Yesterday a leaked recording of comments by NEC member Peter Willsman was published in the media, accompanied by a narrative that claimed he had been offensive or even racist toward the Jewish community.
A detailed examination of the recording has already demonstrated that that narrative is misleading.
However, Willsman has issued an apology for any offence caused by his comments – an apology that has been referred to in the media, but does not appear to have been published in full. It is replicated below:
In the NEC on Tuesday 17th July, I spoke in support of the decision to confirm the adoption of the Code of Conduct on antisemitism and to reopen development of the code in consultation with Jewish community organisations. Some of what I said has been misquoted or misrepresented.
But I accept that what I did say, and the way I said it, fell short of the requirement, which I accept, for discussions of contentious issues to be conducted in a fully civil and respectful way.
I deeply apologise for any offence caused to those present and those to whom my remarks were reported. I believe that the whole NEC sincerely wants a way forward that works for all sides and hope that the process of consultation and development of the Code will achieve that, and I look forward to participating in future discussions in the spirit of comradeship and mutual respect that should be the hallmark of our Party.
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Oh well, that’s just f**king marvellous, isn’t it?
It’s cravenly given the likes of austin, hodge, berger and cooper the ammunition the didn’t ever have by apologising when he had piss-all to apologise for.
‘Sake…
When you compare this to what Hodge has said and what Austin and other in the past have said about Labour members, some direct insults to the face with vile and foul language… It really make you wonder the future holds doesn’t it? Are we heading toward one rule for jews and their supporters and another rule for everyone else?
I’m off to look up my family tree for Jewish names while John Mann blasts his milkman as being Antisemitic for being late with his pinta.
If it is deemed by the RW and the Board of Deputies that it is anti-Semitic to point out that some Jews support Trump then is it therefore anti-Semitic to point out that 63% of Jews vote Conservative
This is absolutely the wrong way to tackle the anti-Corbyn members of the Party. Just lie down and get trampled over by the LFI and JLM seems to be the ‘defence’. Whoever is advising these tactics is a disgrace. Willsman had zero to apologise for and is just more red meat to be thrown to the wreckers. It won’t satisfy, silence or placate them, it will have the exact opposite effect.
Labour are complete amateurs when dealing with the Israeli State and make no mistake this is who we are facing in an attempt to bring fair and decent Government under Jeremy Corbyn to the UK.
It’s time Labour constituted a fully professional and informed committee to combat these smears and false allegations. There are plenty of well qualified people ready and willing to help if they were given the chance.
Skwawky please do not delete this and cave in to the wreckers by doing so!
“This is absolutely the wrong way to tackle the anti-Corbyn members of the Party. Just lie down and get trampled over by the LFI and JLM seems to be the ‘defence’. Whoever is advising these tactics is a disgrace. Willsman had zero to apologise for and is just more red meat to be thrown to the wreckers. It won’t satisfy, silence or placate them, it will have the exact opposite effect.”
Agree.
“Margaret Hodge is my friend” John McDonnell
This sort of comment does not help at all and is an invitation to further attacks.
‘Labour are complete amateurs when dealing with the Israeli State’
Hardly. Most of them are in the israeli state’s arse pocket, and can (and DO) rely on the israeli state’s snide tricks andc manipulation to back them up. The biggest battle is reducing those numbers democratically, cleanly and fairly – which obviously isn’t working.
Jack T you are 100% right , Pete has nothing to apologise for and in doing so in the twisted minds of the JLM , LFI and ultimately the State of Israel , admits that he was wrong and guilty . NOT SO !
For as you say , that , is whom Labour is contending with and the sooner ALL of Labour recognise this the better armed we will be to resist and disarm that States intention to destroy a JC Labour Govt , for this is what it has become , an existential battle for survival of a JC Labour Govt .
