UPDATE
So now it is eight. If you want to understand that the UK truly is not a functioning democracy, consider this. Joan Ryan is all over the MSM this morning as being the eighth defector to the Independent Group. Yet astonishingly, while she is universally reported as citing anti-semitism as the reason she is leaving, it appears not one MSM journalist has asked her about her receipt of US$1 million from the Israeli Embassy for spreading Israeli influence. Not one. Nor has any mainstream media outlet cited the fact in its reporting today. Most, of course, never even mentioned it at the time.
ORIGINAL
I have heard it argued again and again on television this last 48 hours that it is deeply undemocratic for the electorate to be offered a choice that is any more complicated than between Red Tories and Blue Tories. It is apparently unthinkable and deeply wrong that Corbyn’s standard German style social democracy – which is routinely labeled “hard left” and “communist” – should be proffered to voters for them to support, or not.
The overwhelmingly Blairite MPs have put this case again and again to Labour Party members in repeated leadership elections, and have been roundly and repeatedly defeated. But now, according to no less a person than Tom Watson, Deputy Leader of the party, the losers’ policies must be embraced by the Party and adopted by its leadership, as to do otherwise is an affront to democracy. I confess I find this argument impossible to follow.
Corbyn has compromised already to a huge extent, even accepting that a Labour government will retain massive WMDs, in deference both to the imperialist pretensions of the Blairites and the personal greed of the demented Strangeloves who comprise the membership of the GMB Union. Labour’s pro-Trident stance will persist, until such time as enough Blairites join this forced march, or rather chauffeur driven drive, across their personal caviar and champagne strewn desert to their promised land of media contracts, massively remunerated charity executive jobs, and non-executive directorships.
Democracy is a strange thing. This episode has revealed that it is apparently a democratic necessity that we have another referendum on Brexit, while being a democratic necessity not to have another referendum on Scottish Independence, while the notion that the MPs, who now have abandoned the party and manifesto on which they stood, might face their electorates again, is so disregarded that none of the fawning MSM journalists are asking about it. In rejecting this option, the Corrupt Seven are managing the incredible feat of being less honorable than Tory MPs defecting to UKIP, who did have the basic decency to resign and fight again on their new prospectus.
Dick Taverne is a more directly relevant precedent, particularly as he was deselected as sitting Labour MP precisely because of his support for the EU. Taverne resigned, and fought and won his seat in a by-election in 1973, before losing it in the second 1974 election. There are also precedents for crossing the floor and not resigning and fighting under your new banner, but then there are also precedents for mugging old ladies. It is deeply dishonorable.
Luciana Berger is a one trick pony and it is worth noting that her complaints about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party date back to at least 2005, while Tony Blair was still Prime Minister. Berger had already by April 2005 spotted anti-Semitism in the National Union of Students, in the Labour Party and in her student union newspaper, those being merely the examples cited in this single Daily Telegraph article. I am extremely sorry and somewhat shocked to hear of the swamp of anti-semitism in which we were all already mired in 2005, but I do find it rather difficult to understand why the fault is therefore that of Jeremy Corbyn. And given that Tony Blair was at that time Prime Minister for eight years, I cannot understand why it is all Corbyn’s fault and responsibility now, but it was not Blair’s fault then.
On the contrary, the Telegraph puff piece states that Berger had met Blair several times and was Euan Blair’s girlfriend. This was of course before the privately educated Londoner was foisted on the unfortunate people of Liverpool Wavetree, doubtless completely unfacilitated by her relationship with Euan Blair.
The kind of abuse Berger has evidently been attracting since at least 2005 is of course a crime. Two people have quite rightly been convicted of it. Joshua Bonehill-Paine and John Nimmo sent a series of truly disgusting tweets and both were jailed. Both are committed long term neo-nazis. Yet I have repeatedly heard media references to the convictions squarely in the context of Labour Party anti-semitism. I have never heard on broadcast media it explained that neither had anything to do with the Labour Party. Like the left wing anti-semitism Berger has been reporting since at least 2005, this Nazi abuse too is all somehow Jeremy Corbyn’s fault.
It is further worth noting that in that 2005 article Berger claims a 47% increase in attacks on Jews, which is highly reminiscent of recent claims from community groups, such as the 44% increase claimed 2015 to 2017 or the 78% increase in violent crimes against Jews in the UK in 2017 alone claimed by the government of Israel.
One antisemitic attack is too many and all anti-semitism is to be deplored and rooted out. But if all these claims repeated again and again over decades of 30, 40, 50, 60 or 70% increases in attacks per year were true, then we would be now talking of at least 12,000 violent attacks on Jews per year, if we take Ms Berger’s 2005 claim as the baseline.
