The EHRC Report: an interim response
The EHRC report demands careful reading and a considered response. Some of it bears out what we and many other Labour Party members have been saying for a long time about the deficiencies of Labour’s disciplinary procedures and how abusive they are to many of those accused of antisemitism.
But to producing an adequate commentary takes time and unlike some organisations we value quality of response over speed of a headline-grabbing soundbite. Our considered response will appear here shortly.
In the meantime, we can certainly say that without the EHRC asking for and examining the evidence on which the Leaked Report was based, its conclusions on who was responsible for any failings cannot be well founded. And we have also heard that a legal challenge to the Report’s finding of unlawful acts in being seriously considered.
For the moment, we have published a short statement on the unjust suspension of Jeremy Corbyn:
We are appalled that Jeremy Corbyn has been suspended and had the whip withdrawn. He has a proud record of fighting all forms of racism including antisemitism. We call on Labour Party members to protest against this unjustified outrage in the strongest terms and through all channels available to us. This is an attack not just on Jeremy, but on the party membership. Do not leave, organise and fight back.
We also applaud the statement from the Don’t Leave, Organise network, of which JVL is a part, calling on rank and file party members, the labour left and the left unions, “to organise as never before in defence of party democracy and of socialist policies.”
Sign the Reinstate Jeremy Corbyn petition now.
Links to all JVL statements and other articles on the EHRC report
I’m afraid I have left the party and did so when Starmer paid off those Panorama people who were involved in working against the leadership.
Starmer’s opportunism has been vile. Hi socialist credentials are nil. At the CPS he proudly presented the criminalisation of benefit claimants just as the Tories were attacking the poor. ill and vulnerable. The Labour Party is finished and there is nothing to fight for within it. It is defunct morally, spiritually and ethically.
Time to rejoin the party! Gloves are off, battle line drawn, at last we know where we are with Starmer and need not tiptoe around. I’m mystified about what Starmer is hoping to achieve. The case against Corbyn simply doesn’t stand up and Corbyn has masses of support. Starmer has only been MP for 5 years and only in opposition. Could be that he is simply naive and allowed himself to be pushed about by devious blairtites/centrists/Rsoles with more experience than himself. Is he is simply weak and directionless?
I will not leave and look to JVL to lead a considered response ..
I note that there has been a petition to start a new party but that
is a big mistake for with our voting system they are never successful.
I prefer to build on the the existing Party – who have achieved a lot
since 2015.
Corbyn made a mistake by using the word “exaggerated” – he should have
quoted the quantities 30% as against 0.3% and left it at that .. I will certainly
sign the petition
I agree with the sentiments of this initial response. The MSM is inviting all of the usual suspects to comment on the report and denounce Jeremy Corbyn. It is clear that they are trying to use the report to purge the left of the Labour Party. Keir Starmer is clearly happy to go along with this continued witch hunt.
I’m apalled at the orchestrated character assassination being launched on one of the few decent, informed and dedicated politicians still serving us. Jeremy has an enviable record on these matters. Let’s have the sentence AFTER the trial please.
After today’s distressing developments I just wanted to express my support and respect for JVL. During Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership battles fending off these dreadful slurs you were my go-to organisation for words of wisdom and kindness. With a very heavy heart I resigned my membership of the Labour party today. I cannot remain a member of an organisation that can take this action. Thank you for having the strength to carry on. Love and solidarity.
“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.”
This means that JC is unable to defend himself or his record without further penalties being imposed.
What could be more McCarthyite?
This is an early, and I fear not the last, fruit of the grotesque notion of ‘denialism’ – both vague and infinitely extensible. If one ‘admits’ , ludicrously, that, say, 34% of LP members are antisemitic (ref Bad News for Labour), one is at risk of being denounced on the basis that it should have been higher!
