Labour leader’s office staff thrown into chaos and anxiety by centrist-remainer take-over – and denied union representation
The hard-working Labour staff of Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘LOTO’ (leader of the opposition) team have been thrown into chaos and a state of trauma by the reorganisation imposed, in a seemingly headlong rush, by Lord Kerslake, a decades-long associate of Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.
Kerslake arranged the removal from Corbyn’s office of Chief of Staff Karie Murphy and a number of Corbyn’s closest aides in what senior Labour insiders say was a move to isolate the Labour leader from supporters responsible for successfully resisting attempts to push Labour into a ‘full remain‘ position.
The pretext for the move was a supposed rift between Murphy and policy head Andrew Fisher – who has said he has no issues with her – and poor morale among LOTO staff.
But morale among staff has collapsed – only since last week’s manoeuvre – and is worsened by a planned ‘inquisition’ driven by the Labour right’s views of Corbyn’s office and from which staff have been hindered from having union representation.
Emails leaked to ITV’s Robert Peston have revealed that, as one senior Labour figure told the SKWAWKBOX, staff are facing interviews that could affect whether they have a job – and while the interviews are described as ‘optional’, any changes decided on will go ahead regardless so staff are likely to fear being even more vulnerable if they do not participate:
And while LOTO workers have since been told they can ‘invite’ a union rep to accompany them to their interview, some staff were already interviewed without this offer – and the new LOTO regime has declined to arrange interviews through the unions to ensure union reps (who have a full-time job with the party in addition to their union responsibilities) are available.
Instead, the union has simply been told that sharing reps’ availability in advance ‘may‘ help with the scheduling of interviews:
A union organiser’s response also leaked made clear the unhappiness the new regime’s approach has caused:
Centrist-driven changes
The SKWAWKBOX has learned that Lord Kerslake and new office manager Helene Reardon Bond OBE will be interviewing centrist front-benchers Sir Keir Starmer and John Healey on the running of the Labour leader’s office. Kerslake is a long-standing friend of Healey, as he is of John McDonnell.
A senior Labour insider angrily told the SKWAWKBOX:
Labour is a professional organisation with a human resources department and policies, we shouldn’t be subjecting staff to a centrist inquisition. They’re also denying some staff their right to have union representation. That’s wrong and must surely be illegal – and it’s a betrayal of the principles of the movement.
Out of thirty people, twenty-six are unhappy about what’s happened. Morale has collapsed, staff are confused about what the hell’s going on, they’re fearful and some are even saying that the stress is affecting their health.
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At last it seems to have dawned on those in ‘management’ that we can no longer sit on the fence and that we must go all out to Remain.
Prepare for the Leavers sharpening their daggers to get Corbyn. If anything, we will see a Lexiter attempt at a coup.
Yeh and your answer to the multiple constituencies that are Labour leavers that will not vote for us in any impending GE. Ignore the reality of the referendum and the result will be continuing early deaths of the sick and disabled and poor under a tory government. The priority for this country is addressing the poverty of the 20% abandoned by all govs of the last 50 years.
Tim Draper 13/10/2019 at 11:15 pm
“Yeh and your answer to the multiple constituencies that are Labour leavers that will not vote for us in any impending GE”
The last analysis I read on this indicted that roughly half of those constituencies would now vote Remain.
Tim, many of those Leavers who have changed their mind are in Labour leave seats. Don’t go for laying the guilt trip on Remainers, you are on a loser. It has been shown beyond doubt that any form of Leave will make the country and the poor even poorer.
As said many times before – constituencies don’t vote. Labour voters across all constituencies voted ‘Remain’; the leakage is from that support to the LDs and Greens.
The Party and its support continues solidly behind ‘Remain’.
As to the idea that *ignoring* the referendum would lead to the continuance of Tory policy – this is, of course a ludicrous reversal of the truth. Enforced increasing and poverty will not assist a Labour program.
Tom Draper…thanks for reminding us of the need to take into account the leave constituency s that conference agreed.You also remind us that their are the victims of the Torys that have suffered too long and too much. Regards comrades
I keep hearing that many of those who voted leave have changed their minds? Admittedly I don’t have a massive circle of friends and family but those leavers I know definitely haven’t changed their minds and in fact a few remainers have joined them?! One thing that would guarantee us not getting a socialist govt would be getting this wrong. So media etc are bound to try to use Brexit to force us into a wrong move. Top priority, in or out of EU, is getting a Labour govt.
I doubt that a massive proportion of Leavers have changed their minds.
But evidence suggests that a *significant* number probably have done so.
Add to this the fact that Leave was always a minority position, that the electorate was artificially shrunk to exclude relevant groups, that many voted on the basis of little information, and that there is on-going demographic change – then you have a clear case for a re-assessment of that original narrow margin before embarking on a major disruptive constitutional change. Particularly one where the accumulating evidence has almost entirely gone to disconfirm the narrow result.
What’s not to like about a better attempt at democracy?
‘What’s not to like about a better attempt at democracy?’
What ‘better attempt at democracy’ ffs? WT absolute F has your doctor said about the psychoactive drugs you’re taking?
How about you begin to respect the referendum result and stop making out that people what voted leave are thick and racist?
How about you accept that 17m is greater than 16m AND ALWAYS WILL BE?
