Black Jewish activist Jackie Walker has been expelled from the Labour Party by Labour’s National Constitutional Committee (NCC) today after a lengthy suspension, for “prejudicial and grossly detrimental” conduct.
Ms Walker walked out of the first day of the NCC hearing yesterday when she was not permitted to read out a pre-prepared statement.
Confused. Is there more to this than we’re aware of?
I posted the following link to the statement by Labour Against the Witch-hunt about Jackie’s expulsion at the end of the comments (at the time of writing), but I’ve decided to post it again here, at the top of the comments section. Please join up if you’re not a member already, or make a small donation if you can. Thanks:
https://mailchi.mp/0534b15bd5e2/the-expulsion-of-jackie-walker-is-a-great-injustice?e=b4fc07f0cb
Yes and no. Jon Lansman was keen that Jackie backed down in 2016, peak Momentum years, when Jackie was prominent in it and on the Central Committee, and some of her remarks on her Facebook page were dug out by that scam charity grouping “Campaign Against Anti-Semitism” who were looking to undermine Jeremy Corbyn by association. The JLM were informed.A frenzy was whipped up in MSM. Jackie was at the time,aspirationally looking to keep her position as Vice Chair of Momentum ( this was the time when few in Momentum had had the chance to elect anyone). She was good at positioning herself. She was a black activist after all. Jackie had researched Black History, as she is mixed race black and of Jewish descent. I think her sources were highly suspect in some areas (Farakhan-types). She is not an historian so would not necessarily know how to separate out rubbish from truth. -, so what happened?: On some of her FB comments she had made remarks that were historically wrong and anti-Semitic – so for example, she said ‘Jewish Bankers were responsible for funding the Slave Trade’ – no mention of other bankers, the East India Company for example, of British aristocracies’ role in the Slave Trade. But as she was being probed by shadowy figures, linked to Israel, and it was all done to target Corbyn and his supporters. There was a pic of her and Corbyn together when she introduced him at a rally in Thanet. There were other comments too by her on her private FB page that were historically wrong about Jewish History i.e. claiming that more European ‘travellers’. as a proportion of population than Jews died in the Holocaust. Later, she publicly seemed unaware that Holocaust memorial Day has for some time remembered other groups who were killed as part of the Nazi ‘purification’ project – children with learning and physical disabilities for example, and ‘Gypsies’ as the European travelling families were called. Then there was her insistence on taking the word ‘holocaust’ to apply to the genocide in the Belgian Congo, and questioning why there wasn’t more education about that early 20th century horror. There is no doubt she is and was a victim, but she said bring it on. She went for the spotlight option when she could have ducked out and apologised. She took on Jon Lansman too in this fight, and he was a powerful adversary with absolute convictions on anti-Semitism and ridding the Party of any signs of it. .The MSM slavered at the mouth. Other organisations and lobby groups fuelled it, whose real aim has been to use the case of Jackie to go after Corbyn. Jackie said ‘bring it on’. Brave yes. Self interested? Yes. Tactically caused damage and much anguish to Corbyn. while diverting attention from his policies. My view? She has acted as if she wanted to be a martyr for her cause and as if entirely blameless. She wasn’t entirely blameless, but it was not her fault. She was just badly misinformed in her remarks and because she refused to back down and keep out of sight, became a useful target for those forces that fear Corbyn, want rid of him. Believe me, they have not finished going after him yet.
I’m sure that your intentions are honorable. Seeing the Party in the hands of the right and the Israel lobby is not a pretty sight. It’s painful.
But you are rehearsing discredited old hat about Jackie Walker’s statements and intentions. They were distorted by the Lobby, and she has clarified her views in order to put the accusations to bed.
Lansman is either stupid or venal – you decide which; there’s no middle way, I’m afraid, in his lack of support (to put it mildly). He has form. “The MSM slavered at the mouth.” Of course it did – and he never opposed it. By your deeds are you known.
I’m afraid you’re being gulled by the propaganda effort. Above all, even if the issues you cite were correct, it still wouldn’t amount to ‘antisemitism’ – which, in any sane dictionary requires more than the right-wing nexus of the Board of Deputies. JLM, LfI and the Jewish Chronicle saying it is so.
I’ll just pick a couple of examples of the distorted spin that has been put on what she has said :
” claiming that more European ‘travellers’. as a proportion of population than Jews died in the Holocaust.”
The Roma population was obviously much smaller than the Jewish population. In order to highlight the wider implications of the holocaust, she was just stating the absolute fact that the Roma population lost an even higher *proportion* of their community. It wasn’t a bidding war.
Re. the Belgian Congo – again she was just stating a fact and a viewpoint – that mass extermination of a population wasn’t limited to post-1940 and the gas chambers etc. We know that the figures for the Congo were in the region of 20m, to which have to be added the victims of other colonial regimes.
As a rational being, it is impossible to see anything that takes away from the Jewish holocaust of WWII – let alone can be considered ‘antisemitic’. You can argue fact, or disagree with the conclusion. Fine. But when a concern for common humanity becomes a battle for exclusive rights to terms like ‘holocaust’, we are in weird territory.
And weird propaganda territory is where we are. No excuses.
