Labour NEC Candidate Jo Bird awards Corbyn title of "Honorary Jew" for being "villified" at LRC AGM

One of the organisations that organises the hard/far left inside the Labour Party is the long established Labour Representation Committee founded back in 2004. It's current President is John McDonnell and has an irregular journal Labour Briefing (one of two journals claiming that name due to a split in the editorial ranks). It has a number of affiliated organisations including local Labour Party and Trade Union branches.

The LRC also allows the affiliation of non Labour Party organisations providing they do not stand candidates against the Labour Party in elections though why would anyone in Labour want to be influenced by the pro North Korean New Communist Party or the antisemitic Socialist Fight organisations?

 

The LRC also contains members who have actually been expelled from the Labour Party including the rumbustious Tony Greenstein, Gerry Downing, Stan Keable and Jackie Walker. However with the rise (and decline) of the rival Momentum organisation the LRC has stagnated despite attracting high profile participants to it's on-line meetings including Unison General Secretary candidate Roger McKenzie.

However this years meeting saw the Jo Bird a Candidate for Labours NEC (in the Councillors section) who has previously attracted attention for her antisemitic comments managed insult a whole community by awarding Jeremy Corbyn (the man under whose leadership led to the rise of antisemitism on an unprecedented scale) the title of "Honorary Jew" for the "vilification" he received.

This was a deliberate and malevolent slur to provoke the Jewish community. Given Keir Starmer's stirling efforts in trying to repair the damage done to relations between Britain's Jews and the party under Corbyn this was sheer provocation that cannot be ignored and Jo Bird must be suspended by the party immediately and taken off the ballot. She is not fit to represent any party let alone Labour.

Of course she wasn't the only one to have to continue attacks on the Jewish Community. Graham Bash (the partner of Jackie walker) and editor of Labour Briefing told the AGM that:

“we gave too much ground on anti-Semitism”

Of course Bash being a member of the Quisling Jewish Voice for Labour group will no doubt fall back on his ethnicity to defend his position. The JVL use this expression that they are seen as the "wrong type of Jews" when it is the vast majority of Jews that are seen by the antisemitic left as the "wrong type of Jews".  The JVL represents a tiny minority of British Jews and some of them only identify as being Jewish to cause mischief.

The LRC may not be an entryist  formation but the presence of other political parties, expelled members and many of the worst the left has to offer puts it beyond the pale. A new reformed modern social democratic Labour Party will have no need for these professional sectarians.

Further reading on the JVL:

The following is an excellent in-depth from JVL Watch which monitors the antics of the JVL.

JVL: A Vehicle to normalise antisemitism

CND & Stop the War Campaigns share platform with defender of Chinese oppression of Uyghurs

 

The revival of old East-West rivalries has seen many former supporters of the Soviet bloc side with Putin or Xi Jinping despite an end to both Soviet communism and the transformation of China into a state controlled capitalist economy paying mere lip service to their Marxist legacies. Both countries have become expansionist and developed imperial ambitions and this hardcore of leftists seem determined to back these dictatorships against the democratic West.

The leaders of these so-called "peace movements" have long been one-sided in conflicts taking place around the world particularly in the Middle East where the StWC protested about Western intervention on behalf off the democratic forces and rallied to the support of the Assad regime never condemning either Syrian or indeed Russian bombs as the fell on civilians indiscriminately. 

Barrel bombs, chemical weapons all ignored in the name of what the comrades define as "anti-imperialism". The StWC and other left wing groups also campaigned against arming the Kurds fighting a war against the genocidal ISIS terrorists

In the Yemen these activists condemn the assistance given to the legitimate government by Saudi Arabia and other pro-Western Arab states whilst ignoring the role of Iran, the country that as part of it's strategy to gain hegemony in the region encouraged the Houthi rebels and armed them to conduct war.

The connections between Stop the War leaders Lyndsey German and John Rees are clear to see. Both these individuals work for Iranian propaganda station Press TV. This station now banned in the UK was notorious for it's editorial bias and the broadcasting of an interview with a victim of torture under the supervision of his torturers.

