My general advice for English voters has been to vote for the candidate most likely to beat the Tory. In Birmingham Yardley it is not easy to be certain whether that is the Labour or Lib Dem, but there are a raft of other reasons to vote for John Hemming over Jess Phillips.
Firstly, in an extremely strong field, Jess Phillips has struck me as perhaps the most objectionable person in parliament. She has attempted to build a career out of a combination of extreme egotism, constant claims of victimhood, and being the most reliable source for the media of the most extremely phrased attacks on Jeremy Corbyn, her own party leader. Phillips is the vacuity of modern politics exposed, a politician for the Instagram generation.
I quite understand that Jeremy Corbyn wishes the largest possible Labour vote, to show that radical politics are not as electorally unpopular as the media claims. But I suspect the loss of Jess Phillips’ seat is something to which he could secretly reconcile himself.
I have a lot of time for John Hemming, the LibDem MP defeated by Phillips in 2015. Formerly one of the few genuinely free spirits in parliament, Hemming is a strong supporter of Palestine. In October 2014 he voted in parliament to recognise a Palestinian state. He was one of 17 MPs – together with Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Diane Abbott and Caroline Lucas – who signed a letter calling for an arms embargo on Israel. He has chaired meetings for Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine on IDF atrocities and Palestinian human rights. Jess Phillips, by contrast, is a militant supporter of Israel.
John Hemming has also appeared alongside Respect at anti-EDL meetings. He is a doughty campaigner against the ultra-wealthy’s use of libel laws and super-injunctions. He has also continued a long campaign to help those suffering from the abuses of secrecy in family courts.
I should make a disclosure here. When I was sacked by Jack Straw over my opposition to torture and extraordinary rendition, John Hemming, whom I scarcely knew, contacted me to see if I needed employment and/or financial support. (I make no bones about it, Hemming is very wealthy from IT businesses). I did not accept his kind offers, but take them as part of the measure of the man.
I do hope anybody reading this in Birmingham Yardley will support John Hemming. That hope embraces all the people of the constituency, though I hope especially that members of the Islamic community will read what I have written, consider its implications, and withdraw any support for Jess Phillips. If anybody has any friends or family in the constituency, ring them up and tell them to support John. Forward them this. Any mobile activists wishing to try to put a good man in parliament, could do much worse than head to Birmingham Yardley to put in a stint.
Birmingham Yardley 2015
Well expressed, Craig: I do hope the libs can climb out of the hole they’ve dug for themselvs.
PS Line two – Labour OR Lib.
Anyone who stands up for the Palestinian’s and the appalling treatement of them by Israel is okay in my book.
Given that most of the UKIP vote will go Tory it looks like a Lab vote is the safest bet to keep the Tory out.
Being a highly vocal critic of Jeremy Corbyn will only gain Phillips more votes.
Hemming could do well given his support for Palestine as the constituency is 18% Islamic. Also party leader Tim Farron’s views on homosexuality could play well with that community.
Interesting constituency.
Not even YouGove have pretended there is a big enough swing for the Tories to take Birmingham Yardley, and certainly no sign of that kind of swing in yesterday’s local elections in Birmingham. The Tories will not win here.
There weren’t any local elections yesterday in Birmingham. The West Midlands Mayoralty went to a Tory.
The West Midland mayoralty – which is a local election – went to the Tory by an extremely close margin, indicating a far smaller swing than it would take for the Tories to win Birmingham Yardley.
Your pointless and stupid trolling has to stop.
I’m not sure you can accurately extrapolate the general election results in Birmingham Yardley next month from the West Midlands Mayoralty results.
Virtually all of that 16% UKIP vote will go to the Tories and therefore to be sure of keeping the Tory out you will need to vote Labour. If Labour votes go to the LibDem as you are advising then that assists the Tory, who has a better chance than the LibDem.
It is also worth noting that the constituency voted 60.1% to leave the EU.
I don’t know why you are abusing me while I am trying to conduct a reasoned debate.
“Virtually all of that 16% UKIP vote will go to the Tories and therefore to be sure of keeping the Tory out you will need to vote Labour”
That is supposition, not true at all when one realises the ten percent drop the Tories experienced during the last two weeks of gaffes. Why should all kippers be as daft as to want to have somebody in charge who decimates our standing abroad, jeopardises trade talks with every nation that also deals with the EU, massively reduces the opportunities for our children to have a varied international education without the fagging, not to mention the NHS which when privatised will ensemble everything US, available for the well off with mega health insurances, first and foremost.
