If freedom of the press is fundamental to democracy, Britain is not a democracy – Starmer’s war on journalism examined
This speech was given by Skwawkbox editor Steve Walker to the Liverpool Friends of Palestine anti-genocide march in Liverpool today.
Good afternoon everyone.
On the march here today, you chanted ‘Starmer, Starmer, pick a side’ – but he already has: he’s picked the side of occupation, racism, oppression and genocide. He’s picked the side of the oppressor against the oppressed, of the perpetrators of apartheid and genocide against the victims.
We live in a time in which the pretensions of western ‘liberal democracies’ have been well and truly exposed – or rather, in which they have well and truly exposed themselves as a hypocritical sham, designed to cover the voraciousness of imperialism and the racism that underpins it.
We face a time in which UK, US and other western politicians, with a straight face, will condemn the invasion of Ukraine and alleged Russian attacks on civilian areas – and in the same breath will tell us that Israel’s bombing of yet another hospital or refugee camp in Gaza, its seizure of yet more Palestinian homes in the West Bank, its invasion of Syria and its bombing of Yemen and Iraq are ‘Israel’s right to self-defence’ and claim it is acting only for ‘security’, while refusing to call genocide ‘genocide’.
A scene from today’s march.
And we live in a time in which Keir Starmer will tell us how important for democracy it is to protect journalists globally, yet say not a word – not a word – about Israel’s murder of at least 200 journalists in Gaza and not just the journalists but in many cases their families too.
This is by design, so much so that Israel nicknames its AI targeting system ‘Where’s daddy’, because it sends missiles to strike the homes of its victims just as the father returns home. Many Palestinian journalists now dare not return to their families because they know it puts them in danger and haven’t seen them for weeks or months.
They have been targeted under anti-terror laws for speaking out about Israel’s atrocities, so the state can arrest them at airports or raid their homes and invade their privacy and the confidentiality essential to journalism, while Starmer, Lammy and co have admitted they’re talking to proscribed terrorist groups in Syria – including ISIS and al Qaeda – and sending them tens of millions in financial support, as well as quietly admitting that the British air force bombed Syrian government troops to help them.
If freedom of the press is fundamental to democracy, the UK is not a democracy. And the illusion is maintained with the help of so-called mainstream journalists who will happily recite Israel’s lines but stay silent about the slaughter of their Palestinian colleagues and the state repression of real journalism here in the UK.
The people I mentioned above, and Skwawkbox too, are refusing to play that game. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people against genocide and oppression. We stand for international law and justice, and with your help and support we won’t stop.
Solidarity.
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Excellent speech Steve, So few journalists have your moral courage!
Thank you.
Great stuff Steve. Solidarity
Excellent speech. Skwawkbox’s coverage of Palestine since October 7th has been magnificent and I am very grateful for the coverage of my case.
Brilliant! Refreshingly straightforward and to the point!