MPs hope to exploit little known provision in their standing orders
Right-wing MPs in the parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) intend to try to use a little-known clause in their standing orders to override the party’s disciplinary process, in their eagerness to continue their attack on reinstated Derby North MP Chris Williamson.
The clause reportedly allows PLP members to vote for the withdrawal of the whip by a simple majority.
The plan is for the vote to be taken at the next weekly PLP meeting. However, if Williamson or any other MP objects to the use of the standing orders for such a purpose, any vote could be delayed indefinitely. Labour rules state that any disputed application of PLP standing orders is decided not by the PLP chair, but by the party’s National Executive Committee:
The hypocrisy among those planning to try to exploit the standing orders to circumvent the party’s disciplinary processes ought to be astonishing. Many of those same MPs have been loud in objecting to ‘political interference’ in disciplinary matters when they were alleged by the Times and other right-wing media against the party’s leadership.
Sadly, it’s not even surprising, let alone astonishing. Clearly a hard-core of right-wing MPs are more than prepared to call for independent adjudication of complaints – and then exploit every loophole to bypass such adjudications when they don’t yield the desired result.
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Meanwhile, the bulk of the voting public is switched off. It is a storm in the Westminster bubble that has been going on now since Corbyn was elected four years ago. Yet Labour is still ahead in the polls.
Westminster voting intention:
LAB: 26% (+4)
BREX: 23% (-3)
CON: 20% (+3)
LDEM: 16% (-)
via @OpiniumResearch
Chgs. w/ 30 May
Westminster voting intention:
LAB: 26% (-7)
CON: 24% (-4)
BREX: 20% (+8)
LDEM: 18% (+5)
GRN: 6% (+3)
CHUK: 1% (-1)
UKIP: 1% (-2)
via @Survation, 19 – 20 Jun
Chgs. w/ 22 May
Sorry for bringing this up again but many of the actions of the right could be seen as being specifically intended to divert the left’s attention from the biggest issues facing us – global warming, plastic ocean death and AI taking our jobs.
“Centrism” itself is a lie – there is no middle way that can address any of these big three, or prevent the 1% acquiring 100% of everything – and AI, short of a global warming “flip” event in the next decade, is the one which will affect us soonest.
Not the most important, just the most imminent.
This is only fifteen minutes long – if you haven’t seen it, please watch.
If they get their own way on this I am never voting labour again. I suppose it will also turn a lot of other people off as well. They make the party stink rotten.
That is a definition of success for the oppositionists is in not?
That is what they want it keeps Corbyn out of Government they know many will leave , Don’t let them win .
I expect the right want to distract us from discussion about their failings and gathering ourselves to deselect them.
They probably also feel a snap election in the wind and want us on the back foot.
Or Mandelvelli’s been reading “The Prick” again.
Exactly. The big mistake is that this mixture of chancers and igoramuses have self-identified as not being worth a vote (unless you’re an Israeli stooge).
Very true but it’s also the ones hiding in the machinery (the ‘staff’) who wanted Chris Williamson to face further disciplinary action who we need to worry about. I suspect they have also had a hand in the expulsion of others from the Party.
yes, JackT, 70 staff calling for CW’s suspension to be reinstated. What has our party come to?
The NEC must stand firm on their decision. If this is allowed to be overturned it would show how weak labour is in the face of right wing and media pressure. I really want to give up on labour I’m so disappointed at its response to any opposition. Where are Corbyns spokespeople?
If they can’t stand up to this shower of moral bankrupts, how can we expect them to withstand the huge pressures which are going to come their way if we actually get into power?
More and more it’s looking far worse than the timidity that we have complained about. There is clearl subversion of the Party’s due process by sympathisers of a right-wing foreign apartheid government engaged in occupying and subjugating a native population.
EHRC response to my written enquiry, dated 19th June, 2019. “We have opened an investigation…….We have carefully considered the evidence provided by the complainants……..we have received a large amount of information from 2 groups….the Jewish Labour Movement & the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism. As this is a live investigation we are unable to provide details about specific incidents or allegations.