And why should they move like sheep? just because the establishment media, with an agenda, tells them to do so? or because they were wiped out at the local elections?
Or is it because the Tories adopted the BNP manifesto from 2005?
Why should reasonable people not be able to hear about sensible Labour policies that tackle austerity, prevent the NHS from being abused and destroyed by TNC’s and self interested Tories with a vested interest?
And how about a sincere and honest leader for a change, one that does not want to go to war with Russia, a leader that will not press a first strike nuclear button but wants to represent what the UK has signed up to by signing the NPT.
….who spent £1million on his campaign. Await his return to the Electoral Commission. 😉
He is an ex stooge from the John Lewis Partnership, the department store of choice for the Tory middle classes.
John Lewis is a genuine cooperative. It is owned by the people who work for it.
This is a GOOD THING, we need more such ventures. That they extract money for themselves from the well off is also a GOOD THING. There is good commercial practice in seeking to sell to those who have money vs those who do not.
I detect sneering because you personally cannot afford to shop there and don’t know anybody who works there.
I’m a fan of mutuals and coops. I have had three mutuals demutualised out from under me. The Coop hit the reefs a few months after I joined it. So if you want JL destroyed get me a job there. The only snag is, I live in Dundee. We don’t have a JL or a Waitrose. The nearest such establishment is either Aberdeen or Edinburgh.
You are incorrect in your assumptions.
I do not like the stores. Uniform and bland. Recommended by Agent Cameron as the model business. That says enough for me to steer clear. Their execs toady round the royals esp since they acquired Duchy Originals from the P of Wales. Look up Mark Price/Waitrose. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Price,_Baron_Price
I know all about the partnership and their weekly magazine. One of their store managers used to live next door and my friend has a son who works for Waitrose HQ and a relative who worked for them was pleased to get out. She found it stifling.
Their bonus was down this year and they are making redundancies.
https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/tag/john-lewis-partnership/
No candidate is going to offer a clean moral sheet. Phillips is odious. On the other hand being acceptable just on Palestine is perhaps too narrow a hook – it is just one of so many issues, including UK wealth distribution, continuing lack of regulation of banks, NHS, Trident, etc etc.
Most “co-operatives” in the UK are run to all intents and purposes like any other large corporation. The employee/shareholder ideal might partly stack up where John Lewis is concerned but certainly does not at most Waitrose branches, where staff report ever more tight budgets, poorer conditions, poor management, and reduction in staff meaning those there work a lot harder for a barely token dividend.
But I must admit, just watching Phillips spout her narcissistic drivel for even five seconds is enough to turn anyone off. Interesting to note that the Guardian has given her endless coverage, op ed opportunities and support for a long time, while intensifying its Corbyn smears, which exceed those already delivered before Corbyn’s last emphatic victory. (Read zionist Freedland’s editorial a few days ago which is indistinguishable from a Daily Mail rant).
Freedland and Co have a tremendous need to be proved right. They would much rather see a Conservative landslide than a narrow victory or, horror of horrors, a left-wing Labour Government.
Freedland’s difficulty is that no-one on the left of Labour – which is a majority of the party – will take any “I told you so” for a moment, given the behaviour of the Labour right in blackguarding and undermining Corbyn and McDonnell and its consequent apparent effect on public opinion. Labour was neck and neck with the Conservatives until the coup. Well done, Jess Phillips and friends.
They found it stifling?
Try JP or Goldman Sachs.
Why knock this end of capitalism? There are other models far more worthy of criticism. At leat JL have some values and seek to stand by them.
“Labour was neck and neck with the Conservatives until the coup. ”
Just not true
http://www.markpack.org.uk/opinion-polls/
You of course live in a marginal Labour held constituency and should have other things to do with your time than engaging in such distortions.
In 22 polls by date leading up to the chicken coup, Labour averaged 32 percentage points and the Conservatives 35, a difference of 3 points. The Survation/Mail on Sunday poll on 25-06-2016. the day the chicken coup began, showed them neck and neck, with 32 percentage points each. The maximum Labour had been behind was 8 percentage points, at the end of April.
