Starmer promised ‘more democracy’ during leadership campaign. Another lie bites the dust
A leaked ‘confidential’ document has confirmed Keir Starmer’s plan to rob Labour members of a meaningful say in future leadership elections, completing the hollowing out of Labour from a recently-great party to a lifeless husk devoted to promoting the careers of Blairites.
The document outlines the rule-change that will give a handful of entitled MPs as much voting power as the party’s whole membership – and for that matter as much as all the unions combined – when choosing new leaders, creating a self-perpetuating system of protected privilege with no chance of the members (or the public, who love left policies) ever interfering in their cosy club again:
Skwawkbox warned in January last year that this was coming and frequently since that plans were underway, but typically for the Labour right they’re trying to spring this at the last minute before conference, to allow minimal time for resistance to be organised. Of course, the so-called ‘mainstream’ media will either ignore this all-out war on democracy entirely, or else present it as some kind of victory for democracy. Orwell eat your heart out.
Laughably, the Labour right tries to disguise their intent by pinning it on renowned left-winger Tony Benn, who will surely be turning in his grave as you read this.
Still, the way Starmer is killing the party, it will be a race to see whether Labour’s MPs or members can reach the lowest number. So all good then, except for some pissed off union members. The Blairites aren’t confident they can force this through conference though, so they are already briefing friendly journalists that even a near loss will be a win.
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The gall!
No wonder, I sensed another nasty was about to land. McDonnell sounded deflated / embarrassed yesterday.
🟣🟡⚙️🟣🟡⚙️🟣🟡⚙️
What has this proposal got to do with John McDonnell Signposts?
Malcolm Coleman aka Allan Howard aka AHs’ Smartbut, you all r not satisfied with your stunning success misguiding Jeremy + bringing “the Left” to this PREDICTED by me on Skwawkbox.org dreadful state⁉️⁉️⁉️
U promised 2 “resign immediately”
GO NOW‼️‼️‼️
The plan is SPECIFICALLY to ensure a “Starmer Mark2” when starmer fails. Spun as “to prevent another Jeremy Corbyn who CAME FROM NOWHERE”
⚙️🔵🟡⚙️🔵🟡⚙️🔵🟡
= so Mandelson or Blair can return
Oh I see Signposts You just introduced John’s name to have another go at him – very predictable and getting very boring now.
“We are proposing”
Who is we? Not who you think it is, but who actually originated this document, who are the signatories?
Unfortunately I find I can answer my own question.
Keir Starmer has confirmed to his shadow cabinet that he will bring rule changes to Labour conference for a return to an electoral college system in leadership elections, a new reselection process for MPs and reforms to the policy-making process.
To say that I am disappointed would be a gross understatement.
sorry I forgot the link
https://labourlist.org/2021/09/starmer-seeks-changes-to-leadership-elections-mp-reselections-policy-making/
Well said.
Yes, concur with lundiel. It must be a bigger shock to you than to me and most people here. At least we knew that the Nillionaires’ lackey was capable of such unscrupulousness and improper behaviour. I’m sorry that you had to learn the truth so publically.
His days as party leader are numbered. His intent is unacceptable
To say that I am disappointed would be a gross understatement
Hmmm. Remember when he told you brexit wouldn’t happen…Then voted for a de piffle toerag brexit?
Remember those ten pledges…and how long they lasted?
And it’s only NOW, despite being constantly warned what he’s about, you find that you’re disapppointed?
PS, Osn’t it about time he came out with a concrete policy so you can disappoint his detractors?
EASILY predictable, predicted from the time he was given a shadow cabinet post. More when the opportunity was not taken to ditch him after starmer’s first coup.
MORE after AGAIN re invited after starmer’s 2nd coup.
“bad Bad BAD news” i posted right here on Skwawkbox.org. Despite attacks from RH, the boatnan, White Flag Men Malcolm Coleman aka Allan Howard and a few sleepers who suddenly came to Coleman’s aid, and a few who popped up and vanished.
But surely if we cant rebut verbal and written “attacks”, then what use r we to MILLIONS who face beatings, bashings, rape as a weapon and DEATH⁉️⁉️⁉️
I never call 4 people 2 be silenced. Silencers should ALWAYS make one alert. Anyone FUMING at others 4 trying something when the FUMING spouters failed over SIXTY YEARS is beyond odd. BASIC‼️‼️‼️
Anyone who shrieks at comparatively NEW members to do what the SHRIEKERS failed to do, is rude and odd.
