“Completely fabricated” smears spurs Labour leadership and representatives into action – as activists applaud
A series of stories in the so-called ‘mainstream’ media have provoked a concerted push-back by Labour’s leader and his team – and have been resoundingly welcomed by party activists.
In one article – the latest in a series of coordinated attempts to isolate Jeremy Corbyn from his closest allies by attacking his ‘LOTO’ leadership team – a supposed screaming match was alleged by the Times.
It met with an immediate and emphatic put-down by a Corbyn staffer, who dismissed the claims as “outright lies”, “completely fabricated and a smear”:
But Corbyn himself was no less proactive. When the same Murdoch publication tried to claim that Corbyn was not fit and healthy enough to be Prime Minister – in spite of recent coverage, sparked by a SKWAWKBOX exclusive, of his long and frequent runs – the Labour leader responded directly.
Corbyn told ITV news that “a farrago of nonsense” was diminishing what used to be a worthwhile newspaper:
Corbyn also showed his vigour by getting out and about to talk to military veterans:
Labour MPs and staff got in on the act, too – some in the bluntest of terms:
And this vigorous push-back was welcomed across the board by left Labour activists:
Others pointed out where the latest smear fit in the ceaseless stream of such nonsense thrown against Labour and its leader:
It seems that the Murdoch Times may have reaped an unanticipated consequence, with former subscribers reporting that the paper was offering cut-price subscriptions to try to win back departing customers:
SKWAWKBOX comment:
The lesson for Labour is clear: take these nonsensical attacks head-on, in the most energetic terms. It’s fantastic for grassroots morale – and carries potential adverse consequences for the smearers.
After all, “we are many, they are few”.
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BBC last weekend awash with debates,phone ins etc where outrage was expressed regarding the intrusion into Mr Johnsons privacy and vilifying those who had bought the matter to the publics attention. Similar response in much of the press. Strangely no such reaction to the frailty fantasy nor any condemnation of the leakers. It’s almost as if the MSM had an agenda.
Pleased to see Labour “pushing back” against MSM falsity here. Pity we don’t see a bit more of this attitude, especially over the false AS allegations, and sickening that the one MP who does so, Chris W, gets martyred for doing so.
Yes David, this shows what might have happened if the Party had taken a different line on the AS smears.
Imagine the difference if, when Naz Shah was vilified, the Party had simply pointed out that the ‘antisemitic’ cartoon was a joke about US policy towards Israel, and reposted from the website of a Jewish son of concentration camp survivors.
Simon, you said ‘Imagine the difference….’, as if to say that the Establishment’s black propaganda machine would faithfully convey the truth to their readers and viewers when it is THEM in the first place that have fabricated and distorted – and feigned outrage – so as to smear her and JC’s Labour Party. They know what the truth is, but they have an agenda – ie to sabotage JC’s leadership.
But for the fact that JC is leader of the LP, we would never have heard a dicky-bird about Naz Shah, and Ken Livingstone’s radio interview would have passed the world by without a mention (but then he wouldn’t have had any need to defend Naz Shah anyway), and no-one would have been trawling through facebook and twitter etc looking for anything they could find to transform into dirt on JC and his close associates and the left in general, and no-one would have said a thing about what Jackie Walker said, etc, etc, etc. The smearers couldn’t care less about REAL anti-semitism, except in so far as they can manufacture it to sabotage JC’s leadership and demonise him and the left.
It’s also true that Pantomime Dame has a factory somewhere trawling through social media for ANYTHING to throw at the MSM fan,
Fact is though she is just fucking useless at it, 180 out 200 thrown out immediately, the rest you wouldn’t bet on,
My point is not that it’s happening, it’s that we are not defending the good reputation, commitment and sheer hard graft of our members and supporters,
I would bring back hanging for someone who uses AS as a political weapon to smear an opponent
David (and Simon), this particular dirty trick about JC’s health etc is something that he CAN deny and respond to, whereas if you deny that there is any particular problem with A/S that’s anything out of the ordinary, or that it has all been grossly exaggerated and, as such, has been concocted and designed to smear and demonise JC and the left, then you will be accused of being in denial and being part of the ‘problem’ and of being anti-semitic yourself.
