief that Mark Field has been suspended from government, he must be suspended from the Conservative Party and the whip pending the disciplinary process and any police investigation following criminal complaints. 

“The distressing camera footage clearly demonstrates that the minister was not acting in self-defence and “acting instinctively” is no defence if your instincts come from a sense of entitlement and violent disdain for a young woman engaged in peaceful protest at a political event. 

“Jeremy Hunt, Mark Field’s boss, has refused to condemn his actions and Boris Johnson remains silent. We have a right to know what the candidates to be our next Prime Minister think about the actions of a Foreign Minister, who should be setting a better example in relation to the treatment of women and protesters on the world stage.”

BBC news is reporting Baroness Chakrabarti’s pronouncements on this affair. I suppose they must value her opinion.