In 22 polls by date after the chicken coup, Labour averaged 30 percentage points to the Conservatives’ 39, a tripling of the difference. The maximum Labour was behind was 16 percentage points, a doubling of the previous maximum, a month after the coup. Well done, and thank you, the Labour right including Jess Phlllips and cronies.
When I want the advice of someone too chickenshit to give his real name on here, I’ll ask for it, thanks. Go and lecture somebody else.
One reason I don’t give the name is because your fellow Momentum Party infiltrators in my constituency have made several abusive and nuisance phone calls to myself and have sent several sickening emails to my family email box (the Police have been informed). It is lazy cowards (even now it is the stalwarts that delivering leaflets, knocking on doors and making calls rather than Momentum lot who just want to play on Facebook) such as your friends that are responsible for the Party’s current position – myself and other true party members used to win elections rather than hand them to the Tories.
Maybe I spoke too soon in defending JLP if they can’t calculate minimum pay.
“The West Midlands Mayoralty went to a Tory.”
On the back of a 69% Tory vote in Solihull. Birmingham voted solidly Labour.
A political contest such as the one between Hemming and Phillips is clearly one between substance and shallowness.
Craig is spot on about Phillips.
Here she is in the list.
http://www.lfi.org.uk/in-parliament/
No wonder they are trying to shaft Jeremy.
Is this the guy that runs the organisation helping parents subject to care proceedings flee the UK? If so, isn’t that the organisation that’s been sending such women and children to places where it knows there is a high risk of abuse? I’m sure I saw social workers talking about this on the Twatter the other day.
For all the disgraces going on in the family courts duly pointed out by Munby, this seems rather like out of the frying pan and into the fire to me.
Or am I thinking of someone else?
(PS – I do not like JP one little bit.)
Yes – the women are escaping from social workers who are seeking to part them permanently from their children. The Social workers don’t like this. They claim it would all be much better for everyone if they just permanently destroyed the family. Of course they would say the women are running into all kinds of dangers.
Well, I’m with Munby with regard to the state of the family courts. We’ve created so many legal fictions for women since 2010 – removing their ability to meet the needs of their children via austerity, then removing the children when the needs aren’t met. I could write a booksworth of stuff about that.
But the point is that such social policy crises create vulnerabilities that can be exploited, as you well know, Craig.
I had a quick look on the Twatter and indeed, the challenge to Hemming is coming from a group of social workers greatly opposed to what’s happened in child and family services over the last years. And they do seem to have serious questions about where these women are being sent that need to be answered.
I’ve no idea who is right and who is wrong. But “of course the social workers would say that” doesn’t really apply to the particular social workers who are raising these concerns about JJF. If I were in this constituency, I would be doing some due diligence before moving my vote from Labour to Lib Dem, no matter how much I like JP, which is a great deal.
*dislike JP.
It some cases this is the best solution. Baby P and Victoria Climbe might be alive today had they been removed from their abusive parents.
Of course social workers and family courts only come to public attention when they get it wrong. In 2016 256,000 cases started in Family Courts, 20,000 domestic violence and 229 forced marriage protection orders were granted and 94 FGM protection orders have been granted since June 2015.
I’m sure encouraging parents responsible for these outrages to flee justice is not what Mr Hemming intended but it does make his advice look irresponsible.
Care should be the option of last resort and often, even now, still is. But this isn’t that. The accusation against JFF is that one or more of the places they send UK women and children escaping the threat of care orders put them at risk of financial and sexual exploitation. Which clearly, if true, is not a solution to a rapidly collapsing child protection system leading to unjust care orders.
The problem with family courts is that austerity (cuts to DV services, cuts to legal aid, cuts to welfare) has put women involved in proceedings in them in Catch 22 situations so that they cannot meet their obligations under the Children Act.
A poll by ORB for The Independent has a third of voters contemplating voting for a pro-EU candidate in order to stop a hard brexit. Since Jess Phillips voted in favour of the Article 50 Bill that should help Hemming.
It should also make it harder for the Tories to make gains in Scotland. A lot of Tory voters in rural Scotland are very aware of the benefits that EU membership brings to their communities. Not to mention a lot of Tory voting business people who are very unhappy with the prospect of a hard brexit.
“Since Jess Phillips voted in favour of the Article 50 Bill that should help Hemming.”
Not really. What people will remember is that Phillips was an out and out Remainer. In a 60% Leave constituency she did the right thing voting for the Article 50 Bill. The LibDems diehard support for the EU will not go down well in a strongly Leave constituency. Tory gains to be made here.
