On the Labour Party apology
The decision by the Labour leadership to make an apology in open court and a commitment to pay “substantial damages” to those who were suing the Party is deeply disappointing. As Len McCluskey has said, the settlement is a misuse of funds derived from the subscriptions of thousands of individual members in order to settle a case that the Party was advised it could win in court.
The case hinges on the “whistle blowers’” interviewed on the contested Panorama programme Is Labour Antisemitic? The leaked internal party report into the operation of Labour’s disciplinary processes throws a quite different light on the activities of several of these litigants. Yet there has been an almost complete media blackout on this story. Why?
Labour’s ongoing inquiry into the leaked report, headed by Martin Forde QC, can only be compromised by Starmer’s apology to individuals named within it.
Testimony from these individuals has been cited in submissions to the EHRC inquiry whose report is on the point of being made public. We hope that the Commission’s report will reflect the leaked internal papers and submissions from JVL, representing many Jewish party members across the country, contesting the narrative of endemic antisemitism in the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
Further information
I am surprised how aggrieved I am by Starmer’s action. I knew it was coming but it still felt like a punch. Of course Starmer thinks this will have drawn a line. But it won’t. John Ware is not a credible journalist in my eyes, he is like Tom Bower. Marshalling opinion disguised as fact and all to suit his pre-conceived narrative. As to the other litigants – it is clear from the leaked report they were working against the Party not for justice against the few ant-Semites who had crawled into it.The Guardian made it a lead story. The column inches they used against Corbyn on anti Semitism beat the Jewish Chronicle. A day of shame. The Labour Party has a long history of internal backstabbings and foul play. Corbyn was the only leader who thought things could be very different, Politics is a very nasty business.
In my opinion, one of the Poachers has become the Gamekeeper and is looking after some of his mates, who’ve been caught red handed…partly so they don’t implicate him in past crimes and partly so the Poachers can take over the Estate and continue stealing from it with impunity.
Disgusting betrayal of every socialist in the party and to those comrades who have been expelled and suspended
Disappointment with Keir Starmer, but not at all surprised.
We know and St armer and Co know, these accusations are completely false .They have wanted to rid the party of JC from the beginning, and all his followers ,well I have news for you its working ,I for one don’t want to be associated with a corrupt and cowardly group who call themselves socialists
I do not believe that this has anything to do with anti-semitism within the LP it is just another way of trying to destroy a good man (Corbyn).
By apologising they are saying that Corbyn and his people got it wrong and that the leaked labour report is factually incorrect. This is so underhand.
There was an illuminating string of tweets by James Schneider (@schneiderhome) this afternoon recounting his own experience of one of the “whistleblowers”, which casts serious doubt on that man’s competence, if nothing else.
I feel utterly betrayed. Stamer has thrown all of us under the bus and driven over too just to make sure we don’t recover. All rhe thousands of people who joined to support Jeremy Corbyn, and gave their subs in good faith have seen their money handed over to the very saboteurs who stabbed us in the back. Stamer is complict in this awfulness and the rewarding of the real racists and bullies. Solidarity with all those who have suffered at their hands. RIP to our dreams and hopes.
This only adds fuel to internal report and class action and makes a split in the party inevitable
The party is not big enough for red Tories and I believe it is time for them to leave
They are neither Democratic or Socialist
Another excellent post, made by a group that describes the real heart of Jewish Labour and socialism in the UK. Pleased to repost on Facebook with what I hope is an appropriate foreword. Thank you..!
Sickening. I can’t believe I actually voted for Stamer to be leader when he pretended to be a friend toJeremy Corbyn I will not be voting for Labour under his disgusting regime. I thought he would hold the corrupt tories to account not join in the witch hunt. What a bloody farce.
I think we may be clutching at straws to hope for any difference of view from the EHRC. It’s Board is packed with people who have business connections to companies locking up asylum seekers, a person who has donated money to the Tories and no indication of any members having a record of anti-racist, trades union or human rights political campaigning. Jeremy Corbyn in his interview with Middle East Eye described it as an arm of government.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/tags/ehrc-exposed
Disgusted by Starmer’s actions. Can’t take much more of this. On verge of leaving the party.
So incrediblely upset. What can we do? There is no democracy or justice left. Sly Stamer and his anti socialist cohorts are trying to purge everyone and everything we believe in. The truth no longer matters in British politics, Instead of attacking the nasty insidious hugely incompetent shockingly sinister tories he came after us. Cue Mass Exodus. We will Rise Again. The Struggle Continues.
These days it feels a stab in the back from the LOTO is a daily event. That is not a reason to leave the Labour Party in my view. At the community or local level more and more members are working together with activists; on union struggles: housings issues etc. I think it’s important not to get into a separatist mentality. Of course we are part of the same organism that is the huge Labour Party: but our work over the next few years, should be on the foundations, and on the real desire for change felt by many members of the Party.
