Right-wing’s disproportionate targeting of Jewish left-wingers continues
The Starmer regime has expelled yet another Jewish member – and another former elected officer. Stephen Marks, a left-wing member of Labour’s National Constitutional Committee until he was suspended by the right – a standard factional tactic to ‘nobble’ officials elected by members – has been kicked out of the party for signing petitions.
According to Jewish Voice for Labour, Marks was expelled for signing petitions calling for the end of the use of antisemitism as a smear – a phenomenon already recognised, no doubt to Keir Starmer’s unending frustration, by the QC-led Forde Inquiry he reluctantly commissioned. Labour did not even bother responding to Marks’s challenge to the party’s pretext for suspending him.
According to Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL), Marks:
wrote to the Party challenging the grounds for his suspension, but never received a response to that or subsequent attempts at communication.
Until last week, 19th December 2022, when he received a notice of summary expulsion.
Bindmans has written a letter on his behalf to the EHRC which is monitoring Labour’s implementation of its Action Plan against Antisemitism challenging the entire procedure.
They point out that
- all actions pre-dated Stephen’s election to the NCC
- he was one of a large number of signatories to these public documents and that other signatories have not been investigated by the Labour Party
- the charge of undermining the Labour Party’s campaign against racism, which in view of Stephen’s strong anti-racist actions and beliefs, is in fact an example of the Labour Party conflating legitimate criticisms of the Israeli government (expression of which is protected by Article 10 EHRC) with antisemitism.
It goes on to cite words written by Stephen in response to the charges:
“There is a principle of natural justice here, the right to speak up for others subject to accusations which is relevant to all three petitions. I have confirmed with other NCC colleagues that a signature on a statement or petition would not normally be accepted as evidence in a disciplinary case, being merely an expression of legitimate opinion, unless the petition itself contained racist or sexist expressions. Also it is illegitimate not to show ALL signatories as this representation singles me out.”
You can read the full letter here.
Marks is at least the third Jewish member – and the second elected by members at a national level – expelled by Labour in just the last couple of weeks, during the Jewish festival of Hannukah, preceded by National Executive member Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi and Heather Mendick on similarly trumped-up ‘charges’.
Wimborne-Idrissi wrote of Marks’s expulsion:
There is clearly ‘no room in the inn Keir Starmer’s party’ for ‘the wrong type of Jew’ as the deeply-racist right-wing regime continues to reveal its real nature.
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Is this the Stephen Marks I knew many years ago in West Hampstead?
If the vile behaviour of the Starmer leadership isn’t a basis for another EHRC inquiry led by Martin Forde QC, what is? Have Jews ever been treated more horribly than by Starmer’s Labour?
As al Jazeera say in The Labour Files, Starmer presides over a ” lawless Party “.
Can we just have names rather then their fucking religious status please??? I am sick to death of the special status these people think they deserve…
Left-wing Jews are being disproportionately expelled from the LP precisely because they ARE left-wing Jews Andrew! And Skwawkbox has posted more than a few articles about it during the past year or so, which you have undoubtedly seen!
Oh, right, but perhaps you don’t understand the word ‘disproportionately’, eh?
ffs stop being so disingenuous.
Oh dear. Up bright and early and full of Xmas spirit! Your comment makes no sense. I don’t think he would dispute that left wing Jews are being targeted precisely because they’re left wing Jews. What did he say to make you think he’d dispute that? You’re starting an argument with an empty room again.
Back on your meds with you! Happy Xmas, all.
I think that a number of the JVL are special because they are superb street fighters and take the fascists head on. Anyway they were more or less forced to take on the JVL badge to differentiate themselves from Berger, Hodge and the AS grifters. BTW I am against sections but this was an extraordinary issue and they needed to organise in such a way because of the very personal attacks. Who would do it for them. Great class fighters, not special or better than any one else but indefatigable and resolute. The JVL would stand with you against the weird shit rulers who hate socialists.
Why does it make no sense timfrom? Could you elaborate? So when Andrew said ‘Can we just have names rather then their fucking religious status please???’, what do YOU think he was referring to, if not the above article?
