Ken Livingston

[2sheikhs]

So the message seems to be that if you want to aspire to more than just representing your constituents, keep your mouth shut.
The country is made up of so many religious and ideological groups that you're bound to upset someone.

 

[coleridge]

Free thought and speech died years ago. Ask Ron Atkinson.

Mmm. Interesting choice on many levels. I didn't mean bigotry as that would be unrepresentative of the electorate as well as being morally wrong. Differing opinions on, say, foreign policy are surely a healthy sign of democracy.

 

[bluemoonmatt]

Naz Shah was suspended yesterday.

Oh good, been busy not kept on top of the news

 

[Zuriblue]

I think it does have a problem but I also think the right wing press is using it as a stick to beat Corbyn with. I would imagine there are far more Tories who have ideological sympathies with Hitler. They're just not stupid enough to show it publicly.

Especially when the pearl clutching is coming from right wingers who were quite happy to throw out coded and uncoded anti-Semitic slurs against Ed Milliband - including some of the sanctimonious fuckwits on this thread.

 

[coleridge]

Statement on “Labour’s problem with antisemitism”
from the Jewish Socialists’ Group

Antisemitism exists and must be exposed and fought against in the same way as other forms of racism by all who are concerned with combating racism and fascism.

Antisemitism and anti-Zionism are not the same. Zionism is a political ideology which has always been contested within Jewish life since it emerged in 1897, and it is entirely legitimate for non-Jews as well as Jews to express opinions about it, whether positive or negative. Not all Jews are Zionists. Not all Zionists are Jews.

Criticism of Israeli government policy and Israeli state actions against the Palestinians is not antisemitism. Those who conflate criticism of Israeli policy with antisemitism, whether they are supporters or opponents of Israeli policy, are actually helping the antisemites. We reject any attempt, from whichever quarter, to place legitimate criticism of Israeli policy out of bounds.

Accusations of antisemitism are currently being weaponised to attack the Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour party with claims that Labour has a “problem” of antisemitism. This is despite Corbyn’s longstanding record of actively opposing fascism and all forms of racism, and being a firm a supporter of the rights of refugees and of human rights globally.

A very small number of such cases seem to be real instances of antisemitism. Others represent genuine criticism of Israeli policy and support for Palestinian rights, but expressed in clumsy and ambiguous language, which may unknowingly cross a line into antisemitism. Further cases are simply forthright expressions of support for Palestinian rights, which condemn Israeli government policy and aspects of Zionist ideology, and have nothing whatsoever to do with antisemitism.

The accusations do not refer to antisemitic actions but usually to comments, often made on social media, long before Jeremy Corbyn won the Labour leadership. Those making the charges now, did not see fit to bring them up at the time, under previous Labour leaders, but are using them now, just before mayoral and local elections, when they believe they can inflict most damage on the Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn.

The attack is coming from four main sources, who share agendas: to undermine Jeremy Corbyn as leader of Labour; to defend Israeli government policy from attack, however unjust, racist and harmful towards the Palestinian people; and to discredit those who make legitimate criticisms of Israeli policy or Zionism as a political ideology. As anti-racist and anti-fascist Jews who are also campaigning for peace with justice between Israelis and Palestinians, we entirely reject these cynical agendas that are being expressed by:

• The Conservative Party

• Conservative-supporting media in Britain and pro-Zionist Israeli media sources

• Right-wing and pro-Zionist elements claiming to speak on behalf of the Jewish community

• Opponents of Jeremy Corbyn within the Labour party.

The Jewish Socialists’ Group recognises that ordinary Jewish people are rightly concerned and fearful about instances of antisemitism. We share their concerns and a have a proud and consistent record of challenging and campaigning against antisemitism. But we will not support those making false accusations for cynical political motives, including the Conservative Party, who are running a racist campaign against Sadiq Khan, and whose leader David Cameron has referred to desperate refugees, as “a swarm” and “a bunch of migrants”. The Conservative Party demonstrated their contempt for Lord Dubs, a Jewish refugee from Nazism, when they voted down en masse an amendment a few days ago to allow 3,000 child refugees into Britain while Labour, led by Jeremy Corbyn, gave total support to Lord Dubs and his amendment.

The Jewish Socialists’ Group sees the current fearmongering about antisemitism in the Labour Party for what it is – a conscious and concerted effort by right-wing political forces to undermine the growing support among Jews and non-Jews alike for the Labour Party leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, and a measure of the desperation of his opponents.