And finally, how about you stop twisting the definition of the word democracy to suit your selfish, shithouse agenda?
‘Little demographic change’ you say?
Yet you’re the cnut always going on about half the leave voters are probly dead by now and all those too young to vote would vote remain.
Are you wearing that stetson & those spurs for a bet?
The Toffee (597) at 4:40 pm
You’ve misquoted RH
‘
Littleon-going demographic change’ you say?Accepting that your notion of ‘democracy’ is shrunk by the parameters of your mind, it’s not exactly difficult to learn that a *better* democracy is one that captures the wishes of an elecorate more clearly and in a way that keeps up to date as more information comes available.
Basic statistics. Basic real democracy
I beieve everyone can learn and grow – and I see no reason why you shouldn’t move on from being an apparently terminal dimwit and begin to grasp a few basic concepts like the dynamic nature of ‘democracy’, the difference between the requirements of FPTP periodic elections and binding referendums, the difference between a right wing policy and the benefit to the many etc. etc.
Oh … and when you’re being led up the garden path by the plutocrat MSM propaganda line.
Best wishes for the future … and possible enlightenment
Oh … I missed this little pearl of non-wisdom :
“How about you accept that 17m is greater than 16m AND ALWAYS WILL BE?”
… Which seems to suggest a further test of the temprary truth that you say is immutable.
I take it that in your world, the Tory majority should stand in perpetuity? Or the 1976 referendum result? Or the outlawing of homosexuality … or …or …
… or do you disagree and believe in change?
RH 14/10/2019 at 5:53 pm · ·
Basic statistics. Basic real democracy
—————————————————–
This was followed not 7 minutes later by….
RH 14/10/2019 at 6:00 pm · ·
Oh … I missed this little pearl of non-wisdom :
“How about you accept that 17m is greater than 16m AND ALWAYS WILL BE?”
It’s called ‘basic statistics’ , bellend 😀
What planet are you on? It’s clear as day this is a Remainer/Centrist coup and it is they who are sharpening their daggers!
I hope you’ll be happy with the outcome…
Tim, you know that little battery which drives your brain? Just a tip, try changing the connections because your conclusions appear to show you are running on reverse polarity. 🔋
Prepare for the Leavers sharpening their daggers to get Corbyn
Fucking Ada…
Not that your mates watson & starmer & thornberry (ALL remainers, not an exhaustive list) haven’t sharpened their blades AND had a stab already, eh?
You really are a clown of the lowest order. Shut up.
Just shut up.
So Jo Swinson really is your leader.
do we have a Gang of four mark 2 or Brutus and Cassius et al?
Oh dear so Corbyn’s new ‘chief of staff’, that he has just appointed, wants to interview all Jeremy’s staff to make sure that she has the best possible team to aid her/their boss Jeremy Corbyn. in the upcoming battle.
I keep repeating this but it is very difficult to reconcile a belief that Corbyn has the strength of character, leadership skills and political nounce to run the country but he is incapable of appointing his own staff.
Why are al you Leavers so reluctant to believe that Corbyn might actually know what he’s doing and also you really aren’t doing him or the Labour Party any favours by asserting otherwise.
Steve H…So when a Lord a knight and a double barrel gong collector take over the leaders office…of a leader of the socialist revival then dont worry its going to be super duper……No worries …Really?
Always fear the manipulation of paid officials, the bureaucracy, the enemy of democracy.
What a silly generalisation.
‘Infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it in for me.’
Since you have consistently(and rightly) criticised the Labour party “machine” RH,don’t you think your unpleasant little response to liz jones is a little over the top.
“unpleasant little response”
Actually a defense against wild and sloppy generalisations about a whole class of people – aka ‘Prejudice’.
My criticism of the Labour Party machine is based on actual evidence and very specific instances. It is also about a dysfunctional system in ngeneral rather than individuals (even though there would seem to be some individuals responsible for perversions of the disciplinary procedures).
In fact the response was quite mild.
Very good point Liz Jones,I found that paid officers of the council did all they could to by pass the planning committee on contentious issues that should have been brought to the attention of the planning committee.Some even tried to slant the issue of the givaway of council houses in leafy Surrey to a officer led formation of a Housing association staffed by ex housing department staff and directors of the newly formed company….Don’t be put off in expressing your opinion!
So … when you itemised and reported corrupt practice, what happened?
Or were there no neutral rules governing how cases could be brought before the Committee? Which politicians were involved?
Outsourcing of housing. Remember it well. ‘Arms length’ organisations pushed by the Blair government. What rules were broken?
If rules were broken, who was complicit?
Codes of conduct and legality actually cover such key issues.
The point I’m making is that, even if you are right in this instance, it’s not a logical step to claim the essential corruption of officials – any more than the statement ‘they’re all the same’ is true of politicians.
RH You Valuations of prime Surrey property was given away at vastly underpriced estimates for the benefit of cheif officers who later became millionaire s overnight. ,when they undervalued the property’s by 3.5 million by claiming the usual …we need improvments etc etc.The new assetts of the housing association were mortaged to 7million and officers on large pensions left the council for prime directorships.I used council privilege to call out the corruption in a mtg of full council and named individuals.MY group leader forgot procedure and attacked me in front of the press box and joined the libdems for drinks in the mayors office. Prime commuter belt property gven away on a lib lab pact council and well,need I say more
Precisely my point. As I say, I remember it well. This was a government initiative – essentially a privatisation. But was it corruption or law-breaking?
