Analysis Breaking comment

Breaking: Starmer tells Reed ‘no action’ re Reed’s ‘puppet master’ and ‘Israeli billionaire’ tweets – as Reed deletes tweet praising action vs Long-Bailey. Excuse for inaction implodes immediately

‘Eradicating’ antisemitism from Labour seems to be a selective matter – as does praise for ‘zero tolerance’. Party’s excuse for let-off falls apart instantly

Keir Starmer has told front-bench Labour MP Steve Reed that no action will be taken against him over complaints about a tweet by Reed describing Richard Desmond, who is Jewish, as ‘the puppet master for the entire Tory cabinet’ – which Reed published only days after separate complaints about Reed’s ‘Israeli billionaire’ tweet.

Starmer squirmed when asked about the Desmond tweet and claimed not to have seen it – and said he would ‘have a look at it’ after the interview:

Starmer also received an official letter of complaint from Conservative MP Nicola Richards.

However, Reed has now been informed that no action will be taken against him.

Labour has claimed that no action was taken, at least in part, because Reed deleted his tweet before the party was aware of the complaint. However, this is untrue:

Reed has also deleted another tweet – in which he had praised Starmer’s ‘clear commitment to zero tolerance’ of antisemitism:

Within the space of not even a fortnight, Steve Reed has put out two tweets that – stretching generosity to its limit – were astonishingly ill-advised, yet Starmer has taken no action in spite of his clear discomfort when confronted about the matter, while sacking Rebecca Long-Bailey on a pretext after she issued statements agreed with Starmer about sharing an innocuous Independent article.

It seems ‘zero tolerance’ and ‘eradicating antisemitism’ from Labour is a movable feast, depending on who is involved.

Starmer and Reed were contacted for comment after Reed’s ‘Israeli billionaire’ tweet, but did not respond.

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43 comments

  1. Could Keir Starmer please appoint a minister for hypocrisy in the Labour Party?

    1. That is probably the role heiß most suitable to fill. Qualifications needed: none

      1. The accusation of using an antisemitic trope always contains the assumption that the dreadfully-injured victim of the horrific assault was known by the big bully to be Jewish.
        I didn’t know Desmond was – did Reed? I only remember him as a pornographer, not a Jewish pornographer.
        Are we Goys now to be required to learn every Anglicised Jewish name, if that’s what ‘Desmond’ is?
        Way to defend British Jewry, Israel. Way to defend Israel, BoD & JLM. Way to keep the peace, British Jewry.

      2. But Skwawky, he is acting like a Leader, he’s leading the assault on Socialists in the Labour Party!

      3. Oh… and it’s necessary to know that the antisemitic trope used was indeed such a thing.
        “Puppet master” and “pound of flesh” were until recently not in my dictionary of antisemitic tropes.
        Now that I am aware of them I’ll continue to use them if nothing else fits the case.
        As an atheist I bow to no made-up religion, particularly in relation to language or logic. They all offend me greatly.

    1. Does that mean it hasn’t always been the Tories’ favourite web site?

    2. This shambles is not a Labour party, a more apt term would be “Friends of Israeli money”

      1. Perfect !!!! its the new Starmer Shambles party or could it even be OMNI-SHAMBLES if I dare use a Tory descriptor , mid you not much difference between Boris and his arse licker

    3. Calling out hypocrisy and the breaking of the ihra definition by conflating the actions of israel with Jewish ppl is surely something we as labour members deserve to see in our media
      Is anything in the article factually incorrect?
      If not whats your beef?

  2. What do people expect from Starmer. On the pretext of Rachel Reeves not being there to defend herself he shut down criticism of her at last weeks NEC meeting. Yet he saw no problem of discussing RLB and she wasn’t there. He won’t get rid of his allies and he won’t unite the party with this behaviour. Then again does he want to.
    Anyone know who Wes Streeting referring to in his accusation about who was running the party when Corbyn was leader

  3. Starmer’s actions are particularly unacceptable when I recall Jeremy Corbyn’s integrity

  4. The ‘uniting the party’ rhetoric is just THAT – ie rhetoric – and rhetoric aimed at the masses, so as to lead them to think and believe he wants to unify the party, whilst he in fact does the very opposite! But of course only those of us on the left will know that THAT’s the case. Separate realities, as with the A/S Smear Campaign against Jeremy and the left.

    Anyway…….

