Brilliant thread exposes media onslaught – and self-contradiction
A thread by writer Colin Millar during the election campaign perfectly encapsulated the extent of the media onslaught against Labour and its leader – and the willingness of media commentators to disagree with themselves in order to attack him:
Colin Millar’s book on a little-known Spanish football rivalry can be found here.
SKWAWKBOX view:
Throughout Corbyn’s tenure as Labour leader, his critics fearlessly argued against their own conclusions – as long as it allowed them to keep criticising.
The same will happen to the next Labour leader, whoever that is – and perhaps even worse if they threaten to challenge the Establishment as he did.
Labour supporters need urgently to work out ways to combat it and to build communication channels both on the ground and online to have any chance of bringing the real change so desperately needed by the poor and vulnerable of this country.
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It wasn’t the media. It was that switching from being a party that respected the EU referendum result to being a party which was going to trash that result left the working class Leave-voting electorate with no alternative.
Take a look at this powerful account.
https://www.thefullbrexit.com/post/why-labour-s-red-wall-finally-crumbled
You need to get out more, Danny boy – away from the ivory tower.
No,you need to wake up RH.To be still in denial about responsibility of the position Labour took into the election on the EU for the loss of so many seats makes you look ridiculous.
RH, you have made many good points in the past and present but to continually ignore the bleeding obvious is making you look like Thornberry’s long-lost clone.
FFS. Hold hands and get in touch with reality. This wasn’t about Brexit – that was just a cover for the Tories’bait and switch..
As said – you need to get out more.
john thatcher, u r spot on like Danny and myself. The RH Bot should be ignored now. The electoral map results speak for themselves.
RH
_You_ need to get out more.
@Danny. Apologies for my previous post to you. A little overzealous thinking about the NHS.
Danny
It is the media because it is always the media and im fucked if I understand why we bother with them,
They are a disgrace to democracy, free press and free markets dont exist they are the bas5a4d offspring of the billionaire class
Skwawky we should discuss the media on a Tuesday, it’s one of the 5 pillars of GE success, along with manifesto, Anti Semitism, party unity and devolution
Change the language,, attack them, ask them to respond to the charge sheet and until they reform they get nothing from us
There us a life of talent on here can organise ourselves to get from here to GE success
What say you
How can it be laid at the door of the media? Were they ever so kind to the Left in 2017? Did they turn nasty just last year? The media have always been against the Left. Nearly 100 years ago 4 days before the last December election when Labour was surging the newspapers published a letter from Grigory Zinoviev calling on/‘ordering Labour to proceed to a Bolshevik style Revolution. It was widely accepted as the Soviet Government’s stance on Labour and the minority Labour government, the first in history. Stanley Baldwin won a landslide for the Tories effectively reducing both Labour and the Liberals to dust. Years later it was confirmed the letter was a forgery written by Russian Monarchists in Poland, passed to MI6 who sent copies to the Daily Mail and then the rest, privately asserting it was true; the Bolsheviks were fermenting Revolution in the UK. We can assume the same ‘interest’ is shown in modern elections by the Security Establishment. Was the Attlee government subject to ferocious attacks in 1950? Was Harold Wilson a long term Soviet spy as was consistently claimed? Or a crooked businessman? (Oddly they could never be sure so ran with both). Wilson got it worse than anybody – and suffered from it personally. Milliband got his share too with poor eating habits and a Communist father who ‘hated Britain’. So Corbyn fits the pattern. Nothing can change without ownership changing or effective regulation. And nothing changed between 2017 and 2019 so far as the media were concerned, it was apparent policy changes made by rogue ministers and anti Left Labour MP’s brought on the disaster.
If you can’t see the role that the media played in this election, you are truly blind.
True – it has been going on for a long time, but the distortions of this campaign were beyond anything.
As to Brexit – the rhetoric was all a repetition of the MSM propaganda campaign; you’d have to be tone deaf or simply thick not to recognise its origins.
The depth of the MSM campaign is shown by the way in which some ‘lefties’ have absorbed the bollocks about ‘Labour Heartlands’ – a purely fictional notion of areas that actually have an excess of conservative gammons who quite like Thatcher, but have a tradition of ticking the ‘Labour’ box – a habit built in a previous era.
That was the vote – instinct taking over from habit (as it did in the purchase of council houses).
It’s really not difficult to grasp for anybody who’s been up close.
Delusions don’t win elections.
I don’t think there is anything special about the media roasting given Jeremy. It’s par for the course. Maybe you don’t remember the treatment Wilson got? It worked so well , that in 1968 Media bosses, Intelligence agents and even a Senior General met to discuss overthrowing the Communist in No 10. The election in 1970 wasn’t very different from the last one; a revolt by working class voters against In Place of Strife a government idea to ‘deal’ with Unions – a mission surely as deluded as opting all out for Remain? A government that had already proven its progressive stance was silenced to the cheers of the media. In return we got a miners strike, the 3 day week, Internment without trial and Bloody Sunday. And how to simulate laughing by wobbling your shoulders. Now we’ve got another clown.