I have requested EHRC provide a full report, upon conclusion, along with details of all evidence used & which definition used to define Anti-Semitism.
To be continued……..
well done Steve, at least we have confirmation of the source of the complaints (even though we knew it already).
Will the EHRC be considering the possibility of those complainants having an agenda which might affect the credibility of their complaints? will they be watching ‘The Lobby’ before considering the weight that should be given to any evidence submitted by e.g. Joan Ryan?
(or will they have made up their minds about their conclusions in advance?)
… also, does anyone know exactly what CW has been suspended for? I’ve seen lots of detail about who was on the panel and why they might have come to a decision but nothing about what rules he is alleged to have breached or how.
Which is exactly what we have come to expect from our Party..
steve
how does this investigation tie in with vexatious claims ie pantomime dame 200 complaints 180 thrown out in a nanosecond other 20 will probably amount to not a lot
also connection with previous theft and destruction of data and paperwork by Bitterites, subsequently drip fed to TIMES, any of those cases included in so called ‘evidence’ to EHRC
regards
….the party must get ALL MP positions up for re-selection (deselection) as soon as possible…..so we can let the members decide who we now (as a new, different Labour Party to what went before (JC)) want to represent our values and views.. and hopefully rid ourselves of this never ending anti-Corbyn group of PLP MPs plotting from within….we can’t allow it to continue cos this latest development is not really about the original topic (which we all abor 1000%..any racism of any kind is unacceptable)…its about undermining JC as usual….if we don’t get rid!!!!… we will pay dearly come a GE as they go again and again..to the MSM with biased, fake, smear after smear..what are we afraid of?…bad press…we already have that….get rid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There’s nothing to lose; just do it. It’s been going on for too long and will continue unless the Left in Labour grow a backbone. Whatever happens, there’ll be a meltdown and bad press, so we might as well just go for it and push for deselection.
That Barking Hodge, Tom “I’ve been to Glastonbury” Watson, and the other self-seeking cretins are still in the party while other good people have been expelled for “bringing the party into disrepute”, shows the injustice of it all.
“.if we don’t get rid!!!!… we will pay dearly come a GE as they go again and again..to the MSM with biased, fake, smear after smear..what are we afraid of?”
I keep thinking that even if a Corbyn led LP won a GE, then what? What will be able to be achieved with MPs fighting tooth and nail against some policies and forget any substantive change to foreign policy… who could Corbyn appoint to his cabinet… a load of wreakers briefing the media against Corbyn, threatening to challenge him or even cross the floor into the arms of their ideological buddies in Tory party of LibDems!.
Time is important for MPs to get to grip with the job and Conference really slipped up last year watering down mandatory reselection motions.
Like
You say the Party must get all MPs up for reselection, but how is one-third of CLP members deciding their fate, Democratic. It’s not! What’s more, I spoke to a physio today, a lifelong Labour supporter who said, thankfully, he would never vote Conservative, but he also said Corbyn is governed by his faithful supporters and the Labour Party are not listening to everybody, and that he won’t vote Labour any more. The Williamson issue is music to Conservatives ears because it means Labour are not concentrating on the bigger issue of attacking the Conservatives. I’m now convinced Labour will lose the next General Election. If that happens, what then happens to Jenny Corbyn?
It is all of the members of a CLP that decides if an MP is re-selected not a third.
BTW is it true that there is only a two week window in which a
“trigger ballot” can be held.
New rules adopted last September make it easier for rank and file party members to replace their MP with a fresh contender, with less than a third of local branches now needed to trigger a contest.
Joe, only a third is required to start – trigger the voting but once it is put in place, all CLP members have a vote.
I bet the Physio is disgruntled Remainer, we hear it all the time, we cannot stop Brexit, we can only try to make it as least painful as possible, regarding reselection, Chris williamson was touring the country holding meetings advocating it and probably more to to with why the PLP want rid of him rather than their hatred of Corbyn supporters. although they do hate them as well.
