So Farewell Then Ken Loach

Since its change of leadership last year, the Labour Party has lost a significant number of members. The state of its finances has deteriorated to the point that some are now talking of the organisation potentially becoming insolvent. And despite hanging on to the Batley and Spen seat in that recent by-election, the party does not appear to stand for anything - well, not anything that involves making a spending commitment, anyway.

Ken Loach ((c) Guardian)

The last thing Labour needs now is any kind of split, any draining away of yet more members, any more news that will dishearten those who will be expected to turn out come the next General Election to leaflet, knock doors and persuade voters to support The Red Team. So that is just what happened. “Labour HQ finally decided I'm not fit to be a member of their party, as I will not disown those already expelled”. Labour has expelled Ken Loach.

Centrist members of the Pundit Establishment will no doubt applaud this move, celebrate the expulsion in their increasingly tedious and irrelevant opinion columns. But their preferred environment is to gather together with like minded pundits in cocooned metropolitan comfort, not to go out and meet real people with real concerns.

Some present and former MPs have spoken out, with John McDonnell responding “To expel such a fine socialist who has done so much to further the cause of socialism is a disgrace. Ken’s films have exposed the inequalities in our society, have given us hope for change & inspired us to fight back. I send my solidarity to my friend and comrade”.

Jon Trickett asked “What kind of people would remove someone of Ken Loach’s immense calibre from the Labour Party?” And Laura Smith added “Solidarity to my friend [Ken Loach] He’s done more to highlight inequality and oppression in this country than most”.

Also, where does this leave Labour’s relationship with its Muslim voters? Alex Tiffin pointed out “So Ken Loach is expelled yet Trevor Phillips was readmitted without the complaints of Islamophobia being dealt with?” Phillips’ Muslim bashing included one scandalously dishonest article for the Murdoch Sun on the Tower Hamlets “Muslim Fostering” row. Yet he has been readmitted to the party. And who will be next out the Labour door?

Damien Willey, who is more recognisably known as Cornish Damo, mused “If Ken Loach is the kind of member no longer welcome in the party, then frankly none of us are valued or appreciated and they may as well purge every last one of us and be done with it”.

One Jewish voice made this contribution: “Seeing Ken Loach expelled from Labour, a man that has done so much for decades to stand up for the working-class of this makes me doubt that Keir Starmer will advance the class struggle just as Paul Mason promised us”.

And what of those looking in from outside? Yanis Varoufakis was one of them. “I just heard that Kier Starmer expelled Ken Loach from the Labour Party. I hope this is fake news. If not, all he managed is to expel Labour's soul, leaving behind an arid, soulless Labour Party - one that is even poorer than under Blair and his fellow war criminals”.

All this and no visible opposition to the most corrupt Government known. Not a good look.

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