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Original poster

Margaret Hodge lawyers up

92 replies

Popchyk · 24/07/2018 18:46

And posts the whole shebang on Twitter.

twitter.com/margarethodge/status/1021369803129401344

I thought that this deserved a thread of its own. Seems like it will run and run.

Sounds like Labour have totally screwed up sending a letter. You'd think that given the amount of complaints about Labour members, they could at least manage that. But no.

Labour seem to have contravened their own rules by not citing what the allegation actually is, nor how the alleged incident breached their rules. And which rules were allegedly breached.

The letter then goes on to threaten her about further disciplinary action if she repeats "the allegation above". And of course there is no allegation above.

I particularly liked the "The haste in which you sent your letter is reflected in the sloppiness of its contents, which defies recognised standards of due process relating to investigations" from the lawyers.

Look out Jezza.

Margaret Hodge is not taking this lying down.

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Original poster
Popchyk · 07/08/2018 14:33

Ian Austin, MP for Dudley North also putting all his communications (including those from his lawyers) into his alleged misconduct out there on Twitter.

twitter.com/IanAustinMP/status/1026764303880396806

"It says the party is “prejudging the complaints” and "This process has been a farce and a disgrace. It has plainly been designed to silence our client for his legitimate, honestly-held criticisms of Mr Corbyn’s failure to address the scourge of antisemitism in the Labour Party”

Seems like Labour has made yet another cock-up in its investigations procedure.

I'm guessing they'll decide to drop it, like they did with Hodge. And try to get him out some other way.

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TerfsUp · 07/08/2018 13:40

It is perfectly possible to be pro-Palestinian rights without being anti-semitic

I agree. Very much on the side of Palestinian rights.

LassWiADelicateAir · 07/08/2018 13:34

They have made it worse by lying about her apologising. It should have been dropped and they apologised to her.

ReginaBlitzkreig · 07/08/2018 09:44

I am not a Hodge fan either but it does really anger me when people behave as though she alone blocked action on child abuse in Islington. As Council leader she does bear the greatest responsibility, but the Labour Party both local and national is also culpable.

Original poster
Popchyk · 07/08/2018 09:40

Labour trying to save face by saying Hodge "expressed regret" and so they magnanimously decided to drop it.

Hodge posting the lawyers' no-nonsense response to that. Another zinger.

twitter.com/margarethodge/status/1026543294036111360

"It is clear that you were making the rules up as you went; and even in defeat you have sought to spin your final decision in a disingenuous and false manner".

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WhereDoWeBeginToCovetClarice · 07/08/2018 09:22

What's with all this 'reinterpreting' guidelines/laws around antisemitism & women's rights that is happening at the same time as making crimes of 'transphobia' and 'Islamaphobia' so unavoidable they are turning into buzzwords?

CertainHalfDesertedStreets · 07/08/2018 09:10

The way that antisemitism hits the headlines compared to other issues is fascinating - not saying it is not important - but why do you think it is given so much more prominence than calls for investigation into the islamophobia in the Conservative party? -or indeed calls for misogyny to be given equal weight to transphobia, racism etc!

Ooh ooh I know! Is it the Holocaust d'ya think?

BettyFloop · 06/08/2018 21:57

Disciplinary action has been dropped - and Margaret Hodge didn't express remorse for saying what she said.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45085682

Alternativefacts · 29/07/2018 09:19

Well said womanformerlyknownaswoman . While it sounds like the letter was badly written there is another side to this. Sounds like the labour code is trying to avoid conflating anti-semitism and bigotry on the one hand from criticism of or opposition to Zionism or the actions of the State of Israel. And if that is so then I think that’s important.

The way that antisemitism hits the headlines compared to other issues is fascinating - not saying it is not important - but why do you think it is given so much more prominence than calls for investigation into the islamophobia in the Conservative party? -or indeed calls for misogyny to be given equal weight to transphobia, racism etc!

OlennasWimple · 29/07/2018 00:26

It took the Labour Party two years to discipline Ken Livingstone for making anti-Semitic comments, but only two days to discipline Hodge for accusing The Dear Leader someone of being anti-Semitic

If the LP doesn't understand the optics of this, then they are even less fit to govern than I had previously thought

FermatsTheorem · 29/07/2018 00:08

Same shitty Kafkaesque slippery vague accusation letter as sent to Hodge I notice - "we're investigating you for something a bit vague but we might suspend you in the meantime if you do anything else we disapprove of.". Hope Austin does a c&p of the Mishcon de Reya letter.