And it’s amazing how on numerous occasions when I’ve pulled up a poster about something they’ve said, that THEY don’t post a response, but the likes of ‘timfrom’ does, and it’s ALWAYS personal abuse, and in timfrom’s case, he ALWAYS brings up the line about meds, which is EXACTLY what Nazi scum would do, and DOES! And timfrom isn’t the only poster who resorts to such malignant and malevolent tactics.
So, Andrew, if that ISN’T what you meant, could you explain what you DID mean (and perhaps the two people (at the time of typing) who have given you a like, could explain what THEY thought you meant).
Don’t hold your breath folks!
You wield the word Nazi like Rik Mayall in The Young Ones! Thanks for the laugh and merry Xmas to you, too.
Is that really the best you could come up with timfrom! I use the word Nazi because that is what you ARE, and no authentic left-winger would ever use such malevolent tactics to try and discredit someone and, as such, try to undermine what they said, in THIS case, my legitimate criticism of what Andrew said.
Just as I regard each and every so-called journalist (and their editors) who have spent the past seven years smearing Jeremy Corbyn (and the left-wing membership) and deceiving and duping millions of people, and subverting democracy by doing so as Nazis.
Afterthought: So what Andrew appears to be saying is that left-wing Jews who have been expelled by Starmer’s Stasi Party think that THEY deserve special status. Talk about twisted thinking!
Anyway, can anyone at all tell me what Andrew was referring to if he wasn’t referring to the above article AND, as such, criticising Steve Walker (who I assume wrote the article) for stipulating that Stephen Marks is Jewish (and doing so in the context of left-wing Jewish LP members being disproportionately targeted).
Twisting reality that is! Anyway, I just did a search (on duckducko) re >Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi expelledHeather Mendick expelled< and Bingo!, some of the MSM DID cover it – ie the Mail, The Telegraph and The Times. But you see they all 'linked' her to Jeremy! Here are their respective headlines:
Labour expels Corbyn-appointed Jewish-liaison official who was brought in to improve party’s strained relationship with the community
Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘Jewish liaison officer’ expelled by Labour in anti-Semitism row
Labour expels Jeremy Corbyn’s Jewish-liaison officer
Anyway, I also came across the following letter published by/in the Guardian from February, 2019, which I expect many readers of skwawkbox (who I'm pretty certain covered it) will remember, but quite possibly didn't pick up on the fact that Stephen Marks put his name to it (unless you were familiar with him, that is):
Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour is a crucial ally in the fight against antisemitism
Over 200 Jewish members and supporters of the Labour party sign a letter urging that anyone seeking an end to bigotry and racism should back Labour and Corbyn
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/20/jeremy-corbyn-labour-party-crucial-ally-in-fight-against-antisemitism
That’s astonishing! I just read through the comment I posted a bit earlier, and it’s completely different to what I posted! Part of it is missing, and whereas I dealt with my searches re Naomi and Heather separately – ie in separate paragraphs – it’s got the search re Naomi, and the search re Heather in the same sentence, thus making my post look completely jumbled and incoherent. Now isn’t that such a strange coincidence given what timfrom said earlier AND my response to what he said about meds. When I completed it and finished typing it out, I read through it (as I always do before posting a comment) and it was exactly as I’d typed it out.
Anyway, what I initially said is that I did a search re Naomi being expelled to see if any of the MSM covered it, and looked through at least fifty of the results, and there was absolutely nothing, and I then went on to say that I then did a search re Heather being expelled, and that some of the MSM *did* cover it, and posted the headlines of the three that came up in the list of results, pointing out that they linked Jeremy to her (or HER to Jeremy).
And no doubt THAT is the only reason why they covered Heather’s expulsion of course (plus they obviously don’t want to make their readers aware that left-wing Jewish LP members are being expelled in droves).
…”these people”…seriously?! You do know being Jewish is predominately a cultural identity? Half of so called ‘mainstream’ Jews don’t even attend temple. My understanding is for some religious and cultural identity are integral to Jewish identity, I’m thinking of the minority of orthodox jews.
Who are you calling “these people”?