Don't mention the £20,000 picked up by former President of the StWC one Jeremy Corbyn...

So their latest enterprise should really come as no surprise (though frankly it does) that these groups are sharing a platform and promoting the views of Victor Goa a defender of the Chinese actions against the Uyghur Muslims. In this they are backed by the Socialist Action group* consisting of Ken Livingstone's former GLC Lieutenants including John Ross. 

It has become well documented that the Uyghurs are facing severe repression and are being "reeducated in what can only be described as concentration camps. Yet Goa denies:

"You may call it repression, or you may call it educational or training schools' teaching methods."

"..this is not a concentration camp" and the government is dealing with extremism and separatism... In Xinjiang there is no denying there is an increasing level of radicalisation,"

This event is part of a campaign to blame the US for "starting a new Cold War" which includes it would seem not just the covering up of of Chinese expansion in the South China seas seizing Islands contested by all it's neighbours and sword rattling about invading Taiwan. Let alone the continuing savage occupation of Tibet.

Victor Goa an apologist for the Chinese Communist Party is presented as a "peace activist" covering his role as Chinese state lackey covering for their crimes against humanity in the Xinjiang province.

The time has come for the Labour and trade union movement to cease supporting and start disaffiliating from the Stop the War Coalition which is nothing but a vehicle to push the agendas of oppressive states and dictatorships in China, Iran and Russia. . 

Further Information:

   

Uyghur Solidarity Campaign: uyghursolidarityuk.org

Free Tibet: www.freetibet.org

Socialist Appeal, Carol Taylor-Spedding and a complaint from Socialists of Colour

 

The Trotskyist group Socialist Appeal is running a group of three candidates alongside the misnamed Grassroots Alliance of hard-left activists to try and take control of the NEC. They do of course face an uphill struggle though the other hard left candidates do need to have an eye kept on them.

Socialist Appeal of course is one of the entryist organisations that exist inside Labour in breach of party rules and I have previously covered the group in detail (see link at end of page). The former remains of Militant is running one of it's leaders (Roger Silverman) alongside Alec Price and Carol Taylor-Spedding who is currently under investigation by the party after complaints from the organisation "Socialists of Colour".

It should be noted that two other NEC candidates faced complaints. Labour List reported:

The anti-racism group, which organises within Labour and outside of it, sent a series of questions to each party member who has put themselves forward for the internal NEC elections currently taking place.

After the responses were provided to the activists and published in full on their website, Socialists of Colour complained to Labour about the statements of Brian Precious, Carol Taylor-Spedding and James Chespy.

A Socialists of Colour steering committee member told LabourList: “A number of responses to our questions we disagreed with but could be put down to political difference. However, there were some that entered into clear-cut racism and antisemitism, which Socialists of Colour do not in any way endorse.

“Responses that warranted content warnings for their antisemitic and racist content included the defence of Jackie Walker, who was expelled from the party for antisemitism, the denial of institutional antisemitism, perpetuating conspiracy theories and comments around certain communities being more predisposed to commit crime.

“We are also deeply worried about the erasure of antisemitism especially in the face of the EHRC investigation into the party. Some of these issues have been picked up by the party, with Brian Precious’ original candidate statement being taken down due to antisemitism and then replaced.

“It is evident that party vetting processes when it comes to candidates are not thorough enough and do not have conclusions that effectively hold candidates, or people who should not be candidates due to their racism, to account.”

Socialist Appeal who have joined the ranks of the enablers of antisemitism make it clear that:

This group has reported Carol to the party. The complaint is now being investigated, potentially jeopardising her candidacy. We stand with Carol...

It's all a "witch hunt". Trouble is there are plenty of witches or more accurately antisemites and racists on the hard left of the Labour Party and outside and this group and its supporters should be expelled as soon as possible.

Meanwhile Roger Silverman tells us:

My priority is to restore the morale of Labour Party members. Too many are leaving in despair – despair at Labour’s election defeat, and even more so at the rightward shift of the leadership under Keir Starmer.