I honestly fear for the future. It’s like living in a dystopian one state party world where the truth isn’t the truth anymore. Good people trying to help the poor and oppressed, the immigrants who died in massive numbers keeping us safe during the pandemic and working in vital services for paltry wages are smeared daily by the billionaire media barons and the national propaganda broadcaster. The NHS, the greatest achievement of any government which saved the life of the prime minister aka the clown tory toff who is now trying to dismantle and privatise it would never have been allowed to be created today because the magnificent Nye Bevan would have been hounded out for being a Marxist.
So Starmer has made a deal with some members of the Party who care more for their ‘reputations’ than the financial health of their Party. What a sordid spectacle.
When we lost the 2019 General Election I didn’t think that things could get any worse. It just did. What an abject position we find ourselves in. If we don’t stand up to those who attack and undermine the party we will be regarded as an irrelevance. If we can’t stand up for ourselves how can we expect the electorate to think we can stand up for them?
No place for truth or integrity in politics at the moment.
We need to launch an immediate action against Stamer and the right wing for this total shambles and misuse of hundreds of thousands of pounds of OUR money. No integrity whatsoever. So incensed I could literally weep.
Sadly, one of the many disappointing things about today’s capitulation is that it will have the opposite effect to whatever Starmer hopes it will. He thinks he looks strong – unfortunately, it will make him look like a pushover. He is now a lame duck vulnerable to anyone who wants to attack the party.
The EHRC, as demonstrated by the Morning Star, is stuffed with establishment stooges. Why has nobody asked what appears to be the most obvious question. Under JC’s leadership, the 2017 Labour Party MPs included 12 Muslims (similar to the proportion of Muslims in the general population), but at least eight Jews. If the proportion matched that of Jews in the population there would have been one;if it matched that of Jewish Labour voters, none at all. How can this indicate antisemitism?
I have resigned my membership of the Labour Party as has my husband, who is of Jewish origin. I do not hold out any hope of decency, accountability and integrity in a Party that placates and recompensed those who sought to hang and set fire to Jeremy Corbyn. What about the membership fees paid by hundreds of thousands that supported him? The staffers robbed us of a decent man as our Prime Minister. I am done. I hope that Jeremy Corbyn and all the socialist MP’s leave en mass. We deserve better than a diluted Conservative Party and that is just what we have now. Sickening.
I am so disappointed , angry and sad, about the lack of integrity in K. S.
I have been hanging on by my finger nails since K.S. became leader.
If he removes the whip from J. C. , that’s it.
Will l be able to remain a non voting member of JVL if l do relinquish my membership of the LP. ?
I would hate to have to leave such a group of truth honesty and integrity.
I have to think hard.
Thank you all.
I agree Philip. Now the Forde Inquiry has been compromised. Starmer has just exonerated the saboteurs. No doubt he is keen to get the defectors to rejoin the labour party. No more debate about Israel please.
Mr Starmer tells us everything we need to know! It seems that Mr Starmer has loyalties far greater than his loyalties to the Labour Party. Is this appropriate in a Labour Leader?
How strange that he should decide to settle a case before it has even gone to trial and align himself with persons who were suing the Labour Party. Even to the extent of rewarding them with “substantial damages”. This inexplicable behavior must be analysed. We may be forgiven for coming to some bizarre conclusions!
Might some over imaginative and, of course, gravely mistaken “Corbynites” construe Mr Starmer`s apparent eagerness to donate substantial amounts of Labour Party member`s money to these persons to be a “pay off”. Or even a bribe. Could there possibly be there is something, or things we are not meant to know? When it is obvious that we do NOT have a reasonable explanation we must speculate on anything that makes sense to us, no matter how much disruption these speculations might cause to those in senior positions.
Starmer has suggested that his main KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is the number of Jewish Labour members.
Seems to me this should be looked at . ( we know that Labour is worried about BAME numbers in general .)
Is there any way of determining the historical and current numbers for this?
Starmer has compromised the investigation into the investigation (Forde Enquiry) by apologising again and misappropriating party funds to pay those people off. Starmer seems to make a habit of apologising to people who are on his political wavelength. Would he apologise to others who were expelled on made-up charges of AS? I doubt it somehow. What a hypocrisy: other members, as long as they are centrist, can make accusations against others for AS, and more importantly AS tweets or openly admire a Hitler loving Anti-Semite without any consequences to them so it seems.
Hmm – this is. a strange apology – appearing not to comment at all on the credibility of the accusations made in the program. I might be mistaken – but as far as I could tell the LP confined their apology to the accusation of doubtful motives by the whistle-blowers?