” I bet the Physio is disgruntled Remainer”
… much like the majority of ex-supporters who are the reason for the cliff-like descent in popularity of the Party as its policy on Brexit nose-dives.
Should read Jeremy (not Jenny) Corbyn – sorry!
Pay closer attention to the tiresomely predictable script Mandelson has given you to spout, Joe, or you’ll be off the Troll roster ! Strangely enough, coincidence or what ! – I spoke to MY physio as well today, also a lifelong Labour voter, but a trades unionist and socialist – and he said, “get rid of those bastard stay behind red Tory Blairite saboteur careerist corrupt scum in then PLP, or our one chance of a Left Wing government is toast ” . Honest, Jo – that’s what the man said. I have lots more guaranteed genuine anecdotal quotes for you if you want .
Don’t take too much notice of this twaddle, Joe. This is the man who denies the antisemitism scam in the face of all the evidence.
…. and don’t take offence – it’s just Toytown lefties playng at cowboys and indians whilst the real story is elsewhere.
Am I the only one who finds it extremely unlikely that the matter of “anti-semitism” is going to be an issue of anything more than minor importance in the next election? I just cannot see the matter being one of any interest to working people with real issues to deal with. And nobody on this planet real;y believes that Corbyn is personally anti-semitic.
The danger is that people will simply hear the hateful cacophony of the capitalist media and conclude that it means something.
It does, of course, it means that the thieves and exploiters who own the country and the media, the Academy and the Establishment- lock stock and firkin- see in Corbyn and a democratic Labour Party, responsive to a membership representative of the people, are scared. They see an existential crisis approaching-a real, if slim, chance that a General Election could lead to a reversal of centuries of privatisation and plundering of the commonwealth.
Labour supporters need to get earplugs and stop listening to the siren sounds of capitalism chorus. And Labour needs to start a daily newspaper, based on the subscriptions of half a million members, and use it to refute the torrent of lies coming from the ruling class and its American bosses.
Exactly, Bevin. The whole MSM/political axis is so cacooned in its bubble, they fail to realise anti-Semitism is a niche issue of very little concern to the general public.
The efforts of the Mandelvellians are hopelessly misdirected.
They will fail.
Tim, I think it could be a bit more serious. When I was out canvassing prior to the previous GE and EU elections quite a few constituents mentioned ‘the anti-Semitism stuff’ to me as being worrying to them. Don’t know how they voted though.
The NEC have overturned the decision.
OMG… this is the party that claims it’s a Gov in waiting, a shambles influenced by state and corporate media, MPs including Tory ones, high ranking members and a few gobshite liberal ‘leftist’ commentators. A party that hounds vocal Socialists, anti imperialists and anti racists until it finds a way to expel them but keeps war criminals, bankers mates and warmongers close. One thing is for sure LP will remain a pro imperialist pro Capitalist party, pro big bank and central bank criminal regimes and bail outs by citizenry… all against the wishes of perhaps a majority of members. Looking like the talk and promises mean zip when the chips are down. So much for solidarity…
I believe Williamson has been referred for a full investigation… well I can guess what that will conclude. Williamson is effectively silence until the regime pulling the strings makes it ‘judgement’.
All I can say is I hope members are rallying to radically change things.
I looked at a JVL analysis of what is believed to be an example of a current LP disciplinary questionnaire and was appalled at what I saw. It is predicated on the presumption of guilt, appears systematically designed to “entrap” the respondent and seems to me to be the perfect, totalitarian, McCarthyite instrument in that it seeks neither to establish the truth, nor to ensure that justice is done.
If as Maria says we are, ” a party that hounds vocal socialists, anti imperialist and anti racists until we find a way to expel them…” then it would be fair to add that we have elements within the disciplinary process that continue to be very well suited to that particular purpose.
https://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/blog/warning-avoid-entrapment-by-labour-party-questionnaire/
Thanks very much for that link Paulo. What jumped out at me was “A presumption of guilt underlies many of the questions asked.”
This goes against all norms of natural justice and legal process. Reading the whole piece just adds fuel to the ‘witch hunt’ claims… an inquisition indeed.
