Today’s Sunday Times front page represents a low point even for the Murdoch press, with an embarrassing attempt to attack ‘Corbyn allies’ Momentum:
The article itself is so thin that even two professional anti-Corbyn commentators on BBC News’ newspaper review were too embarrassed to do much more than point out the lack of evidence, the fact that the deselection claim relied on a single, anonymous source and that it was a regurgitation of a regurgitation of old claims on a topic not many people care about.
The bizarre graphic, reminiscent of antisemitic propaganda from the nazi era – together with the use of the nazi-associated word ‘putsch’ – was especially ill-chosen given that Momentum founder Jon Lansman is Jewish:
However, these are not the only shameful aspects of how low the article stoops. It also returns to the London borough of Haringey, calling it – without quotation marks – a purge when in fact all that happened was that some would-be candidates lost a democratic vote and others won.
That’s democracy – and the common thread in the selections was the candidates’ opposition to or support for the ‘HDV‘: the hare-brained plan to sell huge numbers of council homes to a developer that is opposed by most Haringey residents.
However, to put meat on the bones of the nonsensical purge claim, the article quotes one Nora Mulready – a self-described Blairite and die-hard anti-Corbyn activist who was as of last month facing disciplinary action by the Labour Party on charges of online bullying of an officer, of Indian ethnicity, of Tottenham constituency Labour party.
And just today, Ms Mulready has been accused of being like an ‘EDL activist’ for comments about Islam that she sent out on Twitter:
This was the person whom – along with Luke Akehurst mentioned in the above tweet – the Sunday Times quoted to pad out its slur.
Was the Sunday Times unaware of Ms Mulready’s history of comments about Islam – or did it know and not care?
In the end, the paper will have done little damage to Corbyn or the Labour left – does anyone really care whether the bland Chris Leslie is deselected?
But its eagerness to paint the Labour left as ugly – and a readiness to put material on the front page that doesn’t merit a paragraph in an obscure corner in pursuit of that goal – have done its own reputation no good at all.
The SKWAWKBOX needs your support. This blog is provided free of charge but depends on the generosity of its readers to be viable. If you can afford to, please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal. Thanks for your solidarity so this blog can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about.
If you wish to reblog this post, you are welcome to do so – see here for more.
Making a portmanteau word of ‘hit’ snd ‘list’ below that graphic wasn’t the mistake of some junior sub either.
Open invitation to Tory trolls to add anoth er 2 letters to make a completely different word.
Pathetically transparent attempt at psy ops ordered by ‘upstairs.’
Anybody else suspect as I do that Murdoch constantly berates his “journalists” to come up with another “turn out the lights” election-winning headline?
If democracy is genuinely to become the “best of all possible systems” it surely has to be freed by statute from soundbites, spin doctors, public relations and all the other tools of the liars who have bamboozled our fellows for centuries?
This is it guys anti Semitic, deselection, and brexit polls claiming Labour members and voters want Corbyn to remain in single market, customs union.
Three lines of attack from the right wing MSM, are they going to start the IRA thing again.
Utterly pathetic as usual
I don’t have a problem with the Labour left taking control, although it should be careful to keep a balance, if only to head off Tory right press. I do however have a problem with JC’s intransigence on Brexit. He’s not listening to his members and I am concerned he is going to blow it. Take a look
Carol, if Labour seeks to block Brexit the party will be destroyed at the ballot box.
My understanding is that 65% of constituencies vote to leave. Even worse, 70% of Labour constituencies voted leave.
Jeremy Corbyn has stated unequivocally that he will honour the result.
If we don’t honour the wishes of over 17 million people and if do what you suggest then the Labour vote will fracture and the Tories will stay in power for at least three terms.
This is the reality of the situation. Is that what you want?
Corbyn is in the right position standing in the middle whereas tory’s and libdems have chosen their corners and thus unable to move
He does not need to pick a side yet and can hold out until 2019 when he will have a better grasp of numbers of public on each side so lets not force him into a corner yet
Indeed he and Labour are making all the right moves voting against all the nasty bits of the #EUWithdrawal Bill
Times has a history of inflammatory headlines not borne out by the text.
It has its own agenda.
Is also regularly briefing against Ms May – and Scotland.
Would guess preferred candidate is G Osborne
Why are allowing supporters of the apartheid state of Israel to be members, councillors and MPs in the Labour Party?
I think that is a fair question to ask.
The Murdoch rag claims that Eagle challenged Jeremy in 2016. Funny, I could have sworn it was Owen Smith that Jeremy beat so decisively, after Ms Eagle’s campaign failed to get off the ground.
And the moral of the story in the Times is, well there’s many really but I like, ‘never allow a Murdoch near your News media because it turns all of it rotten and corrupt!’
Whether it is Brexit or reselection, in a democracy, people are allowed not only to change their mind but to express that change of mind without fear in a democratic vote.
If it is right that MPs should be subject to reselection via a vote in case members have changed their minds about the performance of their MP, then it is also right that people have a chance to vote on a change of mind about Brexit.
How many votes should we have, Jack?
2,3,4,5?
I did not vote to leave but I accept the result.
It is now time to press home the Labour vision for Brexit, rather than undermining the party’s electability by refusing to accept the wishes of the winners of the referendum.
“How many votes should we have, Jack?”
That’s the sort of silly comment which debases your argument.
Leaving the EU is not like choosing a new Government which we can do at least every five years, it is a once in a generation decision. The first vote was carried out under almost totally blind circumstances and driven by a right wing frenzy over immigration.
It is perfectly acceptable and indeed desirable in a democracy to give the people a chance to change their minds or stick to their first choice when circumstances and consequences are much clearer.
In the opinion of most Labour voters there is no such thing as a good Brexit – Labour or otherwise. What will certainly affect Labour’s electability is ignoring them!!!
From the paper that brought us Hitler’s diaries.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2008/apr/24/25yearsagotodaythesunday
If Labour won a election with say a majority of 10 and all the Corbyn haters are still in the party, would he have a majority of 10.
This is the problem Party members have, I believe there should be deselections. If they keep their MP fine but the choice should be offered.