I'd say the it's quite the opposite. Morale has increased as has membership as Keir Starmer restores Labour to the mainstream. The departure of the hard left who did so much to wreck the party and destroy the broad church that it used to be is no loss at all.

Further Reading

Labour's entryist groups: Socialist Appeal

The RMT Union at breaking point

 

It seems that in-fighting between the leaders of the RMT union has reached crisis levels as the hard left dominated National Executive continue to undermine both the General Secretary Mick Cash and the Assistant General Secretary Michael Lynch.

The following letter outlines the situation and shows the effect that the activities of the hard left have had on one of the unions leading directly elected members. The involvement of the rather unpleasant Steve Hedley comes as no surprise.

Having had dealings with the far-left at various levels in the main civil service union PCS I empathise with both Mick Cash and Michael Lynch. The way these people behave does have an effect on one's health. The hard left are an extremely intolerant and authoratarian tendency with no time for dissent or any difference of opinion. It's why no matter how they define themselves a form of Stalinism is always inevitable.

Please note: You may need to increase the zoom on your screen to read this letter

Doctor Who: Missy Series Two (Big Finish Audio)

The second series of Missy's adventures finally arrived from Big Finish after to pandemic delay and worth the wait it was. Michelle Gomez is absolutely fabulous as the female incarnation of the Master and this may shock fans of the original, late great Roger Delgado but she is and will probably remain my favourite.

Psychotic, funny, playful, murderess, what else could one want from Missy and when delivered in such a perfect fashion one could almost (and I do mean almost but not ever really) forgive her death dealing attention seeking. Life and everyone one else in the universe remains a play thing to Missy.

This second set of four adventures sees Missy meet a good version of herself and doesn't like it one bit especially when she's trying to get the attention of the Doctor and finds someone else spoiling her fun. The Lumiat certainly kicks off this season with some high class fun.

Talking of classes what on earth does Missy want when she becomes a headmistress of a British Public School? Brimstone and Terror also sees the return of Oliver Davis and the far more formidable Lucy Davis from series one alongside  a guest appearance by Strax or "Potato Head" as Missy unkindly refers to him. What nefarious power does our Mistress seek?

Next up is the Gunpowder Plot plus a our Missy as she tries to change history by making the plot work. Trouble is she has the Time Police on the trail and Rita Cooper may be a rookie but with luck and a little outside intervention she might, just might stop the renegade Time Lord from turning London into a crater. Penny for the Guy in Treason and Plot.

Finally there's another renegade Time Lord meddling in history who might just be a Monk we all remember. The enemy in this very strange but oddly entertaining adventure with the thickest villains in the Doctor Who universe take a turn for the unusual as the scene is set for a third series. Did someone mention....... Ogrons and their Queen. Missy's never seen a female one and neither have we.

I really enjoyed this set as you can probably tell.  Worth picking up!

Available from: www.bigfinish.com

On joining the Jewish Labour Movement

 

Like the vast majority of the Jewish community the election of Jeremy Corbyn and the subsequent rise of unbridled antisemitism from the former far-leftists and others who joined Labour in droves to support his project alienated me from a party I have voted for and supported for decades as a trade unionist.

As a member of the unaffiliated Civil Service trade unions I had always argued for a Labour vote while recognising that the civil service unions themselves should remain unaffiliated from any political party due to need to retain an "independent civil service" which I consider an important part of Britains democratic process.

That said the main civil service trade trade union to which I belonged to for some years including fifteen as a Branch Secretary was dominated by the far/hard left in particular the remains of the Militant Tendency now known as the Socialist Party and had a General Secretary in the form of Mark Serwotka a former member of the AWL (Alliance for Workers Liberty group) who was now close to the Socialist Workers Party. 

These elements along with others were hostile to the Labour Party and spent much of their time and effort using the unions resources to get members to support various far left projects including electorally Respect and the Trade Union & Socialist Coalition. These activists were openly hostile to what they called a right wing and reformist organisation preferring to pursue revolutionary politics which after all is the aim of both the SWP and SP.