There is a difference.
More importantly, does it ‘prove’ a generalisation about officers as essentially corrupt?
All experiences are simply that, but mine has been that the vast majority of council workers are conscientious and honest, even when giving their own professional perspective on an issue. That doesn’t exclude bad apples – but it isn’t the generality.
If I look back on my own experience of Planning, the more common problem was that of ill-informed councillors (supposedly trade unionists) accusing officers of venality when the latter were just doing their job and making recommendations consonant with planning law and precedent.
Yes – the system has inherent biases – but they don’t come from local council officers.
I did have disagreements and arguments with officers – and, indeed, members. But most were worked out thoughtfully and amicably. Contrary to the perceptions of the odd paranoid member, officers worked hard to give contrary opinions a hearing. Misperceptions mostly arose from members simply not doing their homework about the constraints on decision-making inherent in Planning (I have to say that solicitors representing applicants also showed woeful ignorance in some cases).
As to issues being kept from the committee – as my previous answer hints – the key was a clear and transparent framework about what were automatic ‘delegated’ decisions, with the safeguard that any member could request that a case came before the Committee.
Thus – my severe questioning of a rampant natural bias towards corrupt practise.
RH you put that argument clearly and without predjudice but your officers probably had more experience of different political groups .Our council in Surrey had little experience of Labour councillors…and especially from my area Gatwick.Many reasons could be argued but before being elected I was involved in a BBC local radio broadcast in a argument with lib dems who had kindly talked the cheif executive into allowing the libs to distribute council info leaflets and of course free of charge to save the council money 💰.Yes and the election campaign leaflets were enclosed with the council’s to give a stamp of approval.I nailed the particular councillor despite not having been elected at that time.The cheif exec clung on but left not long after I was elected.All council officers are subject to differing culture but ours were Tory with the odd lib dem.We had a revival and did not take advantage when we were given the chance by the local solid TORY voters.We missed opurtunitys in the skilled workers at Gatwick airport who were from all over Britain and beyond and I left the Labour party and my seat the first in that part of Surrey for the Labour party was thrown away and sacrificed to a lib lab pact in the council.And thats what happens if you miss an opportunity to win an election by dithering…..The TORY election machine takes no prisoners and enlists the libs to destroy Labour and especially socialism.
Yes, Joseph – particular situations do vary, and habits are formed. I agree.
If anything, our problems (such as they were) arose from too easy dominance by Labour, so that a sense of entitlement became embedded amongst some older councillors in some wards who thought their prejudices were unchallegeable because they were unchallenged in their branches. Conservative Labour!
My sharp reaction (above) comes from having to bail out some of these past-sell-by-date individuals who thought it OK to insult and accuse officers who put them straight on technical and legal issues. Good relationships were the foundation of the way out when one of the idiot brigade insultingly overstepped the mark.
So – even if it wasn’t always plain sailing, I always had (in general) confidence in the officers I worked with, despite the odd hiccup (mainly, I have to say, to do with the legal department hedging its bets).
In the end (and here I think we may be in agreement), the big danger was from a few duggie colleagues in the ruling Party who just didn’t understand the requirements of their role on the Planning Committee, and the legalities. I could generally deal amicably with most of the Tories and the LibDems.
Where has Bob Kerslake suddenly got such power from? It would appear that he out-ranks the leader of the party!
Why the hell couldn’t Corbyn just overrule him?
I say again, I reckon somebody (Mandy?) has got dirt on him and has him over a barrel. After all, Mandy’s been working on Corbyn’s downfall each and every day, so he claims, and if anyone’s expert at the political dark arts, it’s him!
Again ‘Infamy, infamy …’
The paranoid step-dance of the Judaean sects
You don’t think you’re getting an objective account, do you?
Why don’t you give it a bloody rest RH.I for one am heartily sick of your cleverer than you persona.
Sorry you’re rendered incapable of argument by mild scepticism, john. I hope your sickness improves.
Tim, maybe Kerslake obtained the authority from Jeremy Corbyn, just a wild guess 🤔
Jack T – Thank-you for bringing a little mirth into what has been a miserable few days watching this misguided campaign unfold.
Thanks Steve, hope it’s not just mirth 😊
I am amazed that all the ‘rumours’ of a so called coup seem to eminate from a single disgruntled employee. The rest of it appears to be nothing more than some rather febrile conjecture.
What, in a sort of “Here, Bob, help me get my head in this lovely noose someone gave me” kind of way?
There doesn’t need to be any dirt. Threats of resignation from the shadow cabinet would suffice. Imagine if John McDonnell, Keir Starmer and half the shadow ministers threatened to walk…
Syzygysue…what if it was the other way around and Jeremy said….its my way or I take the Highway,that would sober them up Quickly…Maybe Watson would be pleased but most would pannick because without a massive membership the PLP are nothing and the leadership ambitions go through the window along with most of the membership and the party of centrists has nothing to offer.Not many jobs out there for a bunch of pampered subsidised wine 🍷 drinking delusional layabouts
The highlighted part of the first leaked email is very misleading. It refers to ” significant structural changes” but the whole sentence reads ” It is not anticipated that there will be significant structural changes” So this is NOT a major restructuring exercise- it is a minor one
This reminds me of the Panorama programme featuring former staffers in which Seumus Milne was similarly misquoted and his words were deliberately given a completely different meaning.