The following is a tidbit from Ken Livingstone’s statement:
I handed evidence to the chair [of the Labour Party Disputes and Disciplinary Panel] which showed what I said was true, but she replied she was not interested in history, and was determined to avoid what I said and whether it was true.
https://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/blog/ken-livingstones-resignation-from-the-labour-party/
Paulo, I’ve seen better criticisms of Kafka.
Never could be arsed finishing ‘The Trial’ myself.
Seen more interesting instruction labels on cigarette lighters.
Never thought to see Labour use it as the model for the investigation process.
————————————————————————————
Nick Robinson just focus grouped a bunch of eight ordinary (sub-ordinary really) Tory voters on ‘oo wants ‘oris and ‘oo wants ‘unt.
Every single answer constructed from a dozen random half-remembered Tory soundbites.
The thick wing of the working class in its full glory.
A timely link Allan, thanks.
I have to say that this shambles of a Party is no better than in the days of Blair, with no moral centre and no organsational credibility.
And no, I don’t ‘blame’ Corbyn (forget the partisan chants) – perhaps no-one could have rescued it from its own ineptitude and inability to become a coherent political force.
How can one actively support an organisation with so little credibility or integrity at its organisational core?
Will Conference show any will to sort it out other than by more fudging? The pigs will sooner fly.
Absolutely not! Your earlier comments made me laugh. I couldn’t possibly comment on here if I wasn’t thick-skinned. The polling figures above are not the most recent. Even if Labour are currently polling 27/28%, it means they’ve still lost 10-15% of the vote since 2017, and this in the midst of the worst ever Conservative or Conservative-led Government. We’re a shambles.
I wish I still had hope that somebody’s lulling somebody into a false sense of security.
that rule has no standing, it was decided by the NEC so is hardly misinterpreted, the fact they disagree with a decision is irrespective, they won’t be privy to the evidence
The trouble is that the Smearers regard it as a win – win situation. if there’s a vote which they win – they win. If the vote goes against them then they and their friends at the Guardian/Mail/Telegraph etc will claim it as more evidence of deep seated AS in the LP.
The Labour Rule Book 2019 states :
“3. In furtherance of its primary purpose and key
functions, the duties and powers of the NEC shall
include:
A. to uphold and enforce the constitution, rules
and standing orders of the Party and to take
any action it deems necessary for such
purpose, including disaffiliation, disbanding,
suspending or otherwise disciplining any
affiliated organisation or Party unit; in
furtherance of such duties it shall have the
power to suspend or take other
administrative action against individual
members of the Party subject to the
provisions of the disciplinary rules set out in
Chapter 6 below of these rules”
This seems to be saying that the NEC is the ultimate authority in the party – i.e. It doesn’t matter what the standing orders of any sub-group (including the PLP) within the party says they cannot be used to overrule NEC decisions.
and
“5. All powers of the NEC may be exercised as the
NEC deems appropriate through its elected
officers, committees, sub-committees, the
General Secretary and other national and
regional officials and designated representatives
appointed by the NEC or the General Secretary.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby declared
that the NEC shall have the power to delegate its
powers to such officers and committees and
subcommittees of the NEC and upon such terms
as from time to time it shall see fit.”
So any decision made by a sub-group has the full authority of the NEC and thus overules any “Standing Orders” as well.
Do we not need to separate out two issues? Party membership; and the holding of the parliamentary whip. I have not studied the rules but it would seem quite logical that Party membership is a matter in which the NEC is paramount; whereas the parliamentary whip is a matter for the PLP.
I am afraid that with this amount of infighting within the Labour Party we are likely to leave the EU on 31 of October without a deal, and this may be followed by a General Election at which the Tories may be re elected. I have written to my centrist MP to say so.
Dear, I fully expect that we will leave the EU on the 31 of October with no deal. That is not what I want, but it is what we are likely to get because we have a Labour Party in which the members of the Parliamentary Party, and potentially some of the wider membership are unable to stop fighting each other rather than the Tories and other Parties.
