PCS: Baugh back in the running?

The squabbling between the various far-left factions in the main civil service union PCS has taken it's latest turn as the Socialist Party proudly inform us that:

Left Unity, the broad left in civil servants' union PCS, has voted for Chris Baugh to be its candidate for assistant general secretary (AGS).

Socialist Party member Chris Baugh is the union's current AGS who was first elected in 2004. He will stand for a fourth term in the 2019 PCS election.

This was of course a second internal election as readers will recall Baugh lost the first time round as Janice Godrich won the nomination as expected. However the onset of illness meant she could not continue so a second election was held in which Janice's Socialist View group (a breakaway from the Socialist Party) stood Stella Dennis another ex-Militant full-timer ensconced in the ranks of PCS full-timers.

Baugh won the election 181 to Stella's 165. Hardly a ringing endorsement for someone standing for his fourth term in office. Socialist View have so far not commented on the result which will be a problem for them. All these people publicly broke with the Socialist Party to support the now unavailable Janice Godrich who was Mark Serwotka's choice for his sidekick.

The complication for them had Stella won would be that Serwotka has found himself a new political beau in the form of another full-timer Lynne Henderson. So with nominations now open how Baugh's opponent's will act will be interesting to see. Will they nominate and campaign for Baugh and go against Serwotka?

There is much to play for here and it's clear there will now be a three-way fight for the post of Assistant General Secretary between three far-left candidates. The third being John Maloney of the Independent Left and currently seeking support amongst Momentum members having been interviewed in The Clarion magazine. 

The interview also appears (albieit abridged) in the latest issue of the Solidarity newspaper published by the Alliance for Workers Liberty. He correctly identifies a problem:

The broad left bloc has won elections. They′re a very effective electoral machine. But all that′s meant is that good activists have become full-time officials. The would-be left in the union has become a conveyor belt for fulltime officials. 

People have become very well-paid in cushy jobs. Left Unity [the dominant left-wing bloc in the union, historically led by the Socialist Party] has solved the pay problems of people who were activists in the past by getting them jobs as full-time officials. It′s become a career mechanism.

Of course I would (and did) go further than that when in PCS. The "activist" caste in the union used PCS as a platform for all their outside political interests and the union declined in members and influence because of it.

What members will think of all this, even if they know or care is likely to result in a low turnout which could in itself still see the self interested Baugh beaten.

Palestine Solidarity AGM: Greenstein loses but...

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign is the main perpetrator of anti-Zionism in this country and it's slogan "from the river to the sea" so often used by the far left and their Islamic allies. The PSC were behind the intimidating Palestinian flag waving at the Labour Party conference at the height of the row over anti-Semitism within Labour itself.

The PSC contains some of the worst the British left has to offer which isn't surprising given even they had to expel their former Chair,  Dr. Francis Clark-Lowes for Holocaust Denial. From 2009 until this year their Chair was none other than  Hugh "passport" Lanning former Deputy general Secretary of the PCS union who obtained the nickname as a result of his continuous jaunts abroad during his tenure.

This year the Annual General Meeting saw a challenge by the rumbustious Tony Greenstein to stand for the post of Secretary but he "sadly" lost by 67 to 103 votes. There were around 250 people in attendance.

Greenstein also moved a motion defending Jenny Tongue the former Liberal Democrat Peer whose tweet insisting the neo-Nazi murder of 11 Jews in Pittsburgh was the result of Israels actions. A pathetic and bigoted remark about a white supremacist who just wanted to kill Jews because well they are Jews. Full stop. Not that Tonge cares one jot in her outpourings which many consider beyond the pale.

One of Greenstein's "supporters" in this election was Gerry Downing of the minuscule Trotskyist groupscule laughably named Socialist Fight. Readers may recall his car crash of interview with Andrew Neil. It nearly made Diane Abbott look intelligent which is quite an achievement.

Downing and his recruit from the Communist Party of Great Britain (Weekly Worker) Ian Donovan who was expelled by them for what the alleged was anti-Semitism in his theory that there is an "International Jewish Bourgeoisie" a formulation very reminiscent of far-right conspiracy theories.

Downing's magazine Socialist Fight has been banned by Houseman's because of "complaints about anti-Semitic content" and even Bookmarks now refuses to stock their rag on the instructions of the Socialist Workers Party leadership.

Downing's support for Greenstein was "critical" due to the fact the rumbustious one had been central to Downing being kicked out of Labour Against the Witch-hunt (a front for the CPGB/WW). The comrades internecine warfare never fails to fascinate.

Both these men and their supporters attack the PSC leadership for "trying to be part of the political establishment" whatever that means. Their target is the Socialist Action group who apparently "control" the PSC which is a major achievement for a group of may around 30-40 people who used to be part of the now defunct International Marxist Group and led by cheerleader for the Chinese CCP, John Ross.

Socialist Action were previously know for their well paid jobs in County Hall when they acted as lieutenants for Ken Livingstone when he was mayor and we all remember why Red Ken is no longer in the Labour Party.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign is nothing more than a front for warring far-left sects and nefarious individuals whose agenda is questionable to say the least.

Ending the hostile environment?

The new issue of the revamped Tribune which only uses the name not the tradition of the old paper carries an article by Diane Abbott entitled "Ending the Hostile Environment". I haven't read the article nor been able to obtain a copy of the magazine but the thought of a left-wing pro-Corbyn outfit publishing such musings did amuse me somewhat.

Diane Abbott does receive a lot of comments and outright abuse there's no denying that and the racist attacks made on her are totally unacceptable. However her performance as a front bench politician has been abysmal. There is no other way of putting it. Her ridiculous comments over costing police recruitment attracted much derision.

Maybe she was tired but rather than trying to pull figures out of thin air a simple I don't have the figures with me due to (give reason) and I'll have to get back to you would have been better. Then there's that business of Question Time. No she wasn't bullied and yes she needs to toughen up and realise that people have a go at her for legitimate reasons. It's nothing to do with race or gender.

As a politician Diane Abbott is clearly out of her depth as a Labour front bench spokesman. I have no idea what she is like as a constituency MP but a return to the back benches would seem a better option. Abbott isn't inherently stupid. She went to Oxford. But that doesn't make her competent enough to cope with the position she currently holds in the Labour Party.

The latest story circulating is that Abbott is going to "boycott Question Time" which only has resulted in wide spread hilarity across social media. It sounds pathetic. It is pathetic.

Social media is a useful tool but it can also be quite toxic. Ask anyone who has been on the end of abuse and threats from the pro Corbyn left over the last three years.

And then there's the anti-Semitism.

The answer to your wish Ms Abbott is to look behind you and there you will find the festering hate that has made the left of politcs the hostile place it has become and why so many have finally given up on it.

The future is elsewhere.

One Million Children and more

The disturbing news that over two million people in this country think the Holocaust didn't happen combined with one in twelve believing it was exaggerated shows that the need to remember the Six Million Jews who were exterminated in the Second World War is more urgent than ever.

These disturbing figures come at a time when there has been a rise of anti-Semitism via the far-left particularly in the Labour Party but also among the pro-Palestinian campaigners and the rise of political Islam or Islamism .

The reason for this is clear. For many the Holocaust, the murder of Six Million Jews has become an inconvenience to these tendencies left, religious right and anti-imperialist who have a combined desire to destroy Israel the world's sole Jewish state.

Also forgotten by these people is the Armenian Genocide committed by Turkey which resulted in the deaths of at least one and a half million innocents. The first genocide of the 20th Century. Then even more buried in history was the smaller but equally vicious extermination of the Anatolian Greeks in Turkey.

In more recent time there was the of the Yazidi's about which these groups also remained silent.

The Holocaust happened. Six Million Jews, Two Million Gypsies and One Million homosexuals were exterminated. The Armenians and Anatolian Greeks were murdered. The Yazidi's were enslaved & killed en-mass.

They must not be forgotten. Their lives remembered. Their murderers condemned.

Those who deny history will repeat it. Those who deny these Holocausts have an agenda. Don't think it can't happen to you.

Communism, Fascism and Islamism murder those who do not conform, do not obey.

They will come for the Jews first. Who would be next on their lists?

NEVER AGAIN!

NSS warns home affairs committee against ‘Islamophobia’ definition

Cross-Post from: The National Secular Society

The National Secular Society has warned a parliamentary committee that recommending the adoption of a formal definition of 'Islamophobia' would risk undermining the right to free speech.

The NSS told the home affairs committee that the commonly-used term 'Islamophobia' conflated "legitimate criticism of Islam, or Islamic practices, with anti-Muslim prejudice, bigotry and hatred".

The society said the government "must not treat the civil liberties of British citizens as an afterthought in its efforts to tackle anti-Muslim prejudice".

The committee is currently gathering evidence on 'Islamophobia' after a parliamentary group recommended defining it as "a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness".

The NSS's submission said the phrase "expressions of Muslimness" in the proposed definition could "effectively be translated to mean Islamic practices".

It noted that erroneous claims of 'Islamophobia' had acted as cover for prejudice, bigotry and illiberalism. It cited examples of claims being used to shut down criticism of Islamic views and customs affecting LGBT+ rights, women's rights, veiling of schoolgirls and the non-stun slaughter of animals.

"We reject the idea that any set of beliefs should be privileged or protected from criticism. In a liberal, secular democracy individuals should be afforded respect and protection. Ideas should not.

"Racism and anti-Muslim bigotry need to be challenged, but proposals to promote the vague concept of Islamophobia seriously risk restricting public discussion and making matters worse."

The NSS said silencing criticism of Islam would be "counterproductive to social cohesion". It added that it had become "impossible to fight for any internal change in Muslim communities" without being branded an 'Islamophobe'.

And the NSS said five proposed 'tests' on speech proposed by the parliamentary group would "render legitimate commentary and debate about Islam beyond the bounds of reasonable public debate".

The proposed 'tests' ask:
Does it stereotype Muslims by assuming they all think the same?
Is it about Muslims or a dialogue with Muslims, which they would wish to join in?
Is mutual learning possible?
Is the language civil and contextually appropriate?
Does the person doing the criticism really care about the issue or [are they] using it to attack Muslims?

The all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims called for the official definition of 'Islamophobia' in its report Islamophobia Defined, which was published in November. The NSS and others have since urgedthe home secretary Sajid Javid not to adopt the definition.

The home affairs committee has said its hearings were also partly prompted by a sharp rise in the number of anti-Muslim hate crimes being reported to the authorities in October.

The body which inspects police forces in England and Wales, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), has recently noted "significant problems with the way hate crimes are flagged".

In a report published in July, HMICFRS noted particular problems caused by the fact that those who report hate crime do not need to justify the belief that perpetrators' motivation was "one of hate".

The report said: "We are concerned that flagging hate crime incorrectly has serious implications for forces in terms of their ability to understand hate crime and how it affects victims and their communities, and then respond appropriately. Incorrect flagging also undermines the integrity of published national data and analysis."

The consultation is open until Monday 28 January. Those wishing to submit evidence can do so through the committee's page on the parliament.uk website.

The inconvenience of reality

As the people of Venezuela demonstrated against the socialist regime that has mismanaged their economy so badly inflation has hit one million percent, food and medicine is in short supply and opposition media has been closed down under this elective dictatorship the left have been rushing to Maduro's defence claiming it's a "US plot".

Everything's a "US/ NATO/Zionist imperialist plot to the left who use it as a blanket response to every international event that goes against their wishes.  Old Compo himself was apparently en consed in meeting with ambassadors from South America which included the one from Venezuela. Corbyn of course is a big fan of the socialist disaster area founded by the Chavistas:



Meanwhile inside the Labour Party itself a new body has been set up that calls itself Labour Against Racism and Fascism. Fascinating I thought Labour would have been against both these things as a matter of course but this group isn't quite what it seems as they write:

We can ensure that under a future Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn, our national curriculum tackles historical and systemic racism. Through decolonising the national curriculum, and by teaching the history of the British Empire from the viewpoint of all the subjects of British colonialism and imperialism....

In other words rewrite history as others are already trying to do in universities. Oh and making biology and science less "white" apparently. Even philosophy is under attack. Those damned Greeks that fought for the future at Thermopylae and came up with the basic ideas of democracy albeit with a slave based economy.

