Labour politicians and members will gather tonight at 5pm in Parliament Square to protest against racism in the party and Keir Starmer’s apparent lack of interest in taking action against the rampant racism of the Labour right that was confirmed by the Forde Inquiry, which Starmer himself commissioned.
375 Labour members including MPs and other elected politicians, have signed an open letter by Diane Abbott and local member Lucie Scott, condemning Starmer’s and the party’s silence and inaction on the Forde Report and the disrespect they indicate for the abuse and violation experienced by black party members, as typified by the appalling treatment of Ms Abbott – and demanding:
- action against perpetrators
- a public apology and acknowledgement from Starmer himself
- action to correct the party’s disproportionate targeting of black and ethnic minority members
- a breakdown of the last five years’ suspensions and expulsions by ethnic background
- a proper response to and action on the submissions by black and minority groups to the Forde Inquiry
- an audit of the party’s ethnic make-up
- a system to monitor the experience of ethnic minorities in the party
- a proper voice for black and minority groups in the party
And it warns Starmer that:
We have demands now and expect to be heard. Our democratic rights through these new structures are being denied. This is unacceptable and all things considered is racial discrimination.
The Forde Report highlights multiple instances of racism by right-wing Labour figures, as well as extensive abuse toward other groups and gross abuses of democracy and proper process. It describes comments by senior staff about Diane Abbott as:
expressions of visceral disgust, drawing (consciously or otherwise) on racist tropes.
The lack of response to the racism exposed in the Forde Report continues an expression of contempt for minority members on the part of the Starmer regime – one that even saw Starmer create an all-white ‘equalities panel’ that actively excluded the party’s most senior ‘BAME’ employee.
Councillor Valerie Bossman-Quarshie told eachother.org.uk:
We need our party to understand what we’re going through. We walk in the room and we feel alienated or feel like you’re the only one at the table…
I try to make the place a better space for all of us. But not if I’m going to be marginalised. Not if my voice isn’t going to matter. Not if I’m going to be made invisible.
Black MP Kate Osamor told the group:
Martin Forde QC received an avalanche of testimony from Black members who painfully recounted the racism and discrimination they continue to experience in the party. So far, their testimony has been ignored by the Labour leadership.
When the Forde report was commissioned, it was clear that some hoped it would be a damning indictment of the previous leadership. But what we got was a forensic account of current systemic issues of racism that exist within the party.
Those conclusions cannot be ignored just because they are politically inconvenient for some. As the public face of the party, Sir Keir has a responsibility to respond now and lay out a way forward.
A Labour spokesperson said the usual thing about taking all forms of racism seriously. Try telling that to the Labour Muslim Network, Gypsy Roma people, left-wing Jews and, clearly, the party’s black members, who have all seen figures who abused them protected, publicly welcomed back or even promoted. The party’s own website makes clear that it operates a hierarchy of racism.
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Starmer / Evans party is Islamophobic, Anti Semitic, Anti Socialist, and BLOODY RACIST
I’m not sure who is nr2 Evans or thr illusive Mattinson, she’s been at the centre of the destruction of the UK Labour Party (RIP 13 DEC’19) since before Blair, now she is Director Of Strategies for BlueKeef’s Office (working for FREE, she says🙄!) So far she has successfully turned The Neo-Labour Party into an anti-Socialist, anti-“UNDESRVING POOR”, Racist, Middle-Class & Up TORY Party. Thatcher Reagan’s flavour of Globalist Neoliberal One Party State, at it’s finest, this is what Tony Benn after one of their meets: https://ibb.co/2tK3Lhg
The full citation is also a thing and a bit.
Someone, anyone please give me a reason why black, minority, women-as if 50%of the planets population is considered a minority, Socialists or anybody with a smidgeon of decency, should be in the Labour Party? What is this demo going to achieve? Just be honest with yourselves. We are a burden to them not an asset. Its the same everywhere, in every Party, union. That is why the answer is Revolution. A complete upheaval of the prevailing system which is not reformist but completely reactionary, elitist and war hungry.
Streeting and phillips should have been kicked out of the LP long ago for the abuse they gave to Diane Abbot but as ignored
Approx 13% of the population is BAME – that is around 7 million people. Even if half of them are too young to vote BAME people still have 3.5 million votes.
Thats an awful lot of votes for Starmer Labour to throw away.
But keef’ll always have david lammy….Until there’s a new leader; which WON’T be david lammy.
Who the hell decides who is BAME? Would I need some sort of proof if I am not obviously BAME? Would I need a fucking pass? Are there levels of BAME,a hierarchy? Lawyers, police people, teachers. Who would be in charge of deciding these delicate positions. Would this powerful position involve a pension and other benefits. I suppose someone, I have no idea whom, choose a dame, a Knight, an actress, athlete. What happens to those who don’t make the cut? Can they appeal to “community leaders”? I am attacking this from the left, do not confuse my stance with Boyo, the shithouse brawler. I know exactly what I am, a Scots/Matabele. I stand with the workers f the world. No need for a bureaucrat to tell me what I should or should not be. On the other hand, haven’t some of them done well?
Reply to wobbly
You are not a racist and that is why you feel as you do. Unfortunately ( and I say that sincerely)not everyone is like you and the fact is many organisation such as political parties the police, various professions, the armed forces are institutionally racist.
BAME people come from different walks in life but they have one thing in common – they have suffered discrimination and racial abuse at sometime in their lives -in the work place, in housing, shops, public transport, just walking down the street etc -. and it is this common experience which has resulted in the current protests which are intended to highlight the issues and bring about much needed change.
The great Jamaican fast bowler Michael Holding expresses the situation of racism in this country with heartfelt passion in a moving clip from 2020:
Keef’ll deal with it.
…In a moment
Sorry to jump in Toffee. Mikey Holding, everything with grace and elan. Silent approach then an effortless release at 100 mph. That’s a good allegory of how we will win our war. A great man.
I do hope that this is going to be taken seriously! What BAME Labour MPs and Members must feeling, the most horrific thing is that a lot of the racist abuse came from those who screeched ‘Antisemitism’ the loudest for 4y3m 24/7! And then for BAME Labour to watch them get preferential treatment, no actually, exclusive treatment must be utterly heartbreaking, The Party that stood Square in the face of Racism and Fascism is now more Racist and Fascist than the EDL and Britain First!
This surely MUST break the back of the Demonic Neo-Labour Party TORIES!
Please watch this 👇 from not the Marr Show it is an eye opening, heartbreaking recollection of real events within that Party!
https://youtu.be/hj3Pyq_jOGA
Please also look out for the open letter and sign, 👆 member or not.
I think we should call on the resident expert on bame & matters keef.
So, wee stevie… You appear rather reticent to provide us will the benefit of your perspicacity on this issue…Any particular reason?? 😙🎶
Aw come on, wee gobshite…
There’s (black) people making out that keef has a problem with bame members…And you KNOW that’s unjustified.
So, where’s the fanatical defence of the box-headed slimeball?
😙🎶
Keef always turns Nelson’s eye to racism on the right, always will.
See me, see my colour is racist.
Tom Watson melodramatically warned on Sunday morning TV Labour could “disappear into a vortex of eternal shame” and render itself unfit to lead if it does not tackle what turned out to be just 0.06% of all members(based on 580,000 members) accused and kicked out over antisemitism.
Let’s guess, not a peep out of Watson about this snub from his co-conspirator Starmer, ignoring the outrageous behaviour by staffers against black MPs?
A hierarchy of racism indeed.