They haven’t begun. Labour must go on the offensive. Surely, by now, knows who the enemy with in. Out by any means necessary. Regards.
Really sorry to hear this for on the evidence I have access to (which I accept is only that which is in the public domain) Jackie is not an anti Semite.
Well that clearly marked the end of labour fantasy revolution, doesn’t it. I didn’t have hatred before for the labour machin but I have to admit a seed have been planted
Of course she’s not, smartboy. This is cuckoo in the nest stuff.
I am really very disappointed with this result RH.
RH My information was first hand not from MSM.
The use of these entirely subjective so called crimes to eject members from the party is manifestly unjust.
https://labourlist.org/2019/03/jackie-walker-expelled-from-the-labour-party/
There is an interesting contrast between the tone of the above report and the editorial written just yesterday by the same author.
This earlier editorial expresses a degree of doubt about the integrity of the process
https://labourlist.org/2019/03/labour-under-pressure-as-jackie-walker-hearing-begins/
those urging Walker’s expulsion will undoubtedly see the result of this hearing as a test and a deal-breaker. Insufficient disciplinary action against her would be “the final straw” for many concerned about Labour’s handling of antisemitism, as one person in that camp put it. LabourList understands that the three members on the Walker panel are NCC chair and Unite activist Anna Dyer; Russell Cartwright, who was accused of bias during Ken Livingstone’s NCC hearing; and the CWU’s Alan Tate.
Probably the only way to stop this witch hunt is mass resignations, the Labour party are bringing this on themselves.
No, Steve – stick with it and make life uncomfortable for the free-loaders.
No that would solve nothing and in fact would cause glee among our opponents.
There will be…and yes, the LP handled this very badly from day one. They never should have rolled over and apologised. But McNicol was in charge back then and he was determined to carry out a witchunt. . But it would help if some on these pages realised that saying Jewish bankers financed the slave trade and mentioning no others, is de facto obviously anti-Semitic. But she is not anti-Semitic. Not an anti Semitic bone in her body. She did not seem to be aware that was all, and then deleted the message on her FB page after a couple of friends told her it was anti Semitic and then could not keep her mouth shut.. She has done more harm than good and loads of people will now leave the Party. By the way, how many people on here understood the phrase ‘cultural Marxism’ with all its anti-Semitic connotations to old Jewish conspiracy theories? and how it was used by the far right and was echoed this week by Suella Bravaman the Tory MP? I bet not all that many.
It’s difficult to recall all the details, but wasn’t Jackie having a private discussion with someone at the time? And as you obviously know, she DIDN’T say what she said out of ignorance or a lack of historical knowledge, she was just making a point in the moment AND just happened to phrase it the way she did. I mean Gordon Bennet, does everyone on the left have to carefully think about every word they say before they say it just in case someone hacks into their private facebook page or is covertly recording or filming what they are saying (I’m not having a go at You when I say that)!
Of COURSE she wasn’t suggesting – OR thought in her own mind – that the only people financing the slave trade (wasn’t it specifically to do with sugar plantations?) were JEWISH bankers, and it’s ridiculous that you could for one moment think that she DID. And as we ALL know, we would never have heard a dickybird about it – or any of the other numerous ‘cases’ of anti-semitism – but for the fact that Jeremy was – and IS – leader of the Labour Party.
UTTER DISGRACE!!!!!!!!!! ANYONE ELSE SICK OF ZIONISM RUINING THE LABOUR PARTY? THE PARTY IS A SHAM!!!!!
Some US Democrats aren’t afraid to fight back.
“AIPAC doesn’t speak for a growing number of American Jews, progressives, and human rights advocates who want a just peace for Israel/Palestine.”
A diverse coalition of progressive advocacy groups representing Jewish and Muslim Americans is pressuring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and other top Democrats to cancel planned speeches at AIPAC’s annual conference as a growing number of the party’s presidential candidates are vowing to skip the event.
“At a time when AIPAC’s power is clearly waning and we are watching change happen in real time, Nancy Pelosi is lending her legitimacy to them.”
—Michael Deheeger, Jewish Voice for Peace
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/03/22/2020-democrats-steer-clear-progressive-groups-urge-pelosi-and-schumer-skipaipac
As I’ve said elsewhere – time for branches and constituencies to ignore the NEC until it regains credibility. I know it not the NCC – but its responsible for it, and the house has to be cleaned.
I would suggest ignoring all instructions about what motions are unacceptable etc. They are purely a means of the paid freeloaders escaping scrutiny. Let the b.’s suspend the whole f.ing Party until they’ve nobody left to subsidise them.
Someone once wrote that the best thing we can all bring to the table is our independent left wing critical thinking so I will depart from the Left Group Think on here.
If JW’s was a paper then she would have failed and would have had to resubmit following feedback but Labour members are being help to high academic standards so I would not have expelled just resubmit.
JW’s contribution to knowledge was that some Jewish people were involved in financing the slave trade but no group in diverse humanity comes out well in this story including Arab slave traders and African Tribal Chiefs who sold captured warriers, apart from those in Anti-Slavery Movements and Black slaves themselves who led and were involved in rebellions.