Along with others this was opposed and despite their efforts these organisations remained peripheral to members in general. Those who spoke up against this anti-Labour, hard left direction were demonised and bullied in much the same way that was seen after the rise of what became known as Corbynism. Many of these activists including Serwotka himself joined the Labour Party to deselect MPs and frankly just take it over.

I found it galling to see so many of these individuals hounding long term ordinary members out of the party and pursuing ideological mores that do not belong in a democratic organisation. Then there was the racism. Antisemitism both open and disguised. 

Since then like many others I have kept an interest in party affairs and though have not voted Labour during the Corbyn era the election of Keir Starmer and the pushing back of the hard left has encouraged me to think Labour has a future  though the party will in my view have to change. The old model of a "broad church" failed. Those we defined as "Corbynistas" proved that as they had no intention of tolerating anybody that did not te their "line".

Indeed the hard left as usual even at the height of its influence managed to fall out in internal faction fighting. Momentum once claimed over 42,000 members. Today it appears to have just 8,000. The bubble has burst. The left proved it could not live with others or even itself. 

Today many activists that I know and respect have rejoined the Labour Party. Many, particularly in the Jewish community remain unconvinced that Labour remains unsafe. Indeed recently I found my self subjected to racist abuse from a left-winger who claimed he didn't know what antisemitism was and referred to me as a "self identified member of the Jewish faith" and that I was a "Semite pushing a Semitic line"

No other members of an ethnic community would be treated and described in such a fashion. It is simple racism. Think about it. I'm "self identified Jew". We all know where that led...

I was at first shocked. The I realised that I can no longer attempt to influence Labour from the outside via articles aimed a Labour supporting pages and although I do not feel ready to join the local constituency party yet I have decided to take that first step by joining an affiliated organisation and where better than one that fights directly for the Jewish community inside the Labour Party, the Jewish Labour Movement.

In due course I will consider joining the main party but will see how this goes.

Website: www.jewishlabour.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JewishLabour

Twitter: twitter.com/JewishLabour

Peephole In My Brain: The British Progressive Pop Sounds of 1971 Reviewed

This is the follow up to a previous release from Cherry red Records on their Grapefruit label featuring music from the early seventies the last CD New Moons In The Sky covered the year 1970. Peephole In My Brain takes up the progressive scene in the following year 1971. An important year to me personally as this was when I had persuaded my parents to get me a record player and I started buying records.

This collection contains a couple of my early purchases (though not my first which was In My Own Time by Family) including this little number from Curved Air featuring my first crush ( I was 13) on a rock star the very pretty Sonja Christina!

This is a 3 CD collection containing no less than 71 songs which makes it not just a good historical record of the period but good value for money. There are lots of bands and artists I recall though in a lot of cases not the actual record. These include The Move, Status Quo, the Edgar Broughton Band, Colin Blunstone, Magna Carta, Medicine Head and John Kongos amongst others.

There are of course a lot of artists and bands featured with whom I am not familiar which is not surprising given access to music was extremely limited on both Radio and TV though The Old Grey Whistle Test  with "whispering" Bob Harris was a joy to watch especially as it featured bands I never would have otherwise come across. There was also Kid Jensen on the long departed and missed radio Luxembourg who used to do a show featuring Prog Rock/Metal late at night. I'm from the generation that has a transistor radio (nicknamed a tranny a term so out of use now) under the bed sheets!

Some of these tracks are more interesting/enjoyable than others but how that is judged will differ from person to person depending on individual taste. Personally I'd say the previous volume in this series was better in terms of content but this is still worth a buy if this period of music interests you.

For me the early seventies and the period of Prog Rock and early Heavy Metal influenced my musical tastes for life.

Here's a short track to end this quick review from one of my all-time favourites Emerson Lake and Palmer which is included on CD 2 in this collection

Available from: www.cherryred.co.uk