In relation to the running of the office MPs and other party figures have no role. There is a management structure, each member of staff has a line manger and is answerable to him/her. If there is an attempt to subject any member of staff to a ” Centrist Inquisition” he/she should politely tell the Centrist Inquisitor where to go and call in the union right away. I wouldn’t fancy their chances against a McCluskey trained Unite Official.
We need to be aware when reading Skwawky’s reports that he is an avid Leaver and will always slant his comments through that prizm. Likewise, he will tend to attract the more avid Leavers to his blog who will cluster around him like apostles.
Mandelson can get these stories out all day every day and they will,
Part of shit stirring that will not end until there is a wholesale clear out,
My problem is there has not been one blairite forced out, not one
Your a fucking anti semite and a racist, 200 vexatious claims of AS, 8 stood up, that was a critical moment
Desperately need a horrible bastard to do the dirty work, to sort these feckers out once and for all, for our members and supporters
On a positive note the support of M&S’s is Rock solid for JC, so none of these moves can succeed
Difficult to work out the detail of what has actually happened, given all the selective leaking (and ‘Ooops’ – retraction when what is leaked proves to be a contradiction of what is claimed.
But so much is clear : Both the central bureaucracy and LOTO are a dog’s dinner. Conference was a clear illustration of the Brewery syndrome – a frankly amateur affair in key respects that was saved by the distraction of the Tories’ drunken street brawl. Fisher’s resignation letter rang true as a mark of dismay at the general shitfest and inability to achieve coherence and competence..
Whether this is a solution or improvement, I on’t know. But something had to happen.
Basic incompetence doesn’t have to be a characteristic of the left.
Now – about the NCC ….
…Basic incompetence doesn’t have to be a characteristic of the left…
What the fuck are you even doing here?!?!
Oh … so Basic incompetence *is* a characteristic of the left!?
As Corbyn himself is reported to have said “Fucking student politics!”
“What the fuck are you even doing here?!?!”
Same as you, .. but with a firmer grasp of reality …. and allegiance to Labour .
“What the fuck are you even doing here?!?!”
Same as you, .. but with a firmer grasp of reality …. and allegiance to Labour .
Wow!
I must’ve entered some sort of surreal dimension where rh eats the mushrooms but just about everyone else gets the trip.
‘Firmer grasp of reality’ is it? *Guffaws*
‘Allegiance to labour’ he claims…Yeah, we all know WHICH labour, too.
And so the sun 🌞 rises on another day,but will it shine any light ?
Jeremy has only himself to blame instead of worrying what the right wing media and the Centrists would say he should have SACKED THEM ALL, England is now officially in the hands of a Leader who cares nothing for the people unless they are Hedge Fund Managers Bankers Speculators and extremely rich politicians, It makes me sick to my stomach the Leader of the Labour Party has been betrayed like so many other great Leaders by people he Trusted Jeremy if you do not Fight back and get rid of these Tories within the Party who are Destroying all you have worked for it will be the Gravest tragedy since Thatcher Blair Brown Cameron Clegg May and Johnson, I despair for my English cousins I really do and if you put the Tories back in power HELL MEND YOU, This will thankfully Finish the Union and Scotland will become a Republic and We will Flourish.
If what the Skwawkbox says is true Watson already a Parasite will be joined by McDonnell, Thornberry, Starmer and all others involved in this coup, If one gives this situation some serious thought you have to wonder why so many of Jeremy’s closest allies have suddenly changed their allegiance to the Slug Tom Watson and are now desperate to be Rid of The only Honest Decent Politician in England, It’s not for power because all of them can’t be leader so this Leaves MONEY and Shed Loads of it as I see it this Brexit Disaster is about the Rich Becoming more Wealthy way beyond their wildest dreams and the Traitors and Betrayers of the Working Class Watson, McDonnell, Thornberry, Starmer and all others who have joined the Corrupt Tory Gangsters in the Race to their get Rich Quick Scheme Swinson and all the Ex Tory and New Labour Cowards who jumped ship Will never br Forgiven, my belief and it is my belief only is that English Politics is Corrupt and Westminster is awash with vast mountains of CASH used to turn once Loyal MPs but more than this Friends of 30 and 40 years Betraying JC and the Working Class again, If I’m out of line ”SUE ME WHY DONT YOU” it will all come out in a few years what you TRAITORS did so as to LINE your own Pockets by Betraying Jeremy Corbyn and the English Working Class, Scotland will have Her INDEPENDENCE and Freedom from the Yoke of TORY TYRANY.🏴🏴🏴🏴🇮🇪🏴🇮🇪
🥱
SteveH if it makes you yawn get to bed 2 am ?
What I do notice on here is an attempt to Shut down debate by petty insults and sarcasm from our regular brexit obsessed debating society A sort of round the clock propoganda click!….click off!