It is time we stopped pussy footing around with these agents of Israel and stood our ground , patiently and politely explaining why and what our stance is over what is and is not AS , as per the NEC accepted definition. But we will not be cowed or crushed by Nettandu and his Govt ever ! and for those who genuinely believe that is a problem then please leave and start your new Centrist Party ASAP and take JLM , LFI and those MPs who think the Israeli State is not a apartheid state (as per the UN report) and can do no harm.
Apologise for telling the truth? Now I have heard it all.
Isreals piracey in international waters, murders of children, bulldozing innocent peoples houses, locking up child dissidents,settlers beating up an ederly woman and trying to run her down,overt racisim against black Africans,political assasinations carried out in other countries, spies seeking help to “take down” elected British MPs, invading nieghbouring countries,uprooting Palistinian farmers olive trees and seting fire to crops,more than 100 civilians shot and killed by IDF murder squads, children and journalists tear gassed, thats alright. However mention this as a Labour party member and you are at risk of being supended for antisemitism.
”It won’t satisfy, silence or placate them, it will have the exact opposite effect.’
^^^THIS – To infinity & back.
You accept a police caution and it’s an outright admission of guilt. It CAN & WILL be used against you, and no matter in what context the prosecution decide to spin it. Any protesting about it from now on is utterly futile.
This is NO different. Aided & abetted by the MSM, the jlc etc, and the so-called ‘moderates’ will have a field day with this.
Bad, BAD move, willsman.
‘Any protesting about it from now on is utterly futile.’
Meaning it’s no use to complain if ‘the usuals’ spin it completely out of context or even LIE about it, as they are wont to do
I’m seething. Gutless, useless bleeder. willsman doesn’t deserve a spec on the NEC if he capitulates at the drop of a hat.
Even austin & hodge are refusing to budge, for complete and utter f**k’s sake.
I do not blame Pete ( altho I appreciate the anger of others ) but support him in his time of need in dealing with this and would encourage him and no doubt other innocents who will fall foul of these MPs and the agents of Israeli Govt , not to capitulate but stand their ground
What is most needed is support from the Leadership and the NEC but mostly from ALL OF US to stay unified in condemning these false accusations , don’t shoot the innocent messenger but those who are responsible for this SHIT and that is the Israeli Govt and Nettandu.
Peter is no push over. I suspect, strongly, he has been leant on. Everyone in the LP needs to understand that when Arkush and co say the LP is institutionally anti-semitic, they mean you, me and our comrades. As commented on above, the time is ripe for deep and independent investigation of these insidious attacks from within and outside the LP.
Is it getting to the stage where it would be prudent to record all Labour Party meetings so that it can be proved what was and wasn’t said and its context. It would at least put a stop to Corbyn’s opponents repeatedly indulging in covert recordings and highly selective quotes. It would also stop the repeated evidence free accusations of anti-Semitism.
”Is it getting to the stage where it would be prudent to record all Labour Party meetings so that it can be proved what was and wasn’t said and its context.”
Steve,
willsman WAS recorded and it was STILL spun. Everyone what knows me knows I’ve NO time for israel OR palestine. I’m sick to f**king death of the both of them
But I’m starting to understand why some are antisemitic when shit like this is taking over politics. The berger/hodge/austin types would rather see kids starve, and the sick waste away, than a socialist government, the f***ing rodents.
Like the tories, they can die screaming for all I care.
Even with the recording available on this site we have no idea what he said immediately before or what the speaker proceeding him said.
Corbyn’s opponents have control of the narrative and there must logically be a reason that they haven’t released the whole of the recording. At least the party would be in control instead of the situation we have at present
Yes Steve – but even what we DID hear, is being spun.
Nothing antisemitic to normal, impartial folk or an outsider….But an outrage to the likes of berger; who has the MSM onside to gleefully assist in the bullsh*t.
Especially as it happily graces the opposition rags’ shindigs with it’s presence – despite rabid antisemitecs being present at same.
Austin and Hodge haven’t got the US/Israeli state and everyone to the right of Corbyn in Britain against them!
Indeed, these hostile forces support Austin and Hodge.
