Reflections on my Expulsion from the Labour Party
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| The Morning Star 20.2.18. Editorial |
After spending a relaxing day in
London yesterday before dining with a friend in the evening. I went for lunch
with an old friend today before attending a public meeting of Brighton and Hove
Momentum in the evening. The meeting at
the Friends Meeting House was packed and Chris Williamson, the Derbyshire MP
had got out of a sick bed to attend.
Greg Hadfield (who had also got out of a sick bed!) and Becky Massey
co-chaired the meeting and held it together very well.
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| George Galloway making the most obvious of points |
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| Chris Williamson MP speaking |
The speakers were all excellent
from the newly elected councillor, Nancy Platts to Bob from the anti-HDV
campaign in Haringey to Paul of Acorn Renters Group. There were a number of speakers from the
floor starting with Riad who had been ‘auto excluded’ from the Labour Party quite
outrageously owing to a minor criminal conviction. I spoke last of all from the floor about my
recent expulsion to thunderous applause.
Whatever the right-wing cranks and misfits of the Right may spin, most
people understand very well that if there were a real problem of anti-Semitism in
the Labour Party then you don’t solve it by expelling Jewish anti-Zionists! That was why last night Kemptown CLP passed
overwhelmingly a motion supporting Greg Hadfield against his suspension.
from the newly elected councillor, Nancy Platts to Bob from the anti-HDV
campaign in Haringey to Paul of Acorn Renters Group. There were a number of speakers from the
floor starting with Riad who had been ‘auto excluded’ from the Labour Party quite
outrageously owing to a minor criminal conviction. I spoke last of all from the floor about my
recent expulsion to thunderous applause.
Whatever the right-wing cranks and misfits of the Right may spin, most
people understand very well that if there were a real problem of anti-Semitism in
the Labour Party then you don’t solve it by expelling Jewish anti-Zionists! That was why last night Kemptown CLP passed
overwhelmingly a motion supporting Greg Hadfield against his suspension.
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| Tonight’s packed Brighton & Hove Momentum meeting at which Chris Williamson MP spoke – I was given a rapturous reception by those present |
I’m overwhelmed with peoples’ kindness whether it is wanting
to take me out for meals or just sending good wishes. People seem to feel I deserve some compensation for my expulsion and the Labour Party’s anti-Semitic treatment of me. Most decent people feel anger that the racists and hacks of Labour’s officialdom, combined with the Zionists who dominate the hierarchy of the Labour Party have expelled a Jewish anti-fascist and anti-racist. Even worse Jackie Walker, a Black-Jewish anti-racist and Marc Wadsworth, another Black anti-racist and anti-fascist are up for the chop.
to take me out for meals or just sending good wishes. People seem to feel I deserve some compensation for my expulsion and the Labour Party’s anti-Semitic treatment of me. Most decent people feel anger that the racists and hacks of Labour’s officialdom, combined with the Zionists who dominate the hierarchy of the Labour Party have expelled a Jewish anti-fascist and anti-racist. Even worse Jackie Walker, a Black-Jewish anti-racist and Marc Wadsworth, another Black anti-racist and anti-fascist are up for the chop.
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| Brighton Argus 20.2.18. |
People also feel disgust with @EminaIbrahim who is supposed to be on the left who voted with the Right on the NCC to expel me. She seemed to be absorbed by the Right without displaying any independence.
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| Asking the most obvious of questions – who leaked the expulsion verdict before it had been announced – the answer is Sam Matthews, the scumbag who heads Labour’s Disputes Department |
It
is very kind but I need to get back into a routine! However it was good to take time out after
the ordeal of my expulsion meeting, which was tedious in the extreme, not least
because it is difficult getting across political concepts to people who seem to
take pride in being thick. The amount of
support I have received has been extremely gratifying even if sections of the
press [Huff Post/Breitbart] have of course distorted what has happened. The Morning Star had an excellent editorial
today making the obvious point that it was inevitable that the false ‘anti-Semitism’
witch hunt would begin by expelling a Jew.
is very kind but I need to get back into a routine! However it was good to take time out after
the ordeal of my expulsion meeting, which was tedious in the extreme, not least
because it is difficult getting across political concepts to people who seem to
take pride in being thick. The amount of
support I have received has been extremely gratifying even if sections of the
press [Huff Post/Breitbart] have of course distorted what has happened. The Morning Star had an excellent editorial
today making the obvious point that it was inevitable that the false ‘anti-Semitism’
witch hunt would begin by expelling a Jew.