Accurate again Joseph. The same as a few radio. presenters. NB Rancid Hole troll which can’t resist Skwawkbox, Rabid Remainders & Jeremy haters. They are slow to see they have been wrong about everything. They wanted Owen Smith and others to be elected Labour Leader. They lost. Coup one? They lost. Two? They lost by an even bigger margin. The referendum? Lost. They supported Blair’s Iraq invasion. Yes… a disaster of toxic deadly lack of judgement, no historical knowledge and the trolling of group NO think.
So with poor insight and lamentable inabilities on everything, they come here hoping to learn. They won’t. Their only purpose is to be the embodiment of an intellectual impervious vacuum. Hence they will remain Jeremy haters and Rabid Remainders, for that is what they are, left behind, unwanted by the many.
They will never learn. They can never learn that their attempts to browbeat / bully us to be as visionless as they are, is yet more failure for them. The Rancid Hole troll in particular, repeats the same gunk squirted into it. Lots of gunk amongst the CUKS they are encrusted in it. So let us be thankful for the good fortune of not being like Rancid Hole… obsessed with duvets and the dark.
♏️♦️♦️♦️
“their attempts to browbeat / bully us”
Oh dear! The politics of the left as a pathetic adolescent whine!
A new concept in the forward march of progress.
R H The politics of the left as a pathetic as adolescent shine?w hy so glum chum?..you are… i n the Labour party I presume The broad church has just gone intergalactic in your case.
Indeed, which is why the Remainiacs don’t want a GE ASAP, which is strange, because on Twitter, the bulk of Leftists I associate with all usually have the hashtag ‘GTTO’ (Get the Tories Out), and now we find ourselves in a position where the bulk of the PLP and the Party machinery seem opposed to getting the Tories out – seems our middle class, mainly white posters propagandising for the EU perpetually fear the demos, fear they may vote Boris or Brexit Party due to being screwed by the supposed advocates of democracy who cannot abide democratic outcomes.
Again, if Labour goes full remain you can kiss goodby to a radical Labour government, instead it will be business as usual and the fact that John McDonnell is now associated with this crap is one hell of a kick in the teeth.
Maybe its time for me to get behind George Galloway’s attempt to rid ourselves of TWatson and get someone who’s opinions remain the same in our Parliament, rather than changing with the wind.
Christopher Rogers….If john McDonnell has gone over to the darkside…..then like you I will be staggered.He’s a fish out of water amongst knights of the realm lords OBEs and sly Barristors,and that’s why he needs to make a l statement a.s.a.p.. People from johns background and culture will fully realise what happens to traitors and collaberators and thats why I am not convinced that its true yet..I think the propaganda machine is at work for a final push against socialism..
Yes.I’ve noticed a core of Lexiteers who can’t bear alternative perspectives consonant with a vast swathe of Labour support, and who seem to want the site to be a pointless echo chamber.
Signpostnotwindchimes. Always informative and a different argument to the usual pompous chatter from the usual suspects.I enjoy the diversity of opinion amongst the posters on here,but outright mob handed and coordination of attacks gets to be boring and repetitive.Its similar in many ways to the current attack on the leadership by a coup in all but name and denial all round to convince us its just a shifting of the goal posts for more democratic reasons..Anyone who has any knowledge of political manoeuvring would realise that its game on for the soul of the Labour party and a move by establishment lackys to wipe socialism from the British political system.And our self appointed lurkio running round with sarcastic comments shouting infamy…infamy as a put down to new posters doesn’t add to any debate!
Yes Joseph,I too am heartily sick of RH,who seems to think he lives on different intellectual plane from the rest of us,and that entitles him to make snide comments to anyone he feels like.This is particularly unacceptable when a new commenter is involved,and is tantamount to bullying.
John Thatcher …my motivation has always been like any socialist to protect those of us that are not given a voice,the poor the vulnerable and the sick..That is why I always intervened in school bullying as a child.,and I have got the scars to prove it.We grow up and the bullying of people and whole countrys,with the weak individual being exploited by some companys and the small country’s being bullied and exploited by….the Bullys…thats why when I see examples of ridicule on here I get angry.I will qualify that by saying that most have excused my awful spelling and punctuation and a self inflicted poor education .The present coup against corbyn only goes to raise the temperature and hopefully the coup will fail,but sometimes its veiwed as a sign of weakness to continually turn the cheek.,and many of the membership are looking for a fightback to.defeat the bullys within. …Regards comrade
Nah like most non Brexiters RH just knows that if breathing was not automatic the referendumb would have turned out very differently.
I mean most still cannot tell the difference between “Binding” and “advisory” or that less than a third is not “most” even how fptp seems to be lost on most of them.
Like others, I struggle to understand the last couple of Skwawkbox articles. If Corbyn is Party leader then why doesn’t he himself have power – and exercise that power – over who works in the Leader of the Opposition’s Office?
At the moment, we do not really know what lies behind the proposed changes. On so many occasions, anxieties lead us all to false conclusions that political factors are the explanation for more technical and effectiveness movement. I am constantly surprised by the extent to which person disputes/personality disputes dominate political differences. We do not know that those proposed changes do not have perfectly justifiable purposes. Attributions of them to political differences between the two comrades may over analysing.
The most likely explanation has surely to be that Corbyn finds the proposed changes acceptable and that McDonnell is playing a distant and bystander role rather than the active player attributed to him. Just because they have differences doesn’t mean we can attribute all change to that difference.