Anon1
Yes, but it’s reasonable to presume that a lot of the 40% Remain vote in the constituency voted for Phillips in 2015, but some of them will find her supine acceptance of hard brexit objectionable.
Voting for the Article 50 Bill is one thing that Jess Phillips and Jeremy Corbyn have in common.
You think she should have voted against the clear will of her constituents and the country?
On principle yes. And then taken her chances in the election.
She supported having a referendum in the first place. It would be a bit strange to say the least if she were then to vote against implementing the result.
As do *all* MP’s across the board, bar four if i remember correctly.
Do you mean that only 4 MPs voted against the Article 50 Bill?
It was 114 voted against.
all voted for it and non with a local mandate to do so. The Lib Dems could have pulled the brakes but had no idea how important this aspiration then was, had no idea of the implications, hence their feebleness with the initiak speed dating and their petty abstention which is now being used to pump up a rescue mission for the Lib Dems.
Those who think that a strong Lib Dem vote is going to strengthen the arguments for staying in the single market or having another public vote, after another round of lies and political innuendo, off course, are hoping for nothing.
The Conservatives are going to ignore all of it, they are going to do what their establishment agenda demands, what bankers in the City say, and what commands they’ll get from Mrs. May’s hand holding pal, her US misogynist.
@Theresa EU Pawn
A lot of that 114 of course were the SNP, also voting as per the concerns and votes of their constituencies. 2 out of 3 of the Scottish Unionist MPs voted for Article 30. I believe the Liar Alistair Carmichael (admitted in open court and found to have done so by that court) voted against as he is a FibDem. He embodies the Fib part.
In the US, Sanders has succumbed to pressure from the AIPAC lobby.
‘Bernie Sanders throws Palestinians under the bus
A majority of Democrats now backs economic sanctions or tougher action on Israel over its continued colonization of occupied Palestinian land, a University of Maryland poll revealed this week.
But progressive Democrats cannot count on a single member of the US Senate to stand firm for Palestinian rights: not Patrick Leahy, not Kamala Harris and not “progressive” firebrand Elizabeth Warren.
Even Bernie Sanders has caved in to pressure from AIPAC.
His signature appears with those of all 99 of his Senate colleagues on a 27 April letter reaffirming key talking points of the powerful Israel lobby group.’
/..
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/michael-f-brown/bernie-sanders-throws-palestinians-under-bus
5 May 2017
As in the Monty Python Sketch-is that your only line? (Carol Cleveland, Imploringly-‘But it’s my only line…..’).
Thank you for this.
Could not agree more re Jess Phillips. It would be very satisfying indeed to see her dumped out of office. She, along with her “moderate” colleagues in the PLP should take responsibility for the state of her Party when all they have done for almost two years is engage in vicious plots against Corbyn and were prepared to destroy the Party itself. Phillips and her ilk are presumably ready to blame Corbyn when their Party does badly. Incredibly, they completely ignore the fact that many Labour voters were appalled by the bitter in-fighting Phillips and the others were happy to engage in on a daily basis while keeping the BBC in the loop regarding every new plot!
If your objective is to “keep out the Tories”, then bearing in mind that UKIP votes are gravitating towards May as she has stolen Farage’s clothes, I wonder whether you should really wish to split the Left.
If Jess Phillips had even the remotest connection to the left, you would have a point.
Looking at her voting record it is pretty left-wing. Certainly on important social matters such as welfare, schools, hospitals, housing, railways, trade unions, immigration, it is left-wing. You lnow, the sort of things that might actually matter to her constituents.
Oh but what’s this? She holds a different view on Israel/Palestine. For the Israel-obsessed hard left that’s an unacceptable breach of dogma and turns her immediately into a frothing right-winger with no connection to the left at all.
Abstained on Tory welfare cuts. There hasn’t been a parliamentary vote on railways in the last two years for her to vote on. You are just making it up.
Almost always voted against a reduction in welfare spending. 21 times Against, 0 For, 2 Absence.
Almost always voted for higher benefits for longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability. 7 times For, 0 Against, 1 absence.
Consistently voted for a publicly owned railway system. 3 votes for, 0 Against. (2016)
Depends on one’s definition of ‘Left-wing’. You have blathered a lot in the above. A bit of precision, and less general flannel would be helpful. Are/were those defined as Blairites left wing, for instance? They appear to share core aims, which seem close to those of most Tories.