I share the dismay of many other colleagues at the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn. He is not an anti-semite and while there may or may not be substance in some of the findings of the EHRC report, commenting on them in the way he did, is surely exercising a right to speak out and differ, which all of us must support
Do not leave – that will delight those who want to see the end of a socialist Labour Party. Stay and work with your comrades for all the things we value. A new socialist party would not get into power. The long haul is the only way.
Jewish voice for Labour know how much Corbyn has done for the Jewish communities and support him 100%. I have now left Labour and am disgusted how we and Corbyn have been treated.
As a Jew and a Zionist, I believe Jeremy Corbyn was right to underline the deliberate exaggeration of antisemitism within the Labour Party under his leadership by those opposed to his policies both within the party and outside it. The attempt by the leadership to close down debate about the report and accept it right or wrong, through suspension and the threat of it is an abuse of power and makes a mockery of free speech. The Labour Party cannot hope to win a general election by purging members who represent legitimate currents of opinion not shared by the leadership. Such a course of action will result in a hollowed out party that stands for nothing but the naked opportunism of a bunch of careerist politicians whose only quest is that of power and its trappings characterised by the New Labour years. Jeremy Corbyn represents the complete antithesis of this corrupt politics and is clearly being targeted by those who wish to eradicate all traces of the idea of a principled mass party that represents the interests of the disadvantaged, the oppressed and the ordinary people of this country. If they can get away with this egregious abuse of power on someone like Corbyn, then no one is safe from persecution within the party!
At the last election Corbyn attracted a majority of BAME and youth votes. His suspention today marks a betrayal of these groups
Very rarely comment but came here tonight as a non Jewish (English – from the North but now live in the South) active Labour Party (and wider progressive) activist since 1975. Thanks for all the sterling stuff JVL has done over the recent roller-coaster years. On we go. The future is still ours.
Fully endorse the policy to fight this unjust suspension of Jeremy Corbyn. This is the the inevitable purge that the Blairite right have been
banging the drum for since Cornyn was chosen as leader
Resist the urge to resign in disgust and fight for socialism in the Labour Party
I look forward to your systematic demolition of the report.
Shame on those in Labour who maligned a decent human being for wanting fairness for the poor and working class. A man who believes in talking and not killing. A man who believes in distributing wealth not hoarding it A man who respects and believes in justice. The current labour parliamentarians are not worth supporting any longer. Shame!
Again this is a continuing surreal experience as it just isn’t and never has been about antisemitism. Apart from the obvious attacks on the left and on pro-Palestinians, it’s starting to make some of us question our own sanity I expect.
Starmer is gutting the Labour Party and there is zero hope for the future. If you still have membership at least vote for a Left slate NEC before you quit. Rather than risking his chances as an independent or trying to start a new party there is another solution for Jeremy Corby. If he wanted to join a 100% Soialist, fully democratic, just and fair political Party he could join the Green Party. If he did become a Green MP then I believe that a really huge number of his supporters would switch.
Suspended? The man who has fought racism in all forms, his whole life? Shocked and appalled.
The JVL is correct to wait and make a considered response. I don’t feel bound to do so
The EHRC was compromised from the beginning when it decided to investigate only the Labour Party regarding racism. Prior comments by senior executives were prejudicial to any investigation, and the refusal to consider the evidence of the leaked report compounded this whole sorry episode.
As to current Labour Party leadership and administration : its actions speak louder than words. It is unfit for purpose, irremediably sectarian and shames the Party by any standards of honourable behaviour and is failing miserably in its role of holding the government to account whilst victimising good members.
The Labour Party is a broad alliance of forces, most of which define themselves as ‘socialist’. Few of them actually are. The alliance is preserved by our undemocratic voting system. If we had PR, politics and political debate would be a lot more clear and a lot more healthy. In the absence of this, to leave the Labour Party would be a mistake. However, if people are expelled then it will be necessary to establish an alternative.
Just heartbroken at the sheer injustice. As a lifelong Labour supporter I can never vote for them again whilst the current Leadership is in place.