The Jewish Chronicle newspaper was forced by IPSO to issue an apology and pay compensation to a Labour Party member
https://skwawkbox.org/2020/02/22/jewish-chronicle-gives-apology-and-compensation-out-of-court-to-labour-member-for-litany-of-lies/
It is a while since I watched the Panorama program but as I recall the LP member vilified by the Chronicle appeared on it – while her Constituency was also featured.
It is notable that the apology by the Chronicle has not been reported in any Newspaper that I could find – nor was it broadcast by the BBC. This contrasts starkly with the BBC News headlines this morning which headlined the Labour Party Apology.
The truth of the matter which Keir Starmer and the right are unwilling to accept is simple. The Labour Party does not have an anti semitism crisis. The real crisis is all about Israel. Starmer is aware of this. He just isn’t willing to address it. To do so requires an end to appeasing theJLM and the BOD. He has decided to throw the Palestinians and those who support them under the bus. He like Lisa Nandy will deny this by claiming to support a two state solution despite the fact that this is a dishonest delusion.
https://labourlist.org/2020/07/labour-apologises-and-pays-substantial-damages-in-panorama-libel-case/
This apology and agreement to pay compensation is an act of aggression by the Labour Party against any Jewish and Black/bame and other members of the Labour Party who may have suffered the corrupt application of the complaints and disciplinary processes of the Party against them.
It is certainly a dangerous precedent that has immediately tarnished the reputation of the Labour Party in the eyes of many tens of thousands of members, and very probably millions of people of the general public alike.
It certainly does nothing to shore up or repair the reputation of the Labour Party.
It also deepens and ingrains the damage done to relationships between the Labour Party and those members of our Jewish communities who dissent from the position that this apology and settlement represents.
_”Corbyn-era Labour figures may challenge antisemitism settlement”_
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/22/corbyn-era-labour-figures-may-challenge-antisemitism-settlement?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Part of a defence of Jeremy Corbyn… perhaps something he himself also needs to do…
Arguably, those who are in a position to challenge the erroneously described ‘antisemitism settlement’ – specifically those who were previously in influential positions and who are not of Black/bame heritage – _MUST do so._
Otherwise they would be relying on their own white privilege to forego their moral obligation and let it pass – thereby to allow people who have acted in bad faith to get away with being rewarded for reinforcing and deepening the actual institutionally antisemitic, racist and _white supremacist_ organisational culture of the Labour Party:
In recent years, at least since 2016, far too many Jewish and Black/bame members of the party have been disproportionately subjected to unwarranted smears and the corrupted, dysfunctional complaints and disciplinary processes of the Labour Party – as operated by these individuals who now seek spurious compensation for their own transgressions, which were done at the behest of other people whose moral standing and personal integrity are questionable.
By paying the “whistleblowers” with members subs and apologising to them, Starmer has become an apologist for racism, sexism and antisemitism. It is blood money.
Given that the LP – ie Starmer and Blair and Co – were advised that the LP stood a good chance of winning the case brought against it by the former staffers, there was no way on this earth that they were going to let it proceed AND, in effect, not only most likely lead to Jeremy and the former leadership being vindicated, and their claims against the former staffers confirmed, in effect, and the former staff discredited as such, but ALSO discredit the Panorama program AND John Ware, AND the BBC for defending such a blatant piece of abhorrent propaganda.
And needless to say, they knew that doing so would lead to a further exodus of left members leaving the party in disgust. As Malcolm X said (and Sheena sums it up perfectly in her comment above):
“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.”
Along with their collaborators, that is!
In connection with this matter of the apology and how some of those involved are also amongst people cited in the leaked Labour Party GLU report …
The significance of the messages exchanged between Labour Party staff in the report is not just that some racist banter was indulged in by people who should know better:
It belies an attitude of mind that holds the judgment of white people to be superior to the lives of black people.
This is a defining attribute of white supremacist thinking – you really don’t have to wear hoods and burn crosses to be a white supremacist.
You can just do some dubious things with the power you have as a functionary in an organisation, in ways that are disproportionately detrimental towards the ‘other’ people.
Starmer’s behaviour is fast returning Labour to one of disenfranchisement for those on the left. One cannot deal with the issues of genuine anti-Semitism if one is prevented from properly discussing these same issues.
It becomes increasingly difficult not to view his actions as highly calculated, far too ‘naive ‘ for someone of such forensic capability.
The only possible explanation for settling that makes any sense, is that court deliberations would have revealed far more participants and thereby damaged the current leadership? Hiding the players who worked against their own party and paying hundreds of thousands of members subs for the privilege of keeping it secret. Jon Ashworth and his partner come to mind immediately……….Utterly heartbreaking!
