As rail and other workers fight for their jobs, pay and conditions, Labour ‘leader’ says ‘strike should not go ahead’
Keir Starmer expressly betrayed striking rail workers yesterday, during a speech in which he said that ‘the strike should not go ahead’ because it would inconvenience the public:
Workers are fighting for their jobs, pay and conditions against employers who exploit them. Strikes are supposed to cause inconvenience – it’s the whole point. And it’s up to the government and the management they impose on the workers to solve that issue rather than expecting exploited employees to bend over and take whatever they feel like doing to them.
After all, according to activist Ali Dogan, the seventy highest-paid managers at Network Rail earn plenty:
This is far from Starmer’s first such betrayal. During the pandemic, as teachers fought for safe conditions, he sided with the Tories and demanded schools reopen, no ifs or buts and betrayed them over masks in the classroom – and when asked whether he would back other unions fighting to prevent workers having to return to unsafe workplaces, he answered ‘We’d have to look at it’.
With rail, education, NHS and other staff all balloting for strike action, the country is moving toward a de facto general strike this summer. It’s about time – and the place of a Labour leader is backing them to the hilt to bring about change for the better at last. But Keir Starmer is no Labour leader.
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Yes, I think he’s got all Boris Johnson’s talking points covered.
For those who would like to put the above brief quote in context here is Keir’s speech.
https://youtu.be/TWFBtXxtvSw
There’s no context that could make anything he said acceptable positions for a Labour leader to take- if he’s not backing the strikers’ demands, he has no right to call himself Labour. And he isn’t backing their demands- he wants a “compromise” and there is no possible compromise on this.
kenchurch – Negotiations by their very nature are always a compromise
The man is a worse than a busted flush. To quote the arse himself;
…They want the country to grind to a halt so they can feed off the division. Instead of spending their time this week around the negotiating table, they are designing attack ads…
Wonder if anyone whispered in his ear about doing the same with Corbyn?
Starmer=DILLIGAF
Dare I say, he needs taking out??? Also about 180 of his right wing filthy mates…
It’s not just Starmer though, is it? A whole retinue of nefarious ‘enablers’ has assisted in this travesty. The drive is much further reaching!
High and deep. This is a very real point of the class war. Geopolitics are not looking good for the Zionists and capitalist enforcers. USA is a world wide laughing stock. We have seen their courageous cowboys hide in fear from a demented youth. No wonder that there are no boots on the ground in that nazi enclave close to Russia. This impending defeat will have psychological ramifications across the planet. The European powerhouse is digging up the Saar, take that Putin. Make all the deals with the Greens that you wish it’s going to be a long cold winter. 🥶 brrr.
To be fair, he must obey Party HQ, Tel Aviv.
As always Wirral nails it ✊
Surely nobody could be the least bit surprised at the position Starmer has taken.
He’s an irrelevance, and will surely be outed soon.
In the mean time Gustavo Petro has won the presidential election in Colombia.
Colombia, of all places, electing a democratic socialist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, ….. for “outed” please read “ousted”.
Six posts in (at time of me writing this), and it hasn’t piped up…😙🎶
Bit then again, keefs’ kept scgtim on the free school meals, too.
And Assange.
It also looks like the barristers are gonna be taking a vote for strike action pretty soon… What way will keef vote? 😙🎶
My bad… The bar council have already voted for strike action.
And what says keef? 😙🎶
Toffee theres no way you could drag sir keef from the Bar”.Partytime keefs cant believe is luck with the other freak from the public school system having been dragged into the mud for doing what keef does best partytime partying with no longer any comebacks..All them years of bailing out bent coppers is finaly paying off
**Schtum (bloody tiny phone keyboard 😒)
And apologies for the repeat post, the first one didn’t show on me return to the page.
I ask myself, is Starmer capable of any independent thought. It’s almost like he heard of the right wing medias opposition to the strikes and then decides instead of standing with the workers. He needs to prove to them he doesn’t agree with striking.
Meanwhile Streeting and Rayner were on the TUC March Saturday. I wonder what that’s all about🤔
BackofBeyond, They could be trying to make a good impression and garner support for the future from their fans?
It is the dream/nightmare ticket preparing for when Starmer is removed.
Nightmare. Weasley Wes with the mad stare? Can’t see it. My money’s on the Ginger Growler (thank you Mark Steyn/GB News)!
My educated guess is that Streeting is aiming for the leader’s position and knows he needs to get the TU’s support. However, he will do a Starmer once elected leader and he will refuse to support the TUs.
