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October 29, 2019 2:16 pm
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Jewish Labour MP Targeted for Ouster by Corbyn Supporters Retains Her Seat: ‘Victory!’

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avatar by Benjamin Kerstein

Dame Margaret Hodge celebrates her reselection as MP for Barking, east London, Oct. 28, 2019. Photo: Twitter screenshot.

MP Dame Margaret Hodge, a prominent opponent of antisemitism within her own Labour party and an outspoken critic of its leader Jeremy Corbyn, has defeated an attempt by Corbyn backers to oust her from her seat.

Hodge, who is Jewish, simply tweeted “Victory!” after she was reselected as MP for Barking, in east London.

The attempt to topple Hodge began last month as the result of a campaign mounted by far-left activists within Labour who objected to her comments that she understood why British Jews might feel nervous about the prospect of Corbyn becoming prime minister.

The attempt to deselect Hodge was met by particular outrage when a discussion of the motion was scheduled for Yom Kippur Eve.

The Guardian reported that supporters hailed Hodge’s victory. The Board of Deputies of British Jews tweeted on Monday, “Congratulations to @MargaretHodge on her emphatic reselection. Trolls who opposed her reckoned without Margaret’s strength & popularity.”

“Not lost on anyone that Labour’s so-called ‘anti-racist’ leader missing in action as his drones tried to force out another Jewish MP,” the group said.

MP Ruth Smeeth of the Jewish Labour Movement said in the House of Commons, “I just want to put on record the fact that Margaret Hodge, the honorable (member) for Barking, has been reselected this evening, against an appalling attack by members of our party and I am delighted she remains a Labour candidate at the next general election.”

The Labour mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, tweeted, “Congratulations to @margarethodge — reselected by Labour members to continue her work representing the people of Barking and Dagenham in Parliament.”

News site PoliticsHome quoted an anonymous source described as a “Labour insider” as saying, “Margaret has been targeted by the antisemites in Labour but the community she has loyally served … has overwhelmingly shown they have her back and want her to keep fighting for them.”

Media personality and Jewish activist Rachel Riley tweeted, “Never underestimate a Jewish grandma! Margaret Hodge 2 … Corbyn’s racist outriders, 0.”

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