Haaretz Podcast 'Political football': How U.K. Jews are caught between Britain's racist far-right and the anti-Zionist far left
May 12, 2026
Esther Solomon, senior analyst on European politics and Jewish affairs, and Hagar Shezaf, London-based correspondent on British politics and the Jewish community, examine a UK political shake-up. They discuss how far-right and far-left surges framed antisemitism, why Israel and Gaza shaped votes, and the fraught choices facing Britain’s Jewish communities.
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Local Elections Turned Into National Referendum
- Britain's local elections became a de facto referendum on Keir Starmer's national leadership rather than purely local council issues.
- Populist parties campaigned on national platforms, turning local contests into signals about national dissatisfaction and fracturing the traditional two-party duopoly.
Voter Told Canvasser Gaza Pushed Him From Labour
- Hagar Shezaf canvassed with Greens in Hackney and met a lifelong Labour voter who switched because of Gaza and Iran and dissatisfaction with Keir Starmer.
- The Green campaign mixed typical local issues like mold with strong stances on Gaza, attracting young progressives and some Muslim voters.
Antisemitism Became A Campaign Weapon
- The surge in antisemitic speech and violent attacks since October 7th elevated antisemitism into a major campaign issue and a political weapon between parties.
- Parties' responses to attacks, like the Golders Green stabbing, became tests of credibility and influenced voter perception beyond policy debates.