To think Jared O'Mara should resign as an MP

[derxa]

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/oct/23/labour-mp-jared-omara-sheffield-hallam-sorry-girls-aloud-orgy
He made some terrible comments online in the past. Surely people don't change their character that much over time.

But I thought that was quite funny. The essence of a joke like that is that it works because it's unlikely. If he was fabulously wealthy, it wouldn't be funny. He knows he's not really going to attract gold diggers, therefore it is funny.

I agree with you that this would be quite funny if he were actually broke, but by many yardsticks surely an MP makes a lot of money, and makes it not likely to be a joke?

I'm not too scandalised by this, but my bar for politicians is quite low.

Yes Philip Davies, he of the Women’s and Equalities Committee with the most amazing supportive women friendly views - those of you on here who think we only need to discuss JOM would love the world PD would like for us women I’m sure. What amazes me is that some of you just don’t see that it’s Tory women using this issue for pure party political advantage - they don’t give a flying fig at all about the real issues affecting women in society but just want to stave off a Labour Government by attacking Corbyn supporting MPs. As I’ve already said, if he resigns what will change in the way women are treated in Parliament and the wider society? I think he should resign but it will just be tokenism because not one Tory woman MP will ever call out one of their own for their sexism

He has been suspended and whip removed pending investigation.

Well that’s right and proper and who would say it wasn’t? But it doesnt come close to dealing with the whole problem but, hey, as long as there’s a Lanour scