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Saturday 30 April 2016

Labour’s antisemitism

The Labour antisemitism row rumbles on and on.

The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has said the past week has been dreadful for Labour, and that Ken Livingstone should apologise for the hurt caused by his remarks linking Hitler and Zionism.

Speaking after Labour announced an independent inquiry into antisemitism in the party, McDonnell said he wanted to prove that Labour was a party that tackled discrimination, but admitted the furore that led to both Livingstone and MP Naz Shah suspended may have cost it votes.

It seems to go with the Corbyn territory. Presumably it is also a consequence of electing Muslim MPs who may be tempted to dish out what they see as visceral appeal to those who elected them. The signals don’t have to be as crude as Naz Shah’s, but if one stoops so low as to tread that path then they have to be recognisable. In my view we’ll see more of it if Corbyn stays. The man's a fool.

5 comments:

Scrobs. said...

Livingstone has always been the epitome of labour hatred and left wing angst. He shat on London when he was at the GLC, and has never been anyone to like - except maybe when I was at a debate with Jeffrey Archer, and everyone said he was the winner, and I agreed. But then, Archer was supposed to be important.

Why he can't just piss off and retire as a nonentity says volumes about Corbyn and his weak management of just about everything.

I actually think Corbyn isn't that bad as a human being... He seems keen to be of assistance, maybe like helping lost causes, but his inability to tell Ken to get back home is unbelievable!

Sackerson said...

I think Hitchens is right - it's a putsch attempt by the suited and booted establishment Labourites:

"As for all these people who have suddenly got so exercised about Judophobia, and wildly worked up about Ken Livingstone’s batty views on Zionism (standard issue on the far Left for decades), I have some questions for them.
Are you prepared to put the same energy into challenging and denouncing Judophobia among the Palestinians you support abroad, and the British Muslims whose votes you seek here?

"Because, if not, I might suspect that you are just using the issue to try to win back control of the Labour Party, which you lost last summer in a fair fight."

http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2016/05/everyone-howls-at-batty-ken-but-they-wouldnt-dare-tackle-racist-muslims.html

James Higham said...

Well, if it keeps Labour out, suppose it's not bad.

Demetrius said...

Livingstone is not a person we would invite for dinner.

A K Haart said...

Scrobs - I'd probably like Corbyn at a personal level, but he's my age and ought to know by now that he isn't up to it.

Sackers - I think it is a putsch attempt too. I hope it succeeds in the messiest possible way, not that I want Cameron's lot to get in again.

James - maybe but the likely alternative is grim too.

Demetrius - yes, his nasal whine would destroy any atmosphere.