The Sunday Supplement

Tibet is making the headlines


Photo: Free Tibet

March began with Howie's Corner promoting the 60th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising against Chinese rule. Despite it's failure the struggle to free Tibet continues. Free Tibet reports:


Hundreds of Tibetans marched through the streets of London on Sunday and stood outside the Chinese embassy to mark the 60th anniversary of the 1959 uprising and protest against Beijing's occupation of Tibet.

The march began outside 10 Downing street and moved through Piccadilly Circus, ending outside the Chinese embassy with protesters carrying Tibetan flags chanting “end the killing” and “China out.”

Tibetan protesters said they marched to show solidarity for their countrymen in Tibet who have suffered from Chinese occupation, claiming they would keep fighting without giving up hope.

Read the full report here: www.freetibet.org/news


Fighting homophobia in schools



I’m sure you’ll already have read with some concern about the significant victories being celebrated by homophobic campaigners in Birmingham, Manchester, and across the country this week. And in response, we need your help today.

Following large protests by Muslim families in Birmingham, one school with an award-winning programme about teaching tolerance to all people has had to suspend its lessons because some religious campaigners believe simply acknowledging that LGBT people exist and deserve equal treatment is ‘inappropriate’.

These protests are now spreading from school to school, and the UK Government is refusing to stand up for LGBT equality. Worse still, MPs from all sides of politics reported in a debate yesterday that they had met with Muslim and Jewish community representatives about these issues with many taking their side over the side of equality.

We need our supporters to act today and sign our petition challenging LGBT hatred in schools. If enough people sign, we can send a clear message to the UK Government - and other politicians watching in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland - that every school must teach about LGBT equality. LGBT rights cannot be suspended just to placate homophobic religious groups.

What we are witnessing today is not just a battle for our values, but a battle between facts and faith. We want facts taught in school, not buried under ancient, outdated, and factually incorrect religious views. Please, , take a moment now and sign our petition today.

Best wishes,

Andrew Copson
Chief Executive

New Music: Ladybaby

And to finish up here's the latest song from Japanese group Ladybaby. Regular readers might recognise the two sisters Rei Kuromiya and Aya Kuromiya who also front the rock band Brats who have been featured on this blog before. It seems fairly common for artists to be in different projects on the Japanese music scene and why not.

Unlike Brats, Ladybaby is directly available from jpurecords.com/collections/ladybaby in the UK.

New Party: Change UK - The Independent Group

In the last few hours, we’ve applied to register as a political party.

It’s increasingly possible that the UK might end up having to hold European Parliament elections. We believe it is vital that there is a real choice and a party which puts forward a positive voice for Europe.

The Electoral Commission has told us these elections may take place on Thursday the 23rd May, which means we’ve had to move quickly. In order to do this we have to register as a Party with the Electoral Commission.

If approved, the new party will be called Change UK – The Independent Group.

We had wanted to do this with you in the months ahead however the possible European elections means we have had to act quicker than planned. But we will want you to shape our Party and we will still be getting out of Westminster and holding events to do just that.

Heidi Allen, the MP for South Cambridgeshire, has been appointed Interim Leader of the new party for the purposes of Electoral Commission registration until the election of a permanent leader at an inaugural conference in September.

This is a huge step forward for us and we can only do this with your help.Please keep getting your friends and family to sign up as supporters, donating, and sharing our content online.

This will help us to keep the momentum going and together we can #ChangePolitics and Change the UK for the better.

Join us: www.theindependent.group

Various statements on the expulsion of Jackie Walker

LAAS Statement on the Expulsion of Jackie Walker:

We welcome today's decision to expel Jackie Walker from the Labour Party, and we trust it will be a permanent expulsion. Since she was first suspended in 2016 she has, repeatedly, continued to promote what seem to be appalling antisemitic views that rightly have no place in any political party.

However, it would be a grave mistake to assume that with this decision the Labour Party rids itself of its self-inflicted antisemitism crisis. The fact it has taken the party two and a half years to reach today's judgement highlights that it’s disciplinary processes are not fit for purpose, while the removal of one problem case cannot hide the fact that there are thousands more cases of anti-Jewish racism still to consider.

We hope the EHRC will confirm their investigation into the Labour Party shortly so that proper progress in dealing with endemic antisemitism can at last be made.

Statement from Socialists Against Anti-Semitism:

We regret that Jackie Walker has not reflected on her words and actions and realised the hurt and damage they have caused, which might have prevented today's outcome.

In most cases, we prefer to tackle antisemitism through education and debate rather than expulsions, but that relies on people being willing to reconsider their views rather than prioritising their 'right' to spread ideas that promote antisemitic tropes over the interests of the Labour Party, its commitment to anti-racism and its diverse membership.

Meanwhile the comrades of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Weekly Worker) front which contains some of the worst elements that the left has to offer including Walker herself and the vile Tony Greenstein are up in arms:

Jackie Walker's expulsion - of which the Jewish Chronicle was informed before her solicitors - is a great injustice, though it does not come as a surprise.

Walking out of her hearing made no difference to the outcome. The die had been cast long ago.

This decision is a massive set back in the fight for the soul of the Labour Party - the right has been able to claim yet another scalp.

Solidarity with Jackie Walker and all those who have unfairly brandished as anti-Semites, as having brought 'the party into disrepute' or have been expelled because they are supporting left-wing groups in the Labour Party.

I do not link to their website as I class it as "Hate promoting" .

Howie Adds:

The Labour Party has taken far too long to deal with this case as has happened with a whole raft of complaints and has reinstated individuals with whom anti-Semitism will always be associated. It is clear that despite this welcome move which Walkers solicitors will contest in conjunction with a "I wuz framed campaign".

Her lawyer partner and "ex-trotskyist" Graham Bash, editor of Labour Briefing will no doubt be  co-ordinating a campaign with LAW, the Labour Party Marxists in particular. The Labour Party needs to act against these groups as the LPM is in breach of Labour Party rules as they are members of a rival political party (The CPGB/WW).

It's time these cuckoos in the nest were kicked out of Labour.

So many of those who have made clearly anti-Semitic remarks and posts have been readmitted to Labour this is just one case were they cannot cover up. The party remains in my view institutionally anti-Semitic and I blame those who came into the party to support Corbyn. His failure to act gave them succour. These people and the current leadership must go.