Then of course there's slavery itself. Listening to the new wave of activists you would be forgiven to not be aware that Britain and the Royal Navy were at the forefront of ending modern slavery. Yes this country took part in the Atlantic slave trade as did other countries. Slavery has existed throughout human history and still takes place to this day with the Arab world at the centre. Yet this is ignored.

Another inconvenient truth for the modern activists whose blinkered ideas are preconceived  before they even learn anything because free speech is no longer possible on campus no matter what the subject. If the speaker is even perceived to have an opinion or theory that might offend then the banning begins.

And thus fascism was born out of the mouths and brain-dead activist crowd.

The books are about to be burnt you have been forewarned.

The Hypocrisy of John Rees

Photo: By Tedcorred - Own work, Public Domain

One of the leaders of the Stop the War Coalition and a member of the extreme left organisation Counterfire (a breakaway from the Socialist Workers Party), John Rees has refused to accept an invitation to debate at the Oxford Students Union.

Now given this a premier venue where various political and philosophical points of view have been debated over the years this seems an odd response for someone trying to persuade others of the legitimacy of his point of view.

According to Rees:

My reason is simple and compelling: you are in the midst of implementing a systematic policy of inviting speakers from the fascist and far right to speak at the Oxford Union.

Recent invitees include Alice Weidel from the German Alternative für Deutschland, Steve Bannon, the enabler and inspiration of the US and international fascist right, and Marion Maréchal-Le Pen, the niece of presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and politician in her own right in the French fascist National Front.

No doubt you will claim free speech in justification for providing these fascists and far right organisers with a platform. I have long rejected such specious arguments. Free speech can only be extended to those who recognize others’ right to free speech. It can never be extended to those who use the platforms granted by the advocates of free speech to incite racial hatred, to promote violence against their political opponents, and who would at the first opportunity remove the right to free speech from all but their supporters.

This is from a man who used to appear reguarly on Press TV, the mouthpiece of the far-right Islamist Iranian government (and still does as far as I know since the station has been banned in the UK for it's one-sided reporting) which once showed an interview with a man who had been tortured  and was under the surveillance of his torturers whilst appearing on their channel.

Of course Rees who also along with his partner Lyndsey German and her Stop  the War Campaign also take part in the Iranian sponsored "Al Qud's day" march a festival of anti-Anti-semitism and hate. Of course the Iranian government want ot "wipe Israel off the map". So does Rees without considering the genocidal consequences his demands.

Then of course Rees appeared with the Islamist lobby group Cage. The one's who described mass murderer "Jihadi John" as a"nice man".

That of course is without taking into account not just some of the other people he shares platforms with but the fact he is a communist, a supporter of Trotsky, the man that suppressed free speech and opposition in Soviet Russia and then got shafted by Stalin.

Rees is no better than those he condemns. 

Communism, Fascism and Islamism are all murderous oppressive creeds.  Do as they say or die, especially if you happen to be Jewish.

_______________________________________

Footnote (1): Meanwhile in Iran- "Two labour rights activists who were rearrested after speaking out about beatings and other abuse they suffered in detention last year are at grave risk of further torture, Amnesty International has warned. 

Esmail Bakhshi and Sepideh Gholian were violently arrested in Ahvaz, Khuzestan province, on 20 January in apparent reprisal for talking publicly about the torture they have said they endured in detention during November and December 2018, provoking a public outcry.

Read the rest at: www.amnesty.org/news

Footnote (2): The organisations Countefire and Stop the War have blocked me from commenting on their Facebook pages not because I was abusive but they didn't like what I had to say. So much for "free speech" eh comrades.

Tom Watson demands Malaysia admit Israeli athletes

In an astonishing letter to the Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Tom Watson demands that Malaysia stop discriminating against Israeli athletes. It seems that the Malaysian Government (whose Prime Minister is a known anti-Semite) has now said it will not host any events that Israeli Athletes.

One wonders what Jeremy Corbyn's reaction will be!

Windsor Davies Remembered

Photo: By Source, Fair use

The actor Windsor Davies passed away on January 17th at the age of 88. Windsor will be remembered best for his role in the classic BBC comedy It Ain't Half Hot Mum. He also appeared in more than a few films including two Carry on Films, Carry On Behind and Carry On England. he also had a role in one of Gerry Anderson's later projects Terrahawks providing the voice for Sergeant Major Zero.

A great character actor his presence was always felt with his distinctive voice and mannerisms. And of course there was that song which went to Number One in the British music charts!

RIP Windsor Davies. Part of a generation of comedy actors that will never be replaced.

New Music: Lovebites - Clockworks Immortality album

Today's post saw the release of the second album, Clockwork Immortality by the Japanese metal band Lovebites. There are 10 tracks on this CD which runs for a little over 53 minutes. The opening track Addiction really hits the mark with a heavy sound and cracking guitar solo. This particualr album is sung in English.

The band consist of Asami (vocals), Midori (guitars), Miyako (guitars/accoustic guitars and keyboards), Miho (bass guitar) with Haruna on drums.

Japan is producing some cracking rock/metal bands these days and their popularity in the UK is on the rise.  I was introduced to the scene via Scandal, Aldious, Mary's Blood and eventually Lovebites.

I do hope to feature other Japanese artists n the future and have pre-ordered the limited edition vinyl edition release from Aldious. In the mean time catch up with the video of Rising the single taken from the album

More info can be found from: www.jpurecords.com

New Wave of Persecution Against LGBT People In Chechnya

Cross-post from: Russian LGBT Movement

Since the end of December 2018, there is a new wave of persecution against LGBT in Chechnya based on the alleged sexual orientation of victims, both men and women. Information received by the Russian LGBT Network suggests that around 40 people were detained; at least two people were killed.

Igor Kochetkov points out that it is impossible to name the precise number of victims. “However, we know that around 40 people were detained, both men and women. At least two people died as a result of tortures. We also know that the detentions are conducted by the law enforcement officers, and the victims are detained in Argun. The local police makes every effort to prevent victims from leaving the region or applying to the courts in the future. They take away documents, they threaten the victims with the criminal proceedings against them or their close ones, and they force them to sign empty forms”.

According to the sources of the Russian LGBT Network, the new wave started after the detention of the administrator of the one group in the social network “VKontakte”, which happened at the very end of December 2018. This group was a space for homosexual men from the North Caucasus to communicate. It was followed by other numerous detentions. The Russian LGBT Network learned about this situation in the beginning of January 2019.