    Check out the latest edition of Renegade Inc (on RT) in which investigative historian and journalist Gareth Porter gives a comprehensive assessment of the reasons for the hostility and warmongering towards Iran by the US:

    ‘The racket of national security’

    US national security has turned into a racket. Enemies and bogeymen are invented with monotonous regularity to justify massive budgets and kickbacks to insiders.

    https://www.rt.com/shows/renegade-inc/493757-us-national-security-racket/

    1. Allan Howard, whatever you’ve been drinking, keep it up, that was a half decent post for a change.

      1. Oh how jolly patronising of you to say so Jack, AND within just eight minutes of me posting! Well done (needless to say, the shills like Jack are constantly monitoring the site ALL day – and NIGHT – long!).

        And of course they ALSO manipulate the Likes, just as the Mail and Sun and Express do!

        PS I wonder how long it’ll take him to ‘respond’ THIS time. Better give it a bit longer this time Jack or people will cotton on to you (if they haven’t done so already, that is!).

        NB The following is from an article entitled: What Are the Seven Techniques of Propaganda

        Plain Folks

        The goal of this technique is to convince the audience that the spokesman is like them and shares their woes and concerns. Using plain language and mannerisms, he is able to build trust by his followers [and also get your comment in first as often as you can without drawing attention to the fact!].

        https://classroom.synonym.com/propaganda-techniques-elections-9133.html

      2. For heaven’s sake, Jack was only trying to be nice! I’m sure he now sees the utter futility of that gesture towards you. You’re really off yer trolley, aintcha?

      3. Timfrom, please don’t support me, you’ll have White Flag Man’s neuroses going galactic with conspiracy theories.

        WFM a little hint just for you. If you want to receive Skwawky’s output promptly just keep your mobile phone in your pocket, it’s that easy.

        Sorry it took so long to get back to you I was avin me tea.

      4. Jack, thanks for the tip. The thing is my mobile is an old Nokia dumbphone (for texting only) and I’m not programmed to check every time my tablet goes off. Thus, sometimes I’m late to the party. But taking a whole 17 mins to get back to me is hardly a “long” time! You are forgiven. Hope your tea was good!

    2. They used to say ‘Don King’ never cared about Black or White just Green
      As my grandad used to say ‘if you want to know what’s happening follow the money ‘
      Once red Tories lose the party, the money will go elsewhere,
      Recruit and vote

    3. Oh, so Jack T was ‘avin his tea. Yeah, sure you were! And is so often the case, Jack’s chum turns up to join in the fun. So tell me timfrom, what do ya think of the fact that about three months ago Jack dissembled a big porky on here saying that I had repeatedly had a go at him for using the term Zionist – ie when he’s been critical of Zionists. I never have of course, or said anything at all to him about it EVER, and Jack invented it, like the good little shill that he is. There is of course just one person who criticises Jack for doing so, and that is jpenny, who has accused him time and time again of being anti-semitic for doing so. And just about everyone who reads skwawkbox regularly will be aware of that.

      So what do you think of Jack lying through his nasty little teeth? Oh, right, nothing of course, because you couldn’t give a flying fox about it, could you! But then you shills HAVE to work together and ‘support’ each-other don’tcha!

      Yes, folks, the shills ALWAYS support each-other by attacking anyone who might expose them to readers for what they are! Better take it easy on the personal insults though timfrom or you’ll get banned again. Perhaps permanently this time!

      1. Allan Howard, White Flag Man (WFM) You remind me of one of those nosey neighbours who peeps through the curtains and then makes up fantasies about all the comings and goings but invariably gets it wrong 🙂

      2. Like everyone else, I don’t follow whatever deranged spats you’re having and care even less. You could start an argument in an empty room. When you only have Penney in your corner, you’re fucked, but I’m glad you found each other! Bans? Pfft!

  5. Stop reacting to confected outrage from Tory spin merchants and their outriders like Guido Fawkes. You are, whether you know it or not, doing their job for them.

    1. Meanwhile the Tories are shamed in court..

      Former Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke chased a woman around his kitchen and chanted “I’m a naughty Tory” after allegedly sexually assaulting her, a court has heard.

      The woman was said to have been “distressed, almost hysterical” after the ex-Dover MP allegedly groped her breast and tried to kiss her while his wife Natalie Elphicke was away, a jury was told.

      Southwark Crown Court heard the alleged victim, who was in her early thirties, was “flattered” when Elphicke – 36 at the time – had invited her to share a drink with him.

      He opened a bottle of £40 wine and began asking her about her sexual interests, including if she liked “lace and leather”, and saying he liked “bondage and whips”, jurors were told.’

      Prosecutor Eloise Marshall QC said Elphicke was alleged to have told the woman to come towards him so he could top up her wine glass.

      He then assaulted her on the sofa, reaching into her top to grope her right breast and trying to kiss her, the court heard.

      The prosecutor said: “She (the alleged victim) immediately shouted: ‘No!’

      “She was shocked. The whole incident was completely unexpected.