We stand against antisemitism, against racism and fascism and in support of refugees. We stand for free speech and open debate on Israel, Palestine and Zionism.

Posted: 28 April 2016

That's just fantastic and I agree with every word. I signed the child refugee petition yesterday, coincidentally. I almost wish I was Jewish just so I could join the JSG. All you far right trolls on here should go hang your heads in shame. We, the people, will never be divided.

 

[manctheknife]

Especially when the pearl clutching is coming from right wingers who were quite happy to throw out coded and uncoded anti-Semitic slurs against Ed Milliband - including some of the sanctimonious fuckwits on this thread.

They even made the poor sod eat a bacon sandwich......

 

[Zuriblue]

http://zelo-street.blogspot.ch/2016/04/guido-fawked-anti-semitism-hypocrisy.html

 

[KenTheLandlord]

Especially when the pearl clutching is coming from right wingers who were quite happy to throw out coded and uncoded anti-Semitic slurs against Ed Milliband - including some of the sanctimonious fuckwits on this thread.

http://zelo-street.blogspot.ch/2016/04/guido-fawked-anti-semitism-hypocrisy.html

There is loads of examples mate.
https://tompride.wordpress.com/2016...emitic-it-is-more-jewish-than-the-tory-party/

Not only is there no basis in facts to support the idea that there is some kind of institutionalised anti-Jewish sentiment in the Labour party, but Labour has historically been more 'Jewish' than the Tories.
By my count, since 1900 there have been at least 43 Jewish Labour MPs compared to 35 in the Tory Party (see list below).
And the Tory Party itself has had its own shameful and long history of antisemitism.
In 1902 two Conservative MPs, Major Sir William Evans-Gordan and Howard Vincent organised the British Brothers League, which campaigned against Jewish immigrants.
In 1939, a Scottish Tory MP Archibald Maule Ramsay formed the 'Right Club' which campaigned to ‘oppose and expose the activities of organised Jewry’ and whose official slogan was "Perish Judah".
And just last year a Tory candidate was suspended from the party after saying she would never support “The Jew” Ed Miliband.
This all of course not to mention the severe antisemitism of Tory peers such as the Daily Mail's Lord Rothermere. Here he is with a good friend of his:



And the Daily Mail has the gall to criticise anti-semitism in Labour - despite the fact it has never apologised for its own:
It’s time the Daily Mail apologised for supporting Hitler and its antisemitic past
Another example of yet more shameless hypocrisy from the British establishment.

LABOUR JEWISH MPs SINCE 1900:
1. Manny Shinwell, Baron Shinwell (1884–1986) (1922) Labour cabinet minister and Chairman
2. Leslie Haden-Guest, Labour MP
3. Harry Louis Nathan, 1st Baron Nathan of Churt (1929) Liberal, later Labour MP
4. Barnett Janner (1931), Labour MP
5. Sydney Silverman (1935), Labour MP 1935
6. Lewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin (1936), Labour cabinet minister
7. Herschel Lewis Austin (1911-1974) (1945), Labour MP, Stretford and Urmston, Manchester
8. John Diamond, Baron Diamond (1945), Labour cabinet minister and SDP
9. Maurice Edelman (1911–1975) (1945) Labour MP
10. Harold Lever, Baron Lever of Manchester (1914–1995) (1945) Labour MP
11. Ian Mikardo (1908–1993) (1945) Labour MP
12. Samuel Segal (1945), Labour MP and later Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords
13. Leslie Lever, Baron Lever, Labour (1950)
14. Leo Abse (1958) Labour MP and social reformer
15. Myer Galpern (1959) Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
16. John Silkin (1963), Labour cabinet minister
17. Joel Barnett (1964), Labour cabinet minister and life peer
18. Edmund Dell (1964),[43] Labour cabinet minister
19. Reginald Freeson (1964), Labour minister
20. Robert Maxwell (1964), Labour MP for Buckingham
21. Samuel Silkin, Labour cabinet minister and life peer (1964)
22. Paul Rose 1964-79 Labour MP
23. Eric Moonman (1966), Labour MP
24. Greville Janner (1970) Labour MP, now life peer
25. Sir Gerald Kaufman (1970) Labour minister
26. Neville Sandelson, Labour and SDP (1971)
27. David Weitzman, Labour MP
28. Millie Miller (1974-1977) Labour MP
29. Alf Dubs (1979-1987) Labour MP and life peer
30. David Winnick (1979-present), Labour MP for Walsall North
31. Harry Cohen (1983-2010)] Labour MP for Leyton and Wandstead
32. Robert Sheldon (1964-2001), Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne
33. Barbara Roche (1992-2005) Labour minister
34. Margaret Hodge (1994-present) Labour Minister of State
35. Louise Ellman (1997-present) Labour MP
36. Fabian Hamilton (1997-present) Labour MP
37. Oona King (1997-2005),[68] Labour MP (1997–2005) (Jewish mother)
38. Ivan Lewis (1997-present) Labour Minister of State for Health
39. Gillian Merron (1997-2010) Foreign Office Minister
40. David Miliband (2001-2013), Shadow Secretary of State
41. Ed Miliband (2005-present), Leader of the Labour Party (2010-2015)
42. Luciana Berger (2010-present) Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree
43. Ruth Smeeth (2015-present), Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent North