The Russian authorities are unwilling not only to stop the persecution, but also to acknowledge the fact of illegal detentions, tortures and killings of LGBT people in Chechnya. The only official reaction of Kremlin to the Report prepared as a part of the OSCE Moscow mechanism and devoted to the severe violations of human rights in Chechnya was the statement made the President’s press secretary. Dmitry Peskov stated that they would look over the report.

On December 20, 2018, the report devoted to the severe violations of human rights in Chechnya was published. The report was prepared by the Professor of International law Wolfgang Benedek within the OSCE Moscow Mechanism. Wolfgang Benedek conducted investigation and talked to the survivors, witnesses, human rights defenders and journalists. The report confirms the fact of mass severe violations of human rights in Chechnya.

The Russian LGBT Network works to support victims of LGBT persecution in Chechnya since April 2017. Since that time, the Network evacuated around 150 people out of region, around 130 people found sanctuary out of Russia.

New Music: Latest Single from Band-Maid

The new single from Japanese all girl rock group Band-Maid was released on January 15th and is only currently available as a download. I'll wait for a physical release which will probably be their next album.



Band-Maid's music is available via www.jpurecords.com in the UK.

Fifty Years of Led Zeppelin & King Crimson!

Photo: By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use

Tonight's Parliamentary vote will no doubt be occupying the minds of most political bloggers tonight but not this one. Bored with Brexshit I am. So on to something a little different from the times when Britain produced great music and dominated the world of rock/prog whatever. A time when we still produced proper music like.

Well I like more to the point, but I don't think I'm alone in wanting to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of two albums and bands that had a great influence on music and those of my generation.

First up Led Zeppelin. Their first self titled album was released in January 1969 and was a mixture of blues and rock with both original and borrowed material. It was an immediate hit, reaching no 6 in the UK album charts and no 10 in the US.

Many of the songs are now rock anthems and though the critics apparently were not that keen led Zeppelin hit it big time. I was slightly too young to get this when it came out but collected the first three albums after purchasing Led Zeppelin 4.



Led Zeppelin's Official website can be found here: www.ledzeppelin.com

Next up is another release from January 1969 In the Court Of The Crimson King by the prog rock band King Crimson another milestone in British music. It was to reach No 5 in the British Charts, 28 on the US Billboard and No 1 in Japan.


Photo: By Source, Fair use, 

The band are preparing a number of release over the coming year to celebrate their anniversary including a special boxed edition of this album.




King Crimson's website can be found here: www.dgmlive.com

Petition – protest against Malaysia’s ban on Israeli swimmers participating in Paralympic qualifier

Cross-post from We Believe In Israel

Malaysia has denied entry visas to Israeli swimmers to compete in the World Para Swimming Championships (29 July to 4 August 2019), a qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. Please sign and share (via email to your friends and family and on Facebook and Twitter) our petition protesting to the Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK and the International Paralympic Committee:

 
https://www.webelieveinisrael.org.uk/malaysian_ban_on_israeli_swimmers

You can read more about this disgraceful decision here: 

https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Sports/Malaysia-wont-let-Israeli-swimmers-enter-country-for-Paralympic-qualifier-577274


Luke Akehurst

Director, We Believe in Israel

Is the far-left bubble bursting?

Yesterday the self appointed "Peoples Assembly" organised a demonstration to call for a General Election and obviously a Labour Government. It was a complete flop with probably nor more than 4,000 people attending, a large proportion of whom were trying to flog socialist newspaper and magazines to each other.

The Peoples Assembly is of course nothing of the sort and is run by the Counterfire group led by Lyndsey German & John Rees (a breakaway from the Socialist Workers Party). This couple also run the Stop the War Campaign and earn a crust or two by appearing on Press TV, the mouth piece of the gay hanging clerics of Iran.

Given the supposed size of the Labour left and their somewhat aggressive attitude you'd think that this demonstration would have attracted thousand upon thousands of the comrades. It didn't despite the fact huge numbers of Corbyn's supporters joined the anti-Brexit march last year.

The left has a problem. The new wave of young political activists are idealistic and particularly motivated by ideological rhetoric. They are very pro-Europe and have seen their opportunities taken away from them.  Corbyn has been rumbled as being anti EU.

Of course this could have been discovered quite easily by googling old Steptoe on the subject but so many of these people only see and hear what they want to hear. Until now....

The hardcore who turned out yesterday were the members of the sects and groupscules that always turn up no matter what, with half of them buried in the Labour Party or just proclaiming their love for the new messiah and it will be their party who will lead the proletariat to Nirvana.

Meanwhile despite the comrades are always falling out with each other. Even the much lauded Momentum has it's internal splits as Jon Lansman faces opposition. A breakaway group "Grassroots Momentum" died a death but it's main protagonists the vile Tony Greenstein and a deranged anti Zionist harridan Jackie Walker have re-appeared in Labour Against the Witch Hunt and Jews for Corbyn Jewish Voice for Labour.

All this infighting so typical of the far left continues all over the place even in the unions as the PCS union faces an election with no less than four far-left candidates all standing against each other.

No wonder socialism doesn't work. The socialists cannot even co-operate with each other.

Meanwhile the public seems to be uninterested in the various figures on the far left who have crawled out from under the rock in recent times and seem favourably disposed to David Milliband who despite having not being in the country for a while is still a possible contender for party leadership.

The rise of the left has been halted but it's not clear whether they will start to wither away immediately. Labour's membership is declining from a high-point caused by the "three-pounders" entering in droves but it may take time for sanity to return and probably not this side of the general election which is still far off.

Unless the Tories split as feared by the Sunday Telegraph today. That however is a tale for another day.

Green Party: The Challenor Scandal Report

Regular readers will recall the case of Aimee Challenor, a leading Green Party spokesperson and candidate in the local elections who appointed her father David Challenor as her election agent whilst he faced charges for and was subsequently found guilty of child abuse. I wrote:

Trans activist Challenor is the Green Party's "Equality Officer" and has refused to step down from the forthcoming election despite her agent & father who shared a home was sentenced to 22 years after being found guilty of raping and torturing a 10 year old child in their home.