Of course there have been the usual malcontents and what John Prescott
calls the bitterites on social media – the sinister Euan Philipps and Emma
Picken of @labourAgainstAS who take pride in their attacks on anti-racists as ‘anti-semites’. LAS has all the hallmarks of a state driven operation intent on political destabilisation. Not leaving out the super narcissist himself Gary Spedding who confesses to having broken down in tears at my
expulsion (of joy poor thing). See Greg
Hadfield’s excellent article The
Labour Party outsources its duty of care to betting billionaires — with help from Capita!
calls the bitterites on social media – the sinister Euan Philipps and Emma
Picken of @labourAgainstAS who take pride in their attacks on anti-racists as ‘anti-semites’. LAS has all the hallmarks of a state driven operation intent on political destabilisation. Not leaving out the super narcissist himself Gary Spedding who confesses to having broken down in tears at my
expulsion (of joy poor thing). See Greg
Hadfield’s excellent article The
Labour Party outsources its duty of care to betting billionaires — with help from Capita!
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| Despite a few racist trolls around @LabourAgainstAS most people recognise that the ‘anti-semitism’ witch-hunt is a racist witch-hunt |
There has been a Twitter
blizzard. Fortunately, apart from the few
sad cases like @Euan Philipps the non-Jewish head of the troll group Labour
Against AntiSemitism, most people have got the message, which is:
blizzard. Fortunately, apart from the few
sad cases like @Euan Philipps the non-Jewish head of the troll group Labour
Against AntiSemitism, most people have got the message, which is:
1.
If you want to oppose anti-Semitism then
expelling Jews isn’t a good way to go about it
If you want to oppose anti-Semitism then
expelling Jews isn’t a good way to go about it
2.
That the false ‘anti-Semitism’ campaign in the
Labour Party is about Israel not Jews.
That the false ‘anti-Semitism’ campaign in the
Labour Party is about Israel not Jews.
3.
That the pretext for my expulsion, abuse of
Zios, is a one way street since the activities of Philipps and his trolls and
the abuse they regularly engage in never merit the attention of McNicol. Indeed there must be a strong suspicion that
McNicol’s henchmen, Sam Matthews in particular, are up to their eyes in Labour’s
dirty tricks.
That the pretext for my expulsion, abuse of
Zios, is a one way street since the activities of Philipps and his trolls and
the abuse they regularly engage in never merit the attention of McNicol. Indeed there must be a strong suspicion that
McNicol’s henchmen, Sam Matthews in particular, are up to their eyes in Labour’s
dirty tricks.
4.
The nature of the disciplinary process itself
The nature of the disciplinary process itself
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| Zionist trolls thought they’d back up their usual accusations of ‘anti-semitism’ by forging the ‘evidence’ by engaging in artistic creativity and photoshopping my name onto an anti-semitic tweet |
Zionism, Jews and Anti-Semitism
It is no accident that Jews have
been one of the major targets of the ‘anti-Semitism campaign because it is
integral to Zionism’s claim to be a national movement that it represents all
Jews. Those who don’t are called
‘self-haters’ the same term that the Nazis used against anti-fascist Germans,
who literally hated their race and nation.
been one of the major targets of the ‘anti-Semitism campaign because it is
integral to Zionism’s claim to be a national movement that it represents all
Jews. Those who don’t are called
‘self-haters’ the same term that the Nazis used against anti-fascist Germans,
who literally hated their race and nation.
The irony of course is that it is
Zionism, a vicious racial doctrine that had no problem in opposing the rescue
of Jews in the War if their destination wasn’t Palestine, that has most in
common with anti-Semitism.
Zionism, a vicious racial doctrine that had no problem in opposing the rescue
of Jews in the War if their destination wasn’t Palestine, that has most in
common with anti-Semitism.
