Gwyn Daniel

On Newsnight, Thursday November 7th Emma Barnett questioned Labour junior minister Jonathan Reynolds about the deselection of Kate Ramsden from the Gordon constituency. Ms Barnett claimed that Ms Ramsden had "used an old anti-semitic trope comparing Israel to an abused child who became the abuser, invoking the memory of the holocaust." By what possible definition is this an old anti-semitic trope? This loose language does no credit to your programme which should question rather than collude with all assumptions, including those which allege that criticism of Israel is anti-semitic. Her (or her producer's) careless use of language means that Emma cannot stand back and interrogate how accusations of anti-semitism might just be being used to stifle free speech on Palestinian rights. Standing back and interrogating is a great feature of Newnight so please apply this to all the topics you investigate.