But JW’s problem was she didn’t say some Jewish people she said Jewish people.
I heard a great talk on the slave rebellions as part of Black History Month and the brilliant lecturer gave those from history a voice. Perhaps JW could have told us rather about the role of Black Women and Women Leaders in such rebellions, as far as I am aware it has not been written.
But what did JW do after an earlier warning, walk straight into a JLM Anti-Semitism training session; they probably couldn’t believe their luck.
I would not have expelled her or Ken for that matter but more critical thinking, deeper reflection and wider reading required but they ARE socialists.
The danger is some can come over as having an Ego “The size of an whole country.”
The reality is Bazza, as I’m sure you would agree, that but for the fact that JC is leader of the LP, we wouldn’t have heard a dickybird about anti-semitism OR any accusations of such being made against Ken and Jackie and numerous others. The Smearers don’t give a damn about anti-semitism, except in so far as they can use it as a weapon for their own ends – ie to sabotage JC’s leadership.
Indeed, just as you are. Regards.
Thus spoke the agent provacteur!
Ignore this turd.
Referring to RH and the other name/s he goes under ie Steve Richards?
Oh dear, dreamy Bazza. Do you – pretending to ‘critical thinking’ and ‘deeper thinking’ really need a picture book to label ‘arse’ and ‘elbow’ correctly?
Just as a start – Jackie Walker’s original remarks about the slave trade weren’t an academic exercise – just a corrective to knee-jerk thinking about victims and perpetrators.
Now go away and chew on that fairly simple concept that has been exploited for sectarian ends. It’s really not difficult stuff.
BTW – for anyone who is marginally literate, the concept of Steve and myself as the same identity would be hilarious.
… although we are probably for once united in falling about laughing at your post.
Lets just call what she was not allowed to read out “a prepared statement”. The Labour Party has a duty to explain why it has taken this action. There is a suspicion that the NCC is not acting honestly but expelling Walker because they do not want to embarrass those who pressed for suspension and because she is outspoken and articulate. Such a disregard for natural justice bodes ill for the future.
How many current members this will cost is impossible to gauge. But that it will cost much enthusiasm and commitment on the doorstep and in other voluntary campaign activities is not to be doubted.
On the other hand there are plenty of Sandwells where Jackie’s expulsion will cause mighty satisfaction. I am sure that Max Mosley, for example will be chuffed.
“On the other hand there are plenty of Sandwells”
I’m sure you’re right about the impulse of those responsible for the NCC ‘decision’ (aka stitch-up) to return the Party to the corpse-like compliance of the Blair years, using ‘antisemitism’ as cover.
The worst thing for them will be for the progressives of all colours to stay with it, and sign up *more* like-minded souls.
.. because the alternative is what we’ve got – elements in the Party effectively working for the Tories.
The issue was not merely ‘not being allowed to read out a statement’ The statement was a careful discussion of how the party had repeatedly breached its own procedures in the handling of the case and the hearing could have no legitimacy until these deficiencies had been addressed and resolved.
The statement was not a statement of rebuttal of the charges, it was to achieve a fair forum where the charges could be laid and the defence reasonably introduced.
Two years after Chakrabarti we still wait for the minimal guarantees of due process she advocated to be adopted
Most critically there is no right of appeal. F
I hope these people in the NCC will be leaving the Party very soon.It’s not the anti-semitism,(which I believe does not exist in the Labour Party)but the block on FREEDOM OF SPEECH. There must be open discussion on any subject. We must change this closed kangaroo court for one of accountability to the whole party.
The JLM are now saying this was “too late”.
You just can’t appease a witch hunt, no matter how far backwards you bend.
High time JLM was disaffiliated.
Let’s forget the ‘Jewish’ and the ‘Labour’ pretence and just call it the Israel Movement.
Careful, RH, you’ll be next. I’m sure comments on here are trawled by the witchhunters.
The woman has been under suspension and has now been expelled – what more do they want? What would satisfy them? They need to spell this out as their response seems unnecessarily vindictive.
smartboy 27/03/2019 at 6:41 pm
They will never be satisfied, that’s the beauty of the weaponising anti Semitism they can always justify claiming that more needs to be done. They can shift the goalposts ad-infinitum and the party can never answer back we’ve done enough. From the moment the party decided on a policy of capitulation in response to the false smears they had lost the war.
Nothing except blind obedience will satisfy them. The Labour party has been corrupted by the likes of Shai Masot and his handler, Mark Regev.
Better off hijacking UKIP. It’s been left alone, probably because they expected the “right” to follow along blindly.
As SteveH says, they will never be satisfied.
When you give in to a bully they just come back at you with even bigger demands!
It is no mere coincidence that all the victims of this witch hunt have been supporters of the current leadership
There are very real parallels with the witch hysteria of the 1640s.and the red scares of the 1950s Has nothing been learned? 🙁
Crucible anyone?
That’s a great point but you’ve got keep a close eye on the musical chairs. The enemy is well organized and determined. An almost implacable adversary. Get your coat Dr.Watson, the games afoot ( sic). Regards.
JLM are not affiliated. It is a myth
Utterly predictable but still infuriating and totally objectionable
Another Labour member thrown under the bus to appease the JLM and LFoI.