It is essential that all of us who joined the party (rejoined in my case) when Jeremy Corbyn offered hope should hang on in there and make the most of what influence we still possess. I don’t know the statistics, but we obviously represent a significant number. The Labour Party offers the only realistic hope for Socialism and reform and if we quit now we will be playing into the hands of the enemy.
Appalling – but what I anticipated. The groundwork is being laid to remove the Whip from Corbyn and possibly others, and then to have him thrown out the Labour Party, and the initiator of the Panorama programme, John Ware, is suing Corbyn et al ‘for defamation’. They may overstep the mark. People who did not vote for Corbyn nevertheless do not believe the smears against him. Many in the LP support Starmer not becaue they have any great love for him, but because vthey think he will be more acceptable to the media and may therefore stand a chance of winning an election when the Tories really screw things up. He represents the ‘B’ team safety net for ‘the establishment’. His main aim isn’t to pursue any universal agenda of justice (despite or perhaps because of his background). It is to become PM.
A fair hearing from a properly balanced jury with a competent judge will clear Corbyn – which is why I suspect Ware will be leaned on to drop his case. There is no political point in it. Why take the risk? Corbyn will then become a rallying point.
These people can be and will be beaten. The key things is to have a clear narrative and to get it out. And within the PLP to cultivate a core of people with leadership potential. It does not yet exist.
Very disapointed. The case should have gone to court. I am not happy to think my and my family subs are in any way paying people who are stopping freedom of speech. I have thought Keir Starmer has to be very careful regarding being labour leader. Because of how the establishment got rid of Jeremy Corbyn but I cant get my head around this. Does he think this will finally be put to rest? The Jewish Chronicle are complaining about him not doing enough. They are not satisfied with him unless he totally discredits Jeremy Corbyn and kick him out of the labour Party. Keir. Starmer has made a mistake by given credence to the accusers. They will not be satisfied they will not stop they want Starmer out as well despite the fact he has done everything they wanted.
In my view this Starmer payout is a kick in the teeth forBritish democracy and should be condemned by all freedom loving British people regardless of their political or religious sensibilities. This is a major scandal and a reward for treachery.
I gather a JVL spokesperson was unceremoniously yanked off the air on the BBC news channel yesterday morning and replaced with a minute’s-worth of BBC ident music! I presume the topic of the interview was this gross act of corruption by the knight of the realm. I hope Corbyn is preparing a counter-suit and will not let this lie.
So neither the BBC nor the Labour party will be getting a penny more out of me. I’ve deliberately let my TV licence payments slide lately and I will now be cancelling my membership direct debit, cutting up my party card and posting it to Labour HQ. I might even neglect to put a stamp on it! Both organisations are hopelessly corrupt and enough public withdrawal of funds will slowly but surely euthanise them. It’s for the best.
The timing of this is amazing.
Just as Johnson is under pressure due to the Russian report, Starmer does this.
It’s almost like Starmer is a Tory.
https://i.postimg.cc/C5qnX5j9/40bskq.jpg
The zionist supporting tory, posing as ‘labour leader’, in my opinion is only the to destroy Corbyn and the Labour party. Starmer and his two faced, backstabbing traitors have succeeded.
I for one am disgusted at Starmer and Nandi. I thought although I did not vote for them in the leader contest they at least would try to be balanced and fair. I resent my money as a member of LP, being used to pacify these people who ever they are.
The 850 page report cannot be hidden any longer and must be acted on .
Corbyn should also consider suing people like Hodge et el for defamation. He would get a lot of support.
maybe we need to start to consider the creation of a socialist Labour party. It will take years but I feel that it should be seriously considered. There are to many careerists using the LP as a base for their careers. Also right wing centralist’s need to go elseware, and would not be welcome in a socialist Labour party.
A start should be considered as I say, it will be a slow process involving all decent Labour supporters . There is a need to begin to politically educate the large number politically illiterate Brits. That will take a long time . Maybe the my older generation will need to to die out, but a start on a long term project must be started and built on .
I wonder if some form of proportionate electoral reform might be a start . The first past post electoral dictatorship is inadequate in a so called democratic system that allows a Gov like Johnsons to do more or less what it likes for the next four years.
I believe Jon Lansman has also hopped onto the Apology Wagon. It would be a disgraceful betrayal of JC if he has. His record on the issue hasn’t, in fact, shone out. And Iain McNicol is also reported to be joining the Gravy Train: our subs, our Party Funds.
Will John Ware pursue JC into the Courts? I somehow doubt it because he might most possibly land flat on his face.
What could be more apparent that this whole debacle has never been about fighting antisemitism but a means to rid the Party of Left Socialists; those who also speak out in defence of Palestinians against an apartheid Israel as they have always done as in the case of South Africa Apartheid.
“Things fall apart; the Centre cannot hold.” The Leadership veers drunkenly to the Right.