According to the Sunday Times Aimee Challenor would "not make a statement" but an an anonymous Green Party spokesman said their candidate had "been unaware of the crimes".

Since David Challenor acted as agent despite facing these charges during the election. Aimee even changed the name of her agent on election material to Baloo Chalenoor which is illegal under British Electoral Law which rather undermines her claims of ignorance.

The local paper reported the outcome:

A man who held a young girl captive in his ‘torture den’ and sexually abused her has been jailed for 22 years.

Pervert David Challenor subjected the 10-year-old girl to horrific sexual abuse and even gave her electric shocks.

He also took photographs of the youngster being tortured and abused to help him relive the sick ordeal he had put her through.

When he was arrested, Challenor accused the girl of being a liar and a fantasist – but the police found the gruesome attic kitted out just as she had described, a jury has heard.

Despite that, he pleaded not guilty to charges including false imprisonment, rape, gross indecency, sexual assault, indecent assault and assault causing her actual bodily harm.

The report into the affair has now been published and can be found in full here. It turns out that Challenor's mother also a Green party candidate also employed David Challenor as her agent. Both these individuals had full knowledge of his crimes and how serious the charges were.

One further problem I see with the denials by Aimee Challenor that she hadn't been aware of the charges until told was that she lived at the house where the crimes were committed and the police must have raided the house for evidence and sealed the fathers "den".

Member of the local party were not told by the Challenor's and only the national Green Party was told yet the official concerned did not warn the local party. Nor did they check to see if David Challenor was a member which would be usual for an election agent, family or not. A serious breakdown in Green Party procedures that could have led to vulnerable people being put at risk.

In stark contrast the Coventry Pride group suspended David Challenor from all volunteering duties as soon as they were told. That is to their credit. The Greens also have not addressed the question of David  Challenor's name being changed on the leaflets, an illegal act.

The Independent report concludes:

-We find it hard to understand some of Aimee Challenor’s actions and explanations: • we do not understand how she could not have been aware that, in giving her father official roles in the party, she was putting her own reputation at risk;

-we do not understand how she could have had the good judgement to inform officials in the party about the charges that her father faced, but the poor judgement not to make sure that all relevant information was included. It would have done her no harm to have told the officials that her father was a party member. If she had done so, it seems highly likely that Aimee would have been guided away from using him as her election agent; and

-we accept that Aimee chose not to seek further information about the charges her father faced, but we do not understand why she did not recognise that this was a mistake. Once again, sheer self-preservation would suggest that she should know as much as possible about these matters, so that she could make well informed decisions about her own actions.

The excuses for Aimee Challenor's revolve around he/r autism. I don't think that this is reasonable given that s/he was a National Spokesperson for the Green Party and standing for the position of Deputy Leader. Most reasonable people would acknowledge she must be able to cope with a multiplicity of complex issues to be in such a position.

However the final act of Aimee Challenor is the appearance of a Liberal Democrat logo on her Twitter picture (see above). He/r career in the Green Party is well and truly at an end.  And a poor advert for "Trans-rights" that s/he proclaims.

PCS: Divisions increase with 4 far-left candidates for the same post

The internal battle within the main civil service union PCS has taken some bizarre turns over the Christmas period following the decision of Janice Godrich to withdraw from the contest for the plum post of Assistant General Secretary. The Socialist Party split badly in the union as a result of Mark Serwotka's desire to rid himself of the admittedly useless Chris Baugh.

The Socialist reports:

Chris Baugh is standing for the PCS Left Unity assistant general secretary nomination in a rerun of this election.

When news broke that ill health had caused previous nominee, Janice Godrich, to stand down, the reaction of many Left Unity members was to call for the only other candidate and current assistant general secretary, Chris Baugh, to be the Left Unity candidate.

These calls were rejected by the Socialist View majority on the Left Unity national committee, despite the fact that Chris had won over 48% of the votes in the ballot held in 2018.

Janice who is too ill to continue won the internal Left Unity election to obtain their backing. The new PCS Left Unity National Committee is now dominated by supporters of Socialist View, the PCS only (for now) political grouping made up of ex-Socialist Party members.

Left Unity of course unites most of  the left except for the fragments around the Independent Left who have announced they will run John Mahoney, a member of the AWL (Alliance for Workers Liberty) regardless of whatever Left Unity decide to do.

Confusing matter even further is that Mark Serwotka has chosen another left wing harridan as his personal bag carrier, Lynn Henderson a full time employee to stand for AGS. The Godrich faction around Socialist View initially "noted" her entry into the contest (Lynn is not a Left Unity member apparently):

Supporters of Socialist View will note with interest the announcement today that Lynn Henderson has declared her intention to stand in next year’s PCS AGS election.

In Lynn’s statement, she has confirmed her support for Left Unity’s elected Presidential candidate, Fran Heathcote, as well as for the Democracy Alliance slate which was published earlier today. This is obviously to be welcomed, as is her commitment to implementing the union’s policies, including the policy of ADC and the strategy of the NEC for a national pay campaign based on central pay demands.

While these commitments are to be welcomed, that should not be confused with an endorsement by Socialist View.

Lynn is not the Socialist View AGS candidate, with a decision on the SV candidate to be taken early in the New Year, and Lynn will not be the Left Unity candidate, as she is not a member of Left Unity.

Since then of course Socialist View have dug up one of their other ex-Socialist Party hacks and full time employee of PCS (there were quite a few of them in place at one time) in the form of Stella Dennis. This obviously irked the Socialist Party who  stated:

Socialist View have decided a candidate in this rerun. Apparently, this will be Stella Dennis, a PCS senior full-time officer.

Socialist View had previously justified their decision to challenge Chris Baugh by supporting Janice Godrich on the grounds that she was a rank-and-file candidate, 18 times elected as national president, supported by PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka and someone who they claimed was the most high profile woman in the trade union movement.

None of these arguments support or justify their decision to stand Stella Dennis.

The SP is none too happy with PCS supremo Mark Serwotka either and complain:

At the same time as arrangements were being made to rerun the election, another PCS senior full-time officer, Lynn Henderson, announced she is standing for assistant general secretary against Left Unity and with the support of Mark Serwotka.

This turn of events has shocked many Left Unity members who recall Mark Serwotka's promises, repeated as recently as December, that he would support the Left Unity candidate no matter who it was.