Anyone who patrols round the clock accusing others of patrolling round the clock is obviously trying to silence. And that behaviour is more bizarre since they repeatedly say ALL IS NO POINT, hopeless, nothing worth it etc yet scream and shriek with full energy.
QUESTION what could be their aim if nothing can change & we have no choice, yet the CHOOSE 2 shriek telling us dont try.❔❔❔
I advise. PAUSE. Put down the books with ideas u already agree. Take break from the people with whom u always moan & whine. Do something different. Pause and assess. Quite basic.
Anyone surprised by starmer’s doings should ask why❔
How were they so easily hoodwinked by a “clueless” person, an “idiot”, “dont know what he’s doing”❓
What type of person craves repeated whining❔
❇️🟣⚙️❇️🟣⚙️❇️🟣⚙️
Clearly there will members, no names, who are too stupid, gullible and wrong thinking who aren’t fit to decide on The Leader.
charming 64 – That’s democracy for you, look how many of the working class voted against their own interest for the Tories.
It is an imperfect system but no one has come up with anything better yet.
This is game-changing.
The democratic labour party will not ask its members to elect its leader? Time to stop letting my ego persuade me to leave the party: Stay and fight, methinks. Rejoin and fight. This is war!
qwertboi – “The democratic labour party will not ask its members to elect its leader?”
To be clear I think that we should continue to use OMOV to elect the leadership but we can’t really claim that this is part of some great democratic tradition, Corbyn was the first to be elected using this method.
I don’t believe that even conference should have the authority to steal our votes. If they think that they have a case then they should have the courage to put their argument to the membership and then have courage to put it to an all members ballot. Anything less would be an affront to democracy.
I’m pleased to see that OMOV is endorsed by you.
It seems that the wrong Milliband (probably unintentionally) did at least one good, pro-democratic thing – despite the attocious covid-narrative level lie, that created the “Falkirk fiasco” and lead to OMOV for leadership elections.
qwertboi – CONTRARY to MSM HOGWASH, parroted by many if even “ironically”, the RIGHT Milliband LOST‼️‼️‼️
IRONY is OVERRATED
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Qwertboi If you haven’t already read the account of what happened after Falkirk in Alex Nunn’s The Candidate you should do so.It is a fascinating insight into the stupidity of the Right. They brought in OMOV in order to curb the power of the unions and such was their conceit and contempt for us that they never thought our votes would change anything.
Smartbut – “stupidity of the Right.” ❓❓❓
No way. U & your team Malcolm Coleman aka Allan Howard PRETEND White Flag AH shaggers, are DEFINITELY not stupid. You all stitched up my “Left” seniors + more experienced by DECADES, like kippers DESPERATE 2 b stitched up, they used everything they had to MAKE the thread then stitch themselves. Don’t use false modesty. U know u Right are GENIUSES and FEARLESS… except of the “Filthy Rich.”
U’ve won. U fooled ENOUGH people to cause this disaster. U all deserve your champaign & laughter. Hope u choke on both. STILL u work NON STOP + BOLDLY. No hiding.
We the “Left” have truth on our side, but i’m mystified why my sincere lot refuse 2 copy your BOLDNESS & FOCUSED hard work.
I live in hope
🦋🐝⚙️🦋🐝⚙️🦋🐝⚙️
This reminds me of Brecht’s poem, ‘The Solution’. To paraphrase and adapt to this context: ‘Would it not be simpler for the party leaders to dssolve the membership and elect another?’
…… “THIS IS WAR”
Comrade – The war has been going on for a long time.
The capitalist class have never stopped fighting it .
They call it the “Class War”.
I think the parody of Brecht’s poem is:
When there is disagreement between the Party and the People – – – Then we must replace the People.
Yes, better. So:
When there is disagreement between the Leadership and the Membership, then we must replace the Membersip’.
Going well so far for the Starmer-Evans leadership.
johnsco1. But in this case, IGNORE the people.
Yeah, that would be novel.
The unions are clearly all that stands betwen Labour’s mendacious wannabe tyrant getting his way on this and purging ‘socialism’ and socialist ideals from the Labour party.
Sharon Graham’s Unite election win now looks increasingly significant, for who can doubt that had Coyne won, this would’ve been a done deal – they perhaps prepared these documents in the full expectation of that?
Hope the unions can continue stand up for internal party democracy and ordinary members in the unions and LP, against this challenge from these RW impostors who are obsessed with denying the left a political voice.