Yet we are not seeing that. The average number of convictions per year for violent, racially motivated attacks on Jewish people in the UK is less than one.
If we add in non-violent crimes, the number of people convicted per year for anti-semitic hate crime still remains under 20. And I am not aware of a single such conviction related in any way to the Labour Party.
Let me be perfectly plain. I want everybody convicted and imprisoned who is involved in anti-semitic hate crime. But the facts given above would cause any honest journalist to treat with more scepticism than they do, the repeated old chestnut claims of huge year on year increases in anti-semitic incidents.
There really are in logic only two choices; either anti-semitism is, contrary to all the hype, thankfully rare, or the entire British police, prosecutorial and judicial system must be systematically protecting the anti-semites. And I hardly see how they could blame Jeremy Corbyn for that.
None of this will stop the relentless promotion of the “Corbyn anti-semitism” theme, as the idea of a leader not completely behind the slow extirpation of the Palestinian people is unthinkable to the mainstream media class. The Corbyn anti-semitism meme is possibly the most remarkable example of evidence free journalism I have ever encountered.
Still more fascinating is the way the broadcasters are going to devote an astonishing amount of time to these political puppets. Of one thing I can assure you – these seven MPs will get more airtime than the 35 MPs of the SNP, with at least twice as many Question Time and Today programme appearances.
At some stage they will have to form a new party, in order to get airtime in elections. At what stage Blair declares for them is an interesting question. It is also a crucial test of just how horribly degraded the Lib Dems have now become. My old friend Charlie Kennedy will be spinning in his grave at an alliance with the Blairite warmonger faction, but the modern party appears bereft of any of the old Liberal values, cleared away by Clegg and his fellow orange Tories. If the party members do not revolt at association with Mike Gapes and Angela Smith, it really is time to wind the party up.
That the Corrupt Seven are some of the most unpleasant people in British politics is not entirely relevant, nor is the question of which interest groups are funding them. They are just an emission of pus, a symptom of the rottenness of the British body politic. They have nothing interesting to say and are feeble tools of the wealthy, thrown out as protection for a crumbling political system. The end of the UK is not pretty, and this is one of its uglier moments. It really is beyond time to crack on with Scottish Independence and the reunification of Ireland.
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Well said sir.
“Let me be perfectly plain. I want everybody convicted and imprisoned who is involved in anti-semitic hate crime. But the facts given above would cause any honest journalist to treat with more scepticism than they do, the repeated old chestnut claims of huge year on year increases in anti-semitic incidents.”
As do I, along with bigots again’t any other manifestation of superstitious mumbo-jumbo.
TOP VIRTUE SIGNALLING.
You win a mars bar.
Heroic.
Is it in the post?
Did I hear Chuka on the Today programme correctly this morning? When asked what did the 7 believe in did he respond that they believed that they should always believe what the police & security services say?
Surely I misheard that. I accept that cabinet ministers have to be supportive of police and the services but for this to be their core belief / their mission statement?!*$? I must have got that wrong.
Fools can’t listen to the radio and eat breakfast at the same time.
And I understand that when asked which of the 2017 manifesto domestic policies he disagrees with, he was left floundering and unable to answer.
This is what has long intrigued me about the idea of a breakaway: the minute they did it, they would have to have domestic policies. And the minute they announce their domestic policies, any tentative support they may have will flood away, because there simply isn’t a market for Blairism any longer.
I think he did say that they are not actually a party yet and so haven’t got policies etc (fair enough), but they must have been mulling this over for ages i.e. (1) what are their policies and (2) how to package those policies without sounding like Blairites.
If they haven’t got policies and don’t know what they stand for, but only what they don’t stand for (labour policies) then all the more reason for them to stand down as possible and if they want to stand for re-election they can do so as independents or if they wish as members of a new party.
If all 7 announce they are standing down are they then able to still participate in votes pending their by-elections?
No, if they stand down, their seats immediately become vacant until the bye-election.
So if they are not a party and don’t have party policies, they can still answer for their own policy positions. And in fact they have less excuse for not answering such questions, as they don’t have to toe a particular party line that they may not be comfortable with.
If wreckers are all they are, policies are superfluous.
As a long time Labour member and supporter of our leader Mr Corbyn, I cannot tell how please I am that these nincompoops have left. Think about it for a minute – they’ve all been fighting deselection so to battle that what do they do? Deselect themselves! It is quite literally the most idiotic political move I have ever seen. It’s clearly a tactic of Mark Regev who understand little about British politics.