Merry Xmas and may you all drop a Warm Yule Log on the seat of every single useless right wing backstabbing Labour MP… Steve (H) is still a fucking Asshole!!!
When Are the Good People on the Left not centre Left or right Left a Socialist Labour Party IS OF THE LEFT and the time has long past for The Left Politicians stopped worrying about their salaries GREW A PAIR and attacked the Starmer Nazi Party with everything we’ve got GERRINTAETHUM Scots for Get into them No Right Wing No Centre Right and No Fucking Centre Left Take the Party Back fight for the Workers the NHS and Nationalise all Private Sector Companies FIGHT FOR THE POOR AND WORKING CLASS ELDERLY THE STUDENTS HOMELESS AND DISABLED AND WE WILL FIGHT WITH YOU.
And what do you think they would achieve by attacking Starmer and Co? And what medium, or mediums, would they use to do so?
They would achieve absolutely nothing of course! And YOU know it. But you fucking shills posing as left-wingers on here never miss an opportunity to try and discredit socialist MPs. AND deceive readers!
PS For readers who are relatively new to this site, please bear in mind that Skwawkbox is monitored 24/7 by paid establishment shills who have a MAIN persona (they mainly use) and numerous SECONDARY personas (which they occasionally use) which they use on here to post derogatory comments about the left, including Jeremy Corbyn, and have literally posted thousands and thousands of comments to that effect during the past five years or so.
Here’s a link to the Socialist Campaign Group’s twitter page:
https://twitter.com/socialistcam
Alan, seasons greetings from wobbly and Julie. I see nothing wrong in attacking Headroom and his henchpeople. Writing to local newspapers ( pen and paper ) outlining the abysmal non actions of constituency mps is a proper way to do it. Councillors abysmal voting patterns should be revealed. They shouldn’t be allowed to get any free passes. They are living life large but it shouldn’t be without criticism. I always refer to their platforms when seeking our votes and then expose how their votes do the opposite. Perhaps if I stopped using my old Parker and emailed, more of my letters would be printed?
non actions of constituency mps in relation to what exactly Wobbly?
THAT said, in my experience of local papers, including the Hendon and Finchley Times and a number of others, their Letters pages practically ALWAYS have letters criticising the PM or the leader of the opposition etc. But what has THAT got to do with peej saying what he/she said about left-wing politicians growing a pair, as if to say that it would make a difference regards Starmer and Co targeting left-wing Jewish LP members if they did. Of course it wouldn’t, and the most likely outcome is that THEY would be accused of undermining the Party’s endeavor to eradicate A/S from the LP..
And, I HAVE to point out, that yet AGAIN someone else has responded to my post, but NOT the person it was addressed to. EVEN to deny that they are a secondary persona of one of the shills!
In its current form, Labour has nothing in common with socialism. I see Labour is seeking support from ‘other quarters’ these days. It is also looking to peddle some rather sinister views that it seemingly shares with some very questionable people … do the names Bankman-Fried or Elon Musk ring a bell?
“What is Labour for the Long Term, the mysterious group funding Labour MPs? Wes Streeting is among Labour frontbenchers backed by a new group with links to so-called ‘Effective Altruism’”
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/labour-long-term-effective-altruism-wes-streeting/
Reply to Allan Howard, do you expect me to name names of constituency mps that have let individuals down, advised them very badly and broken promises to people in desperate straits. Yet there they are on the box preening and when necessary wiping dry eyes for effect. If they are made aware that ordinary voters are becoming less sheepish they might rediscover some idealism.
I receive reports from various council votes and it is not unusual for unusual results to occur. We, our residents association., not funded by the housing nabobs, are very aware of the duplicity of local governments and believe that they should be always called to account. When they wave blue and yellow flags to hide the bailiffs we are within our rights to turn their Chesterfields into racks. We don’t need to be labour to do that. It’s embryonic and it’s resistance, no matter how small.
Are you suggesting that I am a shill? For whom, which group of vultures have I ever cheered on. I have always been impressed by the JVL and many posters and have said so. There are good socialists in and out of your party. Few are in the house. It’s a career.
I should think so. He slings that accusation at pretty well everyone on here sooner or later!