Open Letter to The Independent Group of MPs: Time to organise.

The massive march on Saturday showed that there are hundreds of thousands of people in this country looking for a better future. Millions more have signed a petition seeking that future from our politicians. Almost alone the Independent group of MPs has come out of the broken mess that our political parties find themselves in. Labour and the Conservatives are divided. Theresa Mays hold on power is tenuous. Jeremy Corbyn must never be allowed to take power. There needs to be an alternative.

Thousands of people have signed up to help the Independent Group. Thousands of us are waiting patiently for our time. That time is now. There is a lot of good will, experience and most of all enthusiasm out there for something new.

Now is the time to fix that broken politics.

Volounteers must be sought to arrange meetings in each constituency to set up local groups. If there are gaps or too small numbers arreas should be combined. This needs to be organised urgently as the continued crisis in Parliament means we have to be ready for that challenge.

I am one of many waitng to help. I want to help. I know others do as I am part of a facebook group of some 400 people ready to act. We have no direct contact with you. I am sure there are others.

My plea is simple. Organise.

There is a future to win.

I am waiting and not for Godot!

Shalom,

Howard Fuller

(Retired Trade Unionist PCS/Prospect)

Comedy Interlude - Stanley Baxter

Continuing with a politics free weekend here's a little comedy from the much missed Stanley Baxter who s 92 would you believe! I hope he's enjoying his retirement. I used to love his shows which were great for all the family much like the sadly departed Dick Emery. There's nothing like these men today. Even Lilly Savage has hung up his tights.

Anyway to end the weekend here's Stanley from 1981.

New Music: Elfriede & Battle Beast!

First up is a new Japanese all-girl rock band Elfriede which consists of Ryo Yamabuki (guitar), Rina Hoshino (bass), Yu-yan (drums) and Mikuru (vocals). Their new album Real-lze is released in the UK on digital 24th April and on CD 3rd May. It will contain a booklet with the lyrics translated into English.

Available from: JPU Records 




Next up is a band that  have been a fan of for a while and this is at least the third time that Battle Beast has appeared on Howie's Corner. I just cannot get enough of them.  Their new album No More Hollywood Endings was released yesterday and arrived in my preferred vinyl format and is a double LP!

Also available on CD and digital.



Battle Beast are from Finland but all their Lyrics are in English. Here's the title track from their album to entertain you!

Available from: battlebeast.fi

The Shaggs: The worst band in the world ever?

What if your mother told you a prophecy that you would marry a strawberry blond, have two sons after she dies and then have daughters who would become rock stars? I think most of us would just think she'd had one too many sherries (or whatever American moms have) and forget about it.

Not one Austin Wiggin Jr. He ended up marrying a strawberry bond and having two sons after his mom passed away so when his daughters came along....

To cut a long story short he ended up taking them out of school, giving them lessons in the morning, musical instruments to learn by just getting used to them and exercises in the evening. Poor kids had no social life but did go on to record one album. Philosophy of the World.

Even the recording studio told him his daughters "weren't ready" which was obvious to the local kids who went to see them to heckle and throw beer cans at them. One thousand copies were pressed but only 100 survive.

This has become somewhat of a "cult" album highly recommended by Frank Zappa and Kurt Cobain.

So for your edification here's a little taster of what they were then.....



..and followed by a concert from them in 2017.

Ladies you are stars in my book!

Time to stand against the self entitled

The attacks on a free society continue from several different sources most of them claiming to be either "offended" (whatever that means) or have a higher "oppression" than other groups. Their "rights" take precedence over others or rather the "rights" of their beliefs.

So let me make this clear from the start. People have rights. Ideas, ideologies and theologies do not. Further sometimes rights of humans clash so compromises must e reached so that all can be protected.

That word "compromise" seems never to be used these days. Identitarian politics the "me" crowd have the car at every corner. Recently we have seen feminists "no platformed", meetings banned and threats of police action over "misgendering".

It's not just the trans-activists but religious groups are jumping on the bandwagon. A large group of Muslim parents protested about their being taught to basically be tolerant to people who have different relationships and lifestyles to their own. Gay lifestyles go against Islam.

Tough this is a modern open and democratic society where people can live their lives more or less as they wish. Straight or gay, black, brown or white it's up to you. Worship freely but accept that there are many faiths and none. Christians and Jews, Pagans and Buddhists live here to.

 Conservative elements, some might say rather fundamentalist elements are using parents fears around some deity to campaign against the teaching of broad values. British and democratic values. Tolerance.

And it's spreading. More parents are up in arms in Birmingham and now Manchester. On the TV programme This Morning Christians are claiming being gay is a choice. It isn't. Live with it.

Meanwhile BAME women activists including Linda Bellos have been banned by Lewisham council for holding black women's rights meetings on their properties because of the threat of violence. From the trans-male activists with whom they disagree over safe areas for women and girls.

Police are ironically now taking action against a trans-singer in Scotland who tweeted his followers to "throat punch" "TERFS, that is women. Women who just disagree with losing their rights.

Male violence from the "trans-activists" is growing in terms of harassment and vindictive targeting of feminist activists and not just i the UK. And they claim it's because they oppressed. The far-left support these types because Marxism supposedly supports the violence of the oppressed but neither these trans-fascists or fundamentalist Muslims are oppressed they just feel entitled and sod the rest of us.

Enough is enough

Erdogan: Islamo-fascism towards empire?

The massacre of 49 Muslims in  terrorist attack in New Zealand has been roundly condemned by most people and rightly so. Some however are seeking to take advantage of the tragedy and it's not the far-right.

The Guardian reports:

The New Zealand government has criticised Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, after he repeatedly showed video footage of the Christchurch mosque attacks to crowds at election rallies.

Erdoğan said he would send home “in caskets” anyone attempting such an attack in Turkey, which he claimed was not the work of a lone gunman.

New Zealand’s foreign minister, Winston Peters, rebuked Erdoğan for using footage of the shootings, saying it could endanger New Zealanders abroad. Erdoğan also displayed extracts from a “manifesto” posted online by the suspected attacker and later taken down.