Felicity……Hopefully you are correct regards comrades
Hi Felicity, i heard McDonnell 1️⃣ inviting Campbell to rejoin Labour. McD said he disagreed with his expulsion.
As soon as news broke that the AC was expelled, i expressed undiluted relief on LBC + Talkradio. I urged all to “REJOICE”!!! Interestingly even presenters hostile to Corbyn appreciated my just joy. In fact a presenter a few minutes ago, laughed with a caller ridiculing th AC’s “lack of self-awarness” as he spouted on about integrity.
Anyway the very night of the expulsion, around 22:00 hrs Chakrabati said that “Campbel could be welcomed back”… SERIOUSLY. Anyway anyway…
2️⃣ McD said after his Campbel GQ dump, that Twatson should be taken at his word. And he believed Twatson acted with good intentions re supporting the fantasist Carl Beech. Even though TW had not yet apologised. All its noises up to then were portraying itself as a victim. McD also described the attempt to rid us of the Twatson as a “fiasco”. Fiasco or not…
3️⃣ Has McDonnell EVER acted with such bountiful kindness, gentleness, understanding, forgiveness, accommodation…abundant generosity to Galloway, Livingstone, Williamson, Walker, Wandsworth and the thousands expelled during the tenure of the now ennobled, AND enabled to do Labour more harm, ex Gen Sec???
Answers on the tiniest postage stamp ever printed, that suits the most miniature doll’s house ever made. The stamp is valuable. But fear not, even with an army of diligent researchers, you will find nothing to write on that micro stamp.
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Sadly you are correct with this spnwc.
Someone in my CLP said trolls are being funded and organised in the US to support the Right Wing Labour creatures here. She may be correct. Study the language of the usual suspects here up to yesterday AM. Note the tone, words and phrases are all one dimensional. The din of those few, scream hysterically from the same place, the same script.
Note also an absence of any sign of humanity.
The polar opposite shines through all other contributors. To name just a few eg Joseph’s, Doug’s, Rob’s, the Toffee, Maria etc etc etc Notice, they and many others use varied language. They are flexible. Their views are comprehensive and insightful. They clearly think before posting, rather than like typical trolls ie acting akin to a baited rat-trap… as if brainlessly triggered… a base, crude … simplistic impulse.
Unlike the trolls, the other readers display better manners eg not wantonly abusing contributors who have a different view… especially new ones. The Marias & Josephs encourage an exchange of ideas. The trolls try to discourage that. The usual suspects are myopic and tightly blinkered as beasts of burden. They go where there masters tell them, always to the same place. Same routes same manner.
So, here’s hoping no contributors keen to understand different views, will be deterred by the trolls. I feel sure that the rest of us welcome you! I am new to social media and only started posting in late September or October, having read and admired SKWAWKBOX for ages. The only bullying is initiated by only a couple of usual suspects, best left unnamed… think Rancid Hole.
The rest of us should share our ideas in our own way!! … even with typos … i bake mary.
Bring your experiences and unique perspectives!!! And above all, do not take the bile of the trolls personally. None of us chose how or where we were to be born nor what education, personalities or friends we will encounter, who support and enrich our outlook.
Varied contributions should be encouraged and scrutinised yes, not ridiculed. So pity the usual suspects who in effect ridicule and soil themselves. They abuse themselves. It is just the way they were born, brought up, or frustrated in life.
Let the rest of us promote “OPEN DEMOCRACY” grow, and glow!!!
♏️♦️♦️♦️
Firstly my concerns are for the staff who must be suffering considerable and totally avoidable unnecessary stress/punishment all for a political coup and end . That in itself is shocking. I thought our Party was better than this but sadly it appears that the RW of it are as bad and as ruthless as the Tories,,,, shameful .
For those commenting solely on their pet hobby horse Brexit/leave/remain , I also say , shame on you all for not even considering the people whom we call Staff but are folks with families and a life that is now under threat, all because of a RW idealogical driven attack the RW are no better than that twat Dominic Cummings .
I find it appalling that you all cannot pause , take breath from your crusades to understand that and that with this kind of chaos at the heart of our organisation , at this instant in time pre election , then it is entirely driven to ensure that the Corbyn project / Socialism and a Corbyn Govt is killed off.
All the arguing about leave /remain and conjecture as to how constituency will or will not vote is irrelevant if the organisation is corrupted as it was under McNicol , who helped engineer our defeat in 2017 by starving certain winnable seats from funding to effectively campaign and fight for them.
Do you not see that this is exactly what will happen again now under Bond . She and her backers ( Campbell and the RW ) will ensure the same outcome and that is another defeat .
All your hopes for whichever outcome you wish for will be worthless as without a Corbyn Govt then there will be no choice and more importantly no hope for the millions of us who need his Govt .
We need to show a united supportive front within the membership against this latest move and more importantly make that visible to the public as well ( divided parties don’t win ) . Stop with the division , get behind the Conf decision it was made democratically by us the membership and don’t allow the RW to divided and conquer us … again!
Rob…well said!
Do the staff interviews include Seumas Milne and Andrew Murray? If they go, it will indicate that Corbyn has been completely outvoted.