So when I hear the ever stupid Chukka Can’t spouting stupid bullshit like this I smile, know that he is no longer bringing the party into disrepute. It is unthinkable that the electorate of each of their constituencies will vote for them so all I can say is roll on the next election. It’s a shame more on the diabolically useless Blairiites didn’t f**k off too.
Yesterday was a great day for the Labour Party, and therefor a great day for our future.
Watson and Ryan with their founders
https://twitter.com/warmongerhodges/status/1098014604888891392?s=21
Thank you Craig, a well-written,to-the-point and interesting article. I would really like to make a one off donation,while I am able, I understand that at present you only accept subscriptions,but please consider changing this,as I feel it’s important we all support journalists,such as yourself,who are not state controlled,when and as, we can, as you give a valuable service. Voices as articulate and well-balanced as yours are not only rare, but also vital, in the fight-back against all the injustices currently going on,not just here in the UK, but around the globe.Keep up the great work. It’s very much appreciated and needed.
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Since the reaction to the defecting seven has been (despite the best efforts of the MSM) almost universal derision and utter contempt, I think the plans for a new party, further defections and Blair’s involvement may be slightly delayed if not dead in the water.
Not what they were promised by their pals in the media.
I think Chuka Umunna is the only one out of this mob likely to retain his deposit never mind his seat!
J Galt, the only thing I am sorry about is that Ruth Smeeth wasn’t one of the defectors – hey ho – there’s still time though!
Jo Dominich – add Joan Ryan to the list.
I dont think the main aim is a new party, the main aim is to destroy Corbynism.
Watson, who I think is the leader of the anti-Corbynite MPs, has already threatened more defections unless Corbyn bends the knee. I foresee more groups of defections at regular intervals.
What they dont seem to understand is that for most Labour members a party which gives in to the Blairites would not be worth having. There can be no surrender even if it means all the 170-odd Blairites leave.
Or maybe they do understand, but will do anything to stop Corbyn becoming PM.
It would be nice if Watson, Benn and Kinnock would join the defectors, instead of just talking sabotage. Labour needs MPs who support their manifesto. Local members need to have the vote on who represents them in parliament. And once an MP leaves the Party, deselection should be automatic. The sneaky way they can have anonymous offshore tax haven money, supporting them as a private group, of unaffiliated MPs, instead of a political Party, is contrary to the role of elected representatives, and should not be allowed. Rachel Swindon on twitter points the finger when she names them The Blair Rich Project…..
Now they’re stood outside the tent pissing in after they were best-placed to cause trouble for Jeremy, stood inside the tent pissing in. They must have gauged their political careers were over, and no doubt they’ve been promised lucrative positions to make a spectacle of themselves in this way but it smacks of desperation – not necessarily their own, some may have done it for the thirty pieces – and I suspect Israel is the major force behind it. As PM Jeremy can address the treatment of the Palestinians as Israeli atrocities, and as ruthless as Israel is it would be a very risky move with the world watching if they used deadly force against him.
I think they want his chances ended before he gets that far. It could also explain the blood-soaked Blair in the background, earning his thirty pieces. It would suit Israel if we wonder if it’s about Brexit, socialism, austerity, keeping tax havens open etc.
The worst slur is that those pointing out claims of rampant antisemitism within Labour don’t stack up to scrutiny of the evidence, are somehow in denial of antisemitic for merely pointing this out.
It’s strange isn’t it, how Corbyn got through two leadership contests, plus a general election in 2017, with this barely being mentioned and now it’s supposedly deeply entrenched in the party? It’s as though those opposing Corbyn and his supporters daren’t oppose him or the membership on ideology, policy or the manifesto, so they’ve resorted instead to slander.
Correct.
Yes, don’t forget that Corbyn’s supine pusillanimity has doubled the effect.
I try to keep out of debates on the Middle East as I find the issues too difficult to debate with a clear head. However I regularly read articles and opinions by authors who clearly hate the state of Israel. This is justified on many grounds and when challenged as anti-semitic, this is rejected on the grounds that theirmhatred is for the state of Israel and its policies, not for individual Jewish people.
Yet most of the Jewish people I know, support the existence of the state of Israel on religious as well as political grounds. These seem to me to be very tricky waters to navigate. You can hate someone for supporting Israel but not for being a Jew. What if it is precisely because they are Jewish that they support the existence of Israel (while not necessarily supporting all of its policies.) ? How can you in practice distinguish between hating someone for supporting Israel which they do precisely because they are Jewish, while not hating them as Jews.?
Mary Paul, I think the issue currently about anti-Semitism is not to do with your post – rather, that the Jewish Council in the UK seriously oppose Corbyn as Prime Minister because he will recognise Palestine (a senior member of the Jewish Council in the UK was caught on tape by an undercover Al Jazeera journalist stating this). Intelligence sources apparently reveal that the Jewish Council in the UK is in the throws of starting another anti-Semitism campaign against Corbyn and these 7 Defectors to me, are probably receiving funds from Jewish Groups in the UK and form the start of that campaign. They are all in Labour Friends of Israel.
