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Saturday 14 November 2020

Labour - A Hierarchy Of Racism?

The Labour leadership has committed itself to take each and every instance of anti-Semitism seriously, and this is to be welcomed. That is as it should be, and no-one will find that a problem. Where they may find a problem is the attitude of some in the party to other forms of racism - anti-black prejudice, and Islamophobia. Yes, the Tories have a problem with those, as well as anti-Semitism. But deflection is no reason for inaction.


And it is on Islamophobia that the latest focus has fallen, with ITV News reporting thatMore than one third of the Labour Party’s Muslim members and supporters have witnessed Islamophobia within the party, according to a new report … The report … surveyed Muslim members and supporters of the party and found that 37% had witnessed Islamophobia within the party and 44% don’t believe the party takes the issue seriously”.

As an example, “Ali Milani stood against the prime minister in Uxbridge and South Ruislip at the last General Election and claims a fellow Labour Party member told him that Muslims could not be MPs because of ‘their propensity to violence’ and asked if he was a terrorist. Mr Milani says he reported the issue to the party to find out almost a year later that the details of his complaint had been lost and no action taken”.

Also, “One anonymous respondent to the survey claimed that at a local party branch meeting they were accused of ‘weaponising’ their religion after asking for a break so they could eat as they had been fasting all day during the month of Ramadan … ‘I have complained to the Labour Party but have not heard back,’ the respondent claimed”.

There was more. "Labour MP Apsana Begum, who was elected to the House of Commons in the last General Election, said she has faced similar issues, adding that the party ‘has been in denial’ about the problem … The parliamentary chair of the Labour Muslim Network, Afzal Khan, the MP for Manchester Gorton, said Islamophobia within the party had gone ‘unnoticed’ and ‘deserved immediate attention’”.


The Guardian has addedA Labour source told the Guardian that there was significant concern within the party over the way that Islamophobia complaints are handled, with no code of conduct for dealing with Islamophobia comparable to that which has been put in place for dealing with antisemitism”, noting ominously that “The findings echo complaints aired earlier this year by members of the party’s own black and minority ethnic staff network that there is a perception of a ‘hierarchy of racism’ within the party, wherein some forms of racism are regarded as more serious than others”.

And that is totally unacceptable. It is little use taking anti-Semitism seriously, while not being too concerned about other forms of racism. So what is the party doing to address the issue? “A statement provided by Labour and attributed to Starmer and his deputy, Angela Rayner, did not address the issues raised with leadership, but said they would work with [Labour Muslim Network] to implement its recommendations”.

Well, given that Labour has shown it can respond, and respond well, to instances of racist behaviour within its ranks, there is no reason why it should not do so again. The best way of showing up the Tories on this issue is not to indulge in deflection, but to confront it, show that the party has put its house in order, and suggest the party of Government do likewise.


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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Starmer Quiff has said he's a Zionist.

So what's the odds he'll DO something about this?

TIP: Don't hold your breath.

Anonymous said...

“The findings echo complaints aired earlier this year by members of the party’s own black and minority ethnic staff network that there is a perception of a ‘hierarchy of racism’ within the party, wherein some forms of racism are regarded as more serious than others”.

Hold on, didn't Jackie Walker make this point when asked: “in terms of Holocaust Day I would also like to say, wouldn’t it be wonderful if Holocaust Day was open to all peoples who have experienced holocaust?” I didn't see the cunts at The Guardian leaping to defend her then. Quite the contrary.

Nonny Moose said...

@18:03
The quote is from a news item not an opinion piece.

Anonymous said...

@10:01

So what? And as if the cunts at The Guardian report news.

Nonny Moose said...

@12:13
To most people, there is a difference between news reporting and opinion piece writing.
It might be "So what" to you, but you seem to think that calling everyone "cunts" makes your claims valid.

Anonymous said...

@18:50

To most people, there is a difference between opinion piece writing and a question raised at a Labour Party training session on antisemitism. Which is where the quote from Ms Walker came from. Why don't you know this basic information?

And anyone with their wits about them will recognise that any boundary between news reporting and opinion piece writing has been systematically dismantled by the propaganda industries. It was, for example, Ailes' game plan fromm the start.

In this case, failing to challenge any of the report's claims will be understood by anybody with basic reading comprehension skills to be an implicit endorsement of those claims. The Guardian know this. And so do you. This is why The Guardian, like many outlets, is annotating its coverage of Trump's claims about the election with statements to the effect that there is no evidence for his claims.

Evidence and/or logic makes claims valid. Your failure to provide any ... well, if the cap fits ...

Corpus delicti said...

I regard those who wish to include all victims of all genocides on Holocaust Day as being similar to the people who go around shouting 'All Lives Matter' whenever a BLM news item appears.

Anonymous said...

@19:57

Even if they themselves are black and Jewish and an anti-racism campaigner of long-standing?

Corpus delicti said...

@21:43
I have no objection to Jewish people having a special day each year when they remember the millions of Jewish people who were murdered by the Nazis.
I have no problem with ANZaC Day and Remembrance Sunday.

If you wish, campaign to have a day when the victims of all genocides are remembered, but bear in mind that you'll stir some to seek revenge for past killings and there'll be even more massacres.

Don't hijack an existing special day.

Anonymous said...

@8:51

You may be right; you may be wrong. I would, however, not presume that my judgement in this instance supersedes that of representatives of those communities who have suffered. And I certainly would not equate a black, Jewish woman and anti-racism campaigner of long-standing to a BLM denialist. Let alone seek to expel her from the Labour Party on specious grounds.

Corpus delicti said...

@18:05
Can you explain why the Momentum committee voted 7 to 3 to sack Jackie Walker?
I wouldn't equate Jackie Walker with a BLM denialist.
"All Lives Matter" supporters will claim that they are not BLM denialists.

An All Holocausts Day will result in more deaths by people seeking to settle old scores.

Anonymous said...

@9:00

It is not difficult to infer that the true reason for the decision in this case was that members were influenced by the ferocity of the outcry. Cases should be decided fairly and impartially in accordance with the rules and evidence; and not be influenced by internal and press reaction.