Jewish Labour Movement
Labour Party Jewish affiliate, established in 1903 as Poale Zion; JL Movement Limited (10278837)
| Jewish Labour Movement
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Unincorporated association (the movement) and private company limited by guarantee (JL Movement Limited, 10278837) |
| Founded | 1903 (as Poale Zion, JLM's own account); company incorporated 14 July 2016 |
| Headquarters | 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX (JL Movement Limited) |
| Key people | Ella Rose-Jacobs (national movement chair); Rebecca Filer (national secretary) |
| Website | jewishlabour.uk |
The Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) is a membership organisation of Labour-supporting members of the Jewish community and a formal affiliate of the British Labour Party. It says that it has been affiliated to the Labour Party since 1920, that it was established in 1903 as Poale Zion, and that it is also affiliated to the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Zionist Federation of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It says that it organises within the World Zionist Organization alongside its "sister party" in Israel, Havodah (the Israeli Labor Party), and that it is a member of "the progressive coalition of Avodah/Meretz/Arzenu/Ameinu within the WZO" and supports Havoda and Meretz in Israel.[1][2] JLM's privacy policy states that the name covers two legal entities: the Jewish Labour Movement (formerly Poale Zion), an unincorporated association, and JL Movement Ltd, a company limited by guarantee.[3]
History
JLM's website says that it was established in 1903 as Poale Zion (פועלי ציון).[2] In a 7 February 2018 post, Ella Rose-Jacobs wrote that "98 years ago this week, the National Executive Committee of the then new Labour Party voted to accept the Jewish Socialist Labour Party's (Poale Zion, now JLM) formal affiliation to the Labour Party".[4] A history page on the site refers to a 2019 pamphlet, "Solidarity and Discord: A brief history of 99 years of affiliation [to] the Labour Party", with a foreword by then deputy leader Tom Watson MP.[5]
Aims and affiliations
The "What is the Jewish Labour Movement?" page states that JLM campaigns within the Labour Party and "the wider community to support labour values within the UK, Israel and Internationally". Its stated aim is "to organise and maintain a political movement of Jewish people within the UK Labour Party and the international labour movement". Its objects, as set out on that page, include "to maintain and promote Labour or Socialist Zionism as the movement for self-determination of the Jewish people within the state of Israel", and its values include "to promote the centrality of Israel in Jewish life and its development on the basis of freedom, social justice and equality for all its citizens", as well as work for democratic socialism in the UK and Israel, Jewish identity and equal citizenship, opposition to antisemitism and racism, and "international peace and cooperation".[1] The same page says that JLM is affiliated to the Labour Party, the Board of Deputies and the Zionist Federation, and organises within the World Zionist Organization alongside Havodah.[1] The site's footer repeats the WZO coalition wording and support for Havoda and Meretz.[2] The International Officer's role, as described on the National Executive Committee page, includes coordinating with sister parties in Europe and Israel and "leading our work within the World Labor Zionist Movement".[6] Through those affiliations with the Zionist Federation and the World Labor Zionist Movement within the World Zionist Organization, JLM presents itself as part of the Zionist Movement.[1][6]
People
JLM's website says that the movement is run by a volunteer National Executive Committee, elected at the AGM in November 2025.[6] The officers listed on that page (accessed November 2026) are:
| Role | Name (as given by JLM) |
|---|---|
| Parliamentary chair | Currently vacant |
| National movement chair | Ella Rose-Jacobs |
| National secretary | Rebecca Filer |
| National vice chair | Miriam Mirwitch |
| National vice chair | Izzy Lenga |
| National treasurer | Cathy Ashley OBE |
| Campaigns officer | Ben Combe |
| International officer | Joshua Garfield |
| Local government officer | Cllr Sara Conway |
| Policy officer (job share) | Alex Richardson |
| Policy officer (job share) | Nathan Boroda |
| Membership officer | Nat Kunin |
| Equalities officer | Noah Katz |
| Trade union officer | Daniel Morgan-Thomas |
| Political education officer | Lloyd Duddridge |
| Youth and students officer | Issy Waite |
The same page says that the national secretary is responsible for ensuring that the organisation complies with regulation by the Electoral Commission, Companies House and other regulators, and that the treasurer, with the national chair and national secretary, is responsible for governing JLM's service company.[6]
JL Movement Limited (10278837) was incorporated on 14 July 2016 as a private company limited by guarantee. Its registered office is 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX.[7] Current officers at Companies House are Rebecca Filer (secretary and director, appointed 23 November 2025), Catherine Ashley (director, appointed 11 October 2018) and Ella Rachel Rose-Jacobs (director, appointed 16 June 2025).[7] Former officers include Jeremy Newmark (secretary, 14 July 2016 to 7 November 2016), Ella Rose (secretary, 7 November 2016 to 11 October 2018), Mike David Katz (director, 7 April 2019 to 16 June 2025) and Miriam Rose Mirwitch (secretary and director, 15 December 2023 to 23 November 2025).[7]
Finances
Filleted unaudited financial statements of JL Movement Limited for the year ended 31 December 2025, approved by the board on 25 September 2026 and signed by Catherine Ashley as a director, report cash at bank of £38,264 (2024: £47,003), debtors of £162, creditors falling due within one year of £38,882 (2024: £47,991) and net liabilities (members' deficit) of £456 (2024: £826). The average number of employees was 1 (2024: 2). Each member's liability on a winding-up is £1. In accordance with section 444 of the Companies Act 2006, the statement of income and retained earnings was not delivered.[8]
The Electoral Commission's register records two cash donations of £3,776.25 from the Jewish Labour Movement to the Labour Party (central party): one accepted on 6 January 2021 (C0555495) and one accepted on 10 December 2021 (C0555496).[9]
| Date accepted | Recipient (as recorded) | Amount | EC reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 January 2021 | Labour Party (central party) | £3,776.25 | C0555495 |
| 10 December 2021 | Labour Party (central party) | £3,776.25 | C0555496 |
See also
- Jewish Schools in the UK
- Labour Friends of Israel
- Poale Zion
- Zionist Federation of the United Kingdom and Ireland
- Board of Deputies of British Jews
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jewish Labour Movement, What is the Jewish Labour Movement?, accessed 12 November 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Jewish Labour Movement, Home, accessed 12 November 2026.
- ↑ Jewish Labour Movement, Privacy Policy, accessed 12 November 2026.
- ↑ Ella Rose-Jacobs, Celebrating 98 years of affiliation to the Labour Party Jewish Labour Movement, 7 February 2018, accessed 12 November 2026.
- ↑ Jewish Labour Movement, History, accessed 12 November 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Jewish Labour Movement, National Executive Committee, accessed 12 November 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Companies House, JL Movement Limited (10278837): overview, officers and filing history, accessed 12 November 2026.
- ↑ JL Movement Limited, Filleted unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025, filed at Companies House (document MzU0OTkzMzA4MWFkaXF6a2N4), accessed 12 November 2026.
- ↑ Electoral Commission, Donations and loans search: "Jewish Labour Movement", records read on 12 November 2026 through the Commission's API export of the same search, including C0555495 and C0555496, accessed 12 November 2026.