I therefore have to contemplate the possibility of either Jeremy Hunt or Boris Johnson and unbelievable though it seems, more likely Johnson, being elected as Leader of the conservative Party, and therefore PM.
It is even possible, that in the absence of a properly functioning labor Party that there will be a General Election with the conservative Party either winning outright, or winning a majority that will enable them to govern with the support of another Party.
I would therefore like to know what your plans are should this come to pass. Will you, if elected, continue to represent the constituency as a Labour MP, or move to a party you consider likely to be more successful?
If you do continue to represent us, what will your role be nationally and perhaps even more importantly, locally, especially as at the last election you stood on local issues rather than national, and are therefore possibly more aware of the importance of local issues than many MPs?
We may think we have problems now, but they will be as nothing compared to those we will have if what I fear actually comes to pass. With services funded nationally, for example the NHS will unable to continue to function, and a deepening care crisis affecting services, provided by county. As evidenced by the fact that the council can no longer afford provided by county…
More locally, even with Labour in the majority, the City Council is only just keeping its head above the water, an example being the fact that the council can no longer afford to provide public toilets and is in the process of closing them.I look forward to receiving details of the plans that you are making to enable you to represent tee citizens of Exeter in the post Armageddon period.
;…. because we have a Labour Party in which the members of the Parliamentary Party….. are unable to stop fighting each other….’
In reality it’s just ONE side who are at war on the other side – ie the so-called moderates (along with a complicit and totally corrupt media) attacking and undermining JC and the left at every turn – and NOT a two-way fight……. The Psychopaths ‘bombing’ the Empaths with their lies and fabrication and distortions and smears on a daily basis.
email to LPI@equalityhumanrights.com 18:57 28/06/2019
re. Investigation into The Labour Party
Any report on alleged Labour Party anti-semitism that failed to address the issues brought to light by the four parts of the Al-Jazeera documentary “The Lobby” would be deficient in scope.
Whilst not superficially related to any individual allegations the question of possible political motivation of accusers cannot be ignored or discounted in the circumstance of a political party – my political party – accused of such foulness.
If EHRC’s remit does not allow such consideration then it must recuse itself and a different forum must be sought.
When unlawful discrimination is alleged the accuser’s right to fair recourse must not outweigh the right of the accused to defend itself from false accusations.
Speaking as a non-legally-trained private citizen my contention is that the Courts are the appropriate forum to judge the merits of this matter, upon which the democratic process may stand or fall.
Regards
David McNiven
Here’s a link to show all the Labour MP’s with over 60% leave Vote. I’m sure many of the 90 who are trying to wreck the party haven’t thought how vulnerable they really are? We have to make the 90 pay for blatant coup attempt!
https://twitter.com/davjam8/status/1143740511666286592?s=21
We’ve been had!Many of our mps politicaly at odds with the membership..We cannot carry on with this shambolic marriage and a divorce is inevitable and necessary.
The mass media are certainly hugely enjoying the spinelessness of the Leadership in the face of an entirely concocted witch hunt of Chris . Suddenly reversing the previous decision to restore the whip, in a investigative process overseen by two barristers , just because the ultra dodgy Keith Vaz (of numerous scandals in his own past) now thinks he sees the way the wind is blowing and cravenly backtracks on his previous decision to lift Chris’s suspension , is pathetic !
https://news.sky.com/story/labour-mp-chris-williamson-remains-suspended-after-controversial-readmission-11750930
And surely that politically neutered, passive canvassing organisation, Momentum, (or nowadays surely, “Inertia”) must be now on its last organisational legs – its sole private company and database owner, and unchallenged ruler of a totally gerrymandered National Steering Group, Jon Lansman, having decisively sided with the Labour Right yet again ?
If the NEC can’t stand up to a corrupt group of Right Wing MPs and their press allies , what chance them, or the fundamentally divided PLP, standing up to International Capital and its money markets as an incoming Labour Government ? Unless at least 60 of the worst PLP saboteurs are deselected any idea of a radically reforming Labour government is toast.
You’re not going to believe this… liked 🙂
But News update – CW re-suspended!