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| How most people see my expulsion |
As the Chairman of the Jewish
Agency and the first Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben Gurion said just after
Krystalnacht when the British Kindertransport program was being arranged and
which would eventually save 10,000 German Jewish children:
Agency and the first Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben Gurion said just after
Krystalnacht when the British Kindertransport program was being arranged and
which would eventually save 10,000 German Jewish children:
If I knew that it
would be possible to save all the children in Germany by bringing them over to
England, and only half of them by transporting them to Eretz Yisrael, then I
would opt for the second alternative. For we must weigh not only the life of
these children, but also the history of the People of Israel.’ [Ben Gurion at the Mapai Central Committee 7.12.38]
would be possible to save all the children in Germany by bringing them over to
England, and only half of them by transporting them to Eretz Yisrael, then I
would opt for the second alternative. For we must weigh not only the life of
these children, but also the history of the People of Israel.’ [Ben Gurion at the Mapai Central Committee 7.12.38]
Zionism starts from the basis
that Jews do not belong in the diaspora.
That their home is Israel.
Although most people are unaware of this Israel claims to be a state,
not of its own citizens but of all Jews, its Jewish citizens included. Its non-Jewish citizens are mere guests in
someone else’s countries.
that Jews do not belong in the diaspora.
That their home is Israel.
Although most people are unaware of this Israel claims to be a state,
not of its own citizens but of all Jews, its Jewish citizens included. Its non-Jewish citizens are mere guests in
someone else’s countries.
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| This is what Blairite MP Louise Ellman supports – apparently it is an offence to say that Ellman supports child abuse |
It is this belief that Jews
outside Israel are aliens in other peoples’ lands which is responsible for the
alliance between Israel, Zionism and the anti-Semitic Right. In the USA it is the magazine Breitbart,
under its former CEO Steve Bannon which has distinguished itself by a mixture
of White Supremacy, overt support for Zionism and vicious anti-feminism.
outside Israel are aliens in other peoples’ lands which is responsible for the
alliance between Israel, Zionism and the anti-Semitic Right. In the USA it is the magazine Breitbart,
under its former CEO Steve Bannon which has distinguished itself by a mixture
of White Supremacy, overt support for Zionism and vicious anti-feminism.
If Breitbart is the magazine of
the alt-Right then the founder of this movement is Richard Spencer, an open
neo-Nazi who has declared that he wants nothing more than to create in the USA
a mirror image of Israel as an ethno nationalist state. Just as Israel is based on one single ethnic
group, the Jews, so Spencer wants to do the same in the USA with Whites. Hence why Spencer calls himself a White
Zionist.
the alt-Right then the founder of this movement is Richard Spencer, an open
neo-Nazi who has declared that he wants nothing more than to create in the USA
a mirror image of Israel as an ethno nationalist state. Just as Israel is based on one single ethnic
group, the Jews, so Spencer wants to do the same in the USA with Whites. Hence why Spencer calls himself a White
Zionist.
The love affair in American between the far-Right and the Zionist
movement led to Steve Bannon, Trump’s former Strategic Advisor, being a guest
of honour at the Zionist Organisation of America’s annual dinner. See Bannon Addresses ZOA, Urges Jews to Join
‘Insurgency’ Against anti-Trump Republicans. So alarming was this to many Jews that
articles such as Naomi Zeveloff’s How
Steve Bannon and Breitbart News Can Be Pro-Israel — and Anti-Semitic at the
Same Time began appearing. Liberal Zionists who had been fed the nonsense
about how it was opponents of Zionism who were anti-Semitic were wide eyed as
the scales fell from their eyes.
movement led to Steve Bannon, Trump’s former Strategic Advisor, being a guest
of honour at the Zionist Organisation of America’s annual dinner. See Bannon Addresses ZOA, Urges Jews to Join
‘Insurgency’ Against anti-Trump Republicans. So alarming was this to many Jews that
articles such as Naomi Zeveloff’s How
Steve Bannon and Breitbart News Can Be Pro-Israel — and Anti-Semitic at the
Same Time began appearing. Liberal Zionists who had been fed the nonsense
about how it was opponents of Zionism who were anti-Semitic were wide eyed as
the scales fell from their eyes.
