Mike Craven’s piece “Labour cannot take Catholics for granted” (30 November) repeats accusations against Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party about anti-Semitism while ignoring evidence for a different point of view. Craven makes no mention of a list that has been compiled of Corbyn’s political interventions and support for Commons early day motions which support Jewish communities. He ignores the significant minority of Jewish voices raised in support of Labour who distance themselves from those who say Labour is a threat to all Jews. He ends by saying: “The message to Corbyn’s Labour should be clear – don’t expect Catholics to support a party that attacks Jews.” 

I intend to vote Labour and so do many of my Catholic and Jewish friends, because Labour is not “a party that attacks Jews”. I do not deny that there is anti-Semitism in the Labour Party, nor do I deny that Corbyn has in the past aligned himself with anti-Zionist political movements. Like many on the Left, he has sometimes allowed legitimate pro-Palestinian sympathies to blur his judgement. However, leadership brings with it responsibilities, and I believe that Corbyn and his supporters are now working diligently to respond to their critics and to tackle anti-Semitism.