Thank you Philip ward I was going to also say EHRC will offer no respite on this issue. If you read the parliamentary report logged last year (https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmwomeq/1470/1470.pdf)there are comments in this that show that since the CRE was incorporated into the EHRC it has been re active rather than proactive on racism, if it even bothered to respond.
The JLM and CAA have initiated an investigation which EHRC took up. However, when the Muslim Council of GB reported in a similar fashion islamophobia in the Conservative party the EHRC accepted that the Tory Party could investigate itself !! But not so the LP regarding AS.
EHRC has become a “tool” of Johnson and the Tories so do not expect anything but further abuse. And on the evidence thus far whatever criticisms their “report” makes Starmer will wave his white flag and roll over again !
I AM SO PROUD TO BE A SOCIALIST Everything wonderful we have, The National Health Service, FREE at the point of use, education and schools, workers rights, anti racism and equality legislation, health and safety systems protection etc has come from socialist principles. No amount of smearing by the corrupt establishment, staggeringly incompetent and lying tories, the terrible Labour right wing, Blairites and godawful mainstream media will ever change those facts. Every apparatus of the state has been used to prevent a Socialist ever becoming Prime Minister again so vital help and support couldn’t be given to the weak and poorest in society and redistribute the wealth of the 1% villans and their many sock puppets. I believe in natural justice and those who have committed these crimes against humanity will eventually be held to account and punished. I hope I am alive to see it. Stamer, I would like my money back you little backstabber.
Don’t worry. Sir Keir is off to Israel soon with Labour Friends of Israel to broker the two state solution. He will return triumphant. But sadly not about the two state solution.
No talk of leaving the party, please. It is essential that the two thirds of the total membership who joined (in my case, re-joined) as a result of Corbyn’s leadership should hang on in there and exert what influence they can. Labour is still the only credible opposition party.
Just as there are allegations regarding Russian interference in British politics that is detrimental to British interests, I believe the same goes with Israel. I believe that the Israeli regime and its London embassy have been interfering in the internal politics of the Labour party. I also believe that the right wing BoD and Jewish Chronicle have had an agenda to influence the Labour party’s policy regarding the middle east. Israel, the BoD, nor the Jewish Chronicle do not speak for all Jews in Britain. I am not Jewish. I have no antisemitic attitude towards Jews. I am opposed to the crimes of Israel.
I urge the JVL leadership to invite all of JVL’s members to sign a protest letter to Keir Starmer, based on the above official JVL statement, and with that signed letter, to then invite everyone in the Labour Party who wants to sign it, to do so too , send it to him and to the media.
The most important thing missing right now in the Labour party is space for the members to express their views in a way that must be listened to. In the Policy Forum that just ended, we sent in our proposals but there is no commitment to take them into account or put them to a vote. Local branches have not been permitted to meet for months, with no good reason proffered. My branch’s questions and complaints about this have been met with silence. There is no conference this year either, which means our two most important spaces in which to speak out have been shut down. There is no reason why branches should not be able to meet online. There is also no reason why there cannot be an online national conference. Instead, issues like this one, on which we will get no voice if we do not claim one, are going to start piling up. The membership must not allow the leader to act as an individual on issues that should be based on party policy and determined democratically, as he has done twice now in relation to antisemitism. We need to be working collectively to propose new policy that addresses discrimination on the basis of colour, ethnicity, country of origin, and religion, which the JVL AGM agreed, at the end of last year (and don’t forget gender and disability). Not quitting!!!
I am truly appalled by Starmer using membership money to gratify these miscreants! I’ve left Labour as I do not wish to be a member of Starmer’s Tory Tribute Band! Now ware says he’s suing Mr Corbyn? Go Fund Me set up last nite and already had over £40k for Mr Corbyn’s legal costs!!!
Ther is another reason for this. Starmer was in on the whole thing from the start. His fingerprints are all over the scam so if he let it go the full course he would have been exposed colluding with the plotters and fraudsters.
There is no way these scum were operating the scam without the collusion & cooperation of senior members of the PLP. Hodge/Phillips/Watson et al
The two BBC documentaries ,one about Iraq and one about Murdoch tell us what happens when the Party moves to the Right. The sufering of the Iaraqi people which continues to this day is a terrible indictment on New Labour. The Murdoch story tells us how a newspaper owner was given 24 hours a day access to a British PM.who could and should have changed the UK forever but chose to further strengthen Thatcherite neo liberalism..This opened the door for the implementation of austerity by the Cameron government. I fear history is repeating itself.. Those who want a “moderate” Labour Government should be careful People are crying out for change. A right wing Labour Party cannot and will not deliver.