Theres only eight comments on this section so far but lets all realise that we are on the best team….left wing and proud of it.No good turning on each other and I will try to remember this when my frustration and anger boil over.We are batting in the only team worth supporting…..left wing and socialism.and I am truly sorry for any of my transgressions except to the neo liberal nightmare conservative and unionist party and the second rate tribute act.Merry Christmas and a happy New year.
Says the guy who has posted dozens and dozens and dozens of comments smearing and fraudulently discrediting Jeremy Corbyn, and ditto left-wing MPs. And timfrom – which is undoubtedly a secondary persona of one of the main shills – along with Jokeefe, are ALWAYS very quick to jump in and defend anyone smearing the left, and have done so on numerous occasions. And do so by attacking the person exposing the falsehoods – and the im-poster disseminating them – for what they are.
Signpost dissembled falsehoods about the left on a daily basis in practically every thread, but Joe was always there to defend him whenever I called him out for his lies and falsehoods and smears of everything left-wing. The PTB know that their propaganda machine, the MSM, has no impact on the Left, and that we see it for what it is, so the only way to manipulate the left is by having their shills infiltrate blogs such as skwawkbox and JVL etc, and platforms such as twitter and facebook, to dissemble and endlessly repeat their falsehoods, concocted and designed to discredit the left every-which-way they can think of.
Oof, that hurts! Secondary persona, am I? Undoubtedly? On what basis? You needn’t bother replying. Whatever makes most sense in your world, ol’ chap.
I should add that the shills are much more circumspect on JVL, for example, and for the obvious reason that comments are moderated AND, that JVL would soon pick up on the fact that something is being repeated over and over again.
And what I meant to say in my post above is that the shills on here pose as left-wingers (apart from SteveH, who stopped posing as a JC supporting left-winger as of Jeremy standing down), and for the obvious reason, the idea behind it being that if they are left-wingers, then their ‘criticisms’ of Jeremy and left-wing MPs and the left in general must be legitimate -.ie that unsuspecting readers will believe they are legitimate criticisms.
Seasons greetings to you and yours, Joe. From wobbly and Julie.
Wobbly all the best to you and yours and a hope that we will survive the worlds warmongers in the coming New year.Xmass here is not a big day…..but the Khmer will celebrate the western Christian new year and the Chinese and Khmer new year.I wish you all on here the very best New year whatever that means comrades.
We have a corporate media (Europe wide) that equates unquestioning, uncritical support for what have been, certainly for the last 25 years, very hardline, uncompromising, right-wing Israeli govts, with being pro-Jewish.
Of course, that’s an oversimplified travesty, as the situation isn’t that black and white, Israel : good, Palestinians: bad, is totally unfair. But to right-wing political parties (Tory and now Lab and LD), politicians TV and newspapers in the UK, IT IS that simple. That is the test : Is this person an uncritical supporter of Israel? Labour seems to be operating as if obsessed with that test too.
The ‘No criticism of Israel allowed’ Party would be a more apt name.
That’s no exaggeration either, just where can meaningful respectful policy debate be had about any areas of foreign policy under Starmer? Starmer is a totalitarian dictator wannabe, whose worldview is pure Neocon. The members and unions are complete fools thinking somehow it’d be better in power, it’d 1000x worse, with Starmer holed up in 10 Downing Street ,only answerable to the corporate elite donors they’d be chasing to retain power for the sake of power.
https://www.lfi.org.uk/publications/gaza-reconstruction-revitalisation-and-reality/
Where is disabled grandad? Anyone?
Does anybody believe that the EHRC is in any way independent?
And when the party doesn’t get a majority at the next Election Starmer will have to go. Pity it can’t be earlier. (Or can it?).
Paul – The polls are consistently indicating that Labour will win the next GE with a substantial majority.😊
Mid-term polls – pfft! A lot can happen in 2 years, but the smug smile emoji suits you to a tee.
timfrom – You’re right, 2yrs is a very long time in politics. Anything is possible, one never knows ‘the left’ might actually get their act together and be able to offer a credible alternative to the electorate. 🤔