Labour National Executive Committee (NEC) member Peter Willsman was at the centre of controversy after a recording of his comments during an NEC meeting was leaked to the media.
The comments were presented as antisemitic, but a proper examination of what was actually said, rather than the framing by media and ‘centrist’ MPs, showed that while crass they were not racist.
Such facts appear not to have troubled some, however – as Willsman has today received a death threat as a recorded message on his voicemail, saying:
You racist c**t. We know where you are. We’re coming to get you and spread your blood all over the pavement.
It’s to be hoped that this is a sick attempt to frighten, but the incident lays out very clearly the risks involved when one faction targets an opponent for political gain. Willsman’s removal from the NEC, or damage to his prospects in the current NEC elections, would be a huge win for the Labour right, which is desperately scrabbling for an NEC place to try to block Jeremy Corbyn’s democracy review.
And with the murder of Jo Cox still fresh in the memory and a right-wing thug recently jailed for attacking a mosque, killing one worshipper and planning to kill Labour’s leader, the fact that such risks are all too real is inescapable – and the recklessness of the cynical targeting all the more culpable.
Mr Willsman has been advised to involve the police.
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I bet the BBC won’t report this but if the same thing happened to a moderate they would be all over it like a rash and it would be headline news. I hope he is OK and if possible I hope the police can trace the call.
Over to the Police , now beyond the normal inter factional war of words .
Further more I think that the NEC now needs an urgent and thorough investigation as to who it was that illegally made and leaked this meeting in the first place. They ,whoever they are , MP, Offical or ordinary member , bear a huge responsibility for these consequences and must be kicked out of Labour immediately !
This makes me so angry! Pete has given years and years of dedicated service to the Labour Party and absolutely no way is he anti Semitic!
That’s terrible. Please send him my support. I hope he has informed the police.
I’m not even sure that Willsman’s remarks were “crass”. It seemed to me that he was arguing that right-wing members of the Jewish community might be inventing anti-Semitic smears to attack Labour with, so the party should be sure to check that any allegations were genuine.
And that would surely be a perfectly reasonable point to make.
bearing in mind Dave G that his words were said in the privacy of a meeting where strategy was being decided. If you have to have the politically correct brakes on, in a private meeting, then nothing is going to be decided.
Involve the police. This needs to be investigated and those who did this need to face the consequences. Peter Willsman needs our support now more than before.
Threatening people’s life is unacceptable. Needs nipping in the bud.
And in case anyone missed it, there was this just recently:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bookmarks-bookshop-attack-socialist-london-muslims-paedophilia-trump-a8478306.html
The Jewish Chronicle under Stephen Pollard has been in the forefront of the anti-Corbyn smears, a recent example being the recording and coverage of Peter Willsman. In their article, however, he is grossly mis-represented and this distortion is put into the mouth of the well-respected progressive Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner. When I showed her a screen-shot of her “words” she was aghast, and told me she had said no such thing. I then complained to Pollard who dismissed my complaint as ridiculous and refused further correspondence. A summary of my complaint to IPSO can be found at:
https://www.academia.edu/37222738/Mis-attribution_in_the_Jewish_Chronicle
Well done , interested to know the outcome , but on past performance of IPSO honesty and integrity are perhaps their strong points
There must be many examples of AS accusations which can be proven false.
Their “Collected Works” might carry weight if anyone has the skills to do that.
Racists are known for wearing their racism proudly – all the Labour accuseniks have vehemently denied their “crimes.”
You can’t be an antisemite by accident of speech.
Interestingly Lansman specifically fingers Pollard as one whose trust the LP ” must regain”. Yuk
That’s a Yuk from me too. I wouldn’t want to be in Jon’s pants given the direction in which the left and the right foot are travelling
Very interesting article here by Richard Sliverstein ( Jewish author in USA ) on AS , puts it all in persepctive !
https://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/t-s-important-fight-anti-semitism-witch-hunt-against-labour-party-and-end-it-now-710670515
I feel that there is some merit in SBox doing an interview with him ?
Yes Rob this piece by US author Richard Silverstein (Middle East Eye, 8/8/18) is excellent and perhaps partly explains some possible agendas?
It seems that Conservative forces in World Jewry may be in a moral panic at an increase in secularisation in this diverse community.
Silverstein suggests “In response, some of the wealthiest, most conservative in the community have issued a call to arms” and “they want to reverse the diverse version of Jewish identity with a single central unity of principle: Israel.”
In the latest New Left Review (May/June 2018) Karim Rabie in ‘Ramallah Decoded’ argues that according to Edward Said “Olso was a complete and utter surrender” (casting Palestinian refugees aside?).
With Oslo Israel were and are still able to declare 3 Zones, A for Palestinians but Zones B and C would mean the Right Wing Israeli Govt. did and still can take Palestinian land including orchards and give these to new Jewish settlers.
Rabie also points out that there are 6m Palestian refuges living outside of Israel and 4.5m Palestinians inside, and this fits in with a recent interview on CBS in the US with the brilliant Palestinian Human Rights Lawyer,. Naura Eraket.
Naura argues that most Palestinians don’t want Hamas “this is a scarecrow used by the Israeli Govt.” plus whilst most countries around the World allow refugees to return “Israel will not because it wants to maintain its ethnic, religious and economic supremecy.”
(And tragically sustained by Right Wing forces in the US leading to economic and militarily support, it’s as simple as that.
When asked in the CBS interview what is her solution Naura replied “Give the Palestinians their freedom!”
Perhaps others need their freedom from a Right Wing Israeli Govt. too?
Yours in peace.
Yes action must be taken against whoever AT LABOUR’S TOP TABLE secretly recorded and leaked this to the media; they are a disgusting human being for doing this to the Labour Party!
As for PW perhaps the old trade union song ‘Solidarity Forever’ applies.
‘Solidarity with PW.
Solidarity with PW.
Solidarity with PW.
And we’re proud to vote for you!’