In the space of ONE sentence you say, in effect, that it’s a pity ‘we’ didn’t push back against the false claims of A/S, and then mention someone who DID – ie Chris Williamson – completely ignoring what happened to him as a consequence of him DOING so. Astonishing really.
Chris has been demonised and smeared – NOT martyred – and it’s not even as if he said what he said publicly, but said it at a Momentum meeting/event, which someone covertly filmed. But then he was always a main target of the saboteurs, and they were obviously just biding their time.
Allen you may find that Chris Williamson will be martyred for the cause .! Demonized and smeared will be nothing in comparison to losing his job if Watson’s treacheroussupporters get their way. .Rebutal system in place t o deal with lies smears etc will be a must if we are to save genuine socialists from being martyred for the cause .We have made a serious error in ignoring a proper system to deal with the propaganda from outside and within Labour.
‘Rebutal system in place to deal with lies smears etc will be a must if we are to save genuine socialists from being martyred for the cause .We have made a serious error in ignoring a proper system to deal with the propaganda from outside and within Labour.’
Joseph, I’m sorry, but do you really think and believe that the corporate media and the BBC – ie the Establishment’s propaganda machine – are gonna in effect admit that they are lying and fabricating and distorting and deceiving and misleading their readers/viewers, or precisely HOW do you think these rebuttals are going to be seen or heard by those that have been deceived.
Allan, I agree that demonisation will be the MSM response to a fightback at the moment and that CW has been targeted for doing so. However this has happened in part because CW has been isolated and hasn’t been supported as he should have been.
It may be too late but even now a robust fightback could beasily done. Eg the Labour Party could start referring to the evidence of Israeli government interference in UK politics regularly and point out the right wing bias of most of those in the smearers camp.
In response to Simon’s 10.30am post:
And how is this going to be conveyed to the public – ie those that have been lied to and duped and deceived? By the Daily Mail perhaps, or the Sun, or the Express, or how about The Times, or the Guardian, or perhaps the BBC.
Interesting points here about rebuttal – and the difficulty of penetrating the media wall.
However, even given the difficulties, it is clear to me that many of the various individuals who appear in the media to rebut the anti-Labour case are not up to the job.
Perhaps they are too often ham-strung by the official policy of apologising first – it really does work in the media’s favour. Perhaps something can be learned from Campbell : pugnacity and giving no quarter.
I really am tired of hearing spokespeople spending most of an interview defending rather than pulling bricks out of the fabricated building that is the ‘antisemitism’ scam.
There needs to be much better preparation (thinking mainly of broacast media) in challenging the taken-for-granted assumptions that interviewers make. Challenging their lack of professionialism an sloppy research will, for instance, often wind them up, and put a spoke in the prepared narrative. Too often, the interviewer is allowed to get away with putting forward a sloppy propaganda line, with the response being ‘Yyyess … bbbutt … ‘.
How different would be a reply such as : ‘Total nonsense … and I’ll tell you why … Have you examined x,y,z? If not, why not? So you can’t tell me the facts? Right … let me do your work for you …”
… you get the picture.
Rh, absolutely. Proper briefings.Use live media interviews positively. Difficult but might be achievable.
Yes, but how often is the opportunity going to arise anyway Simon/Richard. How often do BBC News or Newsnight or The Daily Politics or Marr or QT or What the Papers say or Sky News or Channel 4 News etc invite anyone from the left on to counter the mainstream narrative – ie the propaganda lies. And you obviously both accept that just about the ONLY possibility of doing that WOULD be in such programs AND that the press will ALWAYS go with the falsehoods and NEVER give a fair and balanced account of such issues. I mean the Ken Livingstone and Kelvin Hopkins episodes are perfect examples of precisely THAT. If your objective is to smear JC and the left, then you are hardly going to include anything that undermines your objective in your coverage.