You’re asking for a delicacy of language which the Israelis themselves don’t bother with. Just last week an Israeli minister accused the Poles of being Nazis and responsible for the Holocaust.
Israel and Jews are not identical. Many Jews don’t support Israel. Few hate Jews as such; many detest Israel as an apartheid colonial state. Why do you attribute to those who detest the apartheid colonial state, a hatred of Jews? There’s no obvious logic.
Here’s a blog entry by Tony Greenstein. In it he points out that most Jews in Poland in 1938 voted for the Bund who were anti-Zionist. They considered themselves as Polish as any Catholic or atheist, whereas Zionists wanted them to move to Palestine.
http://azvsas.blogspot.com/2019/02/how-right-are-redefining-antisemitism.html
Tony Greenstein was expelled by the Labour Party (under Iain McNicol) for bringing the labour party into disrepute, i.e.he’s an anti-zionist who supports the rights of Palestinians, as does Corbyn.
In the same area was the hounding of Ken Livingstone. He pointed out that German Zionists reached the Haavara Agreement with the NSDAP in 1933 although many German Jews were opposed to the agreement. They considered themselves to be as German as any Lutheran or Catholic, and had zero interest in moving to Palestine.
franzB I think with all due respect that attitudes after the Holocaust were different from those in 1938. Afterwards the existence of a safe homeland for Jews took on great importance. Laguerre my point is that all the Jews I know, practising and non practising, support the existence of the “apartheid colonial state.”
“all the Jews I know, practising and non practising, support the existence of the “apartheid colonial state.”
Sad that you have such racist friends. Israel is in the process of hollowing itself out. No-one knows when the crisis will come. They all have their second passports, ready to run when the time comes. no-one wants to fight, only the airforce is good for purpose.
I’m sure that there are very many Jews who have doubts about the legality of Israel.
Palestinians would settle for the 1967 border.
Mary, I think the majority of British Jewish people both support the existence of the state of Israel (of course – it is obvious and it would be weird if they did not) and that the Palestinians should have their own state (less obvious but the support is there). Of course many obviously do not support the policies of the current government. Many people will however feel that how they express their dissatisfaction with the state’s policies depends upon their audience, and that makes sense to me. We all do that. We criticise our families internally but defend them to outsiders, likewise our football teams, our companies, our regiments, our political parties, our religions and our countries; all our groups. All the more so if you feel that outsiders are prone to persecute your group. Then one has to tread carefully so that when one criticises internally that is not seized upon by those who simply want to bang the drum and criticise all the time. One has to consider the external critics carefully and consider their motivation. That may be difficult and sometimes mistakes will be made. In essence then the question is whether the external party making the criticism is doing it in good faith out of principle or perhaps to further their own group’s legitimate aim, or is it tainted by racism.
Hate doesn’t need to come into it, Mary. One opposes them, as one opposes those who support the current Israeli regime for its apartheid policies and genocidal intentions – and yes, it’s possible to separate out one’s position on Israel itself and those who currently rule it.
Ruth and, let’s not forget that very recently, the Israeli Govt had to take down a poster it had put on the internet proclaiming that Genocide was the only solution to the Palestinian ‘problem’. Sound familiar?
MP
There are many people of the Jewish faith who deplore all the state of Israel has come to stand for.
Just returned from racist (ask the darker Bangladeshis) , violent fascist extremist (ask the neighbours), anti-Semitic (no Jews at all), apartheid (separate homelands but dominated by Punjabi army) Pakistan what is the first thing Craig Murray writes about?
Seven UK Labour MPs who address the simmering classic antisemitism in the UK’s Left: nothing about Pakistan or Baluchistan, Pakthunistan, Gilgit Baltistan, even the permanent Karachi violence – a number of Gazas in one “country”.
To prove these 7 MPs point droves BTL here go on to condemn Israel again and again and again – “nothing against Jews sir” is the lame excuse. You’ll never catch them writing like that about Pakistan , Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey etc. no, single-minded after the Jewish minority of 15 million, much less than the Scottish.
Millions of (ex)Pakistanis live in the UK vs few Palestinian Arabs so claiming lack of knowledge is not going to fly – even if Internet didn’t exist. Ever heard of any Jewish rape gang in the UK? Neither have I. Any Jewish suicide bombers around? Nada. Pakistanis plenty for both, but silence on that here.
If you suffer from White colonial guilt spread it evenly to avoid looking like a hypocrite or worse next.