“gravitating towards May”
You forget that UKIP came from the Tories. Kippers and their poison are simply going home again to the poison’s original source.
CM,
In an ideal world Ms Phillips CLP would have de-selected her in due course – regrettably Ms May called an Election and caught many by surprise, among them this observer. That said, I can advise from first hand accounts of members suspended by the NEC who are also members of Ms Phillip’s CLP that she is a nasty piece of works who’s only aim in life is self promotion – your archetypal Blairite Labour MP with not an ounce of socialism within her. Indeed, she really should be the Tory candidate given her behaviour not only towards Corbyn, but longterm members of her own CLP, who she takes great delight in having suspended and banned from the Party.
Alas, all Bitterite’s are now standing for election again courtesy of the NEC, with the exception of the sex pest, although, in their hypocrisy Keith Vaz is still allowed to stand in Leicester East despite his association with Rent Boys and high quality illegal drugs.
@ Chris
“nasty piece of work”
Yep! Incredibly while Phillips and the other PLP sisters in arms were complaining about being “bullied” they more than most indulged in the most vicious plotting against Corbyn.
They want a Labour Party that is capable of winning an election.
No, they want a Labour Party they can control, a membership they can ignore and,if anything, they’ve proved they don’t CARE about Labour winning an election – their priority is simply to cling on to their own seats and then blame Corbyn so that they can get back to getting rid of him!
Trust me, they want to be in government. Jeremy’s leadership is like watching a train crash in slow motion.
Don’t let anon wind you up Jo, he has a degree in it. What the PLP does not realise is that the membership has rejected new Labours PLPcomplacency and their self serving display.
After this election those who are re elected under Corbyn’s sensible programme and policies, are responsible to their voters and membership to carry out this mandate, not carry on plotting against the day to day running of the Labour party.
trust me
Nobody here trusts you Anon1.
Anon1,
So, buy your standards its OK for Phillips to hound and have suspended from the Party a disabled person, who, was someone mean’t to get the Seat until the bitch came along with her Uni cronies and destroyed the Yardley CLP – that’s got fuck all to do with getting power, and, if you get power you continue to act like a complete bastard to anyone who stands in your way – what’s the fucking point.
Sorry mate, but you are a class 1A arsehole – some of us are compassionate about politics and want to do good. Other are just scum and Phillips is the latter I’m afraid. Would never campaign for her, but will be campaigning for others in South wales in marginals that we need back from the Tories.
Anon1,
I call Tories a fucking lot worse, and, if they desire to have a go when I’m out and about campaigning, great, I like my baseball bat and my lighter fuel – some people come up quite nice when you put a flame to them. In a nutshell, I detest Tories and would not urinate on a single one if on fire – indeed, I’d be pour more petrol on the buggers. If you live by the sword so you shall die by it and I for one cannot and never will support a Party that’s presently killing people here in the UK. That’s your fucking Tory Party and you are an accomplice to their crimes. Now piss off, or shall we take this up in Cardiff with your Tory cronies – I’m there on Friday at Wales TUC.
Chris, I realise your violent fantasies about Tories are metaphorical, but really, you need to tone it down. Everything you say here is on record for anyone to read. Do you really want to come across as a thug in this way? There is a difference between shooting from the hip and your phraseology. You are coming across as Dave Spart on steroids. I hear your infuriation and frustration but your methodology will be a complete turn off to any wavering voter who might otherwise have seen sense in your convictions.
There was an attempt earlier on this thread to smear John McDonnell by quoting a tweet linking to just 11secs of his interview on Marr.
The interview lasted for just under 12 MINUTES and can be seen here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08q4gkm/the-andrew-marr-show-07052017
22.52 in.
Followed later by the Health Secretary who no longer looks like a frightened rabbit. Positively glowing with confidence now. His recent and frequent visits to Kaiser Permanente, a giant private medical provider and insurer in the US, are paying off.
The future of health is here.
https://centerfortotalhealth.org/tag/jeremy-hunt/
This lady, Christine Hyde, knows what’s happening to OUR NHS with regard to privatisation and so do many of the commenters underneath her message. The ‘Sustainability and Transformation’ plans being put out by the CCGs (Clinical Commissioning Groups) are the cover for it.
