Wavertree CLP (constituency Labour party) has issued a formal statement on smears against the CLP this week over its tabled – and subsequently withdrawn – motions of no confidence in Luciana Berger MP. Labour deputy leader Tom Watson and MP Wes Streeting were among those who joined a shameful dogpile against members for exercising their democratic rights
The Executive of Wavertree Constituency Labour Party wishes to correct both the inaccuracies reported in the media, and the false accusations of bullying, which followed our announcement on February 7 of a special CLP meeting to consider two motions of no confidence in our MP. The motions have since been withdrawn by their proposers and the special CLP meeting cancelled.
Our role as an elected executive is to provide administration, governance and direction for the CLP. We have no control over motions submitted by CLP members and very little choice on whether to debate legitimately submitted motions. The two no-confidence motions met these criteria; our only intervention was to agree to debate them at a special CLP meeting. The purpose of this was to give our MP the maximum opportunity to take part when the motions were debated.
Since the meeting was announced, we have become the subject of much media attention. This came as no surprise, given the controversial nature of the motions (neither of which mentioned antisemitism) submitted by CLP members.
But we strongly reject the media inaccuracies and the accusations of political bullying, for simply adhering to Party rules and doing our jobs.
Furthermore, we as an Executive have always and continue now to express total solidarity with Luciana as a victim of misogyny and of antisemitism – coming mostly from the far right. Our Chair is himself Jewish and the suggestion that the CLP Executive is in any way a party to bullying and antisemitism is a false and slanderous accusation.
Dr Alex Scott-Samuel – Chair
Nina Houghton – Secretary
On behalf of the CLP Executive,
Liverpool Wavertree Constituency Labour Party
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The elephant in the room which Labour is refusing to tackle is Zionism. Many Labour supporters, including Jews, are implacably opposed to Zionism but this is being deliberately mischaracterised as anti-Semitism. Zionists such as Luciana Berger are cashing in on this deliberate deception and claiming she is being unfairly targeted.
Berger is one of Labour’s most disloyal MPs. She was given a special place in Corbyn’s shadow cabinet and then stabbed him in the back by resigning during the failed coup. In support of the racist State of Israel she has continued to undermine him at every opportunity. If anyone needs to be deselected it is Luciana Berger.
Well done to members of Wavertree CLP for taking the initiative that other CLPs should follow and shame on the LP executive if they pressed for the motion to be removed.
Maybe if you simply avoided throwing about so blithely the highly loaded “dog whistle” term “Zionism” , with its profound ambiguities in meaning – varying from a simple meaning of the 19th century originating political philosophy advocating Jewish separatism and need for a Jewish nation state – right across to a fascist euphemism for all that “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” international Jewish conspiracy shit – and simply used a term like ” uncritical supporters of the Israeli state” – you might avoid helping to build the Right Wing Labour and mass media “Labour is institutionally anti- Semitic” narrative, Jack T. And that also stands for many other foolish posters here.
If merely accepting the right of a Jewish majority state of Israel to exist in the Middle East, whilst not accepting its current boundaries, or the behaviour of its Right Wing government, is seen as “Zionism” – which for too many on the extreme anti Israeli side is the case – then Jeremy Corbyn (a Two State solution advocate nowadays) most of the Labour Party, and the PLO are all “Zionists” . So it simply isn’t a useful term at all.
I find it deeply suspicious that a rabid anti Corbyn advocate of the neoliberal EU like you, Jack T, is so keen on promoting this loose, dodgy, usage of the toxic associations-loaded term “Zionist” as a unexplained term of abuse. Another trolling task – to lead on Lefties to constantly use the term “Zionist” when less historically loaded terms like “uncritical pro Israel lobby” would serve better ?
‘…If merely accepting the right of a Jewish majority state of Israel to exist in the Middle East,…is seen as “Zionism”…then Jeremy Corbyn…and the PLO are all “Zionists”…’ WRONG.