The really terrifying thing about this is that the JLM/FOI/right wing alliance can never be placated by capitulation. Like a playground bully this just indicates that its tactics are producing the desired results and should not only be continued, but intensified. There is NO LIMIT to its appetite for finger-pointing, accusation and ultimately, the sending of their scapegoat into the political wilderness.
No, the only answer is dogged, determined RESISTANCE, the first principle of which is to force our leaders to grow a backbone and defend and safeguard those who defend and safeguard them as the vanguard of a movement for progressive social change. Falling fast on the heels of this is an imperative need for DESELECTION of the clandestine Tories in the Labour Party; the apologists for Zionism; the defenders of the “balanced” council budget and cheerleaders of the present government’s disgraceful persecution of the poor and disadvantaged and the justifiers of arms sales to despots and foreign wars.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and we on the left have to be tougher than never before and be armed with an iron determination to prevail over the forces against us, and against the many. The stakes could not be higher. The Labour Party is currently undeniably the focus of bitter class struggle – a struggle we must win if all is not to be lost – the far right are waiting in the wings ready to dance on the grave of our democratic rights.. Jackie Walker’s expulsion is obscene, but entirely predictable. We must not be discouraged, -that’s what the right want us to do. Let’s disappoint the bastards and hang in there, fighting like we’ve never fought before. The struggle continues!
Kangaroo courts in the Labour Party are alive and well.
When a defendant at a hearing is not allowed to be heard you know very well that there is something rotten at the heart of the Labour structure.
When the Israeli Lobby in the Party forced upon it the bogus IHRA definition we knew there and then that the Party was not capable of standing up for itself and there were very few in the top ranks of the Party who had the intelligence or determination to make the right decisions.
It’s time the members wrested the Party back from those who are going to destroy it with their ineptitude.
Chris Williamson puts the whole crowd to shame.
I am horrified. Jackie’s expulsion is so totally wrong on many levels. And then we have others whose general behaviour would fully justify an expulsion.
I’m guessing the film Jackie to part in being released before her hearing perhaps wasn’t the smartest move this being the prejudicial part of the reason for expelling her. I don’t agree with her being expelled at all for what ever reason the accused isn’t allowed to speak at these sessions everything has to be handed in before the meeting takes place, I presume so ‘legal’ eyes can check everything, I’d have thought legal reps would be present though. The process is very clouded and almost archaic IMO
So what are we going to do about it?
All I can suggest is for the Branches and CLPs to judiciously take back control in situations where the NEC/NCC is failing to be transparent and objective. In practical terms, that means saying ‘F.Off” to partisan instructions about issues like the Williamson resolutions etc. until they are part of an agreed proper process.
I think the NEC has now to prove itself competent as a ruling body rather than that being assumed. Elections clearly are not the sole solution – there has to be a house cleaning and establishment of proper control and process until fitness for purpose is established.
Clearly the IHRA adoption was a warning. The situation has now moved from amber to red.
Steve, one of the things we could do as members is ignore Jennie Formby and deluge the Party with expressions of disgust and demands for Chris Williamson to be unsuspended and Jackie Walker to be reinstated as a member.
I don’t know if anyone will agree with me or not, but I strongly suspect that Lansman has a lot to do with the witchhunt. You may know he has made many twits in support of Zionism and in one twit he claimed that we were now in “Post Zionism” age.
Nazirthe, I have lost count of the times that I have posted on many sites that our most venal opponents act as our supporters and as soon as they can get the media train the boot goes in. Time to take a stand. Regards and good post as are most here even when I am in total disagreement with the writer. Things are hotting up all over and we had better be in fine fettle. These will be hard for the squeamish but we have built an NHS , seen of S.A and destroyed the violent right.Nowadays the Headhunters are to be found, not at demos, pickets and paper sales but the boards of companies and our own backbenchers. It’s a big ask but it isn’t called the struggle for nothing. Regards.
Steve Richards, I think we need to get a copy of Jackie’s prepared statement and post it on every site we can. She must, at very least have the option of making a statement. This is an affront to justice and as such needs to be challenged.
Yes Skwarkbox please publish Jackie’s statement and the film.
Here is the film:-
…. and here’s her statement.
http://www.labouragainstthewitchhunt.org/campaigns/press-release-by-jackie-walker-denied-right-to-speak-in-her-own-defence/
Disgusting. Jackie Walker is expelled for “prejudicial and grossly detrimental conduct”, yet Tom Watson isn’t.
That tells you all you need to know about who the NCC/LFOI-protected asset in the party is…
Absolutely disgusting. this is an affront to the principles of our party & a victory for the racist witch hunt.
I’m actually appaled by the level of mediocrity both for the moral side of that decision but also from a strategic point of view. I means this old labour creeps don’t understand that the youth is all about making sens and finding meaning? This is one more nail of their own coffin. Honestly labour if natural justice means that for you, then your place is in the trash of history and the sooner the better.
“prejudicial and grossly detrimental conduct”, I like to think I follow things in labour as closely as possible. What on Earth has Jackie done which can possibly be described as above?! I’d love ve to be able to read their arguments justifying this.
