Unite general secretary Len McCluskey will be among a number of union leaders meeting Theresa May today to discuss post-Brexit worker protections. It’s extremely likely that they will all emerge from the meeting dismissing it as a waste of time – just like the party leaders who attended her ‘cross-party talks’ after May’s parliamentary disasters last week.
However, McCluskey’s attendance shatters another myth so often pushed by Jeremy Corbyn’s so-called ‘centrist’ opponents.
McCluskey is doing his job for Unite members by attending to find out what May has to say – even if, in all likelihood, it will be as lacking in substance as her weekly fiascos during Prime Minister’s Questions.
But Jeremy Corbyn rightly refused to give May easy propaganda last week when he refused to attend – and was entirely vindicated by the admission of the other party leaders that it was a waste of time.
But the different approach taken by the two leaders drives a big stake through the heart of claims regularly by right-wing Labour MPs and the Establishment media that Corbyn’s leadership and office are ‘run by Unite’.
Unsurprisingly, this hasn’t been a feature of ‘MSM’ commentary – and is unlikely to prevent them trying to push the same line in future.
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Meanwhile the rightwingers ( centrists ) continue to undermine Labour over on The Indy Headline as
“Brexit: Labour MPs accuse Corbyn of ‘standing in way’ of Final Say referendum on Theresa May’s deal
Luciana Berger MP said her party’s younger supporters ‘cannot understand why Labour is standing in the way’ of a new referendum
ffs Berger and the other usual suspects just eff of and join the Tories pseeeee or set up the new Cukka party ASAP.
I guess if the GE is postponed as per the attempt by Cooper and her amendment then it’ll give the CLPs more time to deselect these rightwinger centrists .
… and how are they “…standing in the way…”? Hasn’t she read Corbyn’s amendment?
As in how does one set about Berger’s “…different course..” without first going through parliament?
I cannot understand why Luciana Berger is not outraged by British poverty and its associated deaths. Why is she not using her platform, voice and privilege to fight against Tory austerity?
Like
“ffs Berger and the other usual suspects just eff of and join the Tories”
I hold no torch for Berger – especially after the fake ‘police protection’ story at Conference.
But I do get worried about the scope of ‘other usual suspects’ that seems to include (a) most in favour of Remain (b) those in favour of extending Article 50 and (c) those in favour of another referendum. (Actually – most of the Labour Party and its vote).
It’s like a drunk wandering into a pub looking for a fight with anything including the one-arm bandit.
Brilliant election-winning strategy – particularly with the margins so narrow. Not!
The so-called “People’s Vote” is electoral suicide for the Labour Party.
More than 70% of Labour target seats voted Leave and more than 70% of Labour’s most vulnerable seats voted Leave – which is precisely why Blairites who don’t want a Corbyn Government are pushing it for all they are worth.
RH , my ” other usual suspects ” are those that actively undermine Corbyn and the chance of a Socialist Labour Govt regardless of Brexit , but by constantly using ANY opportunity to so so .It so happens that those Neo-liberals ( Blairites ) that they are, not unsurprisingly so , are jumping on the PV band waggon and using that as the vehicle with which to undermine a socialist party .IMO it is foolish to believe that they are sincere .
Chuka & co imo are just opportunists who will do anything that their Corporatists paymasters dictate to stop the Labour party returning to being the socialist party that it is meant to be.
One hopes the membership will in due course remove that plight and blight.
Well that’s what happens you fill a “democratic Socialist” party with careerist “centrist” MPs who are out of step with Labour values (voting for/abstaining on austerity and the prey privatisation of the NHS along with being flag bearers for the EU. It’s going to take some time to dislodge them, in the meantime, don’t expect us (the voters) to love them and don’t think we won’t vote in the best interests of the party….it’s the “centrists” who are saboteurs not the voters.
Those in favour of another referendum, absolutely have a hidden agenda. No one could be so politically unaware as to the political impossibility of holding another one in order to change the result.
My wholehearted support for the comments by Danny, Lundiel Rob and Loftkarlsson above. I have concerns about Starmer’s Brexit model, not because my own view is entirely entrenched, but because I know it will be next up for an attack by the PV and my overarching concern, as Rob says, “.. regardless of Brexit…” is to see the Tories out of Government, ASAP.
Agreed Paulo , I hope and think we all want the same thing and that is a JC lead socialist Labour govt , which is not what the rightwinger Blairites would ever countenance.
Unity and solidarity is imperative at this time as the pressure from the “establishment ” will without doubt reach a crescendo as we near March.