Erdoğan, facing an uphill battle in local elections at the end of the month due to Turkey’s deep economic difficulties, which include high inflation and a construction crisis, claimed part of the Christchurch suspect’s manifesto was to keep Turks out of Europe, and said the attack was part of a worldwide campaign of Islamophobia.

We can dispute the definition of "Islamophoia" but Erdogan has spent the last few years suppressing opposition and introducing an Islamist agenda into a country founded on secularism. It's illegal to talk about the Armenian Holocaust and the genocide of the Anatolian Greeks that happened in Turkey. Even academics face a harsh prison sentence for mentioning this.

But then Turkey under Erdogan has literally gone backwards as society splits between the prevailing highly conservative ruling elite and the more "liberal" elements who have been suppressed under the Islamist heel.

Photo:By Myrat

Using the footage for his political ends is a disgrace and shows how dangerous this man has become. Remember Erdogan tries to campaign amongst Turkish communities abroad and takes real umbrage when prevented by others not wishing to have their sovereignty undermined like Malta.

Erdogan seemingly wishes to recreate the Ottoman Empire in influence if not fact as he twists  history to suit his ends. The Australian reports:

The tensions reflect a broader push by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to make Turkey a more religious Islamist nation, a move that has seen him take a ­softer line than the West against ­Islamic State.

“There has been an emergence of a new view of Turkish history and of the Gallipoli campaign that was much more infused by a fundamentalist view of the world,” says one Australian official who asked not to be named.

“This interpretation saw the ­ultimate victory as being a reflection in faith of the one true god rather than a campaign driven by a gifted strategist and leader of men in Ataturk.”

The names of non-Muslim Turkish soldiers at Gallipoli have also reportedly been removed from the List of Martyrs of the Gallipoli campaign issued by Turkey’s Ministry of National Defence.

Ataturk was the commander of Turkish forces at Gallipoli who stymied both the initial Anzac ­advance on April 25 and all subsequent attacks over the next eight months before the Anzacs evacuated.

His reputation as a military commander is exceeded only by his legacy as the country’s leader. He ushered in a secular Muslim state which tolerated other faiths and minorities.

But secularism is now in retreat in Turkey as Mr Erdogan infuses fundamentalist Islamic mores across Turkish society.

The porous border with Syria led to ISIS being able to supply itself with Turkish goods and new recruits. The Turks could have acted but didn't as the destruction of Kurdish aspirations and the weakening of rivals in the Muslim world is high on Erdogans agenda.

The authoritarian and near genocidal politics of Erdogan towards the Kurds make him a danger in the region already fragile with the competition between the Saudis and the Iranian clerics already in open conflict in the Yemen.

The Kurds are next as are his own people that dare to differ.

New Music: Brats & Suzi Quatro

To start off the week here are two new pieces of music from two of my favourites. First up is the Japanese band Brats. Their music seems to be only available digitally in the UK or as an over-priced import (£35!) as far as I can see which is a pity as I rather like their music.

Brats was formed by two sisters Rei Kuromiya and Aya Kuromiya. They are joined by Hinako on Bass.



The next act needs no introduction and is the second video release from Suzi Quatro who's new album is released on 29th March. It's a double album and available for pre-order now.

It's just a fashion says Les

Photo: By Eva Rinaldi

Poor old Barry Humphreys better known to most as Dame Edna Everage has been attacked by self appointed guardians of political righteousness for daring to air his views on the subject of trans-politics that usually get censored.  How dare he contradict the agenda pursued by those who know what's best for us to think. The Spectator writes

I ask if his biggest crowd-pleaser, Dame Edna Everage, has attracted the attention of trans activists, who are swift to take offence at anything they perceive as transphobic. I take him through their case in detail. They say that more than 40 per cent of trans men and women have attempted or considered suicide and from this they argue that because transphobia is capable of catalysing an act of self-harm it ought to be treated in law as a form of assault. ‘Terrible rat-baggery,’ he says. He calls transgenderism ‘a fashion — how many different kinds of lavatory can you have? And it’s pretty evil when it’s preached to children by crazy teachers’. He recalls provoking a torrent of outrage when he used the word ‘mutilation’ to describe gender-reassignment surgery. ‘They had their genitalia chopped off and tucked in and whatever they had to do. And that aroused a lot of indignation — probably among the people who’d spent a lot of money having it done.

Forthright and to the point. Does he have a right to this point of view. Yes he does. As does Germaine Greer, Posie Parker and the lesbian activists who get fed up with being told they are transphobic because they won't accept people with dicks as women and sleep with them.

Transphobia is the new Islamophoia and will be replaced by another trend in due course.

Meanwhile from the era when men were men and women were women either straight or gay or greedy here's some humour that probably won't go down well with the snowflake brigade. Do I care what they think. Nope because it's all about attention seeking. Learn to play the piano or something. Everybody is a wannabe these days.

ACT NOW: Britain must honour its word at UNHRC – Email the Foreign Secretary

CUFI is calling upon supporters to write to the current Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, calling for the UK to make an important stand against hatred for Israel at the United Nations.

In June last year, Britain warned the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that the UK will vote against ALL anti-Israel resolutions unless it stopped its anti-Israel bias by the end of 2018.

Six months is up, however the UNHRC has not changed. With the Council meeting next week, Britain MUST keep its promise.

The six-month ultimatum was made by the then Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, who took issue with the UNHRC’s inclusion of “Agenda Item 7”, which mandates that allegations against Israel must be debated at each of the Council’s sessions.

Not only is Israel the ONLY country in the world to be singled out, but the agenda item is used to hurl discriminatory and biased accusations against Israel.

Item 7 will again feature when the UNHRC meets between 18-22 March in which 47 member states will debate a biased report into Israel’s defensive actions at the Gaza border. There is no evidence of any change at the UNHRC.

Australia and Denmark have voiced their opposition to the inclusion of Item 7, saying that they will not participate in the debate, whilst the United States has repeatedly placed pressure on the UNHRC to scrap the item altogether.

The United Kingdom should honour its word by voting against all anti-Israel resolutions under Item 7. Britain should demand that the UNHRC ends its bias against Israel and take further action if necessary.