A well organized progressive Socialist Party already exists in the UK; you are all welcome to join the Green Party. If Starmer does chuck Corbyn out of the Labour Party he could become a Green Party MP. If there was a sudden massive drop in Labour membership as several progressive Left MPs became Green Party MPs and former Labour supporters all joined the Green Party Starmer might get the hint.
This recent development is very painful for me as a genuine Whistleblower who experienced having my entire career destroyed in retaliation for reporting negligent practice; I am simply horrified by Starmer’s betrayal. It is really disgusting to hear that the only people who don’t suffer after blowing the whistle are those who fabricate complaints to deliberately defame a very decent person. I am writing to my Labour MP.
Crowdfunding for Jeremy’s defence Fund was set up 24hours ago, it has surpassed £55,000.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/47gyy-jeremy039s-legal-fund?utm_source=whatsApp&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet
My Poem for Jeremy Corbyn
You fought decades for Justice and Peace,
Never taking the tainted money and look away as many others do,
Our Brave and Courageous Comrade,
Standing with us time and time again in our hour of Need,
The mainstream media viciously Lied about you,
But we always knew the Truth,
Thank you for your Kindness
Support and Strength,
A pure light in the darkness of greed,
Committed to the POOR and WEAK,
We pray you will be ok under the constant wounding attacks,
As you made sure we the Voiceless around the world were,
It’s our HONOUR and PRIVILEGE to be here for you now.
Your Fight is OURS too.
Whatever we can do I PROMISE we will our Dear Friend.
Are you in an affiliated trade union? They are key to this situation. They provide a huge slice of the party’s funding. They can’t change what has happened but, if members get up in arms about their money being flushed down the toilet, they could stop any future nonsense.
I decided not to renew my membership at the failure to deal with the actions of some of the party officials against Jeremy Corbyn – now using Members funds to pay them off.
You may be pleased to hear that a gofundme petition to support Jeremy Corbyn has already raised over £84,000 and climbing to fight the libel case brought against him by pro-Israel activist Richard Millett. Personally I dislike how antisemitism has been politicised with any critique of Israeli government action is classed as antisemitic.
I agree with Len McClusky this is a misuse of party funds, the hard earned money that I put into my Union Unite to support the Labour party.
If anything I feel that I should get some of the money back!
We all know that this was nothing more than a witch hunt supported by Israel and the Tories and there is no substance to the claims made on Panorama.
And I say “Keir Starmer Not in my name!”
The EHRC findings must be released as a Full Report into the Public domain.
Then and only then will full scrutiny take place on administrative and legal issues involved; along recognised FCM guidelines of Impartiality: Factual accuracy. Proper Terms and Definitions. Facts not Opinions. Context. Balanced reporting. Reasonable.
Then and only then will the full matter be able to be settled, and commonsense served.
“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are”, Benjamin Franklin.
At times like this always remember the wise words of ‘Maximus Peake ‘
If your not voting Labour your a Tory
My view is there should have been a court case a long time ago
Go to crowdfunding website for Mark Howard, I hope JC and his fighting fund are talking to them as the class action is our best chance
We LP members have paid for the legal advice in regard to the recent surrender. We have a right to see every detail – otherwise the conclusion must be that Corbyn is right to denounce the surrender a a political one. The LP is meant to be a political and Democratic Party – so we are entitled to know the politics of the decision.
Failing that. motions at GCs must raise the demand for opening up the relevant books. Lawyers have no right to privacy when their decisions affect us – not to mention the Palestinians, the objects of Starmer’s, Nandy’s and especially Mark Lewis’ undying hatred. This decision heralds increased attacks on the people of Iran – not only for the reduction of the Iranian people to puppets of Israel and the US, but also to provide cover for further Zionist ethnic cleansing and murder.
I thank Jewish labour for this statement, totally honest response thank you.
I am saddened to say but I am furious that starmer had the temerity to shell out funds without at least the members having a say..
So much so I have cancelled my subs, I don’t see why I should pay subs for something that should have been allowed to run its course in court, quite frankly I think starmer should step down right now and there should be another leadership vote, disappointed doesn’t even come close, I may resume my membership if starmer removes himself with an apology to the entire membership.
I have had acknowledgements from the Labour Party but no follow up whatsoever almost 14 months from my original complaint what a bunch of … insert your own description.
To Labour party complaints department. 25th July 2019.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I made a complaint online to you on 6th June 2019 about Mr Tony Blair calling Mr Jeremy Corbyn “an Anti-Semite” I did receive an acknowledgement which said the complaint would be sent to the relevant department, could I add these observations to my complaint.
During an interview at Bar Ilan university in Israel on 4th June 2019 Mr Tony Blair made a factually false allegation of anti-Semitism against Jeremy Corbyn. When answering a question… “if he believed Corbyn himself was anti-Semitic, Mr Blair said yes” Mr Blair did not refer to any specific allegation of anti-Semitism against Mr Corbyn.