Stand back and await the avalanche of cries of ” racist ” and
” antisemitic ” from Tories and Blue Labour
It’s time to say goodbye to labour. They are utterly infested with Zionism. This will not be last of “the wrong Jew” to be castrated and discarded.
Poale Zion (Labour Zionist) or JLM as it’s now known, is in complete control, and Corbyn (nice guy) doesn’t have it in him to battle the relentless tide.
A shameful day, and those involved with this farcical charade should be shunned by members.
The voters certainly will.
No, the Labour Party is not “utterly infested with Zionism” – that’sjust what the JLM/FOI/rightist alliance want you to think. They want us all to pack up and slink away in desolation and despair.
We have to show them that they are not “in control”; that we are still fighting and that setbacks make us fight still harder. You may be right about Corbyn – he has fought his corner bravely in many other contexts, but has the weakness of frequent capitulation to the right. We have to be at his back and if necessary, supply the toughness towards the right and all its nefarious deeds that he seems to lack.
We can show others who are not at present part of our movement what is at stake at this dangerous time when the far right is on once more in the ascendant, austerity is entrenched and basic democratic rights are endangered. We must not only “vote Labour”, but be a vital and active part of the labour and socialist movement determined to trounce the right.
So, let’s get resolutions passed, knock on doors for Labour, giving a LEFTIST perspective, which includes an appeal to join and expand the membership base and mount massive protests every time someone who is working politically for the many is scapegoated with the kind of ridiculous charges Jackie Walker suffered. Work inside the trade unions (at least one of Walker’s ‘judges’ was a trade union nominee) and community campaigns is also key.
The struggle continues. Let’s all get on board!
What do your eyes and ears tell you?!?!
Walker, a Black Jewish with a history most would be proud of, neutered and discarded. Williamson, suspended for not kneeling. Livingstone, ostracised for telling the truth about the zionist Nazi coin. Shai Masot and his millions (not to mention threats).
These are just four examples. Then there’s the media spreading the muck…
Get onboard what exactly? The train to Tel Aviv?!?!
The Labour party are even prepared to break the law in order to obtain the result they want.
In my case, the party would not release to me, some of the data they kept on me. This is contrary to the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Even after I involved the Information Commissioners Office to help me get the data, the party refused to let me have it. The ICO has found the party to have breached the terms of GDPR.
Neither did the party tell me that to obtain all of my data I needed to submit two Subject Access Requests (SAR). Part of my data was held by the CLP and I had to submit a separate request for that information. I had asked Jane Shaw if all my data would be sent to me and when my emails were ignored, my solicitor wrote asking the same question. The solicitors letters were also ignored.
It was only days before my hearing that I found out about further documentation relating to me, held by the CLP, when new information turned up from the party as “evidence”. Under the party rules, evidence can be submitted, by either side, up to three days before the hearing. It is unlikely that the accused would leave any information they considered relevant at such a late stage, so this is purely a device to give the party the upper hand. It appears that the party use this regularly to confuse and wrong foot members.
Other tactics designed to intimidate was to change the charges days before the hearing. Despite having it in writing on the hearing’s agenda and in the accompanying letter (sent 6 weeks before the hearing date) that NO NEW EVIDENCE was to be submitted, it seems that didn’t apply and new evidence was submitted by the CLP days before the hearing.
I asked for the hearing to be deferred in the circumstances, to allow me to obtain my data from the CLP. The party didn’t consider my request legitimate.
I refused to go to my hearing as I had not had sufficient time to consider the “new” evidence that the Compliance Unit has sat on for over twelve months. As it happens when the CLP SAR came through, it was full of discrepancies, not to mention downright untruths.
I currently have two judgements from the ICO – one against the national party and one against the CLP secretary, who are refusing to let me have all of my data. It’s obvious from the lengths the party have gone to that they are hiding something. This is now with solicitors as the law has been broken.
The entire disciplinary process is designed to intimidate and bully members, not to determine the truth about allegations made. It’s also suspected that the outcome is predetermined before the hearing takes place. All indications appear to back up this suspicion.
You’ve mentioned this before. Without taking sides in a dispute about which I have no knowledge, your situation clearly reflects the utter contempt with which the Party’s ‘disciplinary’procedures have to be held.
The way things are going, being expelled from the Party is going to be more of a badge of honour than a sanction in progressive politics.
What a farce!
RH, I mention it a lot because until recently nobody wanted to know about the mistreatment of members.
This has been happening since Corby was first elected. That’s almost four years ago now.
Many ordinary members can’t or won’t fight the Blairite dinosaurs, those who were willing have never had their voices heard. Do you understand how that feels?
My emails to the party have been ignored (even my solicitors letters have been ignored), so I take any chance I see, to get the issue out and inform members.
I know I am not alone. The high profile names get a lot of attention, then it is forgotten. But this is happening to members every day. False accusations then a long wait for a hearing which is manipulated by the party. Some members get through, some don’t. There are many, many more, like me that don’t have a voice.
I can believe what you say, Nemtona. The term ‘disciplinary’ *procedures* is currently a bad joke in its corruption of the idea of due process when applied to the Party.