Thank you for a measured initial response. I regard myself basically as a Christian Socialist (whatever happened to them?), with a respectful regard for aspects of my faith’s Jewish religious heritage. I have served as a Labour Councillor some years ago but finally resigned from the Party when Starmer unjustifiably sacked Rebecca Long Bailey – it was the last straw for me.
The response of the Labour Party to Jeremy Corbin’s comments -even though it was always going to be dangerous for Corbyn to say anything – seems to me to say more about the party machinery and Starmer than it does about Corbyn. When was it logically required for the subject of an investigation and report to accept every statement that it contains? If defies belief that a top lawyer cannot see the absurdity of his actions based upon the facts. Sadly, one can only assume that it really is about cementing personal power, and shaping a Party into one’s own image. It would appear that, like in the case of Long Bailey, Starmer has acted opportunistically to further suppress any leftish dissenting voices. The saddest thing for me is the way a person like Corbyn, not perfect but with a good heart, has been treated appallingly by a considerable chunk of the Labour Party, acting in what can only be described as vindictive, nasty and unmeasured. I have lost respect for a large number of MPs that I regarded fellow political travellers. Please continue to support decency, respect and integrity in politics. As Tony Benn often said “ It is about policies, not personalities”
Best wishes
The issue of Jeremy Corbyn not only gives me concern but also the rightward drift taking place in the party.
David Lees
Norwich Labour Patty member
Andrew Feinstein is excellent on this at DoubleDown News here
https://www.doubledown.news/watch/2020/29/october/-i-lost-39-members-of-my-family-in-the-holocaust-jeremy-corbyn-is-no-antisemitism
I think Starmer and Labour were put in a classic double bind on this issue where whatever they did could be framed as invalidating themselves – damned if they did, damned if they didn’t. In choosing to resolve things the way he did, Starmer (whom I’ve liked up to now) has done something that will haunt his leadership for as long as it lasts. He may have thought that feeding one good meal to the monsters would send them off satisfied but it only whetted their appetites for more. My misgivings about Jeremy as leader — as leader — had nothing to do with the bogus and libellous opportunistic accusations of antisemitism. His suspension is very clearly an act of injustice. It solves nothing and aggravates everything.
When Ralph Miliband was Prof of Politics in Leeds in the 70s he used to remark that the greatest obstacle to socialism in Britain was the Labour party and that we needed a genuine Socialist party. I left the LP when it’s establishment cynically and fatally undermined Corbyn and made it clear his kind of politics was not permitted. Why should I return?
The liberal media — especially The Guardian — make much of the dangers of ‘misinformation’ such as that peddled by Trump in the US elections. Yet the virtually unanimous response to the EHRC report and Corbyn’s suspension has been to mischaracterize both severity of the report (which is factually pretty fair) and the precise meaning of Corbyn’s words. Like Bill Barr offering a biassed summary of the Russia report, their object is to distort for factional purposes, and to Hell with any regard for truth and balance. How one wonders did it come to this — when did virtually the entire journalistic profession sell out so completely and supinely to the establishment narrative with regard to the left and to the rights of the Palestinians? Why did formerly reliable media outlets like The Guardian decide that it was necessary to abandon their principles, their impartiality and their respect for facts? And for what? The financial support of right-wing billionaires? The times we live in are dark, and getting darker, and the media in general is offering us no light and no guidance.
Excellent response,keep up the good works.Have signed the petition calling for the reinstatement of Mr Corbyn.we must continue to stand up for fairness and democracy after all that is meant to be a cornerstone of the Labour party isn’t it?And people to be treated with respect.
Ridiculous this has happened, get him back in.
Jeremy Corbyn represents Labour values, the values that are of & for the people of this country. I do not hear anything from Starmer that gives me hope for the people. This EHRC report as presented in the media & used by Starmer wreaks of destruction of community. There are so many spurious, tendentious media comments promoting anti-Corbyn, anti-society & pro-Starmer, pro-status quo capitalist stances that it seems part of a long-game to destroy the ‘Left’.