On a connected issue isn’t it a proud moment for socialist s when we see all that pomp and swagger on todays opening of parliament and all that bling and diamonds on show…..truly uplifting……and then good of old Dennis Skinner adds a note of reality with all guns blazing? And all the cap doffers look embarrassed whilst Dennis Skinner a man in is eightys who once told me he had a proper j once? ,then went into parliament to watch the farce of the seriously deluded on good money and unbelievable perks and holidays,with a big fat pension all on the backs of the working class..A man of reality not many men or women left of that honesty
@ Joseph O’Keefe
‘what if it was the other way around and Jeremy said….its my way or I take the Highway,’
The thought has certainly occured to me … and I even wonder if this could be the final straw. Who could blame him after 4 years of abuse and undermining?
Yes stand by the workers in the LOTO.
JC is and always will be a good cop but he perhaps needs an assistant bad cop to sort the RW Bs’tards out!
We are in with a shout if stick to Conference policy and best hope is to continue to get JC out direct to the people and our activists out on the doorstep selling our brilliant 201 policies.
Solidarity!
Ps JOB not j….nursing my computer
In the closed narrow minded world of the Brexit fanatics nothing, not even Jeremy Corbyn, must stand in their way of obtaining isolation from our EU partners. When JC says he supports Remain he will become their next target just like J Mc. None of the facts matter, they simply dismiss them when they don’t support their delusion. Just like their mentors Nigel Farage and Dominic Cummings, emotion is their fall back. They say they want better conditions for the less well off but when every study shows that we would be worse off with any sort of Brexit they simply ignore them, facts have no place in their argument. They rely upon myths and blaming the EU instead of successive right wing governments for all our ills. They are a dangerous group of snake oil salesmen.
FFS! Stop flirting with reality!!! We don’t want alternative perspectives here!!! I’lll …. I’lll …. I’ll get back under my duvet and shout at you if you don’t stop!
RH. Early hours of the morning here and no Duvet in this heat,but I actually have had a good laugh at that one and knocked over the fan…..try to repeat every day…..I must not bully and then three hail marys…oh and a good confession my son will build character and compassion ..Regards comrades
Jack just listen to yourself here ( tho this comment applies not just to you )
” In the closed narrow minded world of the Brexit fanatics nothing. etc etc ..”
Can you not see that you too are one and the same , just on the opposite side.
My earlier comment was to try and bring some sanity to the screaming rhetoric which is blinding us to the real threat that is happening and taking place right now , and that’s the RW bastards in our Party who are conveniently using Brexit , either way leave or remain to stop our Socialist movement and a Corbyn Govt.
Each time you comment for remain then someone else here comments on the reverse , meanwhile the bastards move within the organisation removing our socialist comrades with the sole intent to destroy any socialist elements in Labour . Thus turning Labour into nothing more than a Tory lite as it was under Blair.
You don’t want that , I don’t either , but turn your fire-power on the real threats and that is disunity and division sown by the RW bastards Twatson etc in our ranks.
Corbyn is right and has always been WRT our stance on Brexit , giving us the opportunity to have the conversations on the door step with either Leaver or Remainer to elicit their vote for Labour , we give them a choice. Forcing Labour to be fully Leave or Remain destroys that opportunity to converse with all and persuade them of the many benefits of the 201 Labour policies .If they are 100% remain of leave then fine , we can still talk things through with them , BUT if we Labour is 100% Leave or Remain , then there is no conversation and no opportunity to gain their vote .
As I say this is not applicable to just your comments but all of those usual commentators . Continue on this trajectory and I fear Labour will loose the GE
Wholehearted support for your comment above Rob, every part of it.
Very well said rob.
“Each time you comment for remain then someone else here comments on the reverse”
It’s not quite like that, rob.
In fact – overall – this site in general is heavily weighted towards ‘Leave’ comments, and very atypical of the balance of views within Labour.
That’s OK – it would be naive and unrealistic to expect simple balance on social (or any) media.
But the problem is the constant attempt to typify Leave/Remain as a Left/Right issue. Which it isn’t, and why the Lexit position does get ridiculed when it tries to claim left radicalism as its private property.
Actually, your dismay at fractures within Labour reflect the dismay of those of us on the Remain left have at attempts to redefine a broad-based mass party in terms of a small segment of left-leaning views.
“Continue on this trajectory and I fear Labour will loose the GE”
… which provokes very little disagreement. But it begs the question of what ‘harmony’ requires in terms of strategy, tactics and administrative competence to get over the game line.
To respond constructively to the replies , I am encouraged by the positiveness .
RH I agree that some of us have by now twigged that the Brexit debate has morphed from left /right to what IMO is a Socialist Vs Neo-liberal fight for the soul of the Party. In fact I’d say that struggle has never left us , just that Brexit was a very convenient screen to hide behind in the interim .
Now as the endgame approaches ( election time ) we can see more of the old protagonists re-asserting themselves with their push for the removal of socialism from within the Party or trying their best to prevent a Corbyn Govt. from winning the election.
This is exemplified most recently with the LOTO coup ( hate to use that word but can find nothing better )
The “harmony” that we seek collectively IMO is helped by firstly identifying why and where the disharmony is emanating from. That is now very clear , at least to me , in that it is not emanating from the arguments ( very passionately put on both sides of the Brexit debate ) but from the Neo-liberal RW elements in our Party whom refuse to believe that it has/is changing and returning to its original roots of Socialism .
