Yesterday, Starmer put a motion to Labour’s NEC which, if successful, would mean Corbyn was barred from being a Labour Party candidate in any future election. He would not, however, be expelled from the Party. The excuse underlying this move was that Corbyn’s presence in the Parliamentary Labour Party would be detrimental to the Party’s electoral chances, its appeal.
What Starmer’s motion did not do was to mention allegations of anti-Semitism levelled against Labour during Corbyn’s leadership. You would not have thought so to hear what sounded like an orchestrated chorus of smearing after the Labour leader got his motion passed. Saul Staniforth was one of those picking up on this creative reinvention of reality.
“Shabana Mahmood telling a reporter that Corbyn brought this on himself by his own actions, in particular the way that he spoke about the party’s antisemitism problem … Except the motion to ban Corbyn didn't mention antisemitism, & Mahmood knows this, since she seconded the motion!” And to his shame, Mil The Younger was also pushing this angle.
Corbyn, he told, had not apologised for anti-Semitism in Labour’s ranks. I have defended Ed Miliband on numerous occasions. I supported his leadership of the Party. He was himself misrepresented and maligned by many in and around our free and fearless press. But Lord above, this is sheer and unadulterated horseshit. Let’s see what Jezza actually said, in 2018.
“Jewish people have been at the heart of our Party and our movement throughout our history. No-one should dismiss the concerns they’ve expressed about what’s been happening in the Party … Driving anti-Semitism out of the Party for good, and working with the Jewish Community to rebuild trust, are vital priorities. I’m sorry for the hurt that has been caused to many Jewish people”. HE SAID SORRY. HE APOLOGISED. There was more.
Yet here we are once more with anti-Semitism being laid at Corbyn’s door. But not in the NEC motion, as Simon Maginn observed. “[it] is more sinister than it might at first appear. He must have known ahead of time it would receive no proper scrutiny, and that the 'antisemitism crisis' would be the story, but he's drafted a document that doesn't tie him to it legally”.
And some Labour MPs were not happy at the outcome, such as Zarah Sultana: “Islington North Labour Party members should have the right to choose their parliamentary candidate. Denying that right is divisive and undemocratic. I support Aslef, CWU, FBU, TSSA, Unite and all the NEC Reps who upheld this democratic principle at the NEC today”.
Nor were all the media class on board, with Kevin Maguire musing “Blocking Corbyn is wrong and authoritarian, intended to intimidate other Left MPs. Should be up to Islington North whether they wanted him again”. But, and here’s the rub, many in the London media establishment will applaud the move. Which will give Starmer a false sense of security.
Those applauding do not go out on the doorstep and try to sell Labour to an often sceptical electorate. The Party’s leadership should take on board the dearth of front page coverage given to yesterday’s events at the NEC and ask why that might be. They may not. And that would be a big mistake.
Our free and fearless press will not give up on the Tories easily. If that means taking Starmer down, that is what they will do. They already have the presence of Peter Mandelson to use as an attack weapon. Now they have betrayal, untrustworthiness, double standards, authoritarianism and pettiness to go with it. The centrist part of the media class won’t stop the attacks.
The right-leaning part of that class calls the shots. This will not end well.
https://www.patreon.com/Timfenton
5 comments:
Of course this was always on the cards, always predictable.
Starmer is what he's always been: an opportunist right wing mediocrity on the lookout for the main chance. There isn't an ounce of decency in him or his apologists. They stink out British public life. Disgusting Quislings the lot of them.
Continuance of this cowardice could conceivably do to the Labour Party what it did to the old Liberal Party. And it would be thoroughly deserved.
The future of Britain is bleak indeed when it is in the hands of conscience-free wretches like the Starmer Gang, no different from their "opponents".
It was and is avoidable. But time has almost run out. The next deterioration is intense social chaos. Then.....
If only.
https://twitter.com/shockproofbeats/status/1640977624108261385/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1640977624108261385¤tTweetUser=shockproofbeats
Thing is, Tim, it isn't "petty".
This is one act in a long term organised attempt to eliminate progressive Left policies and any possibility of substantial change. It is one more blow against honest democracy.
Starmer is merely the latest rightie messenger boy. A plant to be watered......unless he shows the slightest move against ruling interests. Hence his latest lickspittle praise of Thatcher.
He's one of the most dishonest actors in a thoroughly rotten far right political system. A horrible, morally corrupt mouthpiece. Hence the "Sir".
Spot on, Tim.
But it seems to have activated some ChatGPT responses: in a mashup style of Dave Spart, Revelation, Old Moore's Almanac and my grumpy old grandad.
PS It was entirely predictable and it will only get worse.
And right on cue here comes red tory Yvette "Oo look at my furrowed brow" Cooper. The female equivalent of gutless aptly-named Jack Straw.
This time telling the blue tories their organised cruelty for "modern" concentration camps and prison hulks is "too little, too late" for asylum seekers. Thus confirming red tory organised cruelty would be even worse.
The usual Starmer Gang boot boys and girls in action. Anything to appease the nazis Rothermere and Murdoch and the Gnome Counties Micawber Tendency. It's what they do.
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