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-plans-to-dismantle-our-nhs
Behind all of this is the Health and Social Care Act, 2012, put through by the coalition government. Shame on them all.
MaoDonnell was asked “Are you a Marxist?”.
“No”, he replied.
To which video of him was immediately posted online in which he is filmed saying “I am a Marxist”. Repeatedly.
I’m sorry but this country does not want a Marxist Chancellor of the Exchequer. MaoDonnell knows that which is why he lied about it.
It doesn’t want an IRA supporter either.
The Marxist matter is raised by Andy Marr starts at 30:25, see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08q4gkm/the-andrew-marr-show-07052017
I invite readers to decide for themselves whether Anon1’s quotations are accurate.
Far from the first time Anon1 has tried to deceive, the Islamophobic list of fabricated “facts” comes to mind.
Funny how until recently, he was using “we” whenever referring to UKIP, now he pretends that their recent electoral annihilation is of no concern to him, as he’s a true blue Tory ! 😀
I was UKIP. Now that we have got what we wanted I have transferred my vote to the Tories along with millions of other UKIP supporters. I have made no secret of this. I voted Tory the other day in the local elections.
There is no deceit in my post. McDonnell was asked if he is a Marxist. He replied “No”, despite having said that he is a Marxist on numerous occasions.
https://order-order.com/2017/05/07/mcdonnell-lies-marxist-marr/
Anon1
And which political philosopher influences you the most? Just out of interest.
None.
So you’re a nihilist?
Anon1: “Now that we have got what we wanted I have transferred my vote to the Tories”
Pretty sure that the “We” continued long after the Brexit vote !
Anon1: “McDonnell was asked if he is a Marxist. He replied “No”, ”
Do you really expect us to believe you don’t understand how on the fly question & answer conversations work ? The initial “No” was a reflex against the binary box that Marr had been trying to trap him in starting with the snide, “You will be the first Marxist Chancellor “ etc, , a reflex that was followed by a full answer, key words “Socialist” & “Democratic” .
“Pretty sure that the “We” continued long after the Brexit vote !”
Examples please.
McDonnell is a Marxist and has described himself as a Marxist on many occasions. He is filmed in the link I gave describing himself as a Marxist. He was asked straight up if he’s a Marxist and he lied.
Anon1: “Example please”
Sorry as there isn’t a decent search tool that make finding quotes on a Blog easy, I’m not going to waste my time searching just to confirm something that we both know to be true, you’re not that important.
Anon1 : “He was asked straight up if he’s a Marxist and he lied.”
Seems that you really may not to understand how hostile question & answer interviews work; He was asked this as a follow-up to the initial smear that he would be a Marxist Chancellor, ie that he be following not democratically agreed Labour socialist policies, hence the initial “no”, followed by a full answer; so which is it, or you are really dim enough not to understand normal conversations, or does it serves you to pretend that you really are that dim ?
Anon1,
Like Habbabkuk, do us all a favour and ‘OUT’ yourself – that’s the difference between cowards and those that genuinely care, we don’t hide and say bugger the consequences. So, either grow a pair of balls or go take your rightwing bilge somewhere else as sick of the GCHQ Bunker boys on this blog.
You seem to be wasting an awful lot of time on me for someone who can’t be bothered to waste time on me. There is a search tool – it is called Google. For example, type “craig murray macky zionists” into the search bar.
It is not a “smear” to say he would be a Marxist Chancellor. He said he is a Marxist. He lied in the TV interview because it wouldn’t do any good for Labour’s electoral chances if he told the truth. The truth being that he is a Marxist, as he describes himself. See the Andrew Neil update on the link I gave for further details.
@ Macks (and any honest commenter who could help)
“The initial “No” was a reflex against the binary box that Marr had been trying to trap him in starting with the snide, “You will be the first Marxist Chancellor “ ”
__________________
Was Mr Marr’s question “Are you a Marxist?” or was it “Will you be the first Marxist Chancellor?” or did he ask both questions (and if so, in what order)?
(I have no access to the BBCiPlayer link kindly offered by sentinel, above)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If the sole (or first) question was “Are you a Marxist?” then one would have to know from when the video referred to by Anon! dates. If it is recent, then if Mr. McDonnell replied “no” it would be fair to infer that he was lying. If from a long time ago, then a “no” might be truthful.
