In the wake of unprecedented criticism of the UK National Union of Students (NUS) for its response to antisemitism allegations, 21 former union presidents have penned a private letter to the organization warning that it must seriously address complaints by Jewish students.
A report in The Guardian of the presidents’ letter came as it was revealed that MP Robert Halfon, chairman of the Commons Education Select Committee, had sent a formal referral to the Charity Commission accusing the NUS of creating a “culture of discrimination” against Jewish students.
The letter, which was leaked to The Guardian, was addressed to the NUS’s current president Larissa Kennedy and its trustees. Signatories included former cabinet ministers, a shadow health secretary, well known television and newspaper journalists, and others who headed the student union as far back as the 1960s.
The letter stated: “This is not just a matter of protecting NUS’s reputation, but honouring NUS’s proud anti-racist principles.”
“We are writing to you privately as former presidents with serious concerns about antisemitism, the safety and treatment of Jewish students at NUS events and within your democracy, and the way in which NUS is responding to these concerns,” the letter said.
It went on to charge that it was “clear NUS has a serious and significant problem” with its relationship with Jewish students.
The letter demanded that the NUS make a “full and unreserved apology,” promise to repair relations with the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) and Jewish students, begin an independent investigation into antisemitism inside the union, and look into tweets and statements made by all incoming and current officials.
The letter added: “We hope that the trustees understand the gravity of the crisis facing the organization, the reputational damage it is suffering, and the potentially existential threat that de-recognition of NUS poses to the future of the organization – and your responsibility to act.”
Last week, Michelle Donelan, the minister of state for universities, said that she was “actively considering” sending a complaint against the union to the Charity Commission or instead engaging with “alternative student voices,” the Times reported.
Donelan’s move to distance the government from the NUS, came shortly after Lord John Mann, the UK government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, called for the National Union of Students (NUS) to be sanctioned over its “poor treatment” of Jewish students.
Mann made the recommendation days after the NUS’s new president Shaima Dallali was forced to publicly apologize for past tweets offensive to the Jewish community, including tweeting the Islamic chant calling for “the army of Mohammed” to attack the Jews.
Dallali was also severely criticized for having the slogan "Death for the sake of Allah is our most exalted wish" in the bio of an old account. The phrase is used by Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The NUS also came under fire in March after it reportedly said that Jewish students who were outraged that anti-Israel rapper Lowkey was the headline musical act at its conference could have the option of being placed in a separate room while he performed.
