The UK Politics & Brexit Thread

[st13phil]

Jeremy Corbyn suspended from the Labour party!

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been suspended from his party, pending investigation, after his remarks on the Equality and Human Rights Commission's report into anti-Semitism in the Labour party. In a statement, a spokesperson from the Labour party said:

"In light of his comments made today and his failure to retract them subsequently, the Labour Party has suspended Jeremy Corbyn pending investigation. He has also had the whip removed from the Parliamentary Labour Party."​

 

[Nicebutdim]

Starmer now making a grovelling apology for antisemitism.

Wasn't Starmer second in command when his party were unable to deal with this issue?

I hope Boris asks him to resign as would surely happen if the boot were on the other foot.

 

[st13phil]

Wasn't Starmer second in command when his party were unable to deal with this issue?

One of the many elephants in the room...

 

[Nicebutdim]

One of the many elephants in the room...

Yes, absolutely.

Cue countdown for Conservatives to be accused of ignoring islamophobia.

 

[st13phil]

And I'm sure that, "Labour calls on the Prime Minister to hold a press conference today to address latest Covid findings" is nothing to do with trying to knock the EHRC report off the agenda either

Politicians. Don't you just love them?

 

[GeeJayW]

Politicians. Don't you just love them?

Nope...

 

[markjay]

Below is the full text of Jeremy Corbyn’s response to the EHRC report.

“Antisemitism is absolutely abhorrent, wrong and responsible for some of humanity’s greatest crimes. As Leader of the Labour Party I was always determined to eliminate all forms of racism and root out the cancer of antisemitism. I have campaigned in support of Jewish people and communities my entire life and I will continue to do so.

The EHRC’s report shows that when I became Labour leader in 2015, the Party’s processes for handling complaints were not fit for purpose. Reform was then stalled by an obstructive party bureaucracy. But from 2018, Jennie Formby and a new NEC that supported my leadership made substantial improvements, making it much easier and swifter to remove antisemites. My team acted to speed up, not hinder the process.

Anyone claiming there is no antisemitism in the Labour Party is wrong. Of course there is, as there is throughout society, and sometimes it is voiced by people who think of themselves as on the left.

Jewish members of our party and the wider community were right to expect us to deal with it, and I regret that it took longer to deliver that change than it should.

One antisemite is one too many, but the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media. That combination hurt Jewish people and must never be repeated.

My sincere hope is that relations with Jewish communities can be rebuilt and those fears overcome. While I do not accept all of its findings, I trust its recommendations will be swiftly implemented to help move on from this period.”

 

[markjay]

By saying that 'One antisemite is one too many, but the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media. That combination hurt Jewish people and must never be repeated' He is clearly hinting that Labour's political opponents and the media are to be blamed.... and they are the ones who should learn the lesson... not Labour? "Nothing to do with me Gov".

 

[Nicebutdim]

He is clearly hinting that Labour's political opponents and the media are to be blamed.... and they are the ones who should learn the lesson... not Labour? "Nothing to do with me Gov".

Seems a bit naive of Corbyn. Politics is a dirty business. He knew what was involved.

He might have avoided suspension if he had not gone down that route.

 

[markjay]

Seems a bit naive of Corbyn. Politics is a dirty business. He knew what was involved.

He might have avoided suspension if he had not gone down that route.

Not sure why Corbyn is insisting on being defiant, but he definitely gave Keir Starmer the excuse he needed to complete the cleansing of the Augean stables from the remains of the old radical left guard and toxic Momentum.

 

[C240Sport97]

Listening to Corbyn on anti semitism is like listening to a spokesman for the flat earth society

 

[GeeJayW]

Listening to Corbyn on anti semitism is like listening to a spokesman for the flat earth society

Well it would be if the earth wasn't flat...

 

[DSM10000]

Not sure why Corbyn is insisting on being defiant, but he definitely gave Keir Starmer the excuse he needed to complete the cleansing of the Augean stables from the remains of the old radical left guard and toxic Momentum.

There is certainly plenty of bulls%*t left (!) in the Labour Party to keep Hercules busy for some time!

 

[Swotty]

I always wondered why Starmer put up with all the antisemitism at the time ... he has a Jewish wife, after all.

Still, far too much to ask for a politician to be principled, I suppose.

 

[GeeJayW]

I always wondered why Starmer put up with all the antisemitism at the time ... he has a Jewish wife, after all.

Still, far too much to ask for a politician to be principled, I suppose.

I think they start off principled, but their conviction to doing the right thing becomes eroded with time and progress to the higher echelons of power. Those that do indeed make it to the top, are those that have best learned how to play the game (or not in the case of Jezza).

The problem with antisemitism, racism, sexism and other forms of prejudice, is that these attitudes are hardwired into the psyche of the perpetrator(s). Everyone has some degree of bias and prejudice towards or away from things/people/beliefs etc. they agree or disagree with. In some, this is more obvious than in others. Even when certain prejudices, traits or behaviours are widely seen as being unacceptable or even abhorrent, changing hearts and minds to genuinely affect such characteristics is very difficult.

Clearly, Jeremy Corben failed in his duty to recognise the issues and provide a clear line of sight to an acceptable position for Labour with respect to antisemitism. As leader of the Labour party, that was a key part of his job. Whinging about lack of progress due to others is a typical weak response from the man. His lack of true vision is what allowed the least popular government for a generation to be re-elected with a huge majority. Under his leadership, there was no credible alternative to what we currently have. If as reported today, the left-wing elements of the trade unions withdraw their support for Labour in response to Jeremy's suspension, Labour will tumble further into disarray and the Tories will be in power for a long time to come.

 

[ChipChop]

No word on how negotiations between barnier and Frost are going. Is it a secret or will we be told of the Brexit in name only deal after we are locked down posted 5th Nov.

 

[Swotty]

No word on how negotiations between barnier and Frost are going. Is it a secret or will we be told of the Brexit in name only deal after we are locked down posted 5th Nov.

Sadly, it has that feeling. Boris is under tremendous pressure from all sides ... but for me it will be "You only had one job...."

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I can’t believe I’m going to defend Corbyn but I think his problem - and those around him - is they simply couldn’t separate criticism of Israel from simply being Jewish; he does actually have a record of doing good things with thecommunity.

And he also simply couldn’t see that, by aligning himself with Israel’s enemies like Hamas, that he’d be putting himself in a really bad position, the “I’m against all forms of racism” line when grilled on antisemitism just exacerbated his problems.

Again, there’s plenty to criticise the man for, but I personally don’t believe him to be an antisemite.

 

[Dryce]

Again, there’s plenty to criticise the man for, but I personally don’t believe him to be an antisemite.

I think if the middle east divided into a pro-US arab group of nations and pro-Russian Israel and there had been an Islamophobic group in his party then at this point your post would have been something along the lines of:

Again, there’s plenty to criticise the man for, but I personally don’t believe him to be an islamophobe.

 

[grober]

People confuse anti-semitism and and anti-zionism [especially under a crook like Netanyahu] different if related topics.