Cllr Terry Paul claims to have ‘misread’ a headline about Cllr Rakhia Ismail’s resignation but fails to respond to request to clarify what he had thought it meant
A London councillor and one of the right’s slate of candidates in Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) elections publicly welcomed the news that a Somali-born woman councillor – and formerly the UK’s first Somali-born woman mayor – had resigned from the party over what she described as oppression and discrimination by fellow Labour councillors.
Rakhia Ismail tweeted news of her decision, along with a description of the treatment she feels she has received – and a moving account of how her tenure as Islington mayor had enabled her to ‘escape’ for a time:
Newham councillor Terry Paul responded with a quote tweet of coverage of Ismail’s resignation, describing it as ‘excellent news’ – and was challenged for doing so:
Terry Paul is part of the ‘Labour to Win’ slate run by Labour First’s Luke Akehurst, alongside Akehurst himself and entrenched Labour right-wingers such as Johanna Baxter and Gurinder Singh Josan:
He subsequently deleted his tweet, saying that he had ‘mis read’ the tweet about Ismail’s resignation.
After outraged local Muslims got in touch about the remark, the SKWAWKBOX contacted Cllr Paul for comment on his tweet welcoming Ismail’s resignation and whether it affected his fitness to stand for Labour’s NEC. He responded:
[Ismail’s tweet] was sent to me by a Somali councillor who often sends me positive stories about the Somali community. I naturally retweet her tweets to get a wider audience. Re this tweet it was early and I should have looked closely at this tweet. If I had read the tweet properly I would not have made that comment.
However, when asked to clarify what he thought the post did say for him to declare it ‘excellent news’, he did not respond.
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Bastards
I assume the complaint is of racist abuse rather than the usual right-on-left?
Not that it makes any difference – Blairites always conjure up excuses for their friends whatever the crime.
ITs not impossible to manage discrimination and fight back.I understand were shes coming from and sympathise with the problem of a right wing leadership who only recognises Jewish discrimination,whilst ignoring everyone else.She’s been pushed into a corner and without the backing of fellow Labour councillors or the leadership of the Labour party she’s walked away.She could no doubt have soldiered on,but whats the point when the whole party leadership,PLP and councillors including the NEC are rotten to the core.I am sad to say that the establishment Labour party are no longer a Opposition worth fighting for or with when its clearly beyond redemption..And the saddest part is the membership voted for it unless it was rigged and thats always a possibility with the knights treachery and ideology.
Joseph
In all fairness to the membership & affiliates only 35% of those eligible to vote actually endorsed Starmer, the turnout was poor, which is hardly surprising as my own Union Affiliate Vote was never issued, hence I could do little to influence the Vote.
That said, like you i was gobsmacked at the number of votes the Establishment Stooge garnered, knowing full well he was a fraud, which anyone with a single brain cell should have fathomed given he was pushed by Progress and Labour First.
His excuse sounds like one I’d expect not from a labour but from a tory, back in the day, both ridiculous and condescending, expecting the oiks to just take his word for it when caught bang to rights,
Disgraceful
Welcome to Labour 2020
“I naturally retweet her tweets to get a wider audience.”
Ok; get Ms Ismail to tweet ‘Terry Paul is a massive knobhead’ , and put it to the test.
Seriously though, has that claim been checked on Terry’s tweet history? Their lot like to trawl through anyone on the left’s twitter history so the centrist snides can’t complain if someone finds something else on him.
Sir Keir Rodney Starmer is one of only a handful of British politicians (6) *invited* to be a member of the billionaire’s TRILATERAL COMMISSION.
His leadership will destroy Labour, collapse membership and cost support and votes.
His immediate rejection of his predecessor’s support for Kashmir against Indian aggression and now this from one of his Labour First supporters show the “direction of travel” of the new management.
I am remaining in Labour only to vote Left in October in the NEC election.
EHRC or Hate crime(s) in regards of alleged “oppression” and “discrimination” this is not internal affair, unless the former DPP decides that further investigation is not necessary.
Any comments from David Evans?
Claudia Webb has been suspended from the party after being charged by the police with harassment.
SteveH
isn’t she one of ours
Newbie MP and ex NEC member who was elected to the NEC on the Left slate.
https://labourlist.org/2020/09/labour-mp-claudia-webbe-charged-with-harassment-against-a-woman/