Jeremy Corbyn and the majority of the international community accept the right of the State of Israel to exist, which is different from supporting the ‘Jewish MAJORITY’ state of Israel to exist. Because otherwise how are you going to maintain that ‘Jewish majority’ without applying racist methods? This was recognized by UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 of 1979. It’s very disappointing for someone who purports to be a socialist like you to be propagating the ‘Jewish Majority’ State of Israel myth. May be this betrays the reasons behind your Leave stance if you still think of issues in ethnic terms. May be Farage convinced you with his “Breaking Point” poster.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/16/nigel-farage-defends-ukip-breaking-point-poster-queue-of-migrants
jpenney. Given your past posts on this subject, it’s not at all surprising that do not wish the subject of Zionism to be discussed less it brings into focus the objectives and methods used to impose Zionist goals upon the Palestinians.
Zionists need anti-semitism to try and promote their aims and therefore they manufacture false alegations whenever they can, even to the extent of accusing Jews who oppose them of being anti-Semitic using vile insults such as ‘self hating Jews’ etc. Some of the worst anti-Semites are Zionists for whom no alegation or smear is low enough.
The world is catching on to the evils of Zionism, nowhere more so than in the younger Jewish population in the USA where many have adopted the call for BDS against Israel.
It’s time the Labour Party faced up to those Zionists within whose main purpose is to deflect criticism from racist Israel which is pulling out all the stops to prevent Jeremy Corbyn from becoming British Prime Minister.
JP, I agree, this is shooting ourselves in the foot. We may understand what we mean by Zionism, but it’s now perceived rightly or wrongly as a slur. The Chakrabatti Report recognised this and suggests that people should avoid using it as a derogatory term. Other terms may be more wordy and clumsy but they can’t be twisted and misused so easily. The use of the word ‘Zionist’ by the proposer of the Wavertree motion about Berger, but not in the motion was seized upon and (mis)used so that it became impossible to have the debate about the motion. Whose interests was that in?
@ Simon Dewsbury,
Actually, they rejected the Chakrabatti Report, claiming that it is a whitewash and didn’t go far enough. We can never appease these Israeli government moles within the Labour Party. They will twist & misuse any term we use because, as Jack T said, ‘…their main purpose is to… prevent Jeremy Corbyn from becoming British Prime Minister.’
And Simon – although your post isn’t as twisted as the logic of jpennny, you are falling precisely into the desired trap of media shutdown that we observe, and which has led to the basis for the apartheid state, its policies of ethnic cleansing, and the routine murder of civilians being freed from criticism.
I suggest you have a look at the links that I’ve posted for enlightenment about the nature of the Israel Lobby and the history of Zionism (which is a modern movement actually originating in some backwaters of Christianity)
Simon Dewsbury. ‘Zionist’ is not being used as a derogatory term. It is an accurate way of making sure that Jews who do not agree with Zionism are not confused with Jews who do. In other words, using an accurate description such as Zionist is making a conscious attempt to avoid anti-Semitism.
The Labour Party as typified by Jeremy Corbyn has always been against racism of any sort but because they thrive on anti-Semitism, Zionists try to conflate Zionism and Judaism, when as the ‘Tora Jews’ will tell you one is anathema to the other. This is why Zionism is anti-Semitic, it deliberately attracts criticism to all Jews because of the actions of the Israeli government.
If in the Labour Party we had an open and honest discussion on Zionism, more people would become aware of its meaning and consequences.
Chacrabartti’s report was simply a sop to the Zionists.
http://justworldeducational.org/2019/02/the-laughter-of-their-children/
jpenney 10/02/2019 at 11:56 am
Do you classify yourself as a Zionist, others seem to perceive you as one?
Jennie Formby, Labour’s General Secretary urges us to join the Labour Party. Because the Labour Party is for the many.
At the same time, there exists within the Labour Party a group of determined renegades whose sole purpose for being in the Labour Party is to make sure it never wins a general election.
Using the mainstream media to maximum effect Luciana Berger has spent the last four years sabotaging any chance of a Labour/Corbyn government. Without saying the actual words she has spread the message to the electorate – don’t vote Labour.
So I’m confused…
Jennie Formby recently supported Luciana Berger on social media. Why?