Oh dear, how predictable.
What a highly polarised comment. In his previous post Craig wrote:
– “I left Pakistan two days after the Kashmir flare-up and just as Mohammed Bin Salman arrived, and you will be hearing my thoughts on this much neglected but vital country further over the next few days”
A direct reference to the violence and instability, and more commentary in the near future. You’ll just have to be patient.
And a lovely view of the inside of your nostrils too, if you don’t mind me saying so Mr Burger.
How many of those countries has openly defied more than 100 binding UN resolutions??
I’m Jewish. I disapprove of your message (because it’s trolling bollocks)
The place you call “Israel” has nothing to do with Judaism, that’s it’s big lie.
“How can you in practice distinguish between hating someone for supporting Israel which they do precisely because they are Jewish, while not hating them as Jews.?”
I find your question quite shocking. Why are you so keen to hate people? Do you not recognise the possibility of distinguishing between a person and their views? It is possible to hold views for a variety of reasons, including upbringing, peer pressure, media brainwashing, etc. It doesn’t mean that the person who holds them is necessarily hateful, and automatically deserves your hatred, although they might; but it doesn’t follow as a matter of course, which is what you seem to believe. We have more than enough hatred in this country as it is, and it’s making us wretched. Why not consider rejecting someone’s views whilst having enough humanity to consider why they hold them in the first place, which might allow you to see them as likeable, despite their views, which you are free to continue to oppose?
Not all Israelis are Jews
I hope you are well. You seem to be on the ball.
They should not be conceded one single millimetre.
The anti-Brexit move of the “Insignificant Seven” has become mixed up with the anti-semitism crusade of Berger. I knew this was going to happen once Berger took front row at the presser. The others were fools to allow it, but they did, fatally for them. An anti-Brexit campaign would be logical, but when mixed up with anti-semitism, loses all value.
The anti-semitism campaign is essentially anti-Corbyn, as there as many anti-semites among the Tories as among Labour, i.e. not many. Netanyahu is for it, as Corbyn will be anti-Israel, if in power. But essentially it’s a Tory move to discredit Corbyn, aided by the j wish community, who are mainly Tory these days.
The “Insignificant Seven” were foolish to let that go, and they’re going to pay for it.
Laguerre, oh so right. History will damn them, and that might be very recent history. It seems that they broke away to damage a Labour VIctory at the next election and to damage Corbyn in other words, it is an anti-Corbyn party and nothing else. They don’t seem to have any policies, any common sense, any political acumen. They are also unashamed warmongers, the last thing this country needs right now with a megalomaniac in the White House is another set of outright, irrational warmongers. Thank God Jeremy Corbyn is an intelligent pacifist. Having read two recent Private Pike’s statements (Gavin Williamson) I would like to know what narcotics he is on – if we are going to talk about fanatics well, my goodness, he just gave a very good example of it.
I don’t have any great pro-Corbyn sympathies, I was simply noting the poor preparation of the Seven’s case.
Used to find it odd how Israel sides with right-wing leaders across Europe and around the world. Some even accused of antisemitism, like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. But the right tends not to be too bothered about human rights, and thus lacks interest in the Palestinians’ plight, unlike parties of the left, that often do show interest due to campaigns by their memberships.
There are probably fears Corbyn will allow and or endorse public bodies resuming BDS too. Israel views the international boycott campaign as a real threat.
The far right government of Israel obviously has much in common with far right politics in Europe.
Yes and nothing in common with Judaism.
Welcome back. I actually missed your posts!
Good to have you back, Craig – you have been missed. I only object to one letter in your post, and that’s the extraneous ‘s’ on the end of ‘pus’. Spell-checkers are improving, but they still can’t tell when you’ve made a typo that happens to result in the correct spelling of a different word.
There’s puss and there’s pus. The puss can purr and the pus cannot.
Welcome back Craig, you have been missed.This is an excellent piece, well written and well researched bringing clarity and common sense to news that the msm treat like a game of blind man’s bluff.
What the medai don’t tell people is that Chakrabati’s Report on Anti – Semitism in the Labour Party was sat on the Secretary Generals desk for two year where McNicol did nothing about it.
It was only when Jenny Formby succeeded McNichol that things started moving.
Meanwhile Baroness Warsi is being ignored by her party vis anti Muslim speeches.
The best propaganda for the PTB is not always what is said and how it’s said it is the stuff they don’t say that’s damaging to the facts.
The BBC are very good at not mentioning news.
Probably the world’s best at it.
