I am a member of the Labour Party, Hampstead and Kilburn CLP.
In early October 2017 I received a letter (dated 3 October) from Sam Matthews, then the Party’s Head of Disputes, expelling me from the Party. The letter contained an insinuation that I had published an ‘antisemitic article’. This smear was not only false, but entirely gratuitous, as the reason given for my expulsion had nothing to do with the content of the article in question. That reason, however, was found to be ineffectual, and my expulsion was rescinded in a letter from the said Sam Matthews, dated 26 October 2017.
I have since then demanded several limes an apology for the ‘antisemitism’ smear; but my demands were ignored.
I now have pleasure in drawing your attention to my article ‘An immoral dilemma: The trap of Zionist propaganda’ (Journal of Palestine Studies Vol. XLVII, No. 4, Summer 2018 ), attached herewith; and to my article ‘Messianic Zionism: The ass and the red heifer’ (Monthly Review, February 2020), available online here; and to my article ‘Weaponising “anti-Semitism”’ (Weekly Worker 23 April 2020), available online here.
Please advise me whether, in your considered opinion, public expression of the views put forward in these articles is compatible with my membership of the Labour Party. If it is not, I would respectfully ask you to point out specifically which of these views are incompatible with LP membership. I wish to add that I am determined to continue advocating these views.
I am writing this as an open letter, because the issues that it involves are not private but of concern to members and supporters of the Party, and indeed to the general public.
Sincerely,
Moshé Machover