Mark Serwotka initiated the campaign to get rid of Chris Baugh and led a campaign of smears against him. His decision to support non-Left Unity member Lynn Henderson shows contempt for Left Unity and is a vote of no confidence in Stella Dennis.

The question all Left Unity members will be asking is this: is Stella Dennis a credible candidate and are Socialist View serious about standing a candidate in the PCS elections against Mark Serwotka's choice - Lynn Henderson?

Whilst the Independent Left haven't commented on the renewed conflict amongst the unions Grandees, the AWL's newspaper  comments:

The leadership of PCS, not least Serwotka, has always claimed that unlike other unions in the TUC, PCS is a “member-led union”. Many of us have long found this claim a little far-fetched, yet it was still astonishing that Lynn Henderson — an incredibly well renumerated and unelected full-timer of the union — had Serwotka’s endorsement. ...

On union policy, the months of faction-fighting have revealed only secondary tactical differences, demagogically exaggerated, between the rival FTO candidates. The average full-time salary of our membership is £22,500. The average full-time salary of Full-Time Officers is £41,500. An 86% premium. FTOs receive over 25% more than lay members in civil service jobs with similar duties and responsibilities. Senior FTOs get the big-bucks — £65k-plus — comparable Senior Civil Service pay bands. 

On principle FTOs should be elected and on salaries far closer to those of our membership. More important for the upcoming AGS election is that, not coming from the shop-floor, long-time unelected FTOs don’t carry the same experience and understanding as lay members and reps. 

This election has now become a battle between three candidates of the union bureaucracy, and John Moloney, an activist with the left opposition group Independent Left, who is the only rank-and-file union member currently standing in this election. He is standing on a clear left platform...

Members of PCS will probably now face a choice of no less than 4 far-left candidates all pursuing similar agendas all of whom support Corbyn. If this turns out to be the case then whilst most members will not bother to vote those that do should note only one of these candidates takes anti-Semitism seriously, John Maloney. Not an endorsement simply stating a fact.

Here's his video: 

Musical Oddity: Axl Rose with...Bugs Bunny?

Every so often I come across a piece of music or a video I want to share  and this one to be shown on the Boomerang Channel for children was reported by one of my two favourite radio stations, Planet Rock:

The track features in an episode of the kid’s TV show ‘New Looney Tunes’, which airs on the Boomerang streaming service.

Featuring an animated Axl Rose, the scene called ‘Armageddon Outta Here, Part Two’ sees the singer ask cartoon legends Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig how to get to a gig venue where he is due to perform with his band Steel Underpants.

However, after receiving directions, disaster ensues when a giant asteroid speeds towards earth threatening to obliterate the entire planet.

Fortunately, Axl has some speakers with him that have the ability to "shake mountains to the ground" and he proceeds to perform ‘Rock The Rock’ with Porky Pig on bass duties and Bugs Bunny supplying the riffs.

The gargantuan sound emanating from the speakers soon blows up the asteroid and saves the world. Watch the clip right here:

Great stuff. I look forward to a new album some time this year guys...guys?

I, Daniel Blake? On Ken Loach: Lest We Forget.

Guest Post by Michael Ezra

Photo: By Ozgurgerilla -
In the late 1960s Ken Loach began attending meetings of the Socialist Labour League (SLL), a revolutionary Marxist organisation committed to overthrowing the state and installing a dictatorship of the proletariat. A member of the SLL was Jim Allen, a writer of television dramas. Loach admitted that Allen was a major political influence on him. Allen and Loach worked together on a number of television productions such as "The Big Flame", "The Rank and File" and "Days of Hope." All of these were thinly disguised Marxist propaganda.

 

The SLL subsequently transformed itself into the Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP). While Allen had left the organisation by this stage, he continued to be influenced by its prevailing politics. And there was one dominating theme of the WRP from 1976 through 1985: pathological anti-Zionism. Its daily newspaper, News Line, had cheered on Saddam Hussein, Colonel Gaddafi and Yasser Arafat. In a leaked internal report of the party, it was disclosed that various Arab regimes had funded the Party, and, in particular, the party acted as a collector of information for Libyan Intelligence. The WRP were to provide intelligence information on Jews, that the party claimed were part of a “powerful Zionist connection” and the required information included the “activities, names and positions” that “Zionists” held in “finance, politics, business, the communications media and elsewhere.” The group handed over “intelligence” reports to Tripoli for eight years, from 1976 until 1984. The required duties of the WRP had, as the report puts it, “strongly anti-semitic undertones, as no distinction is made between Jews and Zionists and the term Zionist could actually include every Jew in a leading position.” As one commentator said, “Put plainly, they were Jew-spotting in the media, politics and business.”

In line with such anti-Zionist views, Jim Allen wrote a stage play, "Perdition" that was due to be shown at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 1987, and directed by Loach. Allen said that "Perdition" was “the most lethal attack on Zionism ever written, because it touches on the heart of the most abiding myth of modern history, the Holocaust. Because it says quite plainly that privileged Jewish leaders collaborated in the extermination of their own kind in order to bring about a Zionist state, Israel, a state which is itself racist.” The argument of the play was that Zionist Jews collaborated with the Nazis during the Holocaust and that they wanted dead Jews in order to get sympathy after the war in order to get a state: Israel. The play was agitprop and "faction": a mix of fiction and fact set in a courtroom to indict Zionism.

David Rose, a journalist for the Guardian, saw a press preview pack containing the text of the play. After reading it, he was livid. He spent some time researching the claims in the play and had an article published in the Guardian entitled, "Rewriting the Holocaust." A national debate ensued and the accusation from Jewish communal bodies was that the play was a gross libel on the Jews who had largely died in the Holocaust. Leading Holocaust historians such as Martin Gilbert and David Cesarani denounced the play in no uncertain terms. As an example, Gilbert said that the play was “not historical in any academic or precise sense” and that the allegations in the play were “disgraceful.” He stated that the claim that the Jewish Council participated in the extermination of Jews was “a farrago of nonsense.” He was in no doubt: the play was "deeply anti-Semitic." The Jewish Chronicle claimed the play "viciously perverted" history with a "monstrous lie."