Angela Rayner has always been a Trade Unionist first. Hence, in her case she is marking a difference with Starmer. I have little doubt that if Angela wasn’t the Deputy Leader, she would not longer be in the cabinet, she isn’t right wing enough.
Reply to Maria V
Not right wing enough? She promised to the JLM and the LFI to expel thousands and thousands of “antisemites” from the party. Given that in Starmers Labour “antisemite” means socialist, free thinker or antiZionist I think we I can safely say that Rayner is no left winger. Also given that her “union” is/ was Unison she’s no Trade Unionist either.
Smartboy – Have you read the message that Jennie Formby sent to the PLP ahead of its weekly meeting at the begining of Feb19, when Labour MPs are set to discuss the handling of disciplinary cases by the party.
If not you can read the full text here
https://labourlist.org/2019/02/eliminate-the-evil-of-antisemitism-from-our-movement-that-is-my-mission-says-jennie-formby/
Reply to Steve H
And…?
Smartboy – ……and https://labourlist.org/2019/02/jennie-formby-provides-numbers-on-labour-antisemitism-cases/
Smartboy, I agree with you that Rayner isn’t left by any means of the imagination. However, she is a genuine trade unionist. Hence, in Starmer’s eyes no right wing enough.
Sometimes we make the mistake of equating Trade Union activism with socialism. David Davis is a Tory but still he is a trade unionist too. By far a greater ally to the Trade Unions than Starmer.
Reply to Steve H
Your response quoting Jennie Formby confirms that there aren’t and never were “thousands and thousands” of anti semites in the Labour party for Angela Rayner to expel.
However there were “thousands and thousands “of Socialists Free thinkers and Anti Zionists in Starmers Labour and many of them have been expelled for alleged “antisemitism” .
These were the people to whom Rayner promised the JLM and LFI ( on Palestine Solidarity day just to rub salt into the wound) to expel so I would reiterate my comments to Maria V – Angela Rayner is no Left Winger and as Unison was her union she is no trade unionist either.
The woman is a wealthy career politician who milks her working class origins and who wouldn’t know a principle if it jumped up and bit her.
Smartboy – I seem to recall that quite a few high profile socialists were thrown under the bus during JC’s tenure
Reply to Maria V
Solidarity, acting honestly and in good faith and defending the rights of members are the marks of a good Trade Unionist. Angela Rayner displays none of these attributes so I can’t agree with you that she is a genuine Trade Unionist.
Actually I don’t think she is a genuine anything – she says and does whatever is in her own best interests at time.
Talking of UNISON their conference has just thrown women under the bus:
https://twitter.com/LabWomenDec/status/1536824950975348740?s=20&t=HAieSKjc_ngFsmz1cONgFQ
Dave – Are you sure they’ve thrown women under a bus as you claim. It would be an unusual step for a Union where 75% of the membership and 66% of their governing body are women.
Smartboy, you make a good point; looking at Rayner’s Parliamentary voting record it looks very much like a self serving woman that knows very well how to look after her best interests.
Still you appear to equate Trade Unionism with socialism and although closely related they aren’t the same. Unison is /was a right wing leaning Trade Union but, still it defends is members terms and conditions of employment and calls on its members to strike in the defence of their jobs.
Moreover, I have seeing openly Tory voters joining a picket line and refuse to cross a picket line. They are a rarity but they still they are Trade Unionists.
Reply to Maria V
Although I am now retired I was an active Trade Unionist all my working life and I can honestly say that most of us held Unison in contempt. It was always regarded as an excuse for a Trade Union – look at the way they treated Paul Holmes and his Branch officers.
Angela Rayner is as you seems to agree a self serving person and that alone means she can never be a genuine Trade Unionist
Smartboy – “Why we walked out of UNISON Community Conference? because a man dismissed for bullying & harassing 14 women was chairing it “
https://www.johnslabourblog.org/2022/03/why-we-walked-out-of-unison-community.html
Well lets see how many women members UNISON manages to retain after this delegate vote.
Not to mention the potential legalities involved.
Particularly following the incident in Bristol on Sunday in which the police service and its personnel acted in a wholly unprofessional and partisan manner by effectively acting as a protection squad for a bunch of masked misogynistic thugs and cowards intimidating, abusing, verbally and physically threatening women going about their business,
Escorting these tossers through the streets to enable the continuation of their harassment and bullying and then allowing them to be kettled in a pub.
Not for the first time have the police in different parts of the country stood idly by whilst this kind of criminal behaviour is permitted to take place under their noses. allowing breaches of the peace and worse to take place with impunity whilst people meeting together are surrounded by a mob. Either in the street or at a venue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9byPevc8E4s&t=2s
It is not only UNISON but also the police service which has been institutionally and culturally captured by a Randian and Thatcherite cult ideology in this instance.