A gratuitous and false accusation such as this without providing evidence is a grave breach of an ordinary person’s rights and does bring the Labour party into disrepute in breach of its own rules, it could also ostracize that person from society for life, in the case of Mr Corbyn a life time believer in anti-racism he could be forced out of his leadership and the country deprived of a Labour government, so the stakes are extremely high.
Could Blair’s false allegation have any effect on Labour Party members or the average voter? Of course it could, because Mr Blair has a very high profile and having served as leader and Prime Minister of the Labour party for 13 years and Envoy to the Middle East quartet for many years, his views have enormous credibility, plus he is a lawyer, so he should know his words have consequences.
Would the average voter believe Mr Blair? Yes, because of his high profile and credibility over many years people are inclined to say, why would Mr Blair tell lies? What could he possibly gain? Obviously nothing, so people would tend to believe him. Could you expedite this matter as soon as possible. Thank you.
Harry Law.
From Labour List:
(1) The fund for Jeremy Corbyn has reached £160K as of 5pm 24/7 – hurrah!
(2) Momentum have asked for the advice from the lawyers to the LP to be published.
Reading Forde’s introduction to the TOR for the Enquiry – I now see that the estimated date for publication is “before the end of 2020”.
I am not as pessimistic as some about it – if the Panel do their job properly careful wording as to the conclusions should be able to avoid problems about the whistle blowers. Surely Starmers decision to apologise is his alone and he is just as liable as any other Party Member for criticism?
It has been highly encouraging to read this statement by JVL and the above comments. I am not Jewish and recently gave up membership of the Labour Party so perhaps should not be commenting here. But I’ve found the JVL website the most sustaining source for my beliefs, in its contents and in the principles that underpin it, both through the lengthy series of allegations of “institutional antisemitism”, in the difficult period since the election defeat, and now with the execrable – but I think, deliberate and strategic – decision by Starmer to give in to the Panorama “litigants”. It is brilliant to know there is a growing JC legal defence fund: which should never have been needed, and maybe still won’t. Please keep producing all the superb analyses! It is nothing less than an absolute disgrace that JVL’s perspective is not more widely presented in our so-called “mainstream news” sources to counteract the increasingly grotesquely distorted stories they convey.
Todays Daily Mail attack piece on Jeremy Corbyn’s response to the Labour Party apology is an absolute disgrace. Ex Labour MP Ian Austin should “mind his own business”. The CAA’s unsubstantiated slurs on members contributing to the fundraising campaign is true to form. It appears that arch enemy of the left Lord McNicol(a sad joke) is now trying to get in on the act. The Daily Mail would just to see the party bankrupted by all of this.
when jc wins i hope their is another go fund me for jc to sue them i will donate
Starmer’s apology and compensation opens the door to anyone who makes a claim against the Party. In his willingness to appease those who worked to destroy Labour, Keir might succeed in bankrupting them ….. Nice one
Most of the above comments seem to me entirely to miss the point.
Of course the Panorama programme was a disgraceful piece of propaganda. Of course those who took part did so for the worst of reasons. Of course the Labour Party has a credible legal defence in the whole matter. For those who are prepared to give the issue some thought the programme has been thoroughly debunked. There is no endemic antisemitism in the Labour Party, nor was there under Corbyn’s leadership.
Yet Corbyn’s statement that the decision to apologise is political, not legal, is both correct and at the same time incredibly stupid. And this encapsulates Corbyn’s abject failure both on this issue and as a leader generally.
Like it or not (and I hate it) the narrative of Labour as an antisemitic party gained traction over the past few years and played a significant part in the loss of the election. The reasons for this are complex, but anti-Labour politics, pro-Israel politics and anti-Corbyn politics all combined fatally, aided and abetted by some useful-idiot (anti-Corbyn) MPs within the Labour Party (some but not all now thankfully departed).
Corbyn’s failure on antisemitism was not because he is antisemitic (he is not) but because he failed to manage this problem, and that is the primary task of any leader facing a political problem. And that’s exactly what the Labour antisemitism issue is: a political problem, not a problem of antisemitism.
Starmer has to deal with this. He has to turn around that narrative and that involves making some very unpalatable decisions, such as this one. I hate the vindication of the Panorama programme and its participants that this entails, but it is absolutely necessary to recapture the ground that was lost here under Corbyn. Labour cannot afford to go into the next election carrying any excuse for Jews not to vote Labour or tainted with any antisemitic slur. This does not mean that Palestine has been dumped, but there is no point in taking a prominent position on that while the antisemitism taint persists. Only when that has been sorted will a prominent public position on Israel be given any credibility. In the meantime we need the odious MPs, the JLM etc to fawn over Starmer, deeply unpleasant though this is.
