As today’s ceasefire begins and hostages return, Labour has a chance to turn from its obsession with Israel to the pressing domestic issues here at home. It could start by encouraging wider adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

In the past decade, Labour has faced the deepest moral crisis in its modern history: the stain of antisemitism that took root under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, leaving a generation of Jewish members feeling betrayed and many British Jews fearing what a Labour Government might mean for them.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s 2020 ruling that Labour had broken equality law in its handling of antisemitic conduct marked a moment of shame – one that should have triggered a permanent cultural reset.

After the ruling, Labour overhauled its systems. Disciplinary processes were tightened, training expanded, and new checks introduced to vet candidates – so extensive that some commentators queried if it bordered on paranoia.

It seemed to work, thanks in large part to the diligent leadership of then-General Secretary David Evans, whose work drove much of the reform that followed.

Yet that work now seems in vain. If the systems were as rigorous as claimed, why does the wider party once again appear obsessed with Israel – an issue now registering in Hansard more often than any other? The question is no longer about who slipped through the net, but whether there is something deeper within Labour’s culture on this issue.

Antisemitism has not disappeared; it has evolved. What once expressed itself through conspiracy now manifests as a moral obsession with the existence of Israel – the world’s only Jewish state.

It has become a fixation consuming far more parliamentary time than issues most voters care about: the NHS, education, housing and community safety. For those worried about a “vacuum of scrutiny,” they needn’t be.

Israel already has its own electorate – the only democracy in the Middle East, whose citizens have been protesting, campaigning and changing governments since 1948.

After October 7, when Hamas massacred Israeli civilians, antisemitic incidents in Britain surged – abuse shouted on our streets, graffiti daubed on synagogues, hatred spread online, plaguing social media and penetrating public discourse.

Since then, the atmosphere has worsened, culminating in the fatal terrorist attack outside a Manchester synagogue, confirming how fragile safety has become for British Jews.

Between those two grim milestones, the Prime Minister chose to turn to foreign policy and recognise ‘Palestine’ – in the midst of delicate ceasefire negotiations led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to release hostages and bring about a ceasefire.

I remain unclear on what measurable benefit Palestinians and the hostages have experienced since. All I know is that Hamas – a proscribed terrorist organisation – were among those most grateful.

Meanwhile, slogans such as “from the river to the sea” – widely understood to mean a Palestinian state in place of Israel – continue to echo on pro-Palestine rallies.

Labour MPs have been suspended after invoking the phrase, though later reinstated following internal review.

The Mayor of London has recently said that whether the chant is antisemitic “depends on context.”

It is precisely that moral ambiguity that corrodes Labour’s claim to have changed.

Now that hostages have returned through President Trump’s ceasefire plan – a diplomatic development in which Britain observed more than it influenced – the moment calls for domestic introspection.

It is time for Labour to turn its attention to Britain: to the NHS, education, housing, our communities – and to the rising antisemitism that has saturated social media, gripped the national discourse; creating a hostile environment for British Jews. The continued fixation on Israel does not help Palestinians, but it has undoubtedly made life harder for British Jews.

These domestic issues are extensive and will take real debate to reach consensus – but I’m optimistic this Government can still deliver. Tackling the scourge of antisemitism, however, can start today. We don’t need to wait for government approval.

I encourage all Mayors, Councils, MPs’ offices and Police and Crime Commissioners to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism – read it closely and understand its examples. With that understanding, they can help lead the fight against this vile form of racism that stands utterly at odds with our fundamental British values.