Though JC was suspended because he alleged that the report overstated the problem , not the serious nature of it, but the number of officials involved it was implied that he was anti-Semitic by default. This is nasty and I have lost trust in Starmer
I recently left the party – hope my signature is valid. I rejoined the party because I wholeheartedly supported the policies of the Corbyn leadership, but was appalled to see the attack on him from within the party, as well as the media onslaught. Anti-Semitism within the party HAS been exaggerated for political purposes, and Corbyn was right to say so.
As i understand there is scope to challenge the contents of the EHRC report by article 10 of their own publication. Thats all JC did, therefore his suspension is wrong
During my long membership of this Party I have seen and experienced the malign exploits of the Labour Right. The political and personal assassination of a decent, honest, trustworthy MP reaches depths of depravity previously unplumbed. Corbyn is the last man in the country to be racist in any form. There is no conspiracy theory here. An authentic conspiracy has taken place. It has been a complete success thanks to our own members. Corbyn gave long standing members like me the hope of real change. That hope is lost. Any attempt to pursue progressive policies will be prevented by the deployment of further antisemitic allegations. Blackmailers don’t give up. The Palestinians must be in despair today. They have lost one of their best friends. and advocates The Labour Party have been rendered impotent as far as giving them genuine support and assistance. Members once again will be charged with antisemitism. if they speak out The Israeli government has effectively silenced us. Anyone who believes antisemitism in the UK will be diminished now are sadly mistaken. Those on the Far Right who have spoken of the power and influence of the Jewish lobby will hold this affair up as proof of that power. I have cancelled my subscription today. I joined the Party in 1965 as a teenager. I have loved the Labour Party. I have worked for it at election time and put my faith in it bring about change.
I cannot remain a member of an organisation that is willing to throw one of its greatest MPs under a bus. That we have over half a million members is entirely down to Jeremy. Sad day.
“Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers”.
The Labour party is not a public authority, it is an unincorporated association and can [in theory] gag all its members, as its General Secretary David Evans has done recently by threatening CLP’s with consequences if they discuss the IHRA and other contentious issues deemed out of bounds by the leader. Does not look good but these are the realities as I see them i.e. creeping Stalinism.
In short Corbyn’s remarks were about Statistics – no more no less. He should have made this clear and that is all there is to criticise.
I really wish the the views of the JVL and other Jewish voices were heard on the MSM – at the moment we only hear ONE view as representing the whole whole Jewish Community.
I completely agree with the call to not leave the party, but to stay and fight back. But I can’t help feeling that focussing the fight on Jeremy Corbyn’s suspension, and on the EHRC report would be a mistake – that this can only keep us caught up in a toxic whirlpool. Better – I feel – to look forward, and focus on sustaining and building progressive policies in the Labour party, including legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies.
The EHRC report reaches similar conclusions to the Chakrabati report on the complaints system within the Labour Party. The EHRC do not address the question of why the Chakrabati report remained unimplemented. The Labour Party seems curiously reluctant to examine this outstanding issue.
The EHRC criticises the involvement of non independent parties in the complaints system. There would not have been an issue under the Chakrabati recommendations.
The EHRC concludes that Ken Livingstone and Pam Bromley were acting as agents of the Labour Party when they made remarks that constituted harassment of Labour Party members. The report does not address the question of how widespread harassment has been within the Labour Party. The Labour Party seems curiously reluctant to examine this outstanding issue.
However, the real tragedy is the failure of the moderate progressives to learn the lessons of the Weimar Republic. When fascism is on the rise then attacking the left opens the door to crimes against humanity. I rejoined the Labour Party to support Milliband against the far right. Now, I fear that it is too late.