Rob – ” my ” other usual suspects ” are those that actively undermine Corbyn”
That’s fair enough. I have no time for the members of the PLP that were culpable of actively going against the majority of the Party.
That said – I remember so well how a lot of those were elected – by genuinely democratic CLPs (pretty large meetings) in the early Blair years that actively supported their rhetoric (before the steep decline in activity). I saw the metropolitan district where I then lived (4 MPs) change from 100% local members (and, yes, there was some dead wood there) to 75% north London tourists.
The problem that I see now is the potential alienation of CLPs of a very different complexion if the leadership poses no way out of the Brexit dead-end that is anathema to the majority.
My 4 children (in their 20s and 30s) have never experienced a government that isn’t of the right – centre or extreme. They know it, and don’t fancy a Labour Party that doesn’t oppose a Tory policy of the extreme right. They see no point in it, and laugh at the idea of a ‘left’ Brexit, knowing where the idea comes from. They are also totally at home in seeing a major part of their identity as being European.
They aren’t on their own – and it’s a major part of the vote.
@RH , yes , my points are that ,and this is not new news , leaving those wreckers within and not continuing to oppose them at every turn when they dissemble and are completely disingenuous to Labour , is like leaving a ticking time bomb in place . IMO they have to be encouraged to find a new party more in tune with their neoliberal beliefs and values , regardless of their stance on Brexit , their past actions and activities illustrates their true intentions and they are not sincere regarding the PV.
Their continued presence in Labour is a grave risk to the future of our radical policies which they would no doubt oppose at every stage if it affected their paymasters interests .
“They are also totally at home in seeing a major part of their identity as being European ”
I’m glad about that and unsurprised too. However, it’s all too easy to mistake those who voted for Brexit, or who wish to respect the result of the referendum as being anti European per se. Brexit, for good or for bad is about adjusting our relationship with the EU and its centralised policy making. It’s about how we and Europe are led. I don’t think it’s about identity. I might add that there are those on the Left who, on some issues, may appear to share common ground with the Right. That may cause some questions to be asked on both sides, but it isn’t necessarily grounds for jettisoning one’s position. I would like to see less reliance on identity when an argument is being served.
lundiel 24/01/2019 at 3:04 pm · ·
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Christ on a stick!
Weaselly Screeching on bbc news just before : ‘I would risk my job…’
No, seriously!!
I couldn’t hear the rest because I had an uncontrollabe urge to roar with laughter and barely contained an urge urinate at the same time. I think he was canvassing people in his constituency about a second referendum – and most of them waltzed right past him like he wasn’t there. (Hopefully he soon won’t be)
The two that did bother to speak to the cube-headed one both voted leave.
Toffee ………. ROFLMAO the thought / picture , I can hardly type for laughing just poetic , brilliant thank you …
Yes and working class Leave woman nailed the Right Wing political dipstick when she said: Did we have to vote for you twice? Ha! Ha!
Yes the JC line has shown that he is a political heavyweight whilst May and the others are out of their depth.
Just finished Micheal Foot’s brilliant biography on Nye Bevan (highly recommended) who was a socialist star.
Bevin was actually a lot like Corbyn; he had the rank and file of Labour members but until rank and file trade unionists rose up the Right Wing trade union barons aided the Labour Right by delivering millions of votes for them at Labour Conference (they disgustingly cast these top down) to stop socialist policies.
The stupid Right dominated Labour Govt in the 1950s with a majority of only 6 also spent billions on defence to please the USA which could have been spent on the people and they were kicked out of office!
The difference now is we have most of the unions behind JC, more internal DEMOCRACY and social media.
But is a depressing World – the USA attacking Venezuala though their sanctions haven’t helped, the rich ruling families there are hoarding essentials as they own most stores, perhaps the US secret services funding the opposition – perhaps the US is after Venezualas oil?
Then Trump the Barbarian recognises the Opposition Leader but whilst US Republicans Gerrymander boundaries in the USA to make it hard for the poor to vote we should perhaps send a UN study group from so called less developed countries to promote democracy in the USA and perhaps as Clinton got 3m votes more than Trump in the popular vote perhaps the World should recognise Clinton as President!
Appalling uncritical coverage by the BBC on Venezuala and why is the BBC etc. not reporting on the 50 day old hunger strike of the brave Kurdish Turkish MP?
Here is the news (perhaps when we get a JC Labour Govt and reform and democratise the media) one day!