The only thing that the blair ever did for the Labour party was to show us that we could produce a good rebutal team,whilst he cosyed up to the Murdoch media.A good rebutal team fishing out lies and responding to media misrepresentation would be a must and as been lacking for many years and needs sorting.Corbyn needs to copy some of Blair’s organization abilities and turn it back on them to help us get elected.REBUTALTEAM a must.Their must be somone at HQ who can work the media,other than the TRAITORS!
What cynicism!!
I suspect you’re right
But Blair was one of THEM Joseph! You really ARE completely missing the point. Blair and Co didn’t HAVE to ‘work’ the media. Was Blair being smeared and demonised by the MSM? Were they fabricating lies about him all the time so as to turn public opinion against him? No, of course they weren’t! Blair and Co were continuing the Thatcherite program and doing the Establishment’s bidding as such, so there ARE no parallels whatsoever.
There are no limits to their Dirty Tricks. But that’s fascists for you.
Talking of which, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the recent episode regarding Chris Williamson was all planned in advance. The saboteurs/plotters always contrive to make the maximum amount of (negative for JC) capital out of any given situation. I mean given past form, it doesn’t really add up that CW’s case wouldn’t automatically be passed on to the national constitutional committee.
The Psychopaths were just having a bit of fun playing with our emotions.
_______________________________________________
Ken Livingstone (from his 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/
That link to the JVL article on Livingstone’s resignation is a timely reminder of recent history and the distortions made by the media – both about Naz Shah and Livingstone himself.
It also vividly shows the NEC disciplinary procedure as a tool of that media, not an independent voice examining the substance of the case.
Allan I respect your points ,but we have no media savy people like the blair propaganda machine.We can at least try and dont forget we also need to get to the Watson fanatics the enemy within.My Remit for a new full time staff appointed media wizard,would be much wider range than perhaps many people would like,our propaganda ,regular mtgs for MPS who have not been got at,union involvment and funding to promote a new way through targrted outlets.Allan we have to try to fight back and defeat the enemy at their own game .Propaganda of the socialist Labour party can and will work…..and it takes money 💰 a large active membership…and the knowledge we are selling a good product!
What about Seamus Milne? What is he doing or saying in all this?
How very bizarre! Corbyn denies being physically and mentally frail.
This is a change of tactic. Judging by the Party hierarchy’s usual response to antisemitism smears shouldn’t they have immediately booked him into hospital and announced that they had an undertaker on standby?
Why on earth doesn’t he do the same for accusations of antisemitism? This is where it is needed and where he should fight back and take legal action against the false narrative that has been allowed to fester for far too long!
Because the MSM black propagandists will just accuse him of being in denial, and be spouting something along the lines of ‘how is he ever going to resolve the problem if he can’t even acknowledge that it exists’ blah, blah, blah.
It’s a no-win situation, and the only solution – as I’ve said a number of times before – is for US at the grass-roots level to get leaflets together exposing their lies and falsehoods and distribute them door to door – ie A4 size paper, say 4 to 6 sides, and held together with a paper-clip so that it’s easy for people to make copies of the leaflet to distribute themselves if they want to. Legal action can take years AND (potentially) cost a lot of money.
“Answering back” is pointless, as it won’t info the damage. Either get the lawyers in or stop keeping the story going.
No heenan 73 but a proper rebutal system at HQ,With a media savy staff member dealing with propoganda from the media as full time job would work..Lies if repeated enough stick,we cannot afford to ignore it!
Joseph, so the media that are disseminating all the propaganda lies and disinformation are going to cover the rebuttals are they? Of course they’re not! They have an agenda to sabotage JC’s leadership by smearing HIM and the left in general, which I’m sure was more than obvious to most people on the left more than three years ago.
Yes go on the attack, perhaps the tax dodging owners of the Right Wing media should pay their true share and GIVE to society instead of being TAKERS!
Jeremy coped with the verbal and mental abuse from 100+ Right Wing Labour MPs during the failed coup (The Right Wing Barbarians should hang their heads in shame) and many of the same culprits recently signed the Anti-CW letter.
There are thousands of left wing democratic socialists out there and many of those stars would make fine Labour MPs.