Jeremy Corbyn is critical of Israel without in any way being anti-semitic, like me and many other Jewish members of the Labour Party.
Bob Banks.. “focus on sustaining and building progressive policies in the Labour party, including legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies”
Two strong supporters of the Labour Party tried to criticise the Israeli state, in particular its secret services, one lost her job as Shadow Education Secretary [RL Bailey] the other Maxine Peake] could lose her career thanks to Starmer conflating their legitimate criticism of Israel with Anti Semitism.
Nia Griffith Shadow Welsh Secretary had this to say on the RLB/ Peake fiasco
When pressed on whether members who have sent messages of support from the left for Mrs Long-Bailey were guilty of anti-Semitism, Ms Griffith said: “Well I think they are”
On the question of what should happen to members who agreed with Mrs Long-Bailey, Ms Griffith said: “Well it is going to be a long process and I think starting off by making it absolutely clear we have zero tolerance of anti-Semitism in the party is step one, but quite clearly there is work to be done.
“And I hope very much that we will be able to take people with us.
“And if there are a few that can’t come with us well they’ll have to leave.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-53212785
Bob you may well be allowed to join, but open your mouth on Israel and you could be suspended.
I’m with Felix Bellaby. I read the EHRC report and came away amazed at it shallowness—it is completely lacking, or so it seems to me, any historical perspective. One doesn’t need to be a historian to appreciate that; all it takes is having paid a little bit of attention during the last five years and a little bit of memory. The way the report writes about the Labour Party as if it has been an unchanging object: only a very few most casual, dismissive acknowledgements of the internal changes, changes which were the hard won result of bitter political struggle. And those who struggled against the old ways of the Party’s bureaucrats are held to be guilty for the faults of those they replaced. Worse, those who were at fault are now back ruling the roost and transferring blame upon those who tried to change things.
Stop the rot !
Don’t leave… Rejoin now and fight.
What will you achieve sitting on the sidelines ?? What ?
No excuses for Starmer either ! He’s not being pushed, he’s a Trojan Horse, a stooge of the establishment, clear now for all to see.
Emergency motions NOW please , from every constituency .. to reinstate Jeremy now.
Thank you for your measured response. I was in dispair when l heard about the suspension, not knowing what to do, and waiting for your lead.
I have voted Labour since eligible at 21, 1962 , and been a member the vast majority of that time apart from the New Labour yrs. I rejoined with excitement, when Jeremy C.was elected leader. Since then l have got more and more surprised, angry, upset, not understanding the lies and vitriol pouring out of some LP members, some Jewish organisations, and MSM. It was understanding your agenda than convinced me to join as a supporting member.
I now pray for the release of the Forde Report, l feel sure many things will become clear, and hopefully a way can be found to make sure the truth is out there. Maybe the legal fund that is available will help. I know many of us will contribute more. If the JVL needs funds for any action l can give something.
I look forward to your full response to the EHRC report. Thankyou and all the ‘ comments ‘ for the lack of nastiness, and rudeness that usually abounds in the social media.Its refreshing.
I have read the EHRC report several times and it does require very careful analysis, preferably by experienced lawyers rather than newspaper pundits. What I’ve been looking for is a description of the sort of antisemitic speech and behaviour that would actually cause Jews to feel threatened, either in the Party or in the community. There are two specific case studies – Ken Livingstone and Pam Bromley. The EHRC authors claim that both of these individuals are guilty of antisemitism and harassment which has caused great distress to Jewish people, but that’s an opinion rather than a finding of objective fact. Many of us don’t see anything antisemitic in what Ken Livingstone said. Or in most of what Pam Bromley said. The idea that a few people can speak for the entire Jewish community and effectively “vote” the comments to be antisemitic is a deeply repugnant one from a body claiming to uphold human rights.