Chakrabarti’s A-S report was farcical.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/mar/29/labour-is-waiting-for-corbyn-to-sign-off-key-antisemitism-measure
‘One source close to the NEC said: “It’s disingenuous to blame this situation on the outgoing management. The power of the general secretary to suspend members and undertake disciplinary action was removed by the Chakrabarti report.
“Having to wait for explicit approval from the NEC, which only meets every two months, has helped create the backlog of investigations. It was Formby who as an NEC member voted for Shawcroft to chair the committee that deals with these matters.” ‘
Great stuff, but I think you were way too kind to these cowardly turn-coat traitorous scum-bag Red Tory dogs.
I see the insignificant-7 has become 8 with the addition of Joan Ryan.
The seven have been joined by Joan Ryan, the fervent member of the Labour Friends of Israel lobby group. She is always the first to jump up whenever the latest atrocity committed against the Palestinians by the Israelis comes up for discussion. The name of Hamas usually enters her rhetoric.
BTW The seven were sitting alongside the DUP lot today. 🙂
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10523/joan_ryan/enfield_north/votes#foreignpolicy
Enough said. Iraq war OK. Trident OK, etc etc.
Visited Israel last month , courtesy of LFoI.
Purpose of visit: Fact-finding visit to Israel and attendance at the Knesset Balfour Centenary Conference.
Visited Israel last year, courtesy of Australian Israel Cultural Exchange Ltd ??
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/regmem/?p=10523
Pity the Palestinians.
Of the original seven 3 were in Parliament in 2003 and all voted for the invasion of Iraq.
All 7 voted against investigating the invasion. Its the only thing I look up.
Joan Ryan also voted for the invasion and against investigating it.
Its pretty shameful that this disaster has been brushed under the carpet… carry on regardless… be totally shameless… stay an MP… get re-elected… become Prime Minister… all as if nothing happened.
That suggests that the major issue is the anti-semitism campaign, not anti-Brexit.. Anti-Brexit might have succeeded, anti-antisemitism won’t, as it’s fake.
It’s Driven by Mark Regev at the Israeli embassy – he has been bankrolling all these imbeciles in their follies since they joined the party, with the perhaps the exception of Chukka who belongs solely to the American embassy.
Israelis do not understand or would even care about British politics, however they see Corbyn’s support for Palastians as an existential threat and have therefore made him their number one target in the UK. They are not remotely coy about this fact
As you can see here
https://m.jpost.com/Opinion/Battling-Corbyn-Israels-main-British-enemy-569858
Israel is losing more and more support everyday, the US establishment have finally woken up to their shenanigans and this has Bibi rattled which in turn has caused him to tighten his grip. Look at the state of British TV – fawning over Israel look at the funding of neo-nazis who strangely fly Israeli flags. Israel is a basket case and it’s moles in the Labour Party have just been ordered to leave, I’m sure against advice received from Tony Blair.
As for Chukka Ummuna – he is the pinnacle of the publicly disliked vacuous MP. Ironically I think he is the only one of these 8 idiots that we will continue to hear from beyond the next general election, because I think it’s odds on that he will join the Conservative party and run for a safe seat there. The rest of them has deselected themselves and will end up losing their seats
daily star article today puts it helpfully in context
Former minister Joan Ryan, who chaired Labour Friends of Israel, said that Mr Corbyn was not fit to be prime minister and the party had become “infected with the scourge of anti-Semitism” under his leadership
sigh
The “dastardly Mark Regev”, if you please. ;O)
This was of course before the privately educated Londoner was foisted on the unfortunate people of Liverpool Wavetree, doubtless completely unfacilitated by her relationship with Euan Blair.
Here some of the ‘unfortunate people’ strike back, call for a by-election and expose the religious chicanery intended to generate a stigma, a black mark against a Corbyn political agenda so desperately needed to restore the probity of a British establishment far removed from it’s people..
https://www.pscp.tv/w/1mnGeOvrPqbxX?t=1067
Bravo George! x we love you.
The question is: Why now?
The timing of these resignations makes little sense whilst the Brexit parliamentary issues remain unresolved.
Unless.
Might it be that May is going to spring another snap election?
These Red Tory sleepers have received their instructions. The Labour vote will be split in their constituencies, thus sabotaging the prospects of Corbyn’s Labour. Racist, fascist and regressive governments (we know who they are) can rest easy that UK foreign policy will hold fast to its neoliberal vassalage and continue to support their blood-drenched (and highly lucrative) activities.
Scotland really needs to escape this mess.
Well said John and brilliant insight – thankyou
Possibly.
Either that or an insurance policy against the DUP. Remember the DUP have stated, if any deal with the backstop passes, they end their confidence and supply arrangement. These, now 8, give May some protection, because you can bet these won’t vote to bring the Tory govt down.