Indeed so Andy. Will the trades union leadership mandate their members to throw Labour Party members under the bus? Historic moment indeed. The weight of history is on them. A vey clever move by the right who know if they win, the Labour movement that was is officially over. Members will become poodle members trotting behind and only consulted when the party want their money or their time for campaigning. What the unions should realise is that the Party will treat their membership with equal disdain. Is it, in the end, that the movement is only about professionals retaining their well paid jobs with all the rest being window dressing? It’s a big club…and YOU ain’t in it? Well not as far as having much say anyway.
Reading the biased guardian’s write up on this, and nowhere does Starmer say why this change is needed.
WE know why he and Evans want to do this. But he daren’t say it.
If someone is proposing a major reform, and they can’t(or daren’t) say what the problem is they’re trying to solve, then why do it at all?
We do know this will deeply upset members, both union and LP. Don’t they deserve a proper explanation?
Andy WOW – “Sharon Graham’s Unite election win NOW looks increasingly significant” … “NOW”???
Honesty is vital especially in the state we’re in. So thanks. SHARON GRAHAM struck within fifteen minutes as EXACTLY what we needed at least since 2015. I’m deeply surprised by PERFECTLY capable people being surprised by SIR starmer + only now REACTING 2 the SUPER SIGNIFICANT victory of Sharon Graham. Andy; VITAL 2 understand why so much genuine surprise + slow realisation of importance of such CRUCIAL matters.
ALSO always spot silencers of views. Ask WHY? Is whining productive? No. We have results to prove that. Have the silencers ever silenced whiners & hopelessness sprayers & POLICERS making sure we remain helpless? No. BASIC OBVIOUS FACTS warning signs? Yet how come unrecognised for fifty sixty years? Also unrecognised by those fixated on EXTERNAL conspiracies but blind to it right under their eyes. Wow & why?
WHY? an EXTREMELY useful question. HOW have successful people like Sharon Graham ACHIEVED success WITHOUT any of forces people r obsessed by❔Ditto Jeremy “coming from nowhere” and crushing TWO coups by INCREASED margins?
WHY after EVERY recent success eg by Jo Bird, Banard + Sharon Graham, a few in particular to date have REFUSED to EVER utter a single word of joy? Thats obviously odd. No?
WHY some who acknowledged those successes, IMMEDIATELY followed with a “BUT” a negative, a DOOM comment, without a POSITIVE preemptive strike against our CLEAR enemies❔ That’s not due 2 ill will. That’s culture / attitude. A defeatist culture. A defeatist attitude. That’s not odd.
At sports matches, people may scream do this! do that! Go go GO!!!
FULL of URGENCY & suggestions. WILD celebration when your side scores.
QUESTION – Who wants ‘supporters’ SHREIKING – DONT BOTHER‼️ No point‼️ You’ll never win‼️ X is not concentrating but don’t say; that’s not nice‼️ Blast! X missed an open goal. Don’t say; THATS ‼️ NOT ‼️NICE‼️‼️‼️ Who sees a ‘supporter’ like that and feels – YAAAAAY exactly what we need . . .
🤔❔🤔❔🤔❔
I deeply resent this proposed attempt to turn the clock back and put a huge amount of power in the hands of the PLP. They have shown themselves to be vicious and undemocratic, money grabbing ungrateful hypocrites who think they know better than the membership on whom they rely to get elected.
I suggest that every one of us email or otherwise contact our MPs and express our dismay at this proposal. This cannot be allowed to happen and it should be made clear to any MP who supports this proposal that there will be consequences in terms of campaigning canvassing and voting if they betray the members in this way.
Union members should also write to their General Secretaries and Presidents urging them to vote against this proposal. I know most of them will vote against it but unfortunately there are some we can’t rely on to support the members in this or any other matter.
Above all else if this proposal is accepted then those of us on the broad Left have been wasting our time and much shoe leather believing that the Labour Party was the vehicle to change society for the benefit of the many. Let me inform the Starmer/Evans duo, who seem joined at the hip, that changing this part of our rulebook will result in thousands upon thousands of members ripping up their membership cards and I will join them ripping up the 79 – repeat 79 cards – in my possession starting with the one when it cost six bob in old money to join the Labour Party. Let those in charge of Unson and the GMB with other trade unions wake up to what is at stake for if they do not then what they painfully created againgst all the odds in the last century will be no more.