Why should people join the Labour Party when the very structure of the Labour Party itself is protecting Labour Party saboteurs who are intent on preventing a Labour/Corbyn government?
What is the point of joining the Labour Party when the Labour Party doesn’t want power?
Accusations are too easy to make, leading to guilt by accusation without being thoroughly investigated. A MSM culture of accusations of misogyny & anti-semitism are too easy to make without proof & accountability. Whatever happened to the accusations made by Bex Bailey? Are there senior figures in the Labour Party still not named nor properly investigated?
Accusations of anti-semitism are easy to make without proof, especially when defined by IHRA. Guilt by accusation & rumour without investigation or proof; whatever happened to journalism?
Loftkarlsson. The answer is the LP is heavily influenced by Zionists such as Watson and others and is content to accept accusations of anti-Semitism rather than tackle the real problem.
Watson was on Marr earlier trotting out the “bullying” line again…
” Zionists such as Watson”
Are they ‘zionists’ in any serious sense, or just opportunists and chancers?
Berger having her mates to complain of ‘bullying’ on her behalf. Typical shithouse trick, but only to be expected from shithouses with zero scruples or sense of propriety.
Who bullied Jake Morrison out of his council seat?
Who? Oh, that’s right…
It was Berger after dredging through Corbyn’s social posts started the muralgate controversy. A long ago erased, insignificant mural on a street corner of East London depicting bankers only 2 of which were Jewish Warburg and Rothschild whilst the others JP Morgan and Rockefeller were not was evidenced as “antisemitic”. Berger keeps attacking Corbyn and Labour and keeps claiming nothing is being done about the so called antisemitic “crisis”, despite just 3 years ago an all party committee found no more evidence of antisemitism in the Labour Party than in any other party or in British society as a whole. She is a leader of JLM a controversial Zionist organisation as depicted by the Al Jazeera documentary as having strong links with the Israeli embassy and hence the Israeli Government as well as being affiliated with the Israeli Labour Party which is a racist party containing war criminals. We members have just about had enough of this and refuse to be smeared as antisemitic for pointing out these obvious facts. Berger should be told to smearing Corbyn and the Labour or else there should be a trigger ballot to have her deselected.
I was reading through George Galloway’s Twitter feed yesterday. Someone had looked through Luciana Berger’s Twitter posts for the last three months. Apparently there wasn’t a single endorsement of Labour policy on her Twitter feed.
I think about the people suffering – suffering terribly under Tory austerity, then I think about Tom Watson and Luciana Berger and the others. These saboteurs are not just harming Jeremy Corbyn, they’re harming the working class.
This insanity needs to stop. Here’s a long list of Jews who’ve been labelled antisemites:
https://twitter.com/arryTuttle/status/1082923983228620800?s=20
Journalism; accusation; rumour & opinion, without facts. FACTS! you know, those things that can be verified. Where are the facts? Why is everything kept hidden & why won’t journalism shine a light. No openness nor transparency; no investigative journalism because journalists no longer investigate; there is no difference between journalism & public relations. The function of journalists is to manage perceptions & manufacture consent.
Where is the evidence of anti-semitism in the Labour Party? What are the Facts? Who is being investigated & what are the accusations? Am I being anti-semitic when I describe Israel as a racist state? I would welcome investigation but I would simply become a statistic & the narrative kept hidden by MSM.
“Some have suggested that there is institutional antisemitism across the whole of the Labour Party – this is not a view I share, not least because I have not seen one incident of antisemitism in almost 20 years of activism within my local Labour Party”
Chuka Umunna, October 2016
Yes – keep posting the reminder of the forked tongues of the originators.
Under now LORD Iain McNicol, the “Labour” NEC suspended Wallasey CLP for 18 months after some members had been falsely accused of “bullying, intimidation and homophobia” – now all collapsed, as predicted by nearly everybody.
I went public quite effectively on the #Brickgate campaign (a falsehood, built to damage Corbyn’s second leadership contest). I lodged a number of FOI requests, then proved with the help of Mersey Police that the Angela Eagle camp had been lying. It never got into the papers because it took SIX long months and the press and media circus had by then moved onto their next victim(s).