________________________________________________________________________

ACT NOW
Please copy and paste this wording into your own email, add your name at the end, and email to fcocorrespondence@fco.gov.uk

(Please also Cc. info@cufi.org.uk so that we can keep a record of number of emails sent to the Foreign Office, thank you)

Dear Foreign Secretary,

In June last year, the British government warned the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that the UK will vote against all anti-Israel resolutions unless it ends its anti-Israel bias by the end of 2018.

Six months is up, however the UNHRC has not changed. With the Council meeting next week, please can you give me assurances as Foreign Secretary that Britain will keep its promise.

The six-month ultimatum was made by your predecessor, Boris Johnson, who took issue with the UNHRC’s inclusion of “Agenda Item 7”, which mandates that allegations against Israel must be debated at each of the Council’s sessions.

Not only is Israel the only country in the world to be singled out, but the agenda item is used to hurl discriminatory and biased accusations against Israel.

Speaking at the opening of the UNHRC’s 38th session, Mr Johnson said, “We share the view that the dedicated Agenda Item 7 focused solely on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is disproportionate and damaging to the cause of peace, and unless things change we shall vote next year against all resolutions introduced under Item 7.”

Item 7 will again feature when the UNHRC meets between 18-22 March in which 47 member states will debate a biased report into Israel’s defensive actions at the Gaza border. There is therefore no evidence of any change at the UNHRC.

Australia and Denmark have voiced their opposition to the inclusion of Item 7, saying that they will not participate in the debate, whilst the United States has repeatedly placed pressure on the UNHRC to scrap the item altogether.

The United Kingdom should honour its word by voting against all anti-Israel resolutions under Item 7. I also believe that Britain should demand that the UNHRC ends its bias against Israel, call for the end of Item 7 itself and, if necessary, take further action against the UNHRC’s “disproportionate” and “damaging” attitude towards Israel and towards peace.

Thank you for your concern in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

Posting after an atrocity against humanity

Unusually I was awake in the middle of the night waiting for an urgent medical delivery when the news of the massacre in New Zealand broke. A far-right fascist, one who in his absurdly long "manifesto" admires Oswald Mosley the British Blackshirt leader was responsible for killing 49 people in two Mosques. A well planned attack that caught the authorities by surprise.

New Zealand much like Norway was very much on the edges of world politics and both have suffered from attacks by politically motivated bigots wanting to save what they refer to as the white race. Anders Brevik attacked Norwegian society with a bomb in Oslo and mass shooting at a children's camp where young political activists were meeting.

Brenton Tarrant decided to kill Muslims and published over seventy pages of hateful bilge to justify his actions.  He apparently wants to start a race war as did Brevik. At the time of writing it is not clear if Tarrant acted alone.

Our sympathy has to be with the victims of this atrocity. There is never any excuse to kill anyone, Muslim, Jew, Christian or anyone else. If your beliefs, religious or political allow for this then there is something seriously wrong with the original idea.

In this modern age we can see at almost first hand the continuing violence around the world based on intolerance. There are differences between us, there are difficult problems to resolve. I'm no pacifist sometimes like against Hitler or ISIS there is a time to fight but within our democracies  we must seek to learn tolerance.

Human rights are for all whether men or women, straight or gay, Muslim or Jew all must learn to live in a society where people are able to freely live their lives regardless of who they are or what they believe.

There should be no violence in politics. I'm sure most people think that but there never has been any new kinder politics anywhere.

And none seem in sight any time soon. Whilst we weep for the latest victims there are those preparing to act against us waiting for their chance.

Don't give into the men and women of violence. Ever.

We have a world to win.

The Communist Party gets uppity

The old "official" Communist Party of Great Britain died a death back in the eighties as the pressures of Eurocommunism and old style Stalinism fell apart. One faction under Sid French had already buggered off in the seventies to found the ultra-Stalinist New Communist Party of which a minute ageing group of pensioners still remains to this day. You might find one selling The New Worker on a Saturday afternoon if you are unlucky.

There still is a groupscule claiming to be the Communist Party of Great Britain which publishes the sectarian rag the Weekly Worker and has currently set up interventions in the Labour Party via two fronts The Labour Party Marxists and Labour Against the Witch Hunt (LAW) the latter attracting considerable attention due to it's defence of anyone accused of anti-Semitism.

However it is the Communist Party of Britain that continues to fly the flag for "official communism" in this country and is trying hard to try and not let us forget that. The CPB sort of (its complicated) publishes The morning Star, a daily newspaper with a circulation of basically fuck all but subsidised and distributed by several Major trade unions.



Recently there was uproar over the free distribution on every delegates seat a copy of the paper sponsored by some union. The comrades got uppity about a report in the mainstream media:

Despite the abuse we received for a free distribution (thanks to support from the CWU and Unite unions north of the border) at Scottish Labour conference — abuse which included a Times columnist offensively comparing it to the Conservatives allowing distribution of a BNP paper — we remain a paper of the movement, with 10 trade unions — representing a majority of Britain’s trade union members — on our management committee. And that movement needs to fight in unity. At the moment we are under siege

The faux offence of Marxist-Leninists being compared to another group that also follows an ideology of mass murder is laughable. Communists from Lenin & Trotsky through Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot killed more people in the name of socialism than the Nazi's managed. T this day I cannot understand why this pernicious ideology is treated with the same disdain and contempt as National Socialism or Fascism.

Hitler had the concentration camps, Stalin had the gulags. In both cases it was the masses of innocents who suffered from these ideological mass murderers.

Today the process continues on a different level in China and Tibet as minorites are sidelined for the benefit of the nation and party.

These are the people who support Corbyn not just from the outside but his main lieutenants Andrew Murray and Seamus Milne are unreconstructed Stalinists which explains Corbyn's lax attitude to Maduro, Castro and even such despotic regimes as Iran.

These people are the enemies of democracy and the Marxists should not be allowed to continue getting off scott free as the young forget history.

Late night interlude with Peaches

One of the more shall we say entertaining music performers is the lovely Peaches who's music sometimes takes a little getting used to but she does make for good viewing.