Can someone try and put numbers on this, how do they get it through
Now back to what really talks – money
Looking at the accounts the unions are big contributers in an election, rich individuals contribute very little, the bread and butter money currently comes from members
Political capital is with the unions as they also sponsor a number of MP’s, Sharon Graham has put the PLP on notice and expects them to vote this down
Popcorn time
Which part of the last 42 years did you all miss, start with Gang of Four and finish with Temporary Embarrassment and his oily rag
Now tell me how we get rid of the fuckers once and for all, ITS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
Preciously! Part and parcel of the class war.
I am at a loss to understand why so many people are surprised by this proposal. People were warned what Starmer belonged to and what he stood for. And now sadly many of us have been proven right.
My last hope is the Unions do what they were set up to do, which is to stand up for the workers of this Country, because the Labour Party sure as hell aren’t going to.
baz2001- At least by putting their cards on the table like this, those on the left who’ve been holding onto hope, can now be under no illusion that Starmer is somehow their friend.
No longer do they have to pretend Starmer is secretly a socialist. The appointments, sackings and purges were clues enough already, but this move is the final straw.
Andy, I doubt there is a SINGLE person on the left who have been ‘holding on to hope’, as you put it, OR, pretending that Starmer is secretly a socialist. Can you give me even ONE example of anyone anywhere on the left who has been ‘pretending’ that Starmer is secretly on the left? Or under the illusion that Starmer is their friend! No? Thought not.
Why do you keep coming out with this complete and utter bunkum asinine nonsense?!! Are you attempting to portray and paint people on the left as dim and stupid to readers of skwawkbox!
Allan Howard – No, that’s not my intention at all. I wasn’t trying to insult anyone
I think some of those, hate the terminology, soft-left people who Starmer tricked into supporting him(10 Pledges) were looking for signs he may recommit.
You used to see it all the time, online, in the first 10 months of his leadership. People saying ‘Starmer just needs to do this’ , Starmer just needs to do that.’ My point was, even those soft-left progressives must now surely see Starmer for what he is. And that’s someone simply squarely aligned with the party’s RW. You ask for an example, John McDonnell MP, is firmly on the left, yet remained bizarrely optimistic he could somehow reconcile things between the SCG and membership and Starmer.
Where online Andy? And do you have a link to John McDonnell remaining optimistic etc? Thanks
In the first ten months of Starmer’s leadership you say……..
I see and approve the better things but I follow the worse (Ovid). Took a war for labour to get to power and Blair to win five wars over six years.. out-gunning the tories. Labour leadership’s sense of inadequacy ensures a bad outcome.
Skwawkbox, When you say “another lie bites the dust,” could you remind us of any trurhs he has uttered?
Yes.
He sent a letter of support to de piffle.
…And although it was meant to be secret, ’twas keef himself let the cat outta the bag.
The Labour elite (Right Wing Careerist Labour MPs) take the power for themselves and treat Labour members like children who should be seen canvassing and leafleting (for them) but not heard!
Will unions sell their & Labour members down the river?
Perhaps Labour members should go on strike?
Let them do their own leafleting, canvassing etc.
Make the Masters and Mistresses sweat!
I’m so glad I left 10 seconds after the Neo-Liberal lump of wood’s victory, some of us perhaps saw what was coming.
And the Lefties in Labour though against their wishes may end up with us forming a new Left Wing Democratic Socialist Party or List at the next GE.
Look on the bright side…
…At least keef wouldn’t be abstaining all the bleedin’ time. 😕
I know I’m going to regret asking & this is probably a very stupid question (please keep your comments polite), but who in the Labour Party votes for all these ‘Blairite’ MPs?
According to Labour List (21/9/21) Starmer is also considering ending motions to Annual Conference thus neutering the democratic decision making body of Labour.
He probably wants a Personality Fest like the US Democrats as per Blair.
He wants discussions (but probably not with voting) where they pick members brains but elite Right Wing Labour has the power.
Keir Stalin & Erdogan Evans – turning Labour into a Right Wing Labour MPs Fan Club?
Bazza – Are you sure that is what it actually says in the article you refer to. The articles that I have read indicate a reduction to the number of motions, not an end to motions Could you post a link so we can check.
This is what it said in an article that I read on LabourList.
It is understood that the leader would like to see a policy-making process that can “bring our movement around a table to thrash out our positions on the challenges facing the country”, as opposed to “an endless series of motions at party conference”.
Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, Labour increased the number of motions to be debated at conference to 20. LabourList understands that Starmer wants this number reduced – though discussions are ongoing about how big of a reduction is being sought.
https://labourlist.org/2021/09/starmer-seeks-changes-to-leadership-elections-mp-reselections-policy-making/