The backboneless have caved in to the Right Wing Barbarians in Labour – those human beings who may well have never existed, who are devoid of ideas and are professional leeches on diverse working people whilst offering crumbs and sucking up to the rich and powerful Neo-Liberal capitalist legal thieves!
When I was about 11 as a working class kid I came home from school with my sister to find my mother (my dad had buggered off leaving poor mam to struggle to bring 4 of us up) with her head in the gas oven.
Being a bright kid I quickly turned the gas off, opened the door and let fresh air in before sending my sister to get a neighbour- mam survived and years later wondered what she had done right when I got a degree, PGCE and MA – so you see some of us are the children of poverty – we are left wing democratic socialism.
Fortunately we were brought up in a diverse working class inner city area and we learnt to treat diverse citizens as equals.
I say all of this because instead of Right Wing Labour MPs and Peers treating themselves as ADULTS and members as CHILDREN if Labour had a rule that members could be deputy leader I would stand to:
Expel the 118 who signed that letter.
Kick the Right Wing out of Labour.
To select 620 left wing democratic socialist PPCs.
Time to clear out the Agean Stables.
Time for diverse left wing democratic socialists to get off their knees!
Solidarity to all genuine socialists!
Me too, has jpenney swerved off the road to Tel Aviv and on to the road to Damascus?
Christ, David, me too.
Yes. This consensus has an ‘End of Days’ feel about it.
I wonder if the NEC as a body has understood that the governing body of the Party has made itself look a sick joke and become totally undermined and irrelevant by virtue of its own actions?
Agree JP, except that I think responsibility here rests very heavily indeed on Vaz, given that the “leadership” is not supposed to intervene.
So, a member of the disciplinary panel, having pronounced his verdict, change his mind a day later, that’s covered by NEC procedural rules is it?
I’d love to see where it’s written – what an absolute travesty!
I’ve been a member of panels dealing with various forms of inquiry into disciplinary issues and complaints of various sorts. The behaviour that I’m witnessing isn’t fit for a third-rate process in a fifth rate banana republic.
Without doubt,the highly reproachable Vaz should be suspended from the Party for his breach of the basic behaviour expected of a tribunal member. Instead, we have the innocent repeatedly targetted and the culprits being awarded a prize.
There’s also the human aspect. What must Chris Williamson be going through at the moment? Effectively he’s had a quasi lynch mob accuse him of racism without evidence and seen the national media back this up. I’m sure he has reporters camped outside his door. If we’re angry and despondent about this, how must he be feeling?
Good points JP but as a comrade I think you could help us more by offering suggestions on what can be done too?
I always think it is a weakness in your generally good contributions.
In solidarity.
Wouldn’t it be amusing if the trigger that finally united the Left in battle order around a single just cause… turned out to have been inadvertently provided by a second Quisling gaffe like…
“I know, let’s nominate Corbyn, HaHa.”
This goes much deeper than ‘left’/’right’ issues of doctrine and such arguments. It’s about basic integrity and the corruption that infects political life in his country.
Don’t forget that at the same time that this is happening, the Tory Party is putting on a competing West End farce of epic proportions, starring *unt and Toad.
I’ve seen some pretty reprehensible behaviour in my time in politics, and have no illusions about those who can wriggle under the lowest limbo bar in terms of deviousness and dishonesty. But this has always been balanced by individuals who displayed a real sense of integrity. And, yes, that includes individual Tories and Lib Dems.
This current smell from the central dung heap is something else.
Labour whip again withdrawn from Chris Williamson. Who runs the Labour Party? We are now a complete joke & the coup is complete.
Unsurprisingly, they dug up rancid Jess Phillips to put the boot on CW on radio news today. The Establishment propaganda machine in this country is like something from Stalin’s wildest dreams.
We need emergency Constituency Meetings up & down the entire country. The Blairites are moving against Jeremy Corbyn by first removing; neutralising; humiliating & then insulting his most trusted right hand. We must act quickly & decisively to stop the coup.
