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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

cause he is Jewish

678 replies

Carycach4 · 13/01/2026 10:34

Apologies cant see a thread about this.
Staff at Bristol Brunel academy blocked a visit by Damien Egan, their local MP because he is Jewish. Clear case of antisemitism. AIBU to thinking that headteacher and those driving this decision should be sacked and reported to the Teacher Regulation Agency?
(Apologies thread title isnt correct, but i can't edit it)

OP posts:
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5
Kingscallops · 14/01/2026 00:49

HaimishaPickle · 14/01/2026 00:24

What huge letter writing campaign?

Would also like to see a quantification of that campaign.. I guess it only extends to intimidating members of the public going about their daily business on a Saturday in London.

HaimishaPickle · 14/01/2026 01:30

Anyahyacinth · 14/01/2026 00:21

The irony in that is there is a huge letter writing campaign against anyone in the public eye who is pro Palestinian…lots of venues overwhelmed and cancel bookings because of pressure (relating to people talking about the genocide there)..investigations of this work by friends of Israel groups by the Charity commission at the current time..because they are taking a doxxing political stance to free speech.

...investigations of this work by friends of Israel groups by the Charity commission at the current time..because they are taking a doxxing political stance to free speech.

What investigations by the Charity Commission? Middle East Eye quoting an unnamed "spokesperson" from the CC who says they're investigating the relationship between the UK Lawyers for Israel and their charitable arm, UKLFI Charitable Trust is nothing to do with taking a doxxing political stance to free speech (whatever that means). If such a case had been opened, you'd expect a statement about the enquiry to have been made by now on the Charity Commission website, as that was months ago and yet there's nothing about it.

Likewise, Cage International submitting a complaint to the Charities Commission about the Campaign Against Antisemitism campaigning against antisemitism does not an investigation make.

Or perhaps are you referring to the one official statement I could find from the Charity Commission issuing an Official Warning to the UK Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel’s Soldiers? The case was originally opened to investigate possible misuse of fundraising to support the IDF but no evidence of this was found. The warning was for posting a distressing video to their website and the trustees failing to do to do their due diligence with regards to posting content.

I hope this poster returns with viable sources and evidence to back up their dire accusations, otherwise it just looks like hyperbolic ploppery.

CremeCarmel · 14/01/2026 04:32

5MinuteArgument · 13/01/2026 12:32

They should save their politics for outside their working environment. They don't speak for everybody at that school.

What? Do some people at the school support the killings of children? Why would someone like that even be working in a school?

nomas · 14/01/2026 04:44

He is vice-Chairman for Labour Friends of Israel that lobbies for Israel.

If the university had allowed a lobbyist for Hamas people would be up in arms.

Cheeriooo · 14/01/2026 06:31

EverythingYouLoseIsAStepYouTake · 13/01/2026 11:27

It's not because he's Jewish. It's because of his open support for the state of Israel. He is the vice chair of Labour Friends of Israel and he has visited Israel in a show of support.

He refused to sign letters seeking to enforce sanctions on Israel for committing war crimes (as per the UN), upholding ICC arrest warrants against Israeli war criminals, and suspending arms sales to Israel.

He is openly pro-Israel despite their continued genocide against the people of Palestine and their many well documented war crimes.

Conflating being Jewish and being pro-Israel is antisemitic. Many Jewish people are strong opponents of what Israel is doing. Criticising someone for being pro-Israel is not the same as criticising someone for being Jewish.

If pro Israel is bad then why is pro Palestine good? Palestine is controlled by Hamas, a terrorist group. There’s very little rights for women and girls in Palestine including girls being married when they’re a child. Both countries have done awful things to each other.

nopoweron · 14/01/2026 06:53

Dollymylove · 13/01/2026 10:59

Our children are being indoctrinated by the UK education system. I fear for my grandchildren future. These "teachers" should be brought to account.
Imagine how things would go if an MP of another "religion" was banned?
😡😡😡

I think this is not the case. My 2 are in year 7 and 11 and have never been 'indoctrinated'. Also, education starts at home, if there is anything school do that you don't like from a political perspective, you talk about it and teach your offspring to think critically and express themselves clearly in discussion without the need for hyperbole.

nomas · 14/01/2026 07:17

Cheeriooo · 14/01/2026 06:31

If pro Israel is bad then why is pro Palestine good? Palestine is controlled by Hamas, a terrorist group. There’s very little rights for women and girls in Palestine including girls being married when they’re a child. Both countries have done awful things to each other.