Since all the kiddies have gone to bed here's her track Dick In The Air. If you are easily triggered now is the time to fuck off! 😈

Socialist Worker promotes racism

The Socialist Workers Party was never one of the brightest sparks on the far left in that being a sort of "socialist Sun" it always had the tendency to oversimplify things. Over the years it's influence has progressively declined as fall outs with George Galloway and spats over comrade delta produced several splits and the creation of yet more Trotskyist fragments on the far left of the political spectrum.

The SWP have also suffered from political degeneration due to it's absurd "alliance" or rather subservience to the "Islamist" agenda. You would have thought they had learnt a lesson with their experience in the failed Respect organisation. Far from it. Blinded by their devotion to the religion of "palestinianism" and their support for both Hamas and Hezbollah as a result their politics have become rotten to the core.

Having spent months backing Corbyn from the sidelines and denying there is any anti-Semitism problem in Labour the SWP have continued to attack Jewish concerns as "Zionist" muck raking and like so many others on the far-left see the hand of either the Israeli state or Mossad being behind these attacks on the "dear leader and his disciples".

Of course the SWP see Islamophobia everywhere as they attempt to woo the Muslim community to their case which also for some strange reason includes a defence of Shamima Begum as being a "victim of Tory racism". In their own words:

The treatment of Shamima Begum has highlighted the racism at the heart of the government and its immigration rules.

Shamima’s baby son Jarrah died in a Syrian refugee camp last week.

A month before, Tory home secretary Sajid Javid had stripped her of British citizenship. And now Javid has taken away British passports from sisters Reema and Zara Iqbal.

All three are trapped in the al-Roj refugee camp in north eastern Syria.

The death of Jarrah in a refugee camp was wholly predictable—and the responsibility lies with Javid.

No comrades she's not a victim of anything or anybody except her own and unrepentant actions in joining a up with a bunch of genocidal terrorists.  It's nothing to do with race that's just the SWP being racist itself by trying to promote racism where it doesn't exist. It's not even Islamophobic. Even her local Imam doesn't think it's a good idea to bring her home nor do her Muslim neighbours.

The SWP, like Diane Abbott have attempted to blame the death of her child on Sajid Javid. No one but the parents are responsible.

The SWP go much further in their scare mongering as their front-page suggests. According to them fascism is on the rise, the police are on the rampage and worse. 

No comrades fascism is not on the rise in this country. The scare-mongering of Socialist Worker is targeted at vulnerable communities where they hope to get recruits. 

If there is racism to be worried about these days it comes from the far-left not the far-right.

Debate! Lesson from History: Transgender Mania is Sign of Cultural Collapse

This is the first of an occasional articles or short videos designed to stimulate debate about contentious issues in the name of free speech which is constantly under attack from the identity politics fascists, the far left and the politically correct establishment. I might even include some old fashioned humour from the days when we all insulted each other and had a good laugh about it. We'll see.

First up is an excerpt from a talk given by Camille Paglia an American academic and critic who has a lot to say for herself that will attract the ire of trans-activists. This took place at The Battle of Ideas event organised well by Spiked! under one of their front groups. Love them or hate them, the old RCP are still around!

See what you think.



The second post in this series will follow later this week.

Women's rights not gender self indulgence!

On International women's day thousands gathered for a march in Instanbul, the capital of Turkey. An event replicated in many cities around the world as women celebrate their day and continue to make demands for equality still not achieved even in the developed West let alone some of the countries we could mention.

Al Jazeera reports:

Turkish police have fired tear gas at thousands of people who gathered in central Istanbul for a march to celebrate International Women's Day in defiance of a protest ban.

Women made up the majority of the crowd, which on Friday evening assembled at the edge of the city's Taksim Square before hundreds of riot police blocked its path, preventing protesters from advancing along Istiklal Avenue, the area's main pedestrianised shopping street.

Women in Saudi Arabia have only just been allowed to drive a car but still live in society dominated by male superiority and gender apartheid. In Iran a female lawyer has been imprisoned and flogged for simply defending women who have gone without hijabs or not worn them properly. The National Post reports:

A prominent human rights lawyer in Iran who defended protesters against the Islamic Republic’s mandatory headscarves for women has been convicted and faces years in prison, an activist group said Wednesday....

It shows “the insecurity the regime has to any peaceful challenge,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran, which reported Sotoudeh’s conviction. “It knows a large segment of the country are fed up with the hijab laws.”

Sotoudeh, 55, was convicted in absentia after she refused to attend the trial before Tehran’s Revolutionary Court as she was unable to select her own counsel, Ghaemi said. The Revolutionary Court conducts closed-door hearings over alleged threats to Iran’s government.

There's a long way to go before women have their day which is why we should support this important movement. 

Yet there are those who seek to undermine women's rights and women's spaces with a self indulgent approach to themselves.  It's not just men in dresses pretending to be women who should be treated as transvestites truth be told but also others like this one

A "Mx Elis de Guerre" a self appointed journalist decided to treat us to an article How it feels to be Nonbinary on International Women's day.  It's all to with "identity erasure" says the odd opening but "they/them" goes further (it would be better but "they/them" will take offence") writes:

As someone who was AFAB, but now proudly identifies as an androgyne, uses they/them pronouns, and hates being misgendered as a woman, days like IWD⁠ ⁠are…difficult.

I have no idea what AFAB means but "they" says (god that's a ridiculous way to address an individual who says she used to be called Liz and from the article appears to be a woman changing her preferred gender) don't have a problem with International Women's Day...and here it comes the word but enters the discussion!

"Elis" whatever then announces:

Until March 1st, I went by “Liz,” a shortened version of my birth name.

***Note: THIS IS NOW MY DEAD NAME. DO NOT USE IT.***

I changed it to Elis so that people wouldn’t assume I was a woman upon hearing or reading my name. But more importantly, it feels right to me and further solidifies my identity as a non-woman.

Still, it’s only been a week since I announced the change and I understand that folx will take time to replace my dead name with my chosen name. I’m trying to be patient.

So Elis/Liz/they/them has gone from being "AFAB" to "androgyne" and now has changed name. 

I ask myself why this individual is writing about International Women's Day at all except to attract attention. And therein lies the problem of so many of the new 57 varieties of gender identification (which includes "allies" FFS, when was that a gender?).