It’s massively damaging to this Party, because it tears at the very heart of what the Party is for. I, for one, cannot forgive this sort of blatant corruption on behalf of an apartheid philosophy and regime.
That can’t be right – she was charged with and suspended for antisemitism (even though she is Jewish and very active anti-racisr campaigner) but expelled for a different reason bought up at the last minute. Like being accused and arrested for shoplifting with no evidence and getting convicted for a breach of the peace because you protested your innocence.
The rules need changing to ensure that people can only be found “guilty” of what they were originally charged with.
The NCC panel also needs to be replaced with the equivalent of a Jury made up of ordinary Labour members.
“That can’t be right”
No. It isn’t.
I have lost count of the number of Labour members who have begun to realise what a load of free-loading shysters their membership fees are supporting when they thought they were supporting an essentially progressive Party with a history and interest in supporting human rights and justice.
The Guardian was very much in tune with the NCC’s gloss on this affair. That tells you a lot.
Is that all you’ve got to say? Don’t tell me you’re scared of the witch hunters too?
If you are referring to the brevity of Steve’s article Veronica, could it be that he wanted to post the news of Jackie’s expulsion as quickly as possible.
LAW statement on Jackie’s expulsion:
https://mailchi.mp/0534b15bd5e2/the-expulsion-of-jackie-walker-is-a-great-injustice?e=b4fc07f0cb
Meanwhile Labour Party,and LFI,condemnation of the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza non existent. It’s almost as if there’s a pattern developing.
Disappointed Skwawkbox didn’t have more to say about this injustice by the NCC. This latest Kangaroo court decision is nothing at all related to antisemitism, it’s an attack on the left by the left-overs from McNicol’s gang of cronies. All those who were purged Livingstone, Wadsworth, Walker etc were all friends of Corbyn, who fought antisemitism and racisim all of their lives. Williamson will be the next to face the inquisition, no doubt he will be another sacrifice to appease the LFI, JLM, Israeli Lobbyists and the Blairite bastards
This is utterly disgusting. If it wasn’t exactly what the witch-hunters wanted Id be resigning from the party over this.
The basis for expulsion is NOT antisemitism
You’re right,John. The functionaries have a survival instinct, massaged by lawyers at our expense, that knows that nebulous and meaningless charges are much better than the original, contestable ones of ‘antisemitism’ which, IHRA gobbledy-gook apart, is quite definable in legalistic terms – and would fail in a court of law.
They have form in this. See Marc Wadsworth also
The problem is, of course, that one of their subsidiary objectives – to get out from under the set-up of the EHRC investigation by going over the top in clumsy hobnail boots – fails, because they are no longer dealing with the fake allegations of ‘antisemitism’ in these cases – which then become irrelevant.
Since Corbyn was elected Labour has moved to the left but this is not reflected in the arcane committees that run the party. The whole party needs to be much more democratic and transparent otherwise it will never be a longterm force.
My impression is that whilst the vast majority of members support your aspirations for the Labour Party’s future the Unions are the ones hampering progress because they are so desperate to hold onto power through the their block votes. It was the Unions that sabotage the introduction of Mandatory Re-selection with OMOV at conference.
By the sound of it, her “guilt” was a formality and had already been decided. Don’t like to make comparisons to the Volksgerichtshof or the Stalin show trials but..
This is how intolerance starts..
‘Starts’???
I’ll rephrase that.
This is how intolerance becomes institutionalised.
Spot on. Marty.
Just came across the following in a Guardian article posted on their website this afternoon – ie a comment/quote from JLM re Jackie Walker’s expulsion:
A spokesperson for the Jewish Labour Movement said it was “a clear and unambiguous case of prejudicial and grossly detrimental behaviour against the party”
Oh, right, so she DIDN’T say anything anti-semitic then!
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/27/labour-expels-jackie-walker-for-leaked-antisemitism-comments?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Yahoo_Mail
NB Even the Guardian headline is totally fraudulent and misleading!
A simple fact that needs repeating, again and again and again and …………
… and calling the elected leader a ‘fucking antisemite’ isn’t a case of “case of prejudicial and grossly detrimental behaviour”.
Pull the other one.
Take 2: Here is the whole of the passage relating to JLM:
A spokesperson for the Jewish Labour Movement said it was “a clear and unambiguous case of prejudicial and grossly detrimental behaviour against the party” but said the expulsion had come “two and a half years too late” and suggested Walker’s case had been repeatedly delayed.
“In the intervening time, Ms Walker and others have been key to perpetuating a culture of denial and obfuscation,” the group said.
(Ends)
So doing all you can to expose the falsehood that what you said was anti-semitic is – so the black propagandists at JLM would have people believe – “perpetuating a culture of denial and obfuscation.”
The propagandists just lurve turning everything on its head! Denial and obfuscation of what?! Oh, right, the anti-semitic comments that turned out not to be anti-semitic after all!
And even though nothing Jackie said was found to be anti-semitic, the article finishes by saying the following – ie it was deliberately composed to give the impression that it WAS:
Labour’s general secretary, Jennie Formby, told MPs last month that the party had investigated 673 alleged cases of antisemitism and expelled 12 party members, with six receiving other sanctions, since last April. Five others referred to the NCC have left the party of their own accord.