I agree that the disciplinary policies of the Party are not fit for purpose and that the decisions made in various cases were amateurish and unprofessional. But that worked both ways, and there has been a failure to consider how that rendered unfair the treatment of Livingstone, Wadsworth, Walker, Williamson and many others who were unfairly suspended and/or expelled, with no right of appeal.
If there was in fact a “hostile environment” for Jewish party members, I see negligible evidence of that in the Report. But it is heresy to say so. You can expect to be suspended for saying so. And I do genuinely want to hear from anyone who has experienced antisemitic behaviour in Party meetings or at rallies. We all know that Facebook and Twitter are cesspools where many people behave badly.
We shouldn’t have to fight for democracy but we do.
It appears that Starmer has long been “a sleeper” for right wing interests. I believe that his whole hidden agenda was to insinuate himself into the hierarchy of the Labour Party so as to undermine what most of us regard as the traditional Labour values of democracy and socialism. Starmer`s whole commitment is to external capitalist interests and probably always has been. Only since becoming “leader” does he reveal his true self. And it is ugly! Does he imagine that he is unassailable? Lets prove him wrong.
I think we should praise Corbyn for his stand. He may not have been the best leader of the Labour Party we’ve ever had, but he is great statesman for standing up for his principles of anti-racism as an MP.
He has dedicated his career to fighting racism in all its forms. He is not going to give in now.
I’m so proud of his stand. It’s given me inspiration to carry on the battle as a leftwing Jew who wants to see equality and fairness for all, including the Palestinians.
Keir Starmer has told the BBC: “I made it clear the Labour Party I lead will not tolerate anti-Semitism, neither will it tolerate the argument that denies or minimises anti-Semitism in the Labour Party on the basis that it’s exaggerated or a factional row.” We members should make clear we will not tolerate the argument that denies or minimises the exaggeration by Jeremy Corbyn’s opponents of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party he led.
It should now be obvious to everyone that Starmer is not a Socialist. He is a careerist who will do anything to ingratiate himself with the establishment. His appalling record of failing those he should have supported speaks for itself. Starmer is a 100% phoney who is using the Labour Party for his own purposes. The contrast between him and Corbyn is so stark, it is amazing that he has advanced so far in the Labour Movement. Every time he has had to make a decision he has examined the choices ‘forensically’ to decide what is best for him.
I would first like to say the JVL and its support for Jeremy and other MPs and members has been brilliant.
And I think the JVL who to me are the voice of reason and are the first to speak out when MPs and Members are falsely accused of antisemitism.
All antisemitism and other forms of racism is wrong and even one case is one to many
and should be dealt with swiftly.
But when you see good MPs and Members falsely being accused of antisemitism just for rightfully condemning Netanyahu and the Israeli Government for the atrocities they are committing against the Palestinian men, women and children while Bulldozing their homes and forcing them from their land.
And even the JVL coming under attack for defending those MPs and members by saying it is not antisemitic to condemn Netanyahu and the Israeli Government for what they’re doing and for this they are told they are not the right kind of Jew is disgraceful.
I hope the JVL are invited to debate with the media and some of those members of the labour party who seem so quick to accuse people of things without producing any evidence
The media should be asking these questions regarding what proof have you to back up the allegations that your making.
Without dialogue and exchange of views what progress will be made
I may be wrong but I think the JVL have only been invited on the media to express their views a handful of times and this is wrong.
Because the JVL have got a lot to offer in any discussions going forward with the Labour Party and the groups within it.
If the labour party are serious about educating people on antisemitism they need to include all those with views and knowledge on the subject and the JVL should be invited in any discussions.
I left the Labour Party when Starmer was elected leader of the party.
But I will still sign any petition to get Jeremy reinstated. I am still a member of Unite so I am still an affiliated member.
It was wrong to suspend a former leader of the party on a statement that does not justify a suspension and I think Starmer should sit down and think about what he has done and as I say sit down with all groups belonging to the party or affiliated to it.