Paul, you said ‘How can it be laid at the door of the media?’ and then go on to give examples of other LP leaders being attacked by the media and the dirty tricks concocted to turn the electorate against them, and do so as if to say it DIDN’T have an effect when it obviously DID. BUT, the smear campaign against Jeremy AND the left during the past four years has been relentless and, as such, unprecedented, and the Smearers obviously re-doubled their efforts after the close call in 2017. I mean the the ‘anti-semitic’ smear campaign kicked off shortly after Jeremy was elected leader, and the corporate media were already going with ‘the friend of terrorists’ thing, but since the 2017 GE they’ve done the ‘spy’ episode, and ‘for siding with Putin/Russia’ re the Alleged Salisbury poisonings episode, and the ‘anti-semitism’ black op was as good as every single day. I mean it would be interesting to ascertain how many articles there were re >corbyn anti-semitism< PRIOR to the 2017 GE, and how many there have been between THEN and last Thursday. In November alone there were !,620 (as medialens determined when they did a pro-quest search).
Of COURSE the smear campaign played its part in the result, but going for a second referendum, as the Blairites eventually forced Jeremy to do, was obviously the biggest factor given that the vast majority of seats we lost were in areas that voted leave in the EU referendum.
https://www.medialens.org/2019/reopening-auschwitz-the-conspiracy-to-stop-corbyn/
✅ Danny 🅰️➕➕➕ And some STILL wont accept that. ALSO just as warned by me …https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/general-election-2019-sadiq-khan-labour-jeremy-corbyn-leadership-race-1342880
Of course they had a choice, Danny.
Even with the “justification” they had, they had a choice: to indulge their selfish spite and condemn thousands to death by crossing that line and voting Tory OR not be fucking class traitors! Prick!
That is simply extraordinary. It highlights where the blame lies. If you compare ‘17 to ‘19 there was only one policy difference; the lurch towards Remain and a 2nd Referendum. Corbyn was boxed in within his own cabinet, out voted one imagines? Now there are calls saying he wasn’t ruthless enough and didn’t, like Johnson, sack them and withdraw the whip. Thank goodness he didn’t frankly, Labour needs to maintain basic political standards to withstand the storm approaching. It is a democratic Party.
We should all be very angry with the MSM the Establishment and the
members of the PLP who colluded with them to deny us a socialist government under Jeremy Corbyn. I personally am furious and would welcome suggestions on how my anger can best be channelled to show my total support for Jeremy Corbyn and protest his legacy.
Many share your feelings Smartboy – wherein lies the key, the Many. Start in your local ward. Identify the initial problem; ‘Labour’ MP’s who deliberately sought to wreck the campaign. They must be chucked out ASAP or else the Party slips back into their hands. My MP would have been deselected but for the GE being called. He consistently called for a second referendum without even referring to an election. It seemed very much part of an attempt to bounce the leadership into changing their view (unfortunately partially successful). If there isn’t grass root resistance then we could expect to see a Kinnock style abuse of the Left at the Conference driven from the hall by baying centrists. Nightmare.
Paul, that is what I fear if RBL becomes leader. I fear she isn’t robust or tough enough to take on the malingering knife holders. They won’t be placated at any cost if we have any kind of socialist policy in any future manifesto.
I want Lavery up at the top to stamp authority and make the changes we should have made during the last 4 years. Lavery is not frightened to tell the likes of Streeting to sit down and shut the f#ck up
Who knows if she’s ‘strong enough’? She may be like steel. She has Rayner behind her. Any rightist just won’t wash with the members. If they do win the first clashes expect mass expulsions and rule changes. I agree about Lavery; he’s the real thing. What power does he have exactly?
Smartboy, I share your anger entirely. I’m staying in the Labour Party, staying connected, making sure I WILL push for Jeremys top policies to be in the next manifesto. Jeremys legacy is his sense of decency/values & that’s what I’ll want to see from any new Labour leader.
I’m hoping Jeremy will somehow still be at the forefront of Labour – not necessarily on the front bench if he doesn’t want to, so as he can still keep us energised & hopeful
Thank you very much Paul and Foggy I have cooled down a bit now but I am st ill enraged by the actions and attitudes of the anti Labour Mps in the party who use us to get elected then insult us as soon as they are in the door and who more importantly set out to destroy the greatest leader we have ever had – Jeremy Corbyn.
We the many need to mobilise and teach these individuals a lesson they won’t forget, locally in the first instance as suggested by you Paul. I want to see them out on their ears before too long, certainly before the next election.
This disaster of an election has actually helped clear out the some of worst offenders so its not all bad.