(Ends)
I really REALLY look forward to the day when EVERY single person who has played a part in this black op Smear Campaign is named and exposed to the whole country and around the world. It can’t come soon enough!
When did the JLM become affiliated to the party? Does it have a vote in conferences. What is it’s role in the party?
I could be wrong, but the impression *I* get is that Jackie WASN’T expelled for anything she said or did PRIOR to being suspended, but for what she has done SINCE to prove her innocence* (that she said anything anti-semitic). Will we ever get to know exactly what it was that Jackie did that led the NCC panel to expel her. Or is THAT ‘confidential’! Even from Jackie herself!! Things have got to change BIG TIME, and WE have got to make it happen.
*Fascists really REALLY don’t like people exposing their lies and falsehoods (and making people aware that THEY exist)!
In the Guardian article it says “A spokesperson for the Jewish Labour Movement said it was “a clear and unambiguous case of prejudicial and grossly detrimental behaviour against the party”, implying of course that THEY know precisely what it is that Jackie said or did that led to her expulsion, and given that THAT’S the case, we should email them en mass and ask them to provide us with said details…….
It just occured to me to check out their website to see if they’ve posted an article about Jackie’s expulsion, which may – or may not – enlighten us to some extent as to what it was that led to Jackie’s expulsion on these grounds. But there WASN’T, at least not at the time of writing. But I DID come across the follwing (it’s not dated, but I assume it’s from fairly recently):
“A statement following reports that the Labour Party have commissioned Birkbeck University to replace JLM as the provider of its antisemitism awareness training”
And it begins thus:
“Over the last few weeks, JLM has been contacted by hundreds of people asking us to run our antisemitism awareness training at CLPs, branches, Labour groups.”
“hundreds of people”. Yeah sure, pull the other one! Half a dozen maybe!! If THAT! The very next thing they say is:
“This reflects the fact that we have for a number of years provided this training to the Party for free, sending volunteers to speak at meetings across the country, paid from the subs we raise from our members, often to hostile audiences.”
“often to hostile audiences”. So how often is OFTEN, and is that the ENTIRE audience? Yeah, as if! What a complete load of propaganda baloney!
And so it goes on, full of their own self importance, spewing out their vile and abhorrent propaganda, and I can only assume that there are a few gullible ‘mugs’ out there – as THEY no doubt regard them – who are so gullible they just swallow it all. There are no words to express my disgust for these people AND my total and absolute contempt for them, along with EVERY single person who has been a party to this black op smear campaign. They are truely diabolical.
https://www.jewishlabour.uk/news
Read JW statement and account of the situation ( links above ) . Appalling doesn’t begin to describe the way she and for that matter others have been treated by the NCC and Labour , shamefully, shocking, hypocritical …… words fail after that other than its SHIT .
To enable the membership to believe in justice and the chance of a unbiased and fair hearing , this and previous examples ( Marc Wadsworth Ken Livingstone ) are not the way to go about it .
IMO one now has to put aside the natural anger over this and translate that into positive effective action to resolve the clearly malfunctioning NCC we still have in the party.
No confidence motions with the NCC to the Conference on mass this year is perhaps the only route of protest available . The secrecy and lack of openness leave the whole process and those involved in orchestrating it open to suspicion and criticism.
A travesty of so called justice.
https://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/blog/antisemitic-misconduct/
Excellent guidance from Jewish Voice for Labour on what constitutes anti Semitism. JVL is not yet recognised by Labour and needs three years of accounts before it can apply. Little communication happens now between JVL and the leaders’ office.
JVL – as always – the voice of sanity as opposed to the political manipulation by the right.
“To be clear: conduct is antisemitic only if it manifests ‘prejudice, hostility or hatred against Jews as Jews’.”
Not difficult, is it? Everything else simply dilutes the seriousness of real prejudice.
It says the following in the JVL document:
‘As with any allegations of racism, accusations of antisemitism must be taken seriously and investigated.’
Well, yes, but as I’m sure JVL would acknowledge, THOSE with an agenda can and DO make fraudulent claims of anti-semitism all the time (well, as of since Jeremy was elected leader), and the false accusers – along with the anti-Corbyn media – make as much capital out of these fraudulent accusations as they can.
So, is there a solution? Well, potentially, Yes. Anti-semitism is a form of racism, and racism is a criminal offence, so why do those trawling through facebook and twitter etc for something they can fraudulently claim is anti-semetic practically ALWAYS then report it to the NEC and *NOT* the police? I mean how is it that time and time again – when an allegation of A/S has been submitted to the NEC and, as such, is supposed to be dealt with confidentially – it’s all over the media more-or-less straight away. So WHO is notifying the media? Need I say more!
Before I get on to the potential solution – which you may have twigged already – what we know (thanks to SteveH) is that the Tory Party has no jurisdiction over it’s members, if I can put it that way, unlike the LP and IT’S members, and it would be interesting to ascertain what the situation is regarding the OTHER political parties in the UK – ie do THEY – as with the LP – hold their members accountable for whatever, or NOT?
