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Starmer silent on Assange – but Corbyn speaking to Council of Europe this afternoon. Here’s how to watch from 2.30pm

So-called ‘human rights lawyer’ has said nothing to defend persecuted journalist set to be extradited despite collapse of US case – but former Labour leader who has campaigned for Assange’s release is speaking to European body today

Despite his supposed credentials as a former human rights lawyer – frequently regurgitated by his supporters as they attempt to justify his collusion in assaults on human rights in this country – Labour leader Keir Starmer has been invisible and silent on the UK’s plan to extradite Julian Assange to the US, a country that reportedly tried to assassinate him in exile.

The US wants to jail Assange for several lifetimes for the ‘crime’ of exposing its war crimes and the UK courts and the Tory government have colluded with the Americans’ extradition request, despite the collapse of the US case when it’s main witness against Assange admitted he had lied. Despite the obvious sick farce of the situation and the obvious attack on journalistic freedom and the democratic rights of the public to know what governments get up to, neither Starmer nor his front bench defended Assange or even questioned the process. Starmer’s critics point out that as Director of Public Prosecutions he was eager to extradite autistic hacker Gary McKinnon to the US and mortified when then-Home Secretary Theresa May vetoed the extradition after Starmer had promised his US contacts to deliver McKinnon to them. The UK media have been equally silent on the wrongs and consequences of the Assange extradition and Priti Patel’s eagerness to hand him over.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, by contrast, has been both vocal and highly visible in defending Assange and condemning the extradition, both in person at Belmarsh prison where Assange is being held and at the courts – and on Corbyn’s social media. And this afternoon, during a debate on the at the Council of Europe on refugees and the media, Corbyn will raise the issue of Assange and the war governments are waging on him.

The debate begins at 2.30pm, though there is no set schedule for when Corbyn will speak. Watch live on the Council website here. Skwawkbox will publish video of Corbyn’s contribution after the debate ends.

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20 comments

  1. Jeremy Corbyn is respected and admired by socialists throughout the world most of whom are aware of the hatchet job done on him by the British establishment, the PLP. Southside, Zionists and Islamaphobes, the MSM and the state sponsored BBC. That is why he has been given the opportunity to address the Council of Europe.

  2. We see another courageous and principled stand by Corbyn.
    We see a further weazely, cowardly performance from Starm-Trooper.
    Human-rights lawyer ……. My arse !!
    The Trilateral Commission has clearly pronounced.
    Starmer meekly obeys.
    The greatest attack on free investigative journalism in my life is happening in front of our eyes in our own country.
    As always – Starmer stands on the wrong side of history.
    Always with the oppressor.
    Never with the oppressed.

    1. Prosecutor/Executioner of Human Rights more like. With ~180 more TORY rats like him in that parasite infestation, The Neo-Labour Party, there will be no TORY respite of another 43 Years+ for The PEOPLE! Vulgar Creatures, the Thather/Reaganite Neoliberals!
      There is one simple and practical step, which many of us already, inadvertantly, by circumstace do, that is to cut their lifeline: *Money*. Only own or buy what you absolutely need, no desires, no wants, no upgrades, etc they will soon come crawling.
      Another is a Complete Boycott of Absolutely ALL MSM and MSSM.

  3. Theres an awful amount of blood and lost lives on the hands of Sir Keir Starmer….God willing he will pay for it one day!…ITs left to a kind and decent independent MP to argue for the life of julian Assange..!

  4. Some excellent speeches in that debate – and yes a very
    informative one from Kenny MacAskill..

    I was too late to catch Corbyns speech but am hoping to
    catch up on it when the recording becomes available

  5. Has anyone been following the R4 series (1.45pm)
    about J Edgar Hoover? It is about a break-in at
    an FBI Agency Office in 1971 which exposed
    criminality in that organisation associated with
    the persecution of those seeking to improve
    Human Rights. The burglars raided the office
    and took away documents as evidence.

    The series presents the back story of Hoover’s
    role as the Director of the FBI and what happened
    after the burglary when the press printed the
    contents of these documents.

    In this case the identity of the burglars remained
    unknown and of course there was no CCTV in
    those days operating when some of them went
    on preliminary reccés to case-out the office -or
    indeed entered the building when they broke in.

      1. The plot thickens to stodge in your Sun in Lamb’s Clothing!
        https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/oct/24/jimmy-savile-dpp-2009-evidence

        *Full Fact* reached out to Labour and the CPS to see if they could give any further information about the case and if Mr Starmer had any involvement beyond his role as head of the CPS.

        A spokesperson for the CPS said that, “in line with the established data retention policy”, *none of the records for the decision not to charge Savile in 2009 were kept.*

        He has got a knack at dissapearing extremely imprtant evidence “in line with the established data retention policy” of course, he did the same with Julian Assange and the spycops, but I bet you that “in line with the established data retention policy” wouldn’t apply to any of his ‘low profile’ 10 years cases, allthose would be freely available without redaction,

      2. baz200123/06/2022 AT 8:19 PM
        The Toffee,

        But ‘failed’ to prosecute paedophiles…..

        And TWO toerags. Despite having the evidence threshold to ensure conviction in both cases

        Both toerags went on to have cabinet posts. One was even deputy PM. The other one is currently the SoS for transport (And keef won’t even let his own MPs join picket lines to make life uncomfortable for shafts).

        Even the plod said that shafts actions ‘may have constituted fraud’.

        But keef had his mind on his leaving do.

        Although keef likes to claim that HE prosecuted Chris Huhne (But savile was nowt to do with him, apparently 😗🎵🤦‍♀️🤦‍♂️)

  6. nellyskelly…..We can find no evidence your Honor. No case to answer for……. innocent

    1. Exactly Baz, accountability only applies to The PEOPLE, not Politicians, The Law, Police, Military, etc, who incidentally are all civil servants employed by The PEOPLE to work FOR The PEOPLE!
      Time for The PEOPLE to take back control, I think!

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