I also complained to IPSO the alleged regulator, and they found that what was printed in the 12+ national newspapers throughout summer 2016 had been “factual content”.
So Angela Eagle was protected by her media friends and the puppet regulator. Again, this time around, Luciana Berger is being protected, not just by Tom Watson and Wes Streeting, but by a media either laced with easily disprovable falsehoods or a media which fails time and again to report the fact that Corbyn has been under constant attack from Berger for the last four years.
True story. When Mr Corbyn became leader and AS was first weaponised my wife,a member of the Labour Party, was chair of governors at our local school. She had to preside over a charge of serious misconduct against a member of the support staff. The charge was upheld and action taken. It transpired that the miscreant was Jewish and my wife said “I hope Watson or Hodge don’t try to get me suspended from Labour as an anti Semite”. We laughed. It doesn’t seem so funny anymore.
I’m SICK of Labour MPs damaging the Party, ensuring it’s not elected into government. They are a 5th Column. They need to be deselected, for the good of the Party, and more importantly the good of the country.
Absolutely right, Fifth Column hiding within the loyal body. Parasites that need to be removed!!
I have nothing but praise for Alan Sott- Samuel there is not a more decent human being on this planet, he has also revived the Socialist Health Association so much so that as he is also its chair I have now joined, whereas before it was a blair overthrow.
Meanwhile yet another toerag in ‘inappropriate behaviour’ (aka sexual assault, put it as it is ffs) against young men in commons bars…
Apparently, grabbing men’s arses helps you ‘keep your balance’.
But, like the other serial groper of young men before him, he’ll most likely be cleared; not by the courts – I doubt it’ll get that far to be honest – but by brandon lewis & co.
As I’ve posted before :
For anyone who hasn’t had time to look into the issue properly, or has swallowed the Israel Lobby line on conflating ant-zionism with antisemitism, the article by Moshe Machover (“Anti-Zionism does not
equal anti-Semitismitism” ) is one of the best expositions of the history and confusions and dishonesty around the issue :
http://labourpartymarxists.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/LPM17-web.pdf
It has particular validity because, as some will recall, Machover was suspended from the Labour Party for voicing a rational and academic explanation of what it was all about.
His position as a Jew, targeted by the Israel Lobby for daring to speak the truth was interesting, as he was one of the first such to be a victim of Israeli Lobby antsemitism in the Labour Party.
He was reinstated when, being able to, he mounted a defence and threatened legal action.
Now – That’s the way to do it, rather than capitulating!
I believe Jackie Walker, in a similar situation of faked allegations has her hearing coming up. It will be a test case of wheher the Party has reformed its policy of running scared from the Lobby.
RH. Thanks, an excellent piece from Moshe Machover.
This paragraph at the end is so true:
“It is correct to expose Zionism as a movement based on both colonisation and collusion with anti-Semitism. Don’t apologise for saying this. If you throw the sharks bloodied meat, they will only come back for more. At the moment the left is apologising too much, in the hope that the right will let up. They never will.”
It’s obvious the sharks are not there to make friends with you, they are there to eat you.
Yes – I think that the way that he was targeted is a marker of his knowledge and strength of argument. The bullies and fakers had no reply except to scream ‘antisemitism!’ – a charge that only an illiterate idiot – or venal faker would make.
What offended them, of course, was the historical fact of Zionism being opposed by the majority community in the early 20th century because they saw its exceptiionalist and separatist notions as playing into the hands of right-wing antisemites.
Labour members choose Labour PPCs to represent Labour and its policies to thus serve working people, if with the bloody hard graft of members they are elected.
Members therefore have every democratic right to hold Labour MPs to account if they feel they are not carrying out their role effectively.
Words as Foucout argued are powerful and need to be used with care, and just read Bernard Regan’s ‘The Balfour Declaration’.
Labour is doing its very best to address AS
but we need to get back to confronting the potential rise of the Far Right and fighting for working people against Tory cruelty!