I’m not sure anyone for any nation should be allowed to lobby at universities.

The argument that Palestinians don’t have rights skates too close to the idea that they are expendable.

dairydebris · 14/01/2026 07:30

Fascinated to hear some people defending the decision to cancel the talk because of safety concerns due to the protest... when same people usually insist these pro- Palestinian protests are always peaceful and not full of hate. Which is it? Dangerous to kids or not?

Humdingerydoo · 14/01/2026 07:32

nomas · 14/01/2026 04:44

He is vice-Chairman for Labour Friends of Israel that lobbies for Israel.

If the university had allowed a lobbyist for Hamas people would be up in arms.

What do you mean by "lobbies for Israel"? I suspect you don't actually know what the group in question actually stands for and are doing as others on here and just regurgitating fun little soundbites from TikTok.

Humdingerydoo · 14/01/2026 07:35

CremeCarmel · 14/01/2026 04:32

What? Do some people at the school support the killings of children? Why would someone like that even be working in a school?

I think it sounds a lot like teachers at the school don't mind killings of children as long as those children are Israeli. And I agree, someone like that shouldn't be working in a school. So at least we can agree on one thing.

BunfightBetty · 14/01/2026 07:55

nomas · 14/01/2026 04:44

He is vice-Chairman for Labour Friends of Israel that lobbies for Israel.

If the university had allowed a lobbyist for Hamas people would be up in arms.

What an odd analogy. Hamas are a proscribed terrorist organisation, Israel is a state. Not comparable, are they.

What is it specifically about Egan’s activities and the activities of the Labour Friends of Israel that you feel warrants him being deprived of the freedoms that other UK subjects have?

CremeCarmel · 14/01/2026 07:56

Humdingerydoo · 14/01/2026 07:35

I think it sounds a lot like teachers at the school don't mind killings of children as long as those children are Israeli. And I agree, someone like that shouldn't be working in a school. So at least we can agree on one thing.

I doubt they would have sanctioned a Hamas speaker’s visit to the school. But perhaps you have evidence that disproves this(?)

PurpleThistle7 · 14/01/2026 07:56

Humdingerydoo · 14/01/2026 07:32

What do you mean by "lobbies for Israel"? I suspect you don't actually know what the group in question actually stands for and are doing as others on here and just regurgitating fun little soundbites from TikTok.

Also Lobbying for Hamas =/= lobbying for Israel.

in case anyone is unclear - Hamas is a brutal terrorist organisation. Every member of Hamas is hateful and deserves no support whatsoever. Israel is a country filled with all different people with a variety of beliefs. There are good and bad people like anywhere else. There are no good people in Hamas.

CremeCarmel · 14/01/2026 07:57

PurpleThistle7 · 14/01/2026 07:56

Also Lobbying for Hamas =/= lobbying for Israel.

in case anyone is unclear - Hamas is a brutal terrorist organisation. Every member of Hamas is hateful and deserves no support whatsoever. Israel is a country filled with all different people with a variety of beliefs. There are good and bad people like anywhere else. There are no good people in Hamas.

Some members of the Israeli regime are accused of brutal war crimes.

HaimishaPickle · 14/01/2026 08:00

nomas · 14/01/2026 04:44

He is vice-Chairman for Labour Friends of Israel that lobbies for Israel.

If the university had allowed a lobbyist for Hamas people would be up in arms.

From the statement by the school (not university) he was due to visit; Damien Egan is British MP who "as a high-achieving alumnus of the CLF [Cabot Learning Federation], and in common with other local MPs from across the political spectrum – was invited in September to visit Bristol Brunel Academy, a secondary school situated in his constituency of Bristol North East ...to discuss democracy and the role of an MP, while helping to raise aspirations among students who may have an interest in pursuing similar career paths."