Otherwise the Labour Party will be finished as we all knew it and more members will leave and never come back just like the large number that’s left because of Jeremy’s suspension.
The suspension of Corbyn should not have come as a surprise. It was floated 3 months ago by Starmer’s office. Corbyn’s reaction to the Report was merely the pretext for his suspension.
The reaction of Corbyn’s supporters underlines the Left’s catastrophic failure to understand the Right’s weaponisation of antisemitism. It is beyond pathetic when Momentum respond by saying that Corbyn’s suspension undermines the fight against anti-Semitism. There never was a fight against anti-Semitism. It was always about anti-Zionism, the Palestinians and support for socialism.
The acceptance of the ‘antisemitism’ narrative was all wrong. When people boast that Formby unjustly expelled more people than Sam Matthews I despair. Is that really something to boast about?
Every charge sheet I’ve seen relates to comments about Israel/Zionism. Why else did the Board/JLM push for the adoption of the IHRA which is about defence of Israel not Jews? How is it that Luke Akehurst can publicly support mowing down hundreds of unarmed Palestinians in Gaza and nothing is done yet the odd remark about Rothschilds is a hanging offence?
Corbyn is the author of his own misfortune. He went along with the expulsion of Jackie Walker, Marc Wadsworth and myself and the suspension of Chris Williamson and Livingstone. He threw all of us under the bus and now finds himself in the same situation.
It was Corbyn who pushed through the fast track expulsions and said that only the most egregious cases would be dealt with that way. That was untrue. EVERY anti-Semitism case is now dealt with that way.
Corbyn did not understand that everytime someone was expelled that was just proof that the Zionists were right. The injustice done to Corbyn is no greater than the injustice meted out to hundreds of Black, Muslim and Jewish comrades.
Starmer is determined to take Labour to the Right permanently. Yes people should stay and fight but people should also seriously consider the creation of a new socialist movement
My own assessment of what has happened can be read here
https://tinyurl.com/y47gs6zp
Please sign the LAW petition here
https://www.change.org/p/keir-starmer-reinstate-jeremy-corbyn-end-the-witch-hunt-against-the-left
I understand the desire to leave this authoritarian and undemocratic party at the moment but please stay if you can. If this is impossible for you then cancel your direct debit as you have 6 months before being ‘lapsed’ by the system. If you resign I understand that they remove your NEC ballot. So, hang on, vote for the GV6 and 3 other lefties and leave after the election is over. Take care everyone, this is a truly difficult time.
I left the day Starmer was elected, as there was no point in contributing to a party I could never vote for. Starmer has proved numerous times I have made the right decision.
The Scotts, Welsh, Northern Irish will not vote for blairite Labour and neither will most of England now.
I am very puzzled about much of this .. and questions as to why the Chakrabarti report recommendations were not introduced in full – as expressed in posts above.
I am also wondering how Livingstone “harassed” people – as opposed to making statements which – on being challenged – he apologised for. This apology came soon after this first blew up when he acknowledged that he had upset people, . However much later on I remember him threatening legal action against anyone who misquoted him with respect to a single specific statement.
But maybe these questions will be answered when the information contained within the leaked report is carefully compared with EHRC – and we receive your considered response.
Of course the EHRC’s report needs very careful reading. Regrettable if your many supporters miss something really important. It might be helpful if you set yourselves a deadline for digesting it’s contents. The Commission’s press release and executive summary make useful starting points. FYI information ‘unlawful’ is defined as ‘not permissible.’
It is all very well to advise the membership not to leave but fight, when it is futile to stay and fight. Our complaints fall on deaf ears. All the members of my family joined the LP in order to vote for JC as our leader because we were impressed with his honesty (a rare quality in a politician) and just political views. We have now decided not to renew our membership because we felt that our money was unfairly used to compensate undeserving rogue complainants. And now the suspension of our hero! We were, however, just in time to vote for the NEC six. Although we are no longer the members of the LP we would still vote for Labour because we could not contemplate voting for the right wing Tory scums.