Maybe you are right. It is certain that there will be no let up until Labour adopt the craven policy of the Tories towards US/Israel.
Wait while we get in govt!!
I think we all no its a witch hunt from day one to get JC out these scabs will go to any lenths to vent their hatred
Note that BBC continue to report Hodge and Austin under investigation for speaking out about anti Semitism. Whilst I realise the party have made the reason for the investigation clear surely Labours press officers should be ensuring this misrepresentation ceases as it is not a matter of opinion but fact.
I agree Jim, the Labour Party’s press team is nowhere near pro-active enough. They would be well advised to hone their skills now because come the GE the knives really will be out.
Yesterday afternoon, Sky news interviewed 2 people on this subject both of whom basically said the same thing. So much for balance!
“Some of what I said has been misquoted or misrepresented.”
That doesn’t strike me as apologizing (Quite Rightly so, too) for querying where the evidence is for alleged mass anti-semitism.
I also haven’t heard Hodge or Austin apologizing for their well-reported & witnessed remarks-wonder why?
The current ‘Headline Tic-a-Tape’ on BBC News 24 reads JEWISH LEADERS CALL FOR LABOUR TO EXPEL EXPEL A MEMBER OF ITS RULING BODY AFTER PETER WILLSMAN WAS RECORDED CALLING SOME MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY “TRUMP FANATICS”
Am I the only one to think that this just sounds ridiculous. Are the Jewish Community uniquely exempt from any and all criticism.
Agree Willsman should not have apologised even for “any offence he may have given”.(or similar words).
And what is this “Jewish community” stuff? Any evidence that all Jews share a common interest? I don’t think Jews I’ve worked with in ordinary jobs have anything in common with Arkush, a far-cat corporate lawyer. I have similar reservations about the concept of a “Muslim community”. I think it stems, innocently enough, from many on the left feeling uncomfortable with religion and not knowing quite what to do when it is tied in with ethnicity.
Steve, does Labour even have a press team?
I guess they must have, now at least if not before.
On BBC2 Newsnight this evening they got in touch with the program before it ended to contradict some crap Louise Ellman (MP) had been saying about anti-Semitism earlier in the program. Lets all hope we see much more of this, it made a very welcome and refreshing change
In fact to be fair I’ve just recalled that in the lead-up o the last GE I read an editorial that complemented Corbyn’s press office for always responding quickly to questions usually within 30 minutes and never longer than 2.5 hours this was in contrast to the Labour Party press office which they regarded as slow and obstructive.
So they seem to have got it organised for responding to journalists queries but we need to see more of them monitoring live programs so they can jump on any inaccuracies before they can gain traction. It would be nice to see a more comprehensive response to Louse Ellman’s rubbish published tomorrow.
I imagine that short of JC monitoring TV 24/7 the next best thing would be people expert in LP policy/current events and authorised to respond immediately monitoring the MSM live in shifts, having all the relevant press office numbers to hand.
Not an efficient use of talent though?
I’d hope such talented people might already be fully committed – so I’m wondering if teams of reasonably clued-in volunteers, organised so that more than one is monitoring and recording each allocated programme might get the job done?
Obviously they’d need instant access to those either authorised to respond for the party or able to refer Q’s instantly up the chain – could such volunteers be a workable way to keep the press offices fully current?
There must be lots of us old folk, some perhaps no longer able to canvass who’d still like to be useful – maybe the house-bound, carers – there must be many people (people with confirmed loyalties obviously) who would be eager to help.
Seemed like a good idea when I thought of it but it’s late 🙂
With the looney right completely running all aspects of the media, including all researchers, then it wouldn’t matter what kind of press team we have/had – they will still rewrite the truth into this kind of nonsense
I seem to remember that someone said that the leadership adopted a fight system where the strategy is to let the weight of the opponent’s attack boomerang back on them. It worked in the chicken coup but I can’t see how that would work here… However, I can see the danger of these RW attacks causing a backlash.