When I come across individuals like Elis and the new wave of trans-activists who dictate what we should think and say in a way that makes them superior to us "civilians" I despair. Put on a dress, take hormones to grow a beard. Neither I nor anyone else is going to stop you as an adult free to wreck their bodies like others do with unecessary plastic surgery.

But don't try to claim International Women's Day is difficult for you. You say you are not a woman, well neither am I. I'm a bloke. A "straight" and hetrosexual  man as it happens not that I would normally bother broadcasting that to the world. I just get on with my life trying to be me. Something these people should try and do without going to such extremes.

I cannot help but think all these self-identifying types just lack individuality and like the bloke who spent his benefits on failing to look like David Beckham are just attention seekers. Nothing more.

Meanwhile women around the world remain oppressed, second class citizens in most societies, facing oppression rape and murder on a daily basis. People like "they" should remember there are real victims out there in the world.

"They" are not victims at all.

The two weirdest Eurovision entries 2019

Image: By Source, Fair use,

This years Eurovision has already proved somewhat controversial because Israel happened to win the contest last year. As a result it's set in sunny Tel Aviv. I'm sure Israel will put on a good show but though it's not until May 18th, some two months away.

So there's plenty of time to get familiar with the entrants. Forty-one countries are competing this year. Bulgaria withdrew due to financial problems and the re was controversy over the Ukrainian entrant apparently. I'll look that up in due course for a future post, probably in one of the Sunday Supplements on this blog.

However having ploughed through 36 of the entries I am not yet in a position to choose my favourites but did pick the following two songs as the weirdest entries.

First up is Portugal represented by Conan Osiris the stage name for 30 year old Tiago Miranda. The name being a construct of Future boy Conan (not Conan The Barbarian as I thought) which is some Japanese show and the Egyptian God Osiris. Who would have guessed....

Anyway here is his erm "song":-



Now usually Australia has had good entries since finally joining a couple of years or so ago. But their entry is well different. A woman on a helter-skelter warbling semi-opera with another woman on a pole vaulting around in the background.

Kate Miller-Heidke is actually classically trained and actress that plays "alternative pop". Again something that I might return to on a Sunday.

Odd as it is, this is weirdly fascinating. I wouldn't mind betting it does better than our entry.

A Rock Trilogy for Friday Night!

It's Friday night and I did promise a wee bit of a new direction for this blog though I freely admit the on-going anti-Semitism crisis in the Labour Party and the fact this week sees the anniversary of the often forgotten Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule took place this week in 1959.

However we all have to take out time to chill and recharge, for me music and comic books (plus good food!) are my chosen way of relaxing!

First off is a tribute by Metallica to Dave Gilmour on his 73rd Birthday!



More info from: www.metallica.com

Next up is a track by Finnish band Battle Beast who's new album No More Hollywood Endings is released on March 22nd.

More info from: battlebeast.fi

And Finally a lady who should need no introduction but you younger readers it's Suzi Quatro with her new Album No Control which is also a double LP! Released on March 29th.



More info at: www.suziquatro.com

Anti-Semitism, The Jewish Labour Movement and the Far Left

The crisis inside the Labour Party over the anti-Semitism scandal continues unabated.  On Wednesday night the Jewish Labour Movement debated whether the time had come to abandon the Labour Party. For now as the Jewish Chronicle reported:

The Jewish Labour Movement voted to remain affiliated with the Labour Party for another month at the end of an impassioned meeting on Wednesday night.

Around 250 members of the group met at London’s Western Marble Arch Synagogue to debate whether to break away over the party’s handling of antisemitism among the membership.

An indicative show of hands suggested around 80 per cent of members supported the motion to remain affiliated to Labour.

But the vote was only informal. JLM members will hold a binding vote at its annual general meeting next month on whether the group should end its 99-year association with the Labour Party.

There are a number of practical reasons why members took this indicative position. Firstly most do not want to give up on a party they have contributed for nearly a century and their small organisation is able to "punch above it's weight" whilst inside Labour. 

The problem would be where would they go? The Independent Group has thousands of people wanting to jump on board and more than a few local councillors have signed up but it has yet to form into a party. There is also the fightback being led by Tom Watson against the perfidious Corbyn and his followers.

Photo: By Bundesarchiv

The left are rattled and call it an attempted "coup" since they do not tolerate opposition of any kind. The tiny and unrepresentative group of miscreants the Jewish Voice for Labour is trying to manoeuvre itself as an alternative to the JLM and would seek affiliation the group departs. No one wants that to happen.

Problem is that despite Tom Watson's efforts and the Corbynite leaderships panic, the hardliners are rallying behind Chris Williamson in their thousands. The left outnumbers the much depleted ranks of the moderates, so many of whom have gone elsewhere.

The Labour Briefing founder Graham Bash spoke at Canterbury Momentum Group on the same night as the JLM and ranted:

Comrades, I am so sorry Chris Williamson is not here today. And I’m devastated that he has been suspended from the Labour Party. We are in a pivotal moment, at a tipping point.

The witch-hunt against the left has now claimed a leading parliamentary ally of Jeremy Corbyn. We are in the middle of another attempted coup – this time, possibly, a slow one – but it is gathering force, and the false and exaggerated allegations of antisemitism within the party will not stop unless and until Jeremy himself is either toppled or, in effect, taken prisoner by the right of our party. This coup is about re-establishing the primacy of the PLP against the members – and it is a coup supported by sections of the left itself, including the leadership of Momentum.

Note even Jon Lansman one of the men behind Corbyn's rise to power is fingered as an enemy. Lansman has of course been campaigning against anti-Semitism. Graham Bash of course is the partner of Jackie Walker one of the harridans of the JVL.

Now Bash who claims he has only come across it once in the Labour Party and says he has a "sixth sense" about anti-Semitism denies there is a problem. Bash claims:

So what is the problem? There was no problem until the lifelong anti-racist Jeremy Corbyn became leader. His predecessor as leader Ed Miliband was Jewish and the main challenger to Ed was his brother David, also Jewish. Clearly all these antisemites in the party were doing rather a poor job.

The problem he ignores is two-fold. Firstly it is precisely because Corbyn became the Labour leader that all these individuals with strange conspiratorial views of the world, Bankers media, the Rothschild's and Zionists have joined up. Add to that the strange religion of "palestinianism" and you have a toxic mix. 