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Admiral Horthy Hungary’s pro-Nazi wartime leader who Prime Minister Viktor Orban is now rehabilitating – Netanyahu’s closest friend in Europe is the antisemitic leader of Hungary |
In Europe Israel’s closes allies
are the most anti-Semitic regimes such as Hungary and Poland. A particularly awful example was when
Netanyahu instructed
the Israeli Ambassador in Hungary, shortly before his visit last July, to
retract mild criticisms of the Prime Minister’s anti-Semitic campaign against
George Soros. Netanyahu also didn’t like
Soros because he has funded Israeli human rights groups. Orban portrayed Soros as the archetypal Jewish
financier. What makes this even worse is that Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor
Orban was also in the middle of a campaign to rehabilitate
Hungary’s pro-Nazi war-time leader Admiral Horthy, who had deported nearly ½m Hungary
Jews to Auschwitz.
are the most anti-Semitic regimes such as Hungary and Poland. A particularly awful example was when
Netanyahu instructed
the Israeli Ambassador in Hungary, shortly before his visit last July, to
retract mild criticisms of the Prime Minister’s anti-Semitic campaign against
George Soros. Netanyahu also didn’t like
Soros because he has funded Israeli human rights groups. Orban portrayed Soros as the archetypal Jewish
financier. What makes this even worse is that Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor
Orban was also in the middle of a campaign to rehabilitate
Hungary’s pro-Nazi war-time leader Admiral Horthy, who had deported nearly ½m Hungary
Jews to Auschwitz.
Yet no one who understands
anything about Zionist relations with anti-Semitism should be at all
surprised. Historically Zionism has
always welcomed anti-Semitism as a
method of ‘helping’ Jews to emigrate to Palestine.
anything about Zionist relations with anti-Semitism should be at all
surprised. Historically Zionism has
always welcomed anti-Semitism as a
method of ‘helping’ Jews to emigrate to Palestine.
As the founder of Political
Zionism, Theodor Herzl wrote in his Diaries, at the time of the Dreyfuss Affair:
Zionism, Theodor Herzl wrote in his Diaries, at the time of the Dreyfuss Affair:
‘In Paris… I achieved a freer
attitude towards anti-Semitism, which I now began to understand historically
and to pardon. Above all, I recognise the emptiness and futility of trying to
‘combat’ anti-Semitism. [Diaries of Theodore Herzl, Gollancz, London 1958 p.6,
May 1895]
attitude towards anti-Semitism, which I now began to understand historically
and to pardon. Above all, I recognise the emptiness and futility of trying to
‘combat’ anti-Semitism. [Diaries of Theodore Herzl, Gollancz, London 1958 p.6,
May 1895]
That is why I have always
emphasised that the ‘anti-Semitism’ campaign in the Labour Party has nothing to
do with anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism is marginal
in the Labour Party. In so far as a few
people have made anti-Semitic comments, it is almost entirely a reaction to the
claim that Israel’s war crimes are committed in the name of Jewish people.
emphasised that the ‘anti-Semitism’ campaign in the Labour Party has nothing to
do with anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism is marginal
in the Labour Party. In so far as a few
people have made anti-Semitic comments, it is almost entirely a reaction to the
claim that Israel’s war crimes are committed in the name of Jewish people.
Why the False ‘Anti-Semitism’ Campaign?
This is probably the easiest question
to answer. Why is there such a
campaign? Is there really anti-Semitism
in the Labour Party? The best answer is
by Avi Shlaim, Professor of International Relations at St. Anthony’s College,
Oxford:
to answer. Why is there such a
campaign? Is there really anti-Semitism
in the Labour Party? The best answer is
by Avi Shlaim, Professor of International Relations at St. Anthony’s College,
Oxford:
‘Anti-Semitism is not a real phenomenon within the Labour Party or any
of the other major political parties. There are anti-Semitic incidents but they
are usually related to Israel’s behaviour, Israeli brutality. So every time there is an Israeli attack on
Gaza and there have been 3 in the last 7 years there is a rise in anti-Semitic
episodes and incidents in Britain. Fundamentally Israel and the Israeli
propaganda machine and Israel’s friends in England and the Israel lobby in
Britain deliberately confuse or conflate, and I stress they do it deliberately,
anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism.