I don’t like speculating about who will replace Jeremy for the truth is nobody can – he is a one off – a brave honest man who cannot be bought, whose principles are unwavering and who a parcel of nonentities not fit to clean his shoes eventually brought down They maligned him for over 4 years and eventually supported by the MSM and the establishment they brought about a labour defeat and are now in the process of scapegoating him for the outcome of their despicable actions.
It won’t be long before the electorate find out just what they have let themselves in for – how the PLP, MSM Tories and their establishment backers made fools of them and are laughing all the way to a lucrative (for them) trade treaty with the USA.
Smartboy, if you do a weekly shop live up to you name, be smart. Grab a pile of the newspapers you detest the most and hide them behind the cornflakes or somewhere like that. Reduce their ability to get their lies out there. Vent that anger that way
Paul, RBL pushed for the 2nd ref so not steel like to stick to what the voters asked for – leave. She also caved in and sided with JLM against Chris Williamson then went on to slate The Canary as anti-semetic.
Ian Lavery has a good back bench history, his values are there to see in regards to voting – very much inline with Jeremy. He’s holds no power as such and that is why I’d like to see him at the top – leader or deputy, to stamp some authority and get what’s desperately needed done within the Labour party
I didnt know that. But Lavery won’t stand will he? Then who?
Good idea – would prefer to set fire to them but I suppose that would be illegal LOL
Here’s a man brave enough to speak truth to cowardice: a factor in losing the election that most people are unwilling to talk about – the love that dare not speak its name.
https://www.facebook.com/DerbyChrisW/videos/2621557151292094/
But what happened when Chris DID speak out?! And it happened precisely because of the totally overwhelming power of the corporate MSM AND the Blairites who conspired in the bogus and contrived attack on him. And what do you think would have happened to these ‘cowards’ you speak of if any of them HAD spoken out?
Confirms what I suspected about the Commentariat and explains why I’ll never subscribe to the Guardian
Liverpool region ‘metromayor’ steve rotherham (Former political advisor to Corby, he reckons) said n radio murkeyside yesterday that he: ‘Voted for the referendum in 2015.’
Now, there WASN’T a referendum in 2015, there was, however, a GE.
And the ONLY party offering a referendum was the toerags. Ergo, rotherham must have voted toerag in 2015.
Make of that what you will.
Having just gone onto listen again, it appears rotherham said he voted for a referendum in 2016.
I still don’t remember any parliamentary vote for a referendum in 2016… There was one in 2015 IIRC…
Bloody rotherham’s got me banjaxed?!?! Take no notice of me, folks (as per)
The Toffee (597)
We all need a break
heres one for you,
Mary calls her mate and says I’m confused,
What’s up says her mate
I’m following this recipe and it says finish with some left over red wine,
Right says her mate so what’s the problem
What the fuck is left over red wine, says Mary
Every week we should do something that creates a media shitfest,
Like removing JLM, LFI, Tony Blair, reinstating Labour eleven one at a time,
Every week the party should publish a manifesto commitment fully costed on party website, to be discussed amongst the community, friends and family in order to encourage feedback from people on the ground
A journey of a thousand Mile’s starts with first step, Media Tuesday
Foggy
Where I come from it was the lasses who you had to keep an eye on, they could turn on you in a second, the lads you could see coming a mile off,
I think they could change the debate for the party
I just don’t trust RBL Doug and we would have no chance of removing JLM with RBL as she sided with them against Chris Williamson then went on to slate The Canary as anti-Semitic. No Tar.
I really want to see a steadfast female at the top who doesn’t flip flop and give in because that kind of weakness won’t shut the backstabbers up
Foggy
Fair play you could well be completely right, which is where Skwawky could come in and ask candidates to respond to issues we care about
I hope so Doug, as no left male MP’s have yet said they’re thinking about it.
C’mon Skwawky, get in touch with them and give us some feedback 😉
I see that Seumas Milne and Karie Murphy have had their temporary employment contracts with the Labour Party upgraded to permanent ones. WHY?
There is a strong tendency towards a death-wish in the Party. There are still people wittering about ‘Labour Heartlands’ as a description of areas with a Tory majority.
I for one would find it very difficult to vote for any new leader who intended to keep on this pair of failures to advise him or her.
And just how did the ‘fail’ Steve? Care to elaborate?
they fail. that is
I am hesitant to pin the failure on particular individuals.
From my perspective and from talking around, the Labour Party is beseiged by, on the one hand, the essentially Tory PLP members that rode on the back of Blair, and on the other hand, the less significant, but detrimental, Toytown Left who also play to the Tory narrative by peddling gormless myths.
The combination of the two gives the Tories a free pass to sneak through the gap in left-wing politics by reinforcing each other.
I think it may have been because it has been reported that there were calls for and moves taking place to try to get rid of them.