The anti-Semite problem in this country comes from the left not the right. The Tories suspended a councillor without fuss for an anti-Semetic tweet. the Guardian was forced to admit that UKIP expelled a youth member for posting anti-Semitic material despite a supposed swing to the far right. The For Britain Party's leader posted a video condemning anti-Semitism.

So comrades YOU are the threat and it's real. We will not go quietly into the dark ever again and will fight anti-Semtism from wherever it originates. The far-left are the new black-shirts.. 

Roadmap to the alternative

Politics is broken. 

We all know this is the case. You only have to look at how the major political parties operate. They’re closed shops where power is centred in the hands of a few special interests - whether this be big business or big unions. 

This is why our politics is broken. The main political parties make policy led by narrow ideology, not evidence, reason or through informed debate. 

The Brexit deadlock has shown up the deep structural problems with the current system where the main parties have prioritised the fringes of their internal parties and electoral chances rather than what is in the best interest of the country. The current system fails to cater for the complexities involved in policy making because of the rigid, outdated way of making policy with, at best, a nod to public engagement and consultation. 

It is in the main parties’ interest to keep things as they are. They don’t want things to change. But we do. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. 

We believe things can change if we try a bold new approach to doing politics. No group has a monopoly on good ideas. We want to open politics up and break the influence of special interest groups and have a real conversation. This starts with how policies are made. And it starts with engagement with people across the whole country.

We want to start a national debate which brings together experts in their field (professionals and academics), with people from every walk of life to discuss the big ideas and come up with progressive, pragmatic and deliverable policy solutions. 

This is the deliberative model of policy making which is based on the idea that through proper informed, debate people can come to an agreement. 

We want these conversations to come up with deliverable policy proposals, which if implemented tomorrow, would bring about real transformative change. 

This is a radical, but also a common sense approach. This is our proposed alternative to both the broken old top down politics. We can change politics if you get involved and contribute. 

Help us change it. 

We are currently finalising our plans and will make announcements on the details in the coming days and weeks.

 
Once we launch our programme and new website we’ll need people to contribute their big policy ideas. We’ll need your suggestions of who should the experts be in each policy areas. And we’ll need people to support the project online and through conversations with friends and family. We want as many people as possible to get involved so we the best chance of coming up with the ideas to solve sizeable challenges before us as a nation.

Right now, you can start the conversation by sharing your policy ideas using the #ChangePolitics. Please also share this paper with your friends and family and encourage them to share their ideas, to sign up to support us and follow us on Twitter. 

Politics is broken. But with your help we can change it.

Sign up at http://www.theindependent.group/support

Corbyn's hollow pleading to the Jewish Labour Movement

The Jewish Labour Movement affiliated to the Labour Party since 1920 (originally known as Poale Zion until 2004) is to discuss disaffiliation from the party at two meetings in Manchester and London tonight. If there is a strong indicative vote this will then be put to the wider membership in a ballot.

It is hardly surprising that the bastion of the Jewish Labour Party members is considering such a move after the continuous battle against anti-Semitism in the Party itself. Hundreds if not thousands of ordinary members have resigned since Corbyn came into control of Labour.

His leadership has brought into Labour large numbers of disaffected individuals who form the core of every demonstration that shout, barrack and bully but have never had to take any responsibility for their actions slogans included.

Anyone remember the picture of some wag waving a placard stating "Google Zionist control of Wall Street". Fairly typical of the wider left that associates with Corbyn. Israel, Zionists, Zionism and Jews are the rich white capitalist enemy. The sharing of anti-Semitic tropes has become the norm on Labour supporters pages and they wonder why there is a crisis over anti-Semitism.

The anti-Semites have been assisted by the creation of the tiny and unrepresentative group called the Jewish Voice for Labour who have taken it upon themselves to deny the existence of anti-Semitism in the party and act as Corbyn's loyal lieutenants adding to the far-left fever that this is all a Zionist plot.

However there has been so much exposed and frankly so much remains to be exposed because of the crossover with so-called anti-Zionism, Corbyn, McDonnell and Lansman have all had to admit there is a problem

Now Corbyn is pleading with the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) to stay on board. and wrote to them stating:

"I want to express my sincere hope that the JLM will decide to continue a relationship that has been fundamental to the history of our party and our movement.

"This morning our Shadow Cabinet discussed this and affirmed our support for JLM's affiliation and our very strong desire for you to remain part of our movement."

This is the same man who tried to expel them back in the eighties along with a certain Graham Bash who just happens to be the partner of Jackie Walker. Small world.

The evidence see below:

If Corbyn wants to really stand with the Jewish community he needs to act and amongst measures proscribe the Jewish Voice for Labour outfit which is nothing more than a hate group. 

He won't of course so there is little point in his pleading. 

Too late schmuck our community do not trust you.

Free Tibetan Political Prisoners

FREE TIBET: Demonstrate Sunday March 10th:

London: Downing street 1:30

Edinburgh: The Mound 12:00

The Tibetan Uprising 1959

A short introductory film to the Tibetan Uprising in 1959.

The world  must not forget that the Tibetan people have been invaded and oppressed by the Chinese Communists since 1950.

Tibet still resists today.




Please join the Marches:

London: March 10th 1:30 Downing Street then off to the Chinese Embassy

Edinburgh: March 10th 12:00 The Mound then off to the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood.

Tibet Lobby Week: Events

There are a number of events you can participate in to commemorate the Tibetan uprising

TUESDAY, 5 MAR AT 12:30

Wreath Laying Ceremony: 60th Anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising

To mark the 60th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising of 1959, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet and Tibet Society UK will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial to Innocent Victims of Oppression, Violence and War, located by West Door of Westminster Abbey.

The short service commences at 12.30pm.

All welcome.

TUESDAY 5th MARCH AT 12:30

Raising the flag for Tibet

Northampton Guildhall.

March 2019 is the 60th anniversary of Tibetan national uprising against the Chinese rule in 1959.

Long-time Tibet supporter Caroline Scattergood is organising Tibet flag raising event (for the 20th year in a row!) Please join and support if you can; and help spread the word.

