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Tuesday 12 October 2021

Labour Declares War On Itself

With the Tories still presiding over a variety of crises, and alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson swanning off for yet another holiday, the opportunity is once more there for Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition to actually do some opposing, to go after a Government whose ministers are mostly out of their depth and not communicating with one another. So what is the Labour Party going to do about that?


The answer, sadly, came from Labour List’s Sienna Rodgers yesterday: “Labour set to name and accuse five ex-staffers - Seumas Milne, Karie Murphy, Georgie Robertson, Harry Hayball and Laura Murray - of leaking an internal report. In response, the five are ‘considering bringing legal claims against the party’”. Oh goody. More infighting.

Ms Rodgers goes on to tellIt is understood that the five accused of leaking the report have been interviewed by both investigations but neither have concluded that the five were responsible for the leak. Sources say at least 20 people had copies of the report before it was distributed widely”. Zelo Street regulars will already be familiar with the report.

It was, after all, the leaked report that put paid to any chance of Emilie Oldknow becoming the party’s general secretary, and over which she went to court in order to have the leakers identified. Sadly, her application for what is known as a Norwich Pharmacal Order failed, meaning she would be liable for all the costs. And, as those defending her application had instructed Messrs Carter Ruck, those costs were going to be expensive.

Meanwhile, the Guardian has reported thatLabour has lodged papers at the high court seeking to place responsibility for the leak on Milne, Murphy, Georgie Robertson, Laura Murray and Harry Hayball, according to lawyers for the five” before noting “It is not clear why Labour is now naming the five in legal documents, and the party on Monday declined to comment on ongoing legal action”. So who is representing the five?


Once again, that name is Carter Ruck, so once more, it is going to be expensive. And Carter Ruck has toldThey strenuously deny, and have consistently denied, any involvement or complicity in the leak whatsoever. They also deny having any knowledge of who was responsible. As such, the individuals will vigorously defend themselves in the proceedings and will seek full reimbursement of their costs of doing so from the Party”.

Ominously, the press release adds “The Party apparently admits that its case against the individuals is purely circumstantial and inferential, but has failed even to set out that case properly in correspondence, despite its obligations to do so under the relevant Court Protocol … There is nothing to suggest that the Party has any more ‘evidence’ implicating the five individuals now, than it had in March”. When Ms Oldknow lost her case.

Meanwhile, the independent inquiry ordered into the leak by Keir Starmer, led by Martin Forde QC, has vanished from view. Its publication could offer the party a way out - but instead, there is to be yet more blood-letting, paid for by an ever diminishing membership, many of whom will be tiring at this spectacular succession of own goals.

We have the most inept, corrupt, venal and uncaring Government in modern history. Sadly, we also have an opposition which would rather, it seems, waste its resources on lawsuits, rather than holding that Government to account. And that’s not good enough.


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5 comments:

J said...

I'm beginning to think that Keif Stalin's only job is to save the blushes of Alexander Boris de-Bluewaffle Johnson and the alleged Sweating Nonce.

Alexander goes off on his holibobs (while petrol stations are closed; while shops run out of essentials; while inflation looks as if its about to become rampant; while Universal Cockup has £20 quid a week cuts; while gas rises mean pensioners will freeze to death this winter; while the damning report into Alexanders handling of the Covid response comes out); and while the MET drop their investigation in to the alleged Sweating Nonce... Keif decides to release random names so that will become the news item of the day pushing the other stories to the middle page where no one will read them.

I mean, can he be any more tory than an actual blue tory at this stage?

Also, how strange that none of the reich-wing press are demanding where the Forde investigation is? Can you imagine the shit they would be publishing if Corbyn had promised an investigation and then did sod all except never mentions the investigation again... oh wait, you don't need to because Corbyn kept his word and released a report he said he would (which the press then called a whitewash - but still).

Keif has to be a tory plant surely? I did think he was just a copy of Kinnock (bash the left, care nothing about winning elections), but now I'm thinking that he's not even a pound shop version of Kinnock.

And again, all the centrist papers who killed whole forests writing about how Corbyn and his supporters were more interested in political purity than winning elections are silent on Keif and his supporters wanting to kick the left - any left including moderates - out of the alleged broad church of Labour as they chase right-wing hegemony rather than winning elections... strange that!

Anonymous said...

Make no mistake - this has the stamp of Starmer Quiff Quisling all over it. Possibly prompted by skulkers like Bliar/Brown/Mandelson/Campbell.

It wasn't Milne and co who started this latest round of disgusting far right red tory McCarthyism. It was treacherous red tory Quislings.

Moreover, the real issues are *LISTED IN THE INTERNAL REPORT*. Which, lest it be forgot, provides material evidence of internal sabotage by said red tory Quislings....who the far right Quiff unilaterally paid off with Party funds.

All of which again makes the current (temporary) "leadership" and apologists nothing more than a gang of tenth rate cowards and liars.

The present Labour Party is a corrupted right wing shell, a cancer on the face of British political culture. But it won't go on forever, it only seems like it.

Labour must rediscover it's founding principles and constitution, a task it can never achieve while it is plagued by dishonourable men and women like Starmer and Nandy and their fellow-travellers. They bring nothing but disgrace, hypocrisy and treachery to British public life.

Gulliver said...

Wait a minute, I was told by all those very sensible grown-up political pundits Like Laura K, Dunty et al. that the opposition now had the very sensible adults back in charge again and was ready to forensically and sensibly hold the Government account?

Are you telling me now that this is not the case?

I'm shocked.

Anonymous said...

So the Starmer Gang are now as bad as that ol' alcoholic nutjob Joe McCarthy and nazi Hoover.

No wonder the rest of the world sees the UK as pathetic grovelling sloths led by the nose from the USA.

Sad, sick times in a terminally ill nation.

Steve said...

Starmer is the worst opposition leader in history, his attempts to drive the party over a cliff are reaching culmination. It's time he was challenged and removed, I am still a member but my patients with this right wing cabal is drawing thin, it's time the socialist group joined the Greens and created The Socialist Green party.