Well chaps, it’s nice to see something that unites us all and I for one stand in solidarity with all those standing shoulder to shoulder with Christopher Williamson – a good socialist and friend to the membership.
How much longer can the Labour Party last when it has a deputy leader who can organise a rebellion, with impunity against the Party Leader and anyone else he wishes.. How much longer does the Labour Party deserve to last with rules that do not just allow this but encourage it.
Retaliation at the very least, if theres a decent MP left in the party you stand against TWatson
If theres any integrity in the party Pantomime Dame is brought up in front of beaks
Who have we got in reality and where are they now
Seriously folks what is the fucking point
The point is simple Doug, these are Labour First tactics to ensure Partly members leave in droves disgusted at the PLP and its hanger-ons – many on the Left battled for Open Selection last September and implored JC not to cave in to the Israeli Lobby by adopting the IHRA in all its crass glory – we lost and nothing has changed, bar Trigger Ballots are a little more easier to call – Mandatory Re-Selection and the adoption of OMOV across all Party structures would neuter the Rightists and ensure our Party has PLP members more in tune with the membership that Israel and the Tories.
Doug What is the point of the NEC?.It looks like the judean popular front(NEC)have decided to take advice from the Media and our ever loyal comrades from thePLP and suspend chris Williamson for being Chris Williamson and so after much pannick and frothing he has been suspended less than24hrs after being found not guilty they have found him guilty? Confused 😕 implode What is the point?……Doug!..goodnight
This on BBC politics live https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000692h/politics-live-27062019 (26mins in) throws some light on the ‘charges’ against CW. Having seen the said film discussed, I don’t recall Jacky Walker saying jews were responsible for the slave trade, I’m sure I would have noticed. She certainly said jews were involved. I will view it again.
I think this has exposed the policy of appeasment employed to deal with what is clearly a conspiracy. In the US, when two female muslim Democrat congress woman were on seperate occasions falsely accused of antisemitism, their fellow congress men/women stood behind them and called out the allegations. The LPs response has been to give more and more ground, and now we are where we are. With the LP endorsement of IHRA, how long is it before it becomes the law of the land, and people like me who go on marches denouncing Israeli agression and supporting the Palestinians are locked up?
You are right, Carlene – Jackie Walker said no such thing.
The purpose of the IHRA gobbeldygook becomes confirmed daily – that purpose being to confuse what is essentially clear : the definition of antisemitism.
Instead of that clarity – antisemitism as prejudice against Jews *because* of their jewishness – two elisions have been forced ;
1. – that simply criticizing an individual or group is ‘antisemitic’ if they are jewish
2. – that because zionism and the deformity of Israel have a jewish source, then criticism of either is ‘antisemitic.
No-one can say that the NEC weren’t warned – and by some pretty credible legal minds. Any MP who doesn’t get it doesn’t deserve selection or election – they’re either too bent or too thick.
Note the sick irony of anti racist campaigning Jews such as Jackie Walker being specifically targetted.
Just wait for Lansman to complain that telling the truth about his duplicity is because he’s jewish.
I was on such a march two years ago when a pro Israel delegation with banners and Israel flags tried to provoke trouble. One of their banners clearly accused us of anti semitism. If I get locked up for this, I and others it seems, will then be disowned by Labour, a gutless party that paved the way for such mcCarthyism by kow towing to the false allegations instead of from early on, having an open debate about what is and is not antisemitic. ALSO, a huge diservice is being done to the jewish community in shamelessly weaponising antisemitism and the holocaust. Labour should be expelling the perpetrators.
Sorry to rant, but it’s all been about ‘hush, hush, heads down till Labour gets into power’, but does anyone here really think these cretins will melt into the background if Labour gets into government, and what kind of government would it be then, always at the mercy of it’s right wing, to terrified to take them on, and thirdly, how could they ever take on the Tories and do they not think the electorate are waking up to this?
Some great points, Carlene, in particular regarding the cheapening & weaponising of anti-Semitism. It gives real anti-Semitism plenty of cover.