SUNDAY 10 MARCH AT 1:30

ALSO IN SCOTLAND:

SUNDAY 10 MARCH AT 12:00-14:00

The Mound, Edinburgh
Marching in support of the Tibetan people's struggles since the illegal occupation of the Chinese communist regime and commemorating the anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising against the Chinese occupational forces 60 years ago.

We will have guest speakers making speeches and then march and chant our way to the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood.

Thereafter we hope to organise a free film screening at a local venue, to be confirmed soon.


MONDAY 11th MARCH 12:00 - 13:00

Free Tibet Event

The 60th Anniversary of the Tibetan Exile & India's Tibet Policy

Portcullis House Room P 1 Parliament Street, SW1A 2JR Westminster

Communists Rally to Williamson

The suspension of Chris Williamson for accusing the Labour Party of being "too apologetic" over anti-Semitism despite the growing evidence of this pernicious racism has been seized upon by the Communist Party of Great Britain (publishers of the Weekly Worker) to spread it's influence. The CPGB (WW) are the puppet masters behind the misnamed Labour Against the Witch Hunt (LAW) group.

LAW is now tweeting support for Williamson and also uses it's other front group Labour Party Marxists as part of this process. They have won the backing of one of the remains of the Militant tendency inside the Labour Party, Socialist Appeal. Both are Entryist groups in breach of the party's rules as was the old Militant Tendency.



Sky News  reports:

...activists in Sheffield Hallam, as well as Camberwell and Peckham in south London, have voted in favour of demands for Labour to reverse his suspension.

As this blog has already noted below Diane Abbott's CLP left Jewish members in tears after a motion was passed denying anti-Semitism.

Many of these people have shared platforms with quite unsavoury characters like Tony Greenstein of the totally unrepresentative Jewish Voice for Labour organisation. LAW also invited Asa Winstanley a vile anti-Israel activist to it's meetings who ended up tweeting:

List of people @jonlansman has thrown under the bus in defence of Israeli lies about "Labour antisemitism" * Ken Livingstone * Jackie Walker * Marc Wadsworth * Christine Shawcroft * Pete Willsman * JVL * Chris Williamson. He will do the same to Corbyn when the time comes.

Even the left wing John Lansman the individual responsible more than most for the rise of Corbyn is an enemy and a Zionist apparently. Lansman happens to also be Jewish. The insinuation shows how anti-Zionism has developed into a more sinister form.

These are some of the people who have bullied the Jewish community over ties with the legitimate sate of Israel for years. They shout, they picket and intimidate in the name of "Palestine" but the pro-Palestinian lobby is full of of anti-Semites and Holocaust deniers as the expulsion of former PSC Chair Francis Clarke Lowe.

The traditional Morning Star paper of the "Official" Communist Party of Britain who spurn these small Trotskyist groups also rallied to Williamson on it's front page today. Marxists of all sorts deny the existence and threat within it's ranks to the Jewish community.

All in the name of anti-imperialism. After all Jews are "white" and "rich" (I wish) and of no value to the class struggle these comrades pursue.

Labour: Two more anti-Semitism cases exposed and one CLP in denial

Last night I watched a video produced by Momentum that exposed the anti-Semitic tropes about the Rothschilds that end up being shared not just by right-wing racists and cranks but are shared by left-wing activists based on well ignorance. Fact is it was very well constructed and I will see if I can share it at a later stage.

It's with some trepidation that I recommend anything by Momentum since their support of Corbyn has led to this situation in the first place. Jon Lansman their guru for want of a better word has created a monster well out of his control and like Pandora is failing to put all these evils back in the box.

At least he's trying as were some others a couple of days back (see post below) unlike the so-called Jewish Voice for Labour which is in total denial about anti-Semitism and one of it's leaders Tony Greenstein is has said he wouldn't report an anti-Semite even if it were true which means nothing he says on the subject can be trusted.

Two more cases of anti-Semitism were reported in the press yesterday. The first was from the Shropshire Star:

A former mayor of Shrewsbury has resigned from the Labour Party following claims he had shared anti-Semitic posts on social media.

Councillor Ioan Jones was reported to the Labour Party last summer after the posts came to light and an investigation was launched.

He announced on Tuesday his decision to leave the party and will now sit as a non-affiliated independent councillor on Shrewsbury Town Council and Shropshire Council.

It is understood that Councillor Jones, who represents the Harlescott ward, is no longer subject to an investigation as he is no longer a Labour Party member.

A Labour Party spokesman said: "Councillor Ioan Jones was subject to disciplinary procedures but decided to resign rather than face those procedures.

"If he attempted to rejoin the party, the pending disciplinary action against him would be automatically flagged and he would not be able to automatically join in the way that new members can."

Councillor Jones was placed under investigation last July for sharing a Facebook post comparing the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.

During his time as mayor, Councillor Jones also reposted an image online about investment banker Jacob Rothschild, claiming that his family had "financed both sides of every war since Napoleon".

The second story was from Jewish News:

Activists have called for the expulsion of a Labour councillor in Lewisham after he allegedly shared a Facebook post suggesting former Labour MP Joan Ryan, now a member of the Independent Group, was bribed by the “Israeli lobby.”

Councillor Carl Handley reportedly shared an antisemitic meme on Facebook about the former Labour MP Joan Ryan, who defected last week to the Independent Group of MPs over antisemitism.

Euan Philipps, spokesperson for Labour Against Antisemitism said: ‘The image apparently posted by Councillor Handley is blatantly antisemitic.

“If he is responsible he needs to have the whip withdrawn and face immediate suspension and then expulsion from the Labour Party.

And of course the denial of the problem continues in North London. The following tweet explains: 

@PatrickMoule: "Hackney North CLP passed this utter disgrace of a motion this evening, 45 votes to 35. Jewish members bravely spoke up and their lived experience was ignored and denied. I feel ashamed and bereft that my political home of over a decade has sunk so low."

The motion is reproduced below:

There is no longer any place for my community in the Labour Party. I urge everyone and their allies to join The Independent Group and bring sane politcs back to ordinary working people and an end to this viscous anti-Semitism.

Remember they come for the Jews first. Who will they turn on next......