Unlike some people, I'm sure he's capable of talking about more than one subject, I'm relatively sure there are rules about not lobbying in schools of which, as an MP, he'd be cognisant of and maybe you could do just the bare minimum in looking up what Labour Friends of Israel actually do and their policy initiatives.

The Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the NEU representatives who want to suppress free speech, free will, education, aspiration and threaten the safety of Jews and children in a completely different democratic country bear considerably more relation to Hamas, who most definitely consider the Palestinians to be expendable.

PurpleThistle7 · 14/01/2026 08:02

CremeCarmel · 14/01/2026 07:57

Some members of the Israeli regime are accused of brutal war crimes.

Yes - accused - but that doesn’t mean the country is filled with bad people. Have a look at our politicians! Or any other countries really. Plenty of bad apples everywhere. No one escapes wartime looking perfect because war is brutal and cruel and terrible.

nomas · 14/01/2026 08:02

PurpleThistle7 · 14/01/2026 07:56

Also Lobbying for Hamas =/= lobbying for Israel.

in case anyone is unclear - Hamas is a brutal terrorist organisation. Every member of Hamas is hateful and deserves no support whatsoever. Israel is a country filled with all different people with a variety of beliefs. There are good and bad people like anywhere else. There are no good people in Hamas.

IDF kills indiscriminately, Hamas kills indiscriminately. Both as bad as each other.

HaimishaPickle · 14/01/2026 08:07

nomas · 14/01/2026 08:02

IDF kills indiscriminately, Hamas kills indiscriminately. Both as bad as each other.

Edited

Not in any way.

ETA and also not at all what this thread is about. If you want to talk about the conflict, CITME is that way 👉

PurpleThistle7 · 14/01/2026 08:12

HaimishaPickle · 14/01/2026 08:07

Not in any way.

ETA and also not at all what this thread is about. If you want to talk about the conflict, CITME is that way 👉

Edited

I keep typing a longer response and deleting it. No point really, this is a ridiculous thing to say.

Gahr · 14/01/2026 08:15

Anyahyacinth · 14/01/2026 00:21

The irony in that is there is a huge letter writing campaign against anyone in the public eye who is pro Palestinian…lots of venues overwhelmed and cancel bookings because of pressure (relating to people talking about the genocide there)..investigations of this work by friends of Israel groups by the Charity commission at the current time..because they are taking a doxxing political stance to free speech.

No, there isn't. What nonsense.

Humdingerydoo · 14/01/2026 08:15

nomas · 14/01/2026 08:02

IDF kills indiscriminately, Hamas kills indiscriminately. Both as bad as each other.

Edited

Great, and how many people has Damien Egan killed? Or are you supporting him not being allowed to visit the school purely because he doesn't believe in eradicating the state of Israel? And if that's not the reason you're supporting him not being allowed to visit the school, why are you supporting it? What exactly has he said or done that makes you think he's not safe to have at a school?

BrinkWomanship · 14/01/2026 08:19

Agreed. Making sweeping statements like this just exhibits the poster’s sheer lack of understanding of Middle Eastern politics, war, terrorism, etc. The CITME board won’t be providing the nuanced information needed to change this unfortunately.

HaimishaPickle · 14/01/2026 08:21

PurpleThistle7 · 14/01/2026 08:12

I keep typing a longer response and deleting it. No point really, this is a ridiculous thing to say.

Absolutely, it's always the same attempts to inflame and derail.

Humdingerydoo · 14/01/2026 08:24

Gahr · 14/01/2026 08:15

No, there isn't. What nonsense.

Yup. The poster is doing that thing that anti-Israel propagandists do so very, very well which is they take something that is happening to Jews and Israelis and pretending it's actually happening to them. So because this MP is considered by useful idiots to be pro-Israel there have been efforts to ensure he can't do his job properly, so they're now pretending that's what is happening to the anti-Israel brigade. It's pathetic.

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