TORY JEWISH MPs SINCE 1900:
1. Alfred Mond, 1st Baron Melchett, (1906) Liberal later Conservative MP
2. Frank Goldsmith, Conservative M.P. for Stowmarket (1910)
3. Arthur Samuel, Conservative M.P. (1918)
4. Dudley Joel (1931), Conservative MP
5. Sir Gerald Nabarro (1950), Conservative MP
6. Sir Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid (1955) Conservative MP
7. Keith Joseph, Conservative cabinet minister and life peer (1956)
8. Sir Philip Goodhart (1957) Conservative MP and minister
9. Robert Adley [35] (1970), Conservative MP
10. James d'Avigdor-Goldsmid (1970), Conservative MP
11. Sally Oppenheim-Barnes (1970), Conservative MP
12. Michael Fidler,[48] Conservative MP
13. Toby Jessel[50] (1970), Conservative MP
14. Sir Anthony Meyer (1970), Conservative MP, leadership candidate
15. Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne (1974) Conservative cabinet minister
16. Ivan Lawrence (1974), Conservative MP
17. Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby (1974-1992), Conservative Chancellor
18. Sir Malcolm Rifkind (1974-2015), Conservative Secretary of State
19. Edwina Currie (1983-1997), Conservative minister
20. Michael Howard (1983-2010), Conservative cabinet minister
21. Phillip Oppenheim (1983-1997), Conservative MP for Amber Valley
22. David Sumberg (1983–1997), Conservative MP for Bury South
23. Michael Fabricant (1992-present), Conservative MP
24. John Bercow (1997-present), Conservative MP, Speaker of House of Commons
25. Oliver Letwin (1997-present), Conservative shadow cabinet member
26. Julian Lewis (1997-present), Conservative MP
27. Jonathan Djanogly (2001-present), Conservative MP for Huntingdon
28. Lee Scott (2005-2015), Conservative MP
29. Grant Shapps (2005-present), Conservative MP for Welwyn Hatfield
30. Brooks Newmark (2005-2015), Conservative MP for Braintree
31. Michael Ellis (2010-present), Conservative MP for Northampton North
32. Robert Halfon (2010-present), Conservative MP for Harlow
33. Zac Goldsmith (2010-present), Conservative MP for Richmond
34. Lucy Frazer (2015-present), Conservative MP for South East Cambridgeshire
35. Dominic Raab (2010-present), Conservative MP for Esher and Walton


Guido Fawkes has also been a self confesseed Zionist neocon. Hypocrisy eh, bloody hell.

Far right elitist blowhard Guido Fawkes (Paul Staines) is a self-confessed Zionist, essentially backing Israel's Netanyahu apartheid regime who attack Gaza disproportionately killing children, are silent when IDF soldiers execute defenceless Palestinians and systematically erasing their land.



'The Race Card'

Any attempt to oppose or highlight the racism of privilege is met with the audacious accusations of 'playing the race card'. This mantra of neo-colonial self-entitled white men just compounds the racism as they attempt to dictate to minorities how to feel and think when the evidence is so clear. They must be wishing for a return of the Empire.



Your insights on racism are really appreciated, media pundits

 

[Bodicoteblue]

weird how Shah is still in her job unless I missed something yet they have (rightfully) suspended Livingstone. Honestly the Labour party is imploding. Which whatever way you look at it is not good news for democracy in the UK.

While the Tories tear themselves apart over Europe.
Dark days indeed for democracy- unless you think that divergent opinions within political groupings actually encourages debate and shows a healthy refusal to simply slavishly follow party lines.

 

[2sheikhs]

Is it possible to be neither a zionist or anti semite? I suppose you could say that you don't give a shit what happens over there but it wouldn't get you very far as a politician.