Ultimately, Max Stafford-Clark, the Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre, lost confidence in the play and decided to pull the production less than two days before the public previews of the play were due to commence. Ken Loach went to the press. He blamed "the organised Zionist lobby" for the withdrawal of the play. He argued that the theatre had caved in to pressure from prominent British Jews such as Dr. Stephen Roth, Lord Weidenfeld, and Lord Goodman; men, Loach said, “who can buy their way.” He claimed there was "a coordinated movement" by those with a "Mafia-like ability to squeeze the play out." The mantra of the Zionist conspiracy became stock in trade for Allen and Loach. At a press conference in July 1987, Allen and Loach claimed that a “Zionist conspiracy” had infiltrated British broadcasting, publishing and theatre. They alleged that the main daily newspapers and several theatres had been incapacitated by a “small but powerful” international Zionist lobby.”

While this was over thirty years ago, it should not be forgotten. Ken Loach supported a play that grossly distorted the Holocaust for an anti-Zionist political view, and that despite a clear statement from the theatre that the play was pulled as the Artistic Director had lost confidence in it, insisted some kind of conspiracy by a powerful Zionist lobby, even when David Rose, who had sparked the debate said that he he was not even a Zionist, let alone part of a lobby. Loach's actions through this matter were inexcusable.

____________________________________________

For those who are interested in this play, I have uploaded, with his permission, David Rose's original article on the play to my blog. It can be seen here: https://undertheoculartree.files.wordpress.com/…/perdition-…

I also previously uploaded a television documentary discussing the play with Martin Gilbert, Jim Allen and others. That can be seen here:https://undertheoculartree.wordpress.com/…/the-perdition-a…/

Baha’i Woman Sentenced to 11.9 Years in Prison, Banned From University in Iran

Cross Post from: Centre For Human Rights In Iran




Yekta Fahandej Sa’di was sentenced to 11 years and nine months in prison for her Baha’i religious beliefs by a preliminary court in the city of Shiraz in south-central Iran on December 30, 2018, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) has learned.

The sentence, which Sa’di will be appealing, was issued by Branch 2 of the local Revolutionary Court for the charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the state” for her faith, her sister, Mona Fahandej Sa’di, told CHRI in a phone interview from Australia.

“There’s no evidence to back up these charges against my sister,” she said. “Baha’is are not allowed to participate in political affairs and their existence is not recognized, so how could they commit political crimes? How and why could she assemble and collude against national security?”

Iran’s Constitution does not recognize the Baha’i faith as an official religion (such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism). Although Article 23 states that “no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief,” followers of the faith are denied many basic rights as one of the most severely persecuted religious minorities in the country.

“My sister is a young Baha’i living in Shiraz. That’s it,” added Mona Fahandej Sa’di. “She has never propagated against the state or acted against national security.”

Yekta Fahandej Sa’di previously faced the same charges, her sister said. She was first arrested in 2011 by Intelligence Ministry agents in Shiraz and held for 82 days before being freed.

“Then, in 2013, Yekta was arrested by the Intelligence Ministry’s office in Shiraz and held in detention for 56 days,” added Mona Fahandej Sa’di. “She was charged with ‘propaganda against the state’ and ‘assembly and collusion against national security’ and sentenced by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz to five years in prison.”

“But Yekta and her lawyer objected and on appeal, the sentence was changed to two years in prison and two years probation. She was taken to Adelabad Prison in Shiraz and served 74 days until the Supreme Court nullified the sentence and ordered a retrial and she was temporarily released.”

“Now the judge at Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz has issued a verdict in this case and sentenced her to 11 years [and nine months] in prison, which Yekta will appeal,” Mona Fahandej Sa’di said.

In 2012, Yekta Fahandej Sa’di was also expelled from Payame Noor University in Shiraz where she was a student in the English department until the authorities discovered she is Baha’i.

Baha’is are routinely denied the right to higher education in Iran, either by being banned from enrolling in a university or being expelled without a proper explanation once enrolled in the school.

Pakistani Christian beaten by extremists seeks asylum

Cross posted from: British Pakistani Christian Association

(Edited)




BIRMINGHAM, UK: Pak-Christian threatened with deportation bailed out after Christmas in detention needs asylum in the UK to avoid persecution in Pakistan

Asher Samson (41 yrs) spent Christmas 2018 in detention two hours away from his British relatives. The Birmingham resident was set to be deported by the Home Office when he was detained without notice on 26th of November during his regular sign in with authorities. Mr Samson was held in Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre in Lincolnshire until the 27th of December when he was released on bail after a court hearing. His case is ongoing and supporters are appealing to gain not only a reprieve, but a resubmission of his asylum claim due to the ineffective processes implemented by the Home Office.

Mr Samson's brother-in-law Neil Walker said:

"Celebrating Christmas was very difficult and subdued for us this year knowing that a member of our family was detained."

Asher Samson, a Pakistani Christian living in Birmingham, originally came to the UK to study theology. He is now being threatened with imminent deportation by the Home Office.

Mr Samson sought asylum in the UK after being attacked and repeatedly threatened with extrajudicial killing by extremists on a family trip back to his hometown, a city called Abbottabad in January 2007. Extremists targeted him because of his work and profile as an assistant pastor prior to starting his studies in January 2005, and his family history of Christian ministry in the wider Hazara region of Northern Pakistan. (click here)

Friends of Asher Samson have started a petition and BPCA encourages our readership to sign in support. Please be aware that any money given through Change.org is for the Petition service itself and not to the campaign that is being petitioned.

Sign the Petition here.

British Pakistani Christian Association is working with Asher Samson and his family and may write a Country Expert report for the family to refute the decision of the Home Office and courts. We are also offering the family other assistance and advice.

Time To Launch A Campaign To Defend Christians Against Persecution

Photo: wiki/Images_of_Jihad_(Pakistan)

Towards the end of last year Jeremy Hunt warned the country that Christianity "was on the verge of extinction in it's birthplace", which was of course across the Middle east. The Foreign Secretary announced that there would be a "review" of the plight of Christians around the world, which carefully avoided the ever present "elephant in the room".

The rest of the Middle East, North Africa plus Iran and Pakistan is dominated by Islamic regimes whereby Islam, usually through varying forms of Sharia dominates. Non-believers are usually second class citizens and in most of these countries are persecuted to one degree or another.