I think an election unlikely though, as May would have to run on the Malthouse compromise to unite her party sans around 10-20 Remain MPs who’d quit. An election won’t necessarily go the way the Tories think either. Labour can whip out their 2017 manifesto add to it, and Corbyn is never happier campaigning. They wouldn’t be starting 20 pts behind this time. TV debates too , May couldn’t duck them again.
Good analysis Goose. Too many moving parts for me.
What we can be sure of is that these treasonous Blairite Tory entryists – including the odious Watson – are making their moves to fulfil their obligations to their sponsors (who sure as hell ain’t their electorates).
The major problem with the latter is an almost complete inability in large swathes of them to understand their own economic and political interests. Swindon, for example, has a Tory MP, and voted Brexit!! Bye bye Honda.
We are lucky in Scotland to have another option, but it gives me no pleasure, and is extremely hazardous to us as well, to watch England with mounting dismay.
Think about the logistics required too : to set up a new party and have a full slate of candidates ready for an election. I doubt many Labour MPs will take such a leap into the unknown with them, especially those with nailed on ‘safe seats’ who haven’t upset their CLPs, like these all did.
It would take them months, therefore, to find candidates unless they only stand in a few places? The record for MPs who become independents is abysmal too, they generally lose, gaining only a couple of hundred votes.
I think the insurance policy against the DUP ending their support is a far better explanation of what’s happening here.
So… what you are suggesting is that these virulently anti-Brexit MPs will vote Tory Brexit over the line, while still accusing Corbyn, staunchly opposing Tory Brexit, of being responsible for it happening.
I suspect you are right. And the media will run with it, gaslighting us all.
My friend suggested it’s an attempt to create a ‘DUP for Labour’ – a small tail of MPs that can wag the dog of the much larger party by withholding parliamentary support hostage in exchange for policy concessions.
It’s a cynical move that explodes the suggestion that our party-political system might offer even a fig leaf of representative democracy for the people it claims to serve, but with Corbynites gaining control of the NEC, it would make sense that it was only a matter of time before Watson et al enacted some form of retaliation.
Spot on Craig!
Absolutely superb.
The latest news from Paris is: “Thousands take to streets of France after antisemitic attacks” (Graun). There wasn’t much evidence, but the French are much more reactive than the Brits, so it may be becoming an issue.
When I lived in the 19e in Paris, I was ashamed to see Nazi slogans daubed on the Jewish bakery next door, but at the same time, every afternoon the road was blocked for 20 minutes, while the children from the Jewish primary school opposite were loaded up into busses. That’s not much of an effort to integrate into the society, and not very surprising that nutters don’t like it.
I see the header is already out of date 🙂
And now there are eight. Joan Ryan.
I am furious that they have deflected media attention from the DCMS report on Facebook, dark money et al.
Electoral Laws require urgent attention or right wing extremists will be in power permanently.
Pressure should not be let up on the Tories.
Many asking, why now?
Can only think if May loses the support of the DUP, then it makes sense. They won’t support bring the Tories down in a confidence vote , they could even support or at least abstain.
It’s driven by the anti-semitism campaign. Winning is not the point. Destroying Corbyn is.
These seven Labour pro-E.U. jumpers and behind the wave.
The wave that will wash over Europe in May.
The Eurosceptic wind is blowing over the next European elections, according to the first polls published by the European Parliament
The Italian far right, the League, is expected to have the biggest increase of its MEPs, followed by Five Star Movement, the French Rassemblement National, the Hungarian Fidesz and AFD in Germany.
https://www.euronews.com/2019/02/19/far-right-rise-in-polls-ahead-of-european-elections
The Lib Dems abandoned liberalism when they introduced all-women shortlists.
Really though, the lesson of this is that democracy doesn’t work. The elites will always collude to stop any real change. The only solution is to get rid of capitalism and the state and turn Britain into a libertarian federation where large concentrations of power are impossible.
For us non-Britons, how significant a force in British politics are the Lib Dems? Are they just a spoiler?
https://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/eighth-labour-mp-quits-to-join-independents-in-protest-at-corbyns-leadership-11364337783446
Joan Ryan is Chair of ‘ Labour Friends of Israel ‘. 5 out of 7 of the ‘ Independent Group ‘ were also members of the same organization. It is not beyond readers of this blog to join up the dots.
“This episode has revealed that it is apparently a democratic necessity that we have another referendum on Brexit, while being a democratic necessity not to have another referendum on Scottish Independence, ”
I don’t know of anybody who’s actually said that. Brexit is the issue of the day. If it takes place, I have no doubt that Scottish independence will follow. If, by some chance, art. 50 is retracted, it’s up to Scotland to decide.