Anti-Semitism is hatred of the Jews as Jews. Anti-Zionism is opposition to Israel as a
colonial power and as an exclusive Jewish state.’
of the other major political parties. There are anti-Semitic incidents but they
are usually related to Israel’s behaviour, Israeli brutality. So every time there is an Israeli attack on
Gaza and there have been 3 in the last 7 years there is a rise in anti-Semitic
episodes and incidents in Britain. Fundamentally Israel and the Israeli
propaganda machine and Israel’s friends in England and the Israel lobby in
Britain deliberately confuse or conflate, and I stress they do it deliberately,
anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism.
Anti-Semitism is hatred of the Jews as Jews. Anti-Zionism is opposition to Israel as a
colonial power and as an exclusive Jewish state.’
As long as Israel perpetrates war
crimes against the Palestinians and as long as it claims to do this in the name
of all Jewish people, so long will there be, low level anti-Semitism. The irony is that anti-Semitism today, except
for the neo-Nazi variety which Zionism has no problem with, as in the USA, is a
product of Israel and Zionism. That is
the irony. The Jewish state is
responsible for most of today’s anti-Semitism.
crimes against the Palestinians and as long as it claims to do this in the name
of all Jewish people, so long will there be, low level anti-Semitism. The irony is that anti-Semitism today, except
for the neo-Nazi variety which Zionism has no problem with, as in the USA, is a
product of Israel and Zionism. That is
the irony. The Jewish state is
responsible for most of today’s anti-Semitism.
Personal Abuse
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| McNicol ignored this abuse by former councillor Craig Turton and the support for Turton by the present head of Brighton Council, Warren Morgan |
One of the key charges against me
is of personal abuse of Zionists. I
pointed out to the Panel that no less than 4 times I had complained to Iain
McNicol, Labour’s crooked General Secretary, about a post from the Leader of
Brighton and Hove Council, Warren Morgan, in which another, former Labour councillor, Craig
Turton, had called me a ‘poisonous piece of shit’ only to be told ‘’Thanks Craig, appreciate that. Hope you are well.’ by Morgan. All my complaints were ignored because
only abuse by the Left is an offence in the Labour Party. Abuse by the Right is tolerated if not
encouraged and there is good reason to believe that senior Labour Party employees
such as Sam Matthews are working hand-in-glove with the trolls of Labour
Against Anti-Semitism.
is of personal abuse of Zionists. I
pointed out to the Panel that no less than 4 times I had complained to Iain
McNicol, Labour’s crooked General Secretary, about a post from the Leader of
Brighton and Hove Council, Warren Morgan, in which another, former Labour councillor, Craig
Turton, had called me a ‘poisonous piece of shit’ only to be told ‘’Thanks Craig, appreciate that. Hope you are well.’ by Morgan. All my complaints were ignored because
only abuse by the Left is an offence in the Labour Party. Abuse by the Right is tolerated if not
encouraged and there is good reason to believe that senior Labour Party employees
such as Sam Matthews are working hand-in-glove with the trolls of Labour
Against Anti-Semitism.
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| Caroline ‘Poison’ Penn was waged a vendetta against the elected Secretary of Brighton & District Labour Party, Greg Hadfield, before Penn and Warren Morgan’s lies got Greg suspended |
Another local councillor who is
to the forefront of the anti-Semitic witchhunt in Brighton is one Councillor
‘Poison’ Penn who launched a series of vicious tweets attacking Greg
Hadfield, who was elected Secretary of Brighton and Hove District Labour Party. Greg was and has been suspended for about 18
months as a result of the allegations of those like Penn and Morgan whose lies
about spitting got the party suspended in the first place. Hadfield’s reward for having exposed the lies of the
Right was to become suspended
to the forefront of the anti-Semitic witchhunt in Brighton is one Councillor
‘Poison’ Penn who launched a series of vicious tweets attacking Greg
Hadfield, who was elected Secretary of Brighton and Hove District Labour Party. Greg was and has been suspended for about 18
months as a result of the allegations of those like Penn and Morgan whose lies
about spitting got the party suspended in the first place. Hadfield’s reward for having exposed the lies of the
Right was to become suspended
Ms Penn who has close links to
the troll group, Labour Against Anti-Semitism, also submitted during my legal
battle with the Labour Party over Data Protection a false and dishonest
statement suggesting I had harassed her.