If the second question “Will you be the first Marxist Chancellor?” was also asked and he replied “no”, then there are three possibilities:
1/. he lied (this in the case that he is still a Marxist – see above;
2/. he told the truth (this in the case that he is no longer a Marxist – see above);
3/. he told the truth (this in the case that he is still a Marxist but that his policies as Chancellor would not be Marxist ones).
I discount the possibility that a “no” answer to the question was focussed on the word “Chancellor”, it, he does not believe he will become Chancellor.
Whatever the truth, its revelation will not come about through pseudo-scientific talk of “binary boxes” from Macky.
Well, I found the interview on youtube.
Conclusions:
1/. Mr Matt was not offensive and nor did he insist.
2/. Both questions were asked and Mr McDonnell didn’t clearly reply “yes” or “no” to either.
3/. Mr McDonnell is a politician.
Anon1 – I think McDonnell explains the position concerning the IRA here – context of the time is everything.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_gq3rv8Gjko
Jess Phillips seems to be second to none in politics as a self-publicist. That takes a bit of effort.
Meanwhile the North British Tories are getting upset on social media that the SNP have replaced the Union Jack above Glasgow City Chambers with the Saltire.
But wait. Weren’t these same Tories shouting last year that the Saltire was their flag too?
I think they should both be flown together at exactly the same height and that will satisfy all the backward sectarian tribes north of the border.
They are flown together, in that the Saltire is an integral part of the Union Flag. When Scotland is independent the flag will change again as it did in 1801, for example.
By the way Anon you really ought to decide whether you are a Tory a UKipper or a long time Laboutr supporters deeply concerned at the sudden shift towards socialism in an era in which the obvious course is to follow the path charted out by Messrs Hollande and Macron.
reel guid.
I’m pretty sure that Glasgow City chambers flew the Palestinian flag for a wee while as well.
Glasgow is also twinned with Bethlehem, I recall reading somewhere that the mayor of Bethlehem, thanked Glasgow for its support.
In my opinion the Saltire should be flown above all Scottish municipal buildings.
Totally agree Ros. Saltires for all municipal buildings.
Yes it was flown in solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip. At the time it was noted that life expectancy in the Gaza Strip was higher than in most of Glasgow, leading some people to suggest that Glasgow City Council might have more pressing matters to attend.
Well, believe it or not, Labour has held Glasgow city chambers for decades, Labour a staunchly pro-unionist party, didn’t do much to help the people of Glasgow for long periods in power.
Now they’ve lost Glasgow and the SNP and the Greens could form a council partnership, things will hopefully be on the up.
Of course I have read that a mass audit will take place, afterall the city chambers was known as Tammney hall when Labour held sway over it.
I hadn’t heard that Israel had been bombing Glasgow.
Are you in Scotland Reel Guid?
The Saltire has been flying above the City Chambers for as long as I can recall.
It could be that “reel guid” is related to RoS, who as we know is not Scottish and doesn’t live in Scotland.
Stu
Some days I believe the Saltire was there under Labour control. But with unionist controlled councils the Saltire has to be taken down for royal visits, Remembrance Day etc and often isn’t put back for a good while.
Why should our national flag be sheepishly and apologetically taken down just because a royal is visiting?
The Scottish Tories were celebrating the No vote in 2014 with champagne flutes.
According to the Sunday Herald some of them might have been celebrating their council seat gains with other flutes.
I knew John Hemming slightly at Oxford (I can’t remember how). I recall him as an interesting and very friendly character in contrast to a lot of student politicians of the time who were complete sh*ts. Hemming once stood in a student union election as a Mercian Nationalist having earlier stood as a Liberal (and been outpolled by a certain Jack de Terrier who turned out to be a dog belonging to the Master of St Catherine’s College). I also have a friend who a few years earlier at Oxford snogged the young Theresa May. He hasn’t said whether he enjoyed the experience.
Interesting. I was a campaigner for the German Shepherd who was elected Treasurer of the University of Liverpool Student’s Union in 1987.
Why would a democrat vote in a rigged election; because he’s a liberal?
The knuckle dragging Orange Order have had Labour and Tory members elected as councillors, with one aim to halt independence.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15270068.Orange_Order_elected_to_councils_as_Labour_and_Tory_members/
The delusional loyalists will do their best to hinder Scotland’s progress.