It is unfortunate that we ( Socialists ) still lack the ability to control the leavers of power , that would have been helped by Mandatory Reselection . This maybe corrected at the next Conf as it will have been 3 yrs since the original motion was defeated . The call for a VONC ( motions via CLPs or however this can be instigated) in our Party’s disciplinary system which , as can be seen with Chris Williamson and many of our innocent members suspended or expelled , is totally unfit for purpose and open to corruption .The continuing support for those CLPs that are able to Trigger the selection for a representative PPC.
Understanding and not wasting effort in arguing cases with our fellow Socialists ( I am not picking on you ) this IMO goes across all Brexit sides and I include Socialist MPs on both sides of the debate , but instead responding and supporting where we are capable of and in what small way we can our Socialist MPs / our fellow socialist Staff from the non democratic despicable way of neutering them.
And here on this blog at least trying to present a unified front of debate , of course with disagreement and passionate views , but at least with a semblance of unity around a desire for Socialism and its benefits to be seen by all those who may be reading this blog .
There are over 54,000 followers and subscribers and no doubt many times that who read it on line and via Twitter , you can bet your life that the Neo-liberals in our Party will be watching with interest what’s happening here and will take solace from some of our comments .
Thus I have put forward some of my very limited suggestions as a way forward I would welcome any more suggestions and ideas of how , right now at this crucial time, we can all help improve the chances of a JC Socialist Govt .
Sorry for the very long missive .
Rob, thanks for that ‘little’ lecture. What you obviously fail to realise and notice is the complete lack of argument and the venom the Lexiters use to attack those with whom they disagree. It tends to be a trait of Lexiters wherever we find them.
I doubt if you could find any comments of mine or other Remainers which come anywhere near being as abusive as those from the Lexiters. I/we try to stick to the cons of Brexit whereas the Lexiters fume at the very thought of being challenged and to be honest, they can hardly ever rustle up a decent argument.
Maybe that’s why you are a little disconcerted? We saw exactly the same approach from Boris Johnson today. So Rob it may be better if you examined your own prejudices before trying to be a self appointed arbiter and lecturer to others.
Jack T , firstly I agree regarding the tone of debate on both sides being as bad as each other , I tried and obliviously failed to make that clear
However, I repeat ….
Corbyn is right and has always been WRT our stance on Brexit , giving us the opportunity to have the conversations on the door step with either Leaver or Remainer to elicit their vote for Labour , we give them a choice. Forcing Labour to be fully Leave or Remain destroys that opportunity to converse with all and persuade them of the many benefits of the 201 Labour policies .If they are 100% remain of leave then fine , we can still talk things through with them , BUT if we Labour is 100% Leave or Remain , then there is no conversation and no opportunity to gain their vote .
Now if we pursue your stance of becoming a remain only party ( I think I have that correct ?) then we/I have nothing whatsoever to say to folks on the door step whom might be committed leavers , with the same commitment and passion you have for remaining . The door will simply be closed or worse still just not opened in the first place , thus eliminating ANY chance of a conversation and hopefully a commitment to vote Labour for all it’s other policies .
Conversely EXACTLY the same applies if Labour were to become a Leave only party …That is why I support Corbyn and his stance which was agreed by the membership at Conference .
Its a perfect position from which to canvas around, why would one wish to remove that choice and more so that opportunity for a conversation with potential Labour voters ?
As regards your further reply to Joseph (below) IMO you are missing the point , as “others” have touched on its not Leave Vs Remain that is the dangerous threat , but the Neo-liberals ( mainly Blairite as it so happens to be ) Vs us the Socialists and the battle to return Labour to its left wing roots .That’s the danger and by continuing on the path of attacking the very good socialists in our Party because of their Brexit stance ( a single ticket item no less ) be they Remain OR Leave , then that risks aiding those ( Neo-liberals) who would happily see a Tory Party in control rather than a JC Govt .
I hope that is more clear now and BTW it’s not a lecture , its feed back and observation , you / we cannot win this GE divided without unity , it is that simple
rob 14/10/2019 at 9:19 pm
… and yet, despite all you say Jeremy Corbyn has wisely left the door wide open for a change of policy.
Weird.
And John is sat next to is old friend and comrade Jeremy Corbyn for the queens speech……Theres a message their I hope or is it normal convention for the shadow chancellor to sit next to the leader of the opposition .Its obviously better than sat next to Watson which he often did but maybe Corbyns got blocked sinuses?
Yes, there is a message Joseph and it’s a message to those dangerous Lexiters such as Chelley Ryan and god forbid, Skwawky, who are trying to promote a split between Corbyn and J Mac by trying to imply there is a soft coup in the making headed by or including J Mac.
Ps They are still in the tunnel but the murky world of Irish politics is about to burst into light with an agreement between the centre right politics of both party’s. Treeza may will be livid?
From having a quick glance at CW’s twitter account he spoke at Derry Playhouse at an event in support of Julian Assange and visited the ‘Belfast Cuba Support Group’
Thanks steve..just wondered…..it looks as if the NCC will not make any decision before the election and Chris Williamson will then be unable to stand.so loosing his livelihood and us loosing our best mp…hope I have misread the motives of the NCC,but they have got form and justice doesn’t seem to be a consideration.