Twice Penn complained to the Police and twice her complaints were
rejected. Her allegations that I had
publicised personal information about her is a simple lie but of course impressed the Judge.
the troll group, Labour Against Anti-Semitism, also submitted during my legal
battle with the Labour Party over Data Protection a false and dishonest
statement suggesting I had harassed her.
Twice Penn complained to the Police and twice her complaints were
rejected. Her allegations that I had
publicised personal information about her is a simple lie but of course impressed the Judge.
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| Penn’s perjured email to the County Court, secured by the Labour Party, in order to provide false evidence that she was at risk if her identity was revealed. |
The inherent unfairness of the disciplinary process
There is really no pretence that
the disciplinary process in the Labour Party is fair and above board. It is a weapon in the hands of the Right. If anyone was in any doubt then the refusal
of Iain McNicol to suspend Jeremy Newmark, the Chair of the Jewish Labour
Movement who was alleged to have defrauded a Jewish charity out of tens of
thousands of pounds proves this beyond doubt.
McNicol’s response was to call this a ‘private’ matter, ‘historic’
even. Nothing about bringing the party
into disrepute because that allegation so solely reserved for the Left.
the disciplinary process in the Labour Party is fair and above board. It is a weapon in the hands of the Right. If anyone was in any doubt then the refusal
of Iain McNicol to suspend Jeremy Newmark, the Chair of the Jewish Labour
Movement who was alleged to have defrauded a Jewish charity out of tens of
thousands of pounds proves this beyond doubt.
McNicol’s response was to call this a ‘private’ matter, ‘historic’
even. Nothing about bringing the party
into disrepute because that allegation so solely reserved for the Left.
As the Labour Party barrister Ogg
accepted in his skeleton
argument argument, all the charges related to after my suspension. It
therefore follows that my suspension was, in terms of Labour’s own
constitution, unlawful. It has no
rational basis. I was targeted by the
Jewish Labour Movement and other Zionist groups in the Labour Party and
suspended for absolutely no reason.
Having been targeted they then went about finding evidence. That is why it took them 20 months before
they had assembled a case.
accepted in his skeleton
argument argument, all the charges related to after my suspension. It
therefore follows that my suspension was, in terms of Labour’s own
constitution, unlawful. It has no
rational basis. I was targeted by the
Jewish Labour Movement and other Zionist groups in the Labour Party and
suspended for absolutely no reason.
Having been targeted they then went about finding evidence. That is why it took them 20 months before
they had assembled a case.
Any party that claimed to be a
democratic socialist one would have reinstated me automatically. But in the Labour Party the disciplinary
process is in the hands of the Right and in particular the Crooked General
Secretary Iain McNicol and his equally crooked subaltern Sam Matthews. For them the disciplinary process is nothing
but a means with which to ensure that the Right holds on to control of the
levers of power. Disciplinary
procedures, investigations etc. have been used as a factional instrument.
democratic socialist one would have reinstated me automatically. But in the Labour Party the disciplinary
process is in the hands of the Right and in particular the Crooked General
Secretary Iain McNicol and his equally crooked subaltern Sam Matthews. For them the disciplinary process is nothing
but a means with which to ensure that the Right holds on to control of the
levers of power. Disciplinary
procedures, investigations etc. have been used as a factional instrument.
But that is why the Left should
have no truck with the witch hunt. It is
a weapon against not for Corbyn. He
won’t buy time by playing along with the anti-Semitism witch hunt because its
purpose is to be rid of him. That is why
the Zionist lobby can never be satisfied. However many victims are served up to
them, they will always demand more.
have no truck with the witch hunt. It is
a weapon against not for Corbyn. He
won’t buy time by playing along with the anti-Semitism witch hunt because its
purpose is to be rid of him. That is why
the Zionist lobby can never be satisfied. However many victims are served up to
them, they will always demand more.
It is in this context that the
behaviour of the so-called ‘left’ representative, Emena Ibrahim, who is Vice-Chair of Momentum, on Labour’s
National Constitutional Committee needs to be examined. It is outrageous that a senior officer of Momentum has gone along with this racist witch-hunt.
behaviour of the so-called ‘left’ representative, Emena Ibrahim, who is Vice-Chair of Momentum, on Labour’s
National Constitutional Committee needs to be examined. It is outrageous that a senior officer of Momentum has gone along with this racist witch-hunt.
Tony Greenstein
Posted in Blog