Time for us to reach out and co-ordinate a fight-back with the UK’s religious (Hassidic) Jews who are largely supportive of Corbyn. It’s their religion’s reputation at stake, after all. If they’re as unhappy about being represented by the Israel Lobby as we’ve been lead to believe, they should have no trouble getting the MSM’s attention.
And they will give our side the confidence to GET UP OFF OUR FUCKING KNEES and start organising trigger ballots, deselections and everything else at our disposal. If we fail, it’s not only our future, but also that of the left in the US and around the world, at stake.
So another day and Traitors go on to get Chris Williamson suspended! Nominally left wing journalists turn on chris Williamson.What has he done wrong?……Nothing?.We pay again to give Corbyn breathing space to survive.But for how long?.We are toothless and missed out on a truly unique chance of a socialist Labour party.What’s the point?
apologies if these points have already been made
glass half full again after bad nights sleep, but if we use every available platform to make this very simple protest
Momentum is Lansmans private company, resign, get out, skidaddle
did CW get his declaration in to stand at next GE, deadline is 8th July I believe, am I right to say a barrister led decision can only be overturned by NEC and therefore CW cannot be suspended until that happens
legally party have left themselves wide open
next NEC is 9th july !
small steps lads and lasses, anything else we can do
Demo at the conference NEC and half the PLP need to understand the anger frustration and embarresment they have become to us the membership of the democratic socialist Labour party
Mr Ethical has just retweeted Chris Williamson’s video about the ‘Integrity Iniative’ from May 20th. I should think that they and their’s are well satisfied by all of this mess.
Chris Williamson MP #GTTO
Verified account @DerbyChrisW
May 20
Through their ‘Integrity Initiative’ project, the Institute for Statecraft − a state-funded charity − conducted a number of shady activities, like smearing Jeremy Corbyn.
This requires a public inquiry. Watch what happened when I visited their London office earlier this year. pic.twitter.com/42LOIhFcDO
Definitely one reason he has been targetted in my view.
… or related to the underlying reasons why Williamson, along with others, has been targetted with such vehemence.
I tend to shave with Occam’s Razor as far as conspiracy theories are concerned, but we know about the black activity against Labour in the 1970s; the smell of all this is remarkably similar.
The Razor has indicated the simplest explanation : stitch up by the usual suspects, even if some of the tools are simpy gullible.
RH, got to be careful citing Occam’s – Rachel Riley claims to be a great believer – her justification for her crusade seems to be “with all those accusations the simplest explanation is that antisemitism must be endemic in Labour.”
I’ve been wondering why Blair has remained quiet on the Williamson hounding… he’s been busy at a Kushner event, a meeting of the parasitic classes purportedly to attend a ‘networking opportunity’ labelled as a Palestinian economic workshop.
Read this insight and weep at what really goes on at such events where the modern generation of the parasite class gather. Yes it’s a twitter thread.
https://twitter.com/JFXM/status/1144300321889574912
Yes the tripartite attacks continue
(a) On Jewish Diversity by Right Wing Jewish forces to try to achieve one dominant narrative – total and uncritical support for Israel (Silverstein, 2018).
(b) The Right Wing Neo-Liberal Capitalist media who see a Corbyn Govt. as a threat to their power (and the tax status of their tax dodging owners).
(c) Right Wing Opportunist Labour MPs jumping on the bandwagon and using AS as a means to attack JC because they are politically bankrupt in the field of ideas so know they can’t win on democratic debate.
But the Right have made a mistake, when CW was first suspended we were told a letter had been sent by the GS saying we were not allowed to discuss individual cases (although the letter seems to have been read by some officers before it arrived – it’s a miricle I tell you!) but now we have 118 Right Wing Labour MPs signing an open and public letter DISCUSSING AN INDIVIDUAL CASE and bringing the party into disrepute?
So is it one rule for members (the children) and one for MPs/Peers (the adults) ?
Get your resolutions in supporting CW.
JC4PM & CW4DepPM!
I see the change.org petition to get rid of fat twatson has suddenly leapt into renewed action after a long spell with few people signing. Says it all, really.