      “He was chanting in a sing-song way: ‘I’m a naughty Tory, I’m a naughty Tory’, as though it was the school playground.”

      The alleged victim said he was “very animated, excited and clearly enjoying himself”.

      She said Elphicke chased her around the home, trying to smack her bottom.

      The jury was told the alleged victim “felt horrified by the entire situation”.

      https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/ex-tory-mp-chanted-im-22309564

      1. Totally irrelevant to stammers latest stunt, and for another thread.

        Stammers been a twunt again and you deflect and evade.

        And you wonder why you’re derided when you post?!

  6. And all roads lead back to the internal Labour report, which has been delayed until September
    This will affect NEC, Unite and GMB elections if its delayed, by giving RW cover to buy time to garner votes
    Long term it just delays the inevitable, there is no going back, Quislings and Bad Actors must be forced out and only way to do that is recruit and vote

    1. Meanwhile, funny guy Tory Jeremy Clarkson has spoken about his temptation to vote for Starmer.

      The recruiting process is going well

  7. Starmer wants to unite the Party by removing all Socialists & returning to New Labour……ever closer to the Liberals.

    …….& now for something completely different….a Trope! I’ve recently learned a new word (almost). Is a Trope a cliched stereotype only descriptive of Jews?

    1. Steve Richards
      Red Tories can get their letters off to Santa early, they can ask for anything they want, fortunately this year and for generations to come they will get nothing,
      If you want to get technical
      Current Tory party is the Brexit party, One Nation Tories, Red Tories, Yellow Tories and Tartan Tories want their party back, after No Deal they will succeed
      Now where does that leave the Labour party

  8. One rule for the right wing of the party and another for the left. This decision makes that as plain as day. Starmer the stupid is New New Labours Tony Blair.

    1. “New New Labour’s Tony Blair” – I don’t know where to start with that one 🙂 🙂
      Blair would be mortified by the comparison, which is good, but Starmer would be flattered – not good. Need to offend both to be honest.
      For some reason it brings to mind “Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy” – except neither of the fuckers have the gravitas of a Dan Quayle.

  9. Starmer is a player. It’s all about his power base and personal ambitions. Unlike Boris Johnson who is a ‘conviction politician.’

    (should have been convicted … on numerous occasions)

    (most recently for mass murder)

  10. Yes, rules, morals and principles only apply to some it seems. There’s still nothing on this site about Wavertree CLP and accusations of racial bullying. This as a result of a polite letter to the new MP, complaining that she didn’t support the Exec over claims that our former MP, Luciana Berger, ‘was bullied out of the LP’. When can everyone see the letter that was deemed so offensive please Sqwarky?

  11. It is true that Starmer has been inconsistent, and this is clearly because he wanted rid of Long-Bailey. However from what I can see, neither Long-Bailey nor Reed should have been sacked for their tweets. We shouldn’t pretend (without better evidence) that Reed had some kind of anti-semitic intent, whatever his politics – that’s what the right wing do to people; the left shouldn’t join in.

  12. Thanks for the JVL article Sqwarky. Everyone should take a look at this, and I hope comment on how the organisation called the LP no longer adhere’s to any democratic principles whatsoever. What do we call people and organisations that despise democracy and believe in minority rule and act viciously against opponents?
    In Liverpool we have a good track record of chasing them off our streets when these types attempt to march here, though it’s usually the type that fly swastika’s, and strangely, Israeli flags.. I think we should start calling out these creatures that infest the LP, whose only aim in life is to be in control. Oh, and loads o dosh. The amusing bit is that they call themselves socialist; you can’t have socialism without democracy.
    I doubt we’d have all worked so hard to get our MP elected here if we’d known how quickly she’d turn on some her best supporters, Hazuan and partner even made a film for her in the election period. Hazuan, Bame rep on the Exec is also well known for his film about the East End in London where the fascists were beaten back in the ’30’s. Like I said before, you couldn’t make this up as he’s now charged with racial bullying. Comments please, questions welcome too. Free speech is important, best make the most of it.

    1. Thanks for keeping us awake on this,though I fear you will soon struggle to be heard with all the competing but similar stories that will be coming.

  13. I doubt we’ll hear many stories John. The LP demand that victims of the witch-hunt keep silent, not to discuss their cases. SS and Co seem to think that they can make rules that over-ride human rights. Despite many of us staying in the LP to argue the case, it seems a useless exercise when those who put themselves in control don’t adhere to any rules or principles.
    They despise socialist ideology with a vengeance. They can’t abide democracy or the idea of being accountable. Mbe they should be honest and start wearing some nice new, crisp uniforms. That way working people would know to target them, instead of voting for the fuckers. It’s time we started discussing an electoral alternative.

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