In Egypt, home to the largest and quite unique Coptic Church kidnappings of girls and women are endemic and rarely dealt with by the authorities, Churches are attacked as are Christian neighbourhoods. The police rarely intervene against the Islamist fanatics.

The case of Asia Bibi is well documented but her plight is just the tip of the iceberg in Pakistan where widespread abuse of the draconian and Islamic based "blasphemy laws" are used against the Christian community by unscrupulous and bigoted Muslims alike. One couple were burnt to death in a brick kiln for an alleged "slight" against Islam.

Saudi Arabia allows no churches to be built despite there being a fairly large population of Christians who have to hide their practices from the Religious Police who are notorious in their actions. In Brunei the Sultan has decreed that Sharia is God's Law" and is applied even to non-Muslims. Public displays of Christianity even at Christmas attract severe penalties.

Whilst problems exist elsewhere (China being the main culprit), it has to be recognised that the main problem is within Muslim countries and this has to be addressed. For too long Islam has tried to present itself as the victim when in reality it is Muslims and other minorities in particular that are oppressed by the theology.

At the United Nations 52 Islamic countries tried and failed to get "blasphemy declared a crime world-wide. A ridiculous and frankly quite chilling demand yet these countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and other sit on various committees condemning other for sometimes non-existent crimes or those that they are themselves committing.

The UN is a farce. Dominated by dictators despots and the corrupt.

It is up to the ordinary Christians around the free world to launch a campaign to defend their brethren. In this country a solidarity campaign is sorely needed. I call on all demonetisation and none to unite and promote justice where it is lacking and not to be afraid of pointing out home truths where it happens.

250 Christians a month are believed to die at the hands of oppressors. It's probably more. Christianity was born and is native to the Middle East but is under threat.

That threat must be met with a campaign to both rescue the innocent and shame the oppressor no matter who they might be.

Remembering Dean Ford (Marmalade)

Photo: Facebook.

This is turning out to be a sad day for music fans as we  hear of the passing of Dean Ford the singer from Marmalade who had a string of hits in the sixties and early seventies before going solo.

Real name Thomas McAleese, he fronted Dean and the Gaylords before changing their name to Marmalade. They went to number one with a cover version of the Beatles Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 

Their best known song was undoubtedly Reflections of My Life which was also a hit in the USA.

RIP Dean.

Ray Sawyer (Dr Hook) Remembered

Ray Sawyer the most recognisable of the singers from Dr Hook and the Medicine Show has passed away at the age of 81. Ray joined the band in 1969. The song I remember the most is Sylvia's Mother but there best known hit was probably I'm In Love With A Beautiful Woman.

Since both these songs are likely to be played widely I chose one of their other songs to commemorate Ray. Here he is with the band performing Cover Of The Rolling Stone.

2019: The Year Ahead

Image:By Cemg - Own work CC

The New Year has started off with a bit of a squib with arguments  raging on social media about the politicisation of London's fireworks display to putting EU symbols in the display. Didn't notice anything at the time as I looked out the tower block I live in towards the Thames and the Eye at midnight. Quite a good view.

I haven't and am not going to enter into that pointless debate but rather concern myself with the warning of ever present terrorism as a Somalian man launched an attack in Manchester on New Years eve. The BBC described his attack as " frenzied" and questioned his mental health. Why? Witnesses say he shouted the usual slogans and if in all probability he is a religious fanatic why does that automatically make him mentally ill?

No one ever called the IRA terrorists mentally ill when they bombed and shot people. They were quite sane. The threat from the Islamists is real and such individual attacks are part of their strategy to scare us in the West. Not insane but quite considered, vile and inhumane as it is.

We must remain ever vigilant as the year unfolds since there is a major event shortly to send this country into a frenzy though I doubt the kind of crisis some think. A "civil war is so unlikely. We'll just have a few distribution problems for a short while, if that. The companies trading with us from Europe are not about to lose their income from trading with the UK.

And no I'm not a "Brexiteer", just someone who voted remain but accepted the outcome of the vote. Whether we should have had a referendum (I am not in general in favour of such things) is a moot point. We did and despite a close vote, Brexit was the outcome. Live with it.

For us in the UK there is little to cheer in the world of politics. Another new political party has been launched claiming to be for the centre and reason. I've forgotten it's name already and with it not attracting any publicity even in the social media circles I inhabit I hold out no hope for this iniative.

The far left have captured the Labour Party. The anti-Semites control investigations into  anti-Semitism and Labour has become a party that continues to wander further from the hopes that it's founders dreamed of. It's actually not a workers party, The Corbynista movement is very much that of the privileged middle classes. People who can afford to be socialists.

Corbyn & McConnell's economic and social policies are dangerously unworkable. We've seen how this type of socialism has failed everyone across the world and inevitably leads to dictatorship and death when mass social engineering is undertaken. Capitalism may be far from perfect but there has been a workable compromise. One that needs to be revived for the 21st century against both left-wing and right-wing populism.

One can only live in hope, because that at the end of day is all we have left.

Democracy is under threat both here and across the West from a variety of sources. Not just the far-left and their reflections on the far-right but also from religious fundamentalists, mainly Islamic but not entirely. Christian Evangelists still cause problems in the developing world particularity  in Africa over abortion, contraception and homosexuality.

At the same time Christians are now the most persecuted faith. Jeremy Hunt has finally recognised this but there is an elephant in the room. The bulk of oppression is in Muslim countries (and yes I am aware of China) the so called left will ignore this as they do with anti-Semitism in case it upsets their absurd world overview that these countries are or will become anti-imperialist and help bring about the overthrow of capitalism.

Whats the fate of a few Jews or Christians in this process? The left has a blind spot when it comes to Islam and is obsessed with defending even indefensible (usually by ignoring it) and wonders why there is a growth of what they call Islamophobia and call even ex-Muslims racists if they dare criticise the religion of peace.

The far left is as dangerous as the far-right and the need for new politics has never been greater. This blog will continue to fight against political and religious extremes including the self indulgent identity politics movement.

Join the fight at Howie's Corner.

It won't be all politics by the way. There is always time for music a little humour and other distractions over the coming months. I'm only human!

Happy New Year and a song from 1974 the year I left school!