Yes I await JVL considered response /report . The suspension of Jeremy Corbyn was a disgrace. He maybe, should have waited for a while than commented. There nothing in the report or what he said that could be considered to justify suspension. There is a worrying threats by Starmer about any comments about A/S being considered critical will result in disciplinary action. It is a form of McCarthyism and very worrying.
I resigned yesterday after 48 yrs on and off, and will not re-join Labour until either Starmer is removed or he loses next election. Jeremy should be immediately reinstated he has done nothing wrong.
WE must do all in our power to end this unjust hounding of a good man, Jeremy Corbyn has fought against racism all his long life, the evidence bears this out. This smear campaign is just a buch of small people thinking that they grow big by standing on others. THEY DONT!
I really do wonder what terms Keir Starmer’s sponsors set him before he entered the Labour Party leadership contest.
I hope all those young people who saw a possibility of a more honest politics in Corbyn are not taken in or disheartened by this dangerous attempt to brand him as anti-semitic and a racist by some who should, from a reading of history, know better.
I hope that when the Labour Party rethinks its complaints process –
and this is long overdue .. it will abolish its catch-all clause “bringing the Labour Party into disrepute” .
There are many other necessary changes – identified many times by yourself and your correspondents . One of your justified complaints is the change to the reason for suspension during the suspension period – I think this is covered by the requirements of the Commission? There are many others – but these have immediately come to mind.
Do we know how they are going to chose the Independent Commission?
Does the report affect those already under suspension – particularly the group(s) you are supporting and others you have identified?
Good luck with your work!
I turn to JVL to be reminded of the values the Left stood for when I was becoming socially and politically aware in the 70s, and of the warmth and stimulation that woke me up from what Christopher Bollas calls ‘the unthought known’. We just know things! Because ‘they’ say so! Or we have to face the difficulty of having to think for ourselves. There are precious few places to turn for these reminders. Thank you JVL and all those who take the trouble to comment, for providing one of them.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has said that Jeremy Corbyn’s comment on Thursday about the very low incidence of Anti Semitism in the party is ‘unacceptable’ even though it’s true. https://skwawkbox.org/2020/10/31/video-rayner-admits-what-corbyn-said-was-true-but-it-was-unacceptable/ Anyone in the Labour party who voice the opinion that Israeli governments policies are racist [as a matter of fact they are] are subject to a LP compliance unit investigation and possible expulsion. It could be said that any expression of the truth is incompatible with membership of the Labour party. Orwellian times indeed.
Thank you for including the Comment by Tony Greenstein. I’m grateful for the various posts on responses to the EHRC Report and would have expected TGs Report to have been included. It is, after all, a valid part of this discussion, dont you think?
What a contrast to how we are being gagged in the LP.
Surely suppressing criticism of any report is preventing free speech and therefore antidemocratic.
It’s Jeremy who deserves an apology.
Starmer targeting the wrong person. How about cleaning up those behind the scenes who think they are bigger than the party & seek to put their own agenda first before the party or those who sabotaged the party’s chances of winning the last two elections.
Keir Starmer met with Gen Sec David Evans shortly before announcing Corbyns suspension, Evans could not possibly have taken this momentous decision on his own without Starmers agreement since Starmer did not protest, Starmer must have agreed to it. Corbyn has been lambasted by the EHRC for the leaderships office interfering in disciplinary matters yet here we are with the forensic leader Starmer [Clouseau] doing just that, he said this “ I’m not going to shy away from difficult decisions, that’s what leadership is, difficult decisions, WE made a very difficult decision.
Didn’t he really just do what the EHRC says is forbidden and influence a disciplinary decision? https://skwawkbox.org/2020/11/01/so-which-is-it-keir-was-suspending-corbyn-evanss-decision-or-your-difficult-decision-and-leadership/
PROUD OF YOU ALL