Anyway, here’s the (potential) solution: That the LP/NEC should tell anyone who wants to report an alleged case/incident of anti-semitism to them, that THEY – the person (or organisation) making the claim – should report the matter to the police, and tell them that THEY – the LP/NEC – will take disciplinary action against the person concerned IF the police investigation results in a conviction for racist abuse – ie anti-semitism.
We REALLY can’t continue with the ‘system’ as it presently stands/works, where those with an agenda hold ALL the cards, and those who are being victimised hold none.
Any thoughts on this are of course welcome.
Yes, you are bang on. Sexual harassment claims must be informed immediately to the authorities. These are crimes and must be prosecuted. I would be willing to offer my assistance. Poor souls, sitting in meetings, fearful of regular physical and verbal assault. For all the dangers to life and limb they turn up. The least one can do is to be at the station when they are giving their statements. All for one and all of that. Good luck all.
Worth noting – second hand, from Asa Winstanley’s blog, but normally a reliable source :
“The outcome of the hearing was published by the Jewish Chronicle “before any of us were told,” Walker said on Thursday.”
Serious because of the implications in terms of influence on due process – essentially confirmation of the set-up scenario. Any pending investigation, I wonder?
Yes, I read something to that effect somewhere, although it gets confusing cos I’m pretty sure that THAT is exactly what happened to Asa himself, only in HIS case, he learnt of his suspension via the Jewish Chronicle. The thing is with Jackie – as I understand it – is that she walked out of the hearing when they refused to let her make a short statement (which I assume she wanted to do early on in the proceedings) AND implies that she walked OUT almost before the hearing had begun. It’s highly unlikely that it would have made any difference to the outcome of course had she remained, and I think we can be 100% certain the panel – AND whoever – had already decided her fate long before.
I just this minute checked Tony Greenstein’s article re her expulsion and, Yes, Jackie walked out shortly after it began. In fact his article began thus:
It was a sunny spring morning with a carnival atmosphere outside as the long-awaited and long delayed hearing on trumped up charges of ‘anti-Semitism’ against Jackie Walker were at long last going to be heard. Except they weren’t as Jackie walked out shortly after they began.
I just read the ‘reports’ of Jackie’s expulsion in three different newspapers – ie the Mirror, the Evening Standard, and the Jewish Chronicle – and I think they must have all been competing with each-other as to which one of them could come up with the most distorted version of events. It was a fairly close-run thing, but the JC definitely came out on top. But then they do get to practice their craft just about every day regards the anti-semitism smear campaign against JC and the left!
Anyway, I’ll be checking out the rest of the media during the next couple of days or so, which will no doubt be total distortions as well – but I have little doubt that the following – from the Chronicle ‘report’ – was a super massive big black lie:
Wednesday’s decision failed to win over leading Jewish campaigners – even though Labour sources told the JC the charges against Ms Walker had included conduct deemed to be antisemitic.
The guys and gals at the JC churn out Goebbels-sized lies on a daily basis, and their ‘report’ on Jackie’s expulsion is full of them. In fact it’s one Big Falsehood from start to finish!
I just checked the Guardian to ascertain the EXACT terminology AND reason given by the NCC for expelling Jackie, and they quote them as follows:
It is understood the party disciplinary process took into account a pattern of behaviour by Walker over time, including comments on social media. She was expelled for “prejudicial and grossly detrimental behaviour against the party”.
No mention of anti-semitism of course, and they would hardly find her guilty of anti-semitism “against the party”.
As I said, in effect, the Jewish Chronicle was lying through it’s teeth. Oh, the POWER to deceive….. it’s such a buzz isn’t it guys!
It also says the following in the Guardian :
A Labour spokesperson said: “The NCC has found that the charges of breaches of party rules by Jackie Walker have been proven.”
(Ends)
So she was NEVER charged with anti-semitism – or making anti-semitic remarks – as such, but with “breaches of party rules”.
OK, so which party rules are they referring to exactly, and WHAT precisely was it that Jackie did or said that breached these particular party rules? And will Jackie be provided with these details? Or are THEY confidential!
NB As I said in an earlier post, in effect, I strongly suspect that these “breaches of party rules” happened AFTER Jackie was suspended, and NOT for anything she said or did PRIOR to being suspended. And if that turns out to be the case, then I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that those pulling the strings in the NCC deliberately conspired to leave it as long as possible before they arranged a hearing so that they could then find stuff – as time went on – to charge her with and, as such, expel her. And if that IS the case, then I can only imagine that THEY will be doing all they can to keep the details from her. Would be interesting to find out how long the NEC were dealing with it and when they decided her case should be referred to the NCC.
Right, I just did a search, and she was suspended in September 2016, and her case was referred to the NCC on March 7th, 2017 – ie six months later. I’m gonna check it out again, but I’m absolutely certain that during the past thirty-six hours or so since I learnt Jackie had been expelled, I’ve read somewhere that her case kept on being postponed.
Hmm…..
Asa Winstanley sums up the situation on anti-Semitism in the Labour Party at the begining of this podcast.
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/nora-barrows-friedman/podcast-ep-4-how-israel-spies-us-campaigners