Ros
Ruth Davidson was having a silly Friday night twitter conversation a few weeks ago about how Jacob’s Club Mint biscuits can affect the other biscuits in the cookie jar with their mint aroma.
I think it could be the Jacob’s Club Orange biscuits and their influence in the Tory cookie jar that she should be concerned about.
Beat the Tory caught my eye but just momentarily.
Quite what is Trump going on about in the first couple of minutes of his statement with Mahmoud Abbas?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVNyB3-O_JM
‘Don’t tell him Pike’.
He’s too nosy for his own good and he is also hoping to catch you out.
That referred to Habbabkuk but his question has disappeared!
Not at all, I’m genuinely interested.
Early polling predictions put Macron on 65.5%.
Macron to be the youngest French president since 1848, when a one Louis Napoleon Bonaparte became president of France.
Russia beware!
Given Phillips’ self-sought reputation as belonging to the feminazi wing of the feminist movement, I would imagine it will be problematic getting the swivel-eyed female termagants of Birmingham to vote for someone else. But their indoctrinated male partners (if any) should switch easily if offered their freedom.
Less flippantly, it would seem that the UKIP vote will return to the Tories, including a lot of kippers who used to vote Labour, but read the Sun rather than Socialist Worker. The Liberal vote will probably decline on the grounds of party ineptitude rather than any deficiency in the candidate (who looks like a good ‘un). Blairite* Labour voters may go there, however. Certainly Phillips’ ejection would be wonderful, but in order to achieve it, you’re asking both Labour Brexiters and Old Labour to vote completely counter to their beliefs.
And it’s win-win for the Tories. Who might or might not gain the seat in any event.
*BTW a poll today shows Blair to be even less popular than Corbyn.
BREAKING NEWS
First estimates give M. Macron 65% and Mme Le Pen 35%.
Readers will recall that Habbabkuk predicted (twice) that the result would be M. Macron around 70% and Mme Le Pen around 30%.
Always listen to Habbabkuk, you know it makes sense.
You said 70%. It wasn’t as high as that, 65% is closer to the polls 62%. Self-congratulation is hardly in order, though I would agree it was more than the polls.
What about the législatives in June, necessary for the effective government of Macron. What is your prediction there (see my post below)?
I believe I said “around” in my first prediction and “about” in my second one.
And I do think self-congratulation is in order because (1) none of the other pundits on here (including you) dared to make a prediction and (2) mine was pretty accurate, I’d say.
As for the le’gislatives in June, I shall decline your invitation for the time being because now would be premature.
25%abstention according to the ministry of truth. A good non if you ask me.
Not significant, really.
…and that is the exact reason why France faces massive challenges (and possibly massive turmoil). When you write off 25% of the population as being “not significant” you had better hope and pray that they do not choose to demonstrate just how significant they really are.
Whistling in the wind. The percentage voting today is higher than a GE in Britain.
Mind you, I did have some emails last week calling for a demonstration tomorrow (whatever the result). But it’s only the extreme left, who wouldn’t accept either Le Pen or Macron.
A quarter isn’t significant. Oh well.
I hope Phillips gets the boot. She has no recognisable credo whatsoever and she’s very noisy. A politician should promote a set of political values and beliefs. Democracy doesn’t work unless they do! She’s a sort of English Jim Murphy.
Well. Did you ever!
France chooses Emmanuel Macron as next president, projections say
Emmanuel Macron, 39, is head of centrist party En Marche
He defeated Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Front
Turnout is down on previous years – 65.3% had voted by 17:00 local time
ex BBC Breaking ‘News’.
This is good news, if Macron has won as predicted (improbable to be wrong in any significant way). It allows stability in the future. Indeed I would say it’s also good for Britain. In that it stabilises Europe, and isolates the extreme populists. Not good though for May and her lot. Populism has been knocked back again.
Not that I like Macron very much. He’s a shark (I probably mentioned already that my friend dined a month or two back with friends of Macron’s family, and they reported this), who did a May and kept quiet until he got into power. Planned his campaign pretty well. But he’s bright, and can be expected to act sensibly.
Surprising that Le Pen has already conceded.
I love finding New Wee secret places to Un-listen to Silence whilst out walking ..Like today
So, Talking of Fresh Air.. Jonathan Pie’s BEST Video – Strong and Unstable –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ngbhVKqKaQ
Ahh, Sorry
Strong and Unstable –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M91g4OlGEY&t=96s