For anyone equally shocked at what occurred in Bristol last Sunday the Policing Minister is Kit Malthose MP. He needs to lobbied for not only an investigation into the policing in Britstol on Sunday but also a root and branch investigation into the cult capture of his police service
I can’t seem to get this site to accept a post which includes his email address. however, its easily found via the usual search engine routes.
Raynor’s got ambition, and needs some sort of appearance to back up her coming claims
Streeting was probably looking for a pet shop
…My bad, the barristers have voted to strike.
What says the muculent bequiffed one? 😙🎶
(Teachers, nurses, doctors soon…).
That sounds like a normal day in the office for him. It would actually shock me if he suddenly decided to come down on the side of working class.
<I]It would actually shock me if he suddenly decided to come down on the side of working class.
You mean you'd believe him?
No, of course not. He has proven more than enough times that his more suitable place is in the tory party.
Life long Labour voter but never again ever…
Oh that is good news about Colombia!
Need to concentrate on that – rather then
the bad – plus getting someone decent
in to replace Starmer.
I hope someone on the left with some
intelligence and political nous has a
plan ..
Do you have any suggestions?
My 🐕
And he’s in the bad books for eating horse shit and my plants
Doug – WTF are you blathering on about, or are you still working that one out?
Two Cheeks
Red Tories have given up on your man
Is this a Temporary Embarrassment or can your hero pull it out of the fire
Methinks not
Doug – Perhaps he’s too far to the left for them. 😏
Do you have any suggestions
You’ve been given plenty. 😒
Toffee – I can’t recall anyone credible. can you?
Perhaps I should have asked ‘Do you have any credible suggestions’.
Two Cheeks
Which part of ‘my mutts nuts’ would do a better job as Labour leader do you not get
Red Tory mafia living on borrowed time
How about you let JC run against TE, what you scared of
Doug – According to a poll of Labour members that was run during the 2020 leadership campaign Corbyn would have lost.
Two Cheeks
So what are you scared of
Doug – Oh dear you’ve resorted to making things up again. Who said anything about being scared, not me.
HFM – Dawn Butler was the least popular candidate in the 2020 Deputy Leadership Elections. What makes you think that she will be more popular with the electorate than she was with the Labour membership.
Two Cheeks
By you I mean Red Tories and your Scorched Earth policy
Doug – Big deal, do you feel more of a man now.
he’s in the bad books for eating horse shit and my plants
Pretty soon the toerags’ll be shooting the starving plebs for doing the same 😕
Fuck off and expire, you thoroughly boring knobhead.
(There’s yet another suggestion)
*Expects the usual shit comeback.
MEANWHILE….Another careerist labour barrister under investigation over financial interests.
Yes, it’s lammy. Quelle surprise
https://news.sky.com/story/labours-david-lammy-to-be-investigated-by-commons-watchdog-12637467
Toffee – I’ll take that as a NO then
You can find a more detailed report on Lammy here
https://labourlist.org/2022/06/lammy-under-investigation-over-alleged-breaches-of-code-of-conduct-for-mps/
Lad….
Seriously, you really are the epitome of soul-destroying torpor.
Leave those young goats alone ffs and interact with a real, live human…If they’ll stick around or stay awake long enough.
Toffee – and yet here you are again!
Of course, just like keef, it weren’t him
No. It was “administrative errors” in his office
And he’s ‘apologised’**. so that’s alright, then.
**Don’t remember if keefs’ apologised…havent seen or heard of one – but that’s an admission of guilt, innit? And as we know, shit don’t stick to keef (most likely because even shit has standards)
Toffee – “And he’s ‘apologised’**. so that’s alright, then. “
Like Corbyn
https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/pcfs/rectifications/jeremy-corbyn-mp-final-decision.pdf
Well you don’t get invited to the Bilderberg meeting for nothing!
“From the Wapping picket line to fighting the mine closures and supporting families affected by the P&O dispute, I’ve always been a proud trade unionist.
We must stand shoulder to shoulder with our trade unions and together, we can win. #HeartUnions #TeamKeir”
https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1226807839391408131?s=20&t=9QrG8LFPfO8oQcq9E3dgew
He’s always been a proud Unionist……Until he won the leadership, and then he decided he wasn’t a proud Trade Unionist.
No wonder nobody believes the lying bastard, apart from the resident Chief Turd Polisher on here.
SteveH – this is getting boring – every time
you ask you get plenty of suggestions for
Starmer’s replacement. None perfect but
who is?