The most infuriating thing, is how the media are letting any accusation stand without testing it, or demanding supporting evidence. It’s open season for the likes of these quitters to slander the entire Labour party.
Genuine antisemitism is evil, but so are false accusations, accusations aimed at scoring cheap politic points in what appears to be an ongoing vendetta against both Corbyn and the membership, to undermine his leadership and demoralise members. By the right-wing of the parliamentary Labour party..
“The most infuriating thing, is how the media are letting any accusation stand without testing it, or demanding supporting evidence.”
Not just infuriating. I find it terrifying too. Politics has always been a filthy business. When the media is onboard with the filth and lies, however, it’s another thing altogether. Worst offender, the BBC. Where do you even start to deal with that?
A judge-led inquiry into what’s been going on at the BBC?
It is scary, I agree.
I think we could be nearing the point of rigged elections, that bad. Standards have fallen in this country so much. So few have integrity and honesty and the UK has no written constitution codifying things either.
I think the last forty years has seen many instances of rigged ballots; the Tories have been century long intimate bedfellows of Britain’s security services, a relationship I’m sure they have taken full advantage of.
Both organisations are no strangers to acting outside the law.
Between the wars, it wasn’t fascism that aroused the concerns of MI5 and its ilk but trade unions, workers’ organisations, the Labour Party, its M.P.s and the British Communist Party.
Party workers and M.P.s were followed, their mail and telephone calls intercepted and legally formed organisations and associations infiltrated.
MI5, in its official history excuses their relaxed attitude to British fascists as: “well, we all went to the same schools”.
Yes of course they did.
Surely anybody can see how ridiculously easy it would be to substitute ballot boxes between polling station and the count?
The immense growth in postal votes?
The clamour in some areas for electronic voting will make it even easier should such a thing ever be introduced.
Snowden revealed that GCHQ has already trialled interfering in online polls, one must wonder why?
If a poll is intended to lead public opinion, not reflect it, then rig the poll to give your party of choice the lead and rig the ballot to fulfil the poll’s prediction.
Handy if a couple of influential Tories should run a polling company. let’s call it YouGov shall we?
I’m sure Aleksandr Orlov, the CGI created anthropomorphic Russian meerkat would have had a word for it…
When long past I still visited the Guardian on-line and articles were frequently open for comment, I would perhaps with a sense of mischief post my thoughts that ballots were being routinely rigged, without exception my posts were always removed, as far as I was aware, not one ever got through.
I would suggest the second Welsh Assembly referendum which gave a point six of a per cent advantage from a previous 60/40 against is a doubtful result and there should have been cause for concern over certain returns in the Scottish Independence Referendum too. Certainly the postal aspects of it.
As for general elections, well, why wouldn’t they?
Jo1 – yep the One Party Fascist State is here in all but name; The MSM as their official propaganda machine, the censorship of criticism or hostile journalism, the thought police (yep the Police admitting that they provide the Home Office with the names and details of disabled, vulnerable and unemployed people who take part in demonstrations); giving police unprecedented powers of arrest, detention and charge on grounds of terrorism; legislation that allows GCHQ to monitor the e-mails of all UK citizens (which it then passes on to the USA) and so on and so forth. Yet we, the sheeples, stand by and do nothing and of course, when realisation dawns it will be too late. I am praying for some Divine Intervention for Corbyn and the Labour Party to be elected with a sweeping Landslide!!
Wonderful stuff, Craig Murray, and well worth the wait. On Merseyside, the Liverpool Echo deprives us of anything objective about Berger.
Many locals dislike her because she’s so pathologically anti-Corbyn.
Let’s face it, if Corbyn took a pilgrimage to Tel Aviv (on his hands and knees) and washed the sweaty feet of Nutty Yahoo, she’d still tell him he has to pass through the eye of a needle – while carrying a kitchen sink. That’s how Berger is. She possesses a Biblical dislike of the man. Maybe she used to date him, or something, I just don’t know.
Yrs.
iScouser
His ‘sins’ are caring about the Palestinians; appearing on Iran TV. And most importantly his past support for BDS – Israel views the international boycott campaign as an quote “existential threat.”
“Many locals dislike her.”
Not surprising i-Scouser. She didn’t even know who Bill Shankly was!
Well said i-Scouser, and excellent blogging from Craig Murray. This is the means by which these eight traitors and their soon to be new party is getting its funding. I suspect from what I have read here it is a lot more nefarious than first appears. Dig deeper and wave them all Goodbye for trying to hide from where their funds are coming.
https://nyebevannews.co.uk/independent-group-refuses-to-reveal-donors-registers-its-website-in-panama-a-famous-tax-haven/