LassWiADelicateAir · 29/07/2018 00:01

www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/28/labour-antisemitism-code-ian-austin-mp-faces-suspension

A second MP has been warned.

LassWiADelicateAir · 28/07/2018 18:13

The MPs who have done the most to bring the Labour Party into disrepute are Corbyn and McDonnell.

Kyanite · 28/07/2018 18:05

Her behaviour was absolutely disgusting. I would have been disciplined if I had behaved that way in my work. More should be done about the other MPs similarly bringing the party into disrepute.

FermatsTheorem · 28/07/2018 18:01

All the pretty Tom Harris made a similar point today about the attempt to deselect Kate Joey, pointing out the rank hypocrisy of going after her over Brexiteers, when Corbyn, McDonnell and their cronies voting record shows them to be followers of Benn's anti-EU stance.

It's not whether they're right or wrong (the attempt to brush Islington under the carpet was appalling): it's the rank hypocrisy of going after women MPs for behaviour Corbyn himself is implicated in.

Alltheprettyseahorses · 28/07/2018 17:45

RhythmStix - why don't you feel the same way about Corbyn who not only ignored victims who went to him for help but stood up in parliament to try to block the inquiry, as documented in Hansard?

It's just another case of a woman being castigated while a man gets off scot-free. There is little difference, if any, between them.

RhythmStix · 27/07/2018 10:23

I grew up in the people's republic of Islington so had to suffer her for many years. Corbyn was one of the local MPs (along with Chris Smith). She is a self serving, nasty piece of work. I always liked and admired Corbyn (Islington North) and Smith (Islington South and Finsbury). Anyway thanks for restoring some semblance of order to your thread popchyk Smile

Original poster
Popchyk · 27/07/2018 09:45

Thanks for responding Rhythm.

I understand the strength of your feeling on this.

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RhythmStix · 27/07/2018 07:55

Understood Popchyk, but the problem is that the thread is in the feminist section. M Hodge is complaining about something which has nothing to do with her gender so I fail to see how it can be represented as a feminist issue.

In any case, I couldn't give a toss if Hodge is a) a female or b) Jewish - she is still a vile specimen IMO. I would say exactly the same about her if she were a man. Or another religion.

The deletions were chased and urged by beachfrontparadiso who didn't like being called out on their support of MH and their denial of Hodge's wrongdoing, even when I provided well documented evidence and newspaper reports from recognised sources.

Original poster
Popchyk · 26/07/2018 21:55

Rhythm, I started the thread because I felt that the disciplinary procedure initiated by the Labour Party against her was worthy of a discussion. We've had a few threads on here about the Labour Party and other issues so I wanted a separate thread so we don't get confused. That's just the background to this.

By all means you should start a new thread about Margaret Hodge's "outrageous corrupt history" if you'd like to. Then people can focus on that.

Just a word of warning - with two deletions already on this thread, I'd suggest that you tread carefully if you don't want to be banned by MNHQ. They are a bit trigger happy at the moment. I didn't report your comments by the way but obviously somebody did.

I hope you take this post in the way that it is intended.

I can ask MNHQ to change the title of this thread to Margaret Hodge - Labour Party Disciplinary if you'd like. Then it makes it clear.

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RhythmStix · 26/07/2018 21:32

How amazing - and not in a good way - that some posters are actively ignoring Margaret Hodge's outrageous corrupt history for the sole reason that she is a woman. Shame on you for your collusion.

ICJump · 26/07/2018 10:36

@pastabest thanks for the link. It sounds really full on. I’m glad Venice is a brave strong woman but I wish she didn’t have to face such rubbish.

ConfessionsOfTeenageDramaQueen · 25/07/2018 19:37

What's been interesting about the Hodge episode - and why this thread should be in feminism - is because so many male accounts of what took place characterise her as "shrieking" or "screaming" at Corbyn.

Because, y'know, angry women aren't capable of saying things calmly.

beachfrontparadiso · 25/07/2018 18:25

Exactly which we are you talking about rhythm? You're the only person asserting that Hodge deliberately obstructed justice.

RhythmStix · 25/07/2018 17:48

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