“…100+ Right Wing Labour MPs…”
My worst nightmare is that the same 100+ RW LP MP’s might still end up as candidates should the new Tory PM decide to call a snap GE, because there will be no time to implement the trigger ballots to get rid of them. Now that they have made our job easier by refreshing our memories – as some of us memories of the failed coup instigators were beginning to fade – we should waste no time in finding DS in good standing to stand against these 5th columnists.
Let’s not waste negative energy at the moment in rebuttals of patent lies that even a kid can easily see through. It will be easy to do that at a later time when all in the leadership of the party are singing from the same hymn sheet, not the current situation where we have to start by rebutting even our own RW smearers. Let us concentrate our energies in identifying and campaigning for DS candidates who can stand against these right-wingers at trigger ballots.
To paraphrase Allan Howard @ 10:16 am:
“…the only solution … is for US at the grass-roots level to get leaflets together promoting DS candidates standing against these rightwingers and distribute them door to door…”
MSM attacks on JC & CW will increase as the possibility of a ‘Socialist’ gov’t looms closer. Blair was & is acceptable, Jeremy is not, however one of the problems we have is that a lot of the criticism is self inflicted (I’m sorry to say)…….we apologise for everything after bringing in the Trojan horse aka IHRA definition of AS. If I read it correctly, it would appear that any criticism of Donald Trump may be seen as Anti-Semitic, because he is a close friend & benefactor of Israel.
Yes, but Steve, the MSM and the saboteurs/plotters more-or-less blackmailed JC into adopting the IHRA definition, fabricating (that it was an internationally accepted definition etc) and distorting and smearing, along with copious amounts of faux outrage, which is part and parcel of their black ops.
When Pantomime Dame screamed your a fucking anti semite and a racist at JC,
His response was ‘I’m sorry you feel that way’ which is why he will make a great PM,
I could not do it, Ian Lavery did it and this is where we have to accept it’s also part of the problem, turning the other cheek is admirable but practically useless,
There has to be a balance, red lines always need to drawn, you go so far at your peril, moral hazard
Or as my grandad used to say ‘you can do anything you like in this life, as long as your prepared to pay the price’
Desperately need bad cop to kick some heads in
Always thought John McDonnell was bad cop to JC’s good cop, but he’s gone all Paul Mason on us
You mean he’s in touch with Planet Earth (and the Labour Party members) ?
Seems like quite a good plan to me. There are enough right wing extremists covering the duggie’s no plan Brexit option. A bit of differentiation might be worth a try. 🙂
What gets me is when they get a non-Corbyn supporter and try to pass them off as a Corbyn supporter.
It usually goes something like this:
“Even Margaret Hodge has now voiced doubts about Corbyn’s leadership”
Yes, like Jon Lansman, only in HIS case, he really DOES play a double game.
Its entirely possible for at least a half dozen of you to be right at the same time as you appear to disagree with each other,
Why not go for all of the above at the same time, see how it pans out, but more importantly which individuals are best suited for job of attacking smears,
My preferred first steps are get rid of JLM replace with JVL, send message out that they have power to decide what constitutes AS,
With clear threat to enemy within that if they ignore advice and go rogue, then it’s a long walk off a short plank out of the party
“The lesson for Labour is clear: take these nonsensical attacks head-on, in the most energetic terms.”
Forgive me, but isn’t this exactly what Chris Williamson was suspended for? For suggesting Labour do exactly this?
Yes, but if the whole Shadow Cabinet and three quarters of the NEC did it, the Israeli sock puppets would have a problem wouldn’t they?
But even if it happened – which is highly unlikely – do you for one moment really think and believe that the corporate MSM and the BBC would cover it, or even if they DID – given their ‘stance’ during the past four years or so – do you not think that most – if not ALL of them – would be saying (along with quotes from the usual suspects) something along the lines of how THIS is just proof positive that anti-semitism is endemic in the Labour Party – ie in Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party.
Errr … that was the NEC doing self-inflicted damage and stabbing him in th back – not the media!