Starmer’s strategy may not work: it entails both political calculation and political risk. But at this point JVL supporters (among whom I count myself) would do better to recognise this as a serious and necessary (though painful) attempt to regroup, and not keep refighting battles that are long lost.
Thank you for your statement which reflects my own views. AS is a horrible issue and one that is undermined by misuse to malign others politically.
The leaked report was first initiated in response to the demands of the EHRC investigation – in opening up Labour Party files and internal communications – emails, social media, etc. to the Enquiry.
AS a result of this – the offending emails were discovered and the unredacted (so far as I know) report on these leaked.
We now hear that those named in the leaked report are intending suing the Labour Party and or the ex LP Secretary for reading and disseminating their private communications! Well how so – it seems to me that it is the EHRC who should be sued – for not setting out a suitable TOR plus terms/conditions for their Enquiry!
Thank you. It is shameful how antisemitism has been weaponised for political purposes, undermining the ongoing struggles for Jewish people. Solidarity.
When will we learn that appeasement to the Right surely invites further attacks. This has been the record. Each time there’s been an ‘apology’ more attacks have followed. Starmer is not out to appease the Jewish community, whatever that is. He is out to appease the Establishment and its Media inorder to gain their approval. He’s certainly got it from Tony Blair and that man who does the motor show.
The aim is to stifle Free Speech in defence of Palestinians because that involves rightly opposing Zionism and its Apartheid system.
Our strength is in our membership and whatever mistakes JC made as Leader it is essential that as Socialists we now rally round him. Abhorrent as the current situation is and however tempting it is to leave we have strength in numbers. United we stand. Divided we fall. Onwards to the NEC Elections.
Just to be absolutely clear. When we refer to the ‘Jewish Community’ we must see its diversity. There is no one type of Jewish person. There are Charedi Jews, Secular Jews, Jewish people who advocate Zionism and those who oppose it and possibly many other peoples.
To imply, as Starmer seems to be doing, that to oppose Zionism and the Apartheid State of Israel is to ‘offend’ the Jewish Community is to lump all Jewish people together; ignoring the rich diversity. That in itself could be deemed antisemitic. Certainly undemocratic.
But essentially the issue here is to defend JC the Right to Free Speech and Just criticism. Shame that so many anti racists have already been tarred with this ‘antisemitism’ brush and hounded out of our Party. They are those who have stood and will stand shoulder to shoulder with Jewish people and any other ‘group’ under attack.
This matter has to be brought into a court of law. Guilty people are being paid money from members subscriptions. I doubt if Ware or the other traitors will carry out their threats to take the matter further as the truth will come out . The information in the leaked report is in the public domain and is proof positive of Labour employees undermining our Party.Justice has to be done ., no matter what. . Unity cannot be achieved at any price.
The fact that so few MPs have spoken up to defend Jeremy and protect the interests and assets of their own Party tells us that there is something seriously wrong with Labour. Is it legal for the Leader to be able to dish out large sums of Party money against professional legal advice.
I do not need to try to convince other Socialists That Starmer is the new Blair, albeit without the Charisma, and indeed Blair quite recently endorsed and commended the new leader.
While I agree that a Socialist government can’t be achieved without the Labour Party supported by an active and enthusiastic membership,I regret that at 81 there is little I can do to advance the cause. But at least, one thing I can do is to cancel my sub to the party and send the £26 saved to the Jeremy Corbyn defence fund.
The Lobby: Al Jazeera Israeli Influence in Uk. (Heavens! its even detailed in Wikipedia nowadays!) + Scrip-tease analysis of Panorama programme February = Labour Party win in court and all this stuff finally laid out in the open!!! Well it was too much to ask for!! How to explain any of this except to resort to dark conspiracies?
A class of 12 year olds with a keen eye for right and wrong could see through this stuff!
The Forde Inquiry must also take full account of the comments of those Labour staff and members or representatives, who also feature, identifiably and vocally in the 4-part series, ‘The Lobby’, an investigative documentary made by Al Jazeera.
The “investigation ” into the leaked report will be as ineffectual as Mr Starmer can possibly make it! After all, those named in the leak are almost certainly just a small sample of those who are actually implicated.
How can members really know how many others were part of, or fully supportive of, all the treacherous opinions expressed by those who are identified in the report.
How senior were some of these people? How senior might one of these people be now?
Is it possible that Mr Starmer took photo opportunities with Corbyn during Brexit negotiations to convince Corbyn voters that Mr Starmer was one of us? The mind boggles!
I’m beginning to lose all hope. Labour is fast becoming a dead duck, as far as a socialist alternative to neo Liberalism is concerned. I’m incredibly disappointed.