If a person has a temporary contract lasting say 12 months, once the 12 months expires an employer can get rid of the employee very easily – they just don’t extend or renew the contract
With permanent contracts getting rid of employees isn’t so easy. Before they can be dismissed employees have to breach the terms of the employment contract by some sort of misconduct and even them warnings are required except in the case of gross misconduct involving very serious issues e.g. fraud theft assault etc,
If the proper disciplinary procedure is not followed or if a gross misconduct charge cannot be sustained then the employee has recourse to an Employment Tribunal with appeal mechanism up to and including the Supreme Court.
It seems to me Seumas and Karie have been given permanent contracts in order to protect them against any attempt to get rid of them. Delighted to hear it .
It would be difficult to describe or justify their new contracts as a reward for success and there are obviously sound reasons why spad’s contracts are limited to the tenure of the person they are serving. If this was done out of concern for staff welfare and employment rights this concern unfortunately doesn’t appear to have extended to the rest of the party’s staff.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/angry-labour-staff-could-strike-21113773
It is absolutely right that if Karie and Seumas are de facto permanent members of staff that they should have the protection of permanent contracts of employment. Likewise for any other member of staff in similar circumstances. However if staff are brought in for a specific purpose e.g election work then it would be wrong to give them permanent contracts as they are clearly doing temporary jobs.
As a lifelong Trade Unionist I am thoroughly disgusted that the link provided shows some staff have threatened to go on strike if Karie and Seumas aren’t sacked. This attitude is appalling and if the party agreed to sack workers in these circumstances we would be up before an Employment Tribunal before you could say unfair dismissal. Maybe that is their motivation – who knows? I would be absolutely horrified if their Union agreed to support this disgusting proposition.
Clearly the staff concerned are unsuitable for employment in a party founded on principles of fraternalism and worker rights. They are a total disgrace to the Labour Movement, ignorant and malicious people who would probably be happier working elsewhere.
Smartboy – As I said above there are obvious and very sound reasons for political advisors to be employed on contracts that are linked to the tenure of the person they have been contracted to advise and it would be verging on the ridiculous to suggest otherwise. Also according to the article (quoted below) they appear to be very much the exception.
While most of those who work for the Leader of the Opposition are on time-limited contracts while Jeremy Corbyn remains leader. but it’s understood that Mr Milne and Ms Murphy, have been moved across to permanent contracts with the Labour Party.
I would reiterate- all employees are in permanent jobs should have permanent contracts ( after completing a probationary period).
We can only speculate about Seumas and Karie’s contracts but I would assume they are appointed to serve the party leader not Jeremy Corbyn personally. This being the case I would not consider it ridiculous that their jobs should be permanent.Like everyone else they have employment rights which must be protected
However as I said previously I do think this issue exposes the ignorance of the law and sheer malice of some of our employees. Not a good look.
I would reiterate- all employees are in permanent jobs should have permanent contracts
Smartboy – The whole point is that they don’t have a permanent job, it is subject to the continuing tenure of the party leader. You appear to be advocating that the Labour Party’s leadership should be compelled to take on the previous leader’s political advisers. I’m sorry to be so blunt Smartboy but in this context your whole argument is simply nonsensical.
Steve H
As I said it depends on the Contract of Employment – neither of us have seen it but it is my guess, based on my Trade Union experience, that they are appointed to posts in the “Leaders Office” not “Jeremy Corbyn’s Office”. That being the case they have legal rights which cannot and should not be ignored just because some malicious junior staff and sour MPs demand it.
Get in!
We need a left wing firebrand…where have they gone?Corbyn stays and we must look to the backbenchers and the new intake for a leader
Joseph – Do you have any suggestions?
I think if I was Jeremy, I would put myself forward again for a strictly time-limited tenure with a manifesto to reform/cleanse the party machinery:-
Introduce open selection of MPs, councillors and other elected reps.
Purge the party HQ/PLP of Israeli/Zionist agents/ban the JLM
Attempt to identify and expel the CIA/MI5/MI6 operatives amongst the PLP/Labour staff
Commit to film and share all meetings of the PLP/NEC
Create an internal security force to guard against malevolent internal/external attacks on the party.
Create a cyber department to a) project the party’s values and b) defend the party against cyber attacks.
Create an internal disciplinary process with a jury consisting of randomly chosen party members.
Invite external monitors to attend and observe all party meetings/committees at every level.
Create a Labour press department to launch active war on the corporate media.
Create an environment where party members feel safe to report corruption, harassment and inappropriate behaviour.
Remove the MPs’ privilege in nominating candidates.
Move the party HQ a long way from London
Create a patriotic youth movement
Re-instate Clause 4.
Having achieved all of that, resign again and hand over to the members.
I wish!
Create a Labour press department to launch active war on the corporate media.
Better still, use party funds to establish a daily socialist newspaper or to take over the Morning Star and add a zero or two to its print run!