Mine is Dawn Butler – who had the cojones
to call Johnson a liar. She has also had
experience – her first spell as MP was
between 2005- 2010 and she served in
Gordon Browns govt.
Thing is – it must be a woman ..
Holby
I disagree that the new leader must be a woman -last time the Left put up Rebecca Long Bailey who was not the best candidate and better male candidates stood aside in her favour because unlike the Tories and the Lib Dems we have never had a female leader.
Most members did not support Rebecca and as a result we ended up with Starmer. He would probably not have won against someone like, say, Ian Lavery and we would not be in the mess we are in today
In my opinion gender should never be a issue ( I disagree with all women shortlists too) in the selection of candidates- merit is the only thing that should count.
Smartboy – what you say would be true if there
were not plenty of women who would be up to
the job – though I would nominate Butler.
So far as the 2020 leadership contest went-
RLB and Nandy were nominated – I thought
RLB too young and inexperienced and
(in my foolishness) voted for Lisa Nandy.
At the time she was in Labour
Friends of Palestine and said she supported
the Palestinians right of return.
What I did NOT know was that she was
“playing both sides” see:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/zionist-labour-leadership-candidate-endorses-palestinian-right-of-return/
We live and learn ..
In contrast – this is what Butler said about the Board of Deputies:
“I haven’t signed the 10 pledges because I want the EHRC report to be implemented in the party. And then we sit down with the Board of Deputies, JLM, the other Jewish groups, and we have a discussion about where we go next. I don’t want to rush this. It’s too important to rush it and we have to get it right”.
Smartboy, I agree with you that the selection of candidates should be on merit. Unfortunately, as someone that was a Labour Party member for 30 years I have seen my fare share of men been selected as PPC and winning safe Labour seats that didn’t merit the position.
Hence, at least the present system afford women a chance. Right now we are about 50/50 in terms of numbers, I will argue that they are more men Labour MPs that didn’t merit their positions that women MPs.
Agree too that Ian Lavery would have been a much better choice that RLB, even Clive Lewis was a better choice. I cannot see Clive Lewis bending to the demands of the BoD the way Long Bailey did.
Maria – Unfortunately Clive Lewis made a tactical error and scuppered his chances of getting onto the ballot paper by strogly pitching to the PLP that he wanted to give more power to the membership.
The cause of unrest and people around the world demonstrating and striking is pure bloody greed by the wealthy who are unelected and rabid.They manufactured a virus scam and now a cost of living crisis facing people around the western world and those countries signed up to the new world order.ITs a test to see just how much and how far they can push modern slavery and unfortunately for most people especially in Britain and europe still believe in manufactured democracy for the “little people” who are expendable.I truly wish I was wrong but I have witnessed the manipulation of the money markets and food stocks,fuel and medicines and healthcare and its all down to a calculated attempt to return the working class of the western world to subservient behaviour were human beings are worthless.and little more than a commodity.I look at Ireland one of the wealthiest countrys in the world were having a roof over your head and feeding the kids is now a luxury not a essential requirement to live,and I despair that my kinsmen will leave it far too late to rise up and destroy the tyrant.
It’s embarrassing to think that our unionised passers of truth and knowledge bought into the mask scam. Fear of death from their little ones. Strike, strike but not till after the hols. Educators we salute your courage. Just out of interest, how many of your union members died from covid, given to them by their pupils? What was the percentage of school fatalities, no counting car crashes or falling pianos. No wonder that commentators get away with calling any rubbish out as being , LEFT.
Dore for 24.
Like Corbyn
😴 Another failed dig at Corbyn. An extremely thinly-veiled criticism of Corbyn… Because two of his corbyn-critical plotters are being investigated for something Corbyn himself was investigated for.
Not one, but two. Both barristers, and therefore really ought to put themselves above all suspicion, as well as be so familiar with the rules they can quote them off the cuff.
Instead, they choose to preach against the bloke at every opportunity.
And so do you. Except they haven’t even attempted to mention Corbyn for their own investigations. Imagine the nation drowning on their own piss if keef and lammy are hauled before the committee/panel and were to say ‘but Corbyn…’?
And yet here you are, doing just that. How fucking desperate. Talk about self-owning ffs.
So remember that, the next time keef or lammy (or even you) decide they want to lump more shite on Corbyn’s toes …Even though keefs’ been leader for well over two years, and Corbyn’s been all but expelled by the oleaginous shithouse for just as long.
Toffee – Thanks for drawing attention to my comment.
How’s Paul? Does he ever pop in to your Caribbean call centre and give you dance classes?
Lammy. Labour’s very own Sharpton.
Toffee some of the most interesting and complicated personalitys I have ever met have been Barristers or QCs.Unfortunately you have to be part of the system to be one and a nod and a wink and the right education goes a long way.amongst the Chosen profession.Some are absolutely amazing and dedicated to a just system and reprentation for all people.Most are wedded to the establishment and the old clubs.
Starmer is a wooden plank and one of the worst examples of a establishment based Barrister who couldn’t function outside the old boys network.Leader of the Labour party representing the working class is a absolute insult to ordinary people and those who spent their lives in the Struggle “.The sooner the labour party implode the better for all the working class.
Interesting, isn’t it? That neither keef, nor lammy (Nor any of the other liebour barristers) have uttered a word about the bar council voting for strike action…😗🎵
They’ll scab.
When are the unions going to stop pussyfooting with New New Labour and stop funding them?
Chris, stop asking questions like that. They can only truly represent the workers from the H of Ls.
I do wonder how many Labour Party Members really care about Socialism. I now accept that the Labour Party is a political prganisation whose ideologies are to the right of the Liberals as I listen to Streeting; Rayner; Cooper; Starmer & Lammy et al & wonder how any Socialist could accept the reationary BS pouring out of the mouths of their leaders? There will be no return for Jeremy as the door has been slammed shut & this is acceptable to those who remain Labour Party members.
Socialism will never be an acceptable political ideology to the powerful elite who have always ensured that it can never become mainstream & when it knocks on the door of No.10 action is taken. Even Harold Wilson’s Labour gov’t received threats from Mountbatten & it is no coincidence that Jeremy Corbyn & the Socialist threat has again been removed. Michael Foot encountered the same problem, but not Tony Blair. The applecart will never be upset.
Sell Out Starmer?
Call him Mr Neutral?
But the Labour Right being non ideological is the most ideological thing you can be – you passively accept the Neo-Liberal capitalist status quo.
Starmer brings shame on Right Wing Labour?
Support the RMT and Pop To A Picket Line if you can even if for a short while.
Solidarity With All Strikers!
This move to PR is a mistake, it makes it easier to buy off opposition
Show me a Democracy under PR that has a working majority
Not to say PR wouldn’t work once you have cleaned out the stables so any corruption is no longer viable
Doug, Spain and Portugal have a PR system and both countries have stable socialist governments.
In the case of Spain the PSOE managed to win outright majorities under PR more times than the right. It could be argued that the PSOE under the leadership of Gonzalez was very much New Labour, things were a bit better under Rodriguez Zapatero but the barons of the Party couldn’t wait to get ride of him.
Sanchez on his own accord would be a New Labour type too, his desire was for a coalition with Ciudadanos rather than Podemos but the membership of the PSOE stood up and Sanchez was forced to accept a coalition with Podemos instead.
The coalition government in Spain is stable and is delivering for the working class, it has managed to raise the minimum salary from 858€ per month on 2019 to 1050 by 2020 over a 20% increase.
Sorry it should read 1050€ per month.
“here is Keir’s speech”
No. It was a few clips from Starmer’s speech.
It had all the attributes of last month’s salad that had been left out in the sun.
I suppose that the bits that were cut out were even more uninspiring and boring.
All credit to the three or four who managed to stay awake and provide a smattering of applause occasionally.
It is undeniable that it is more informative than the very short 9 second clip that we were treated to in the article. Is there a reason you are objecting to me posting it. If there is an unedited film of the full speech available then I would encourage you to post the link.
Is there a reason you are objecting to me posting it.
I don’t see any mention of such an objection in the comment, merely an opinion as to its content.
You really need to get over your self-obsession, it’s not good for your mental health.
Hopefully your post will encourage a few others to watch it too
https://youtu.be/TWFBtXxtvSw
Yes, PW, you are correct.
I didn’t object to the link being posted.
In fact, I think it was a good idea.
It illustrated, once again, how vacuous the man is.
Wikipedia, maybe.
https://gettr.com/post/p1f1d015bc8
Some of you who read the earlier article on Paul Mason may find Jonathan Cook’s latest blog interesting
https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2022-06-21/journalists-lap-dogs-security-state/
Is that some roundabout way of tacitly endorsing this observation in the article?:
“He urges efforts to crack down not only on independent media and “rogue” academics but on left-wing political activism. He identifies as a particular threat Corbyn, who was earlier harmed through a series of disinformation campaigns, including entirely evidence-free claims that the Labour Party during his tenure became a hotbed of antisemitism.”
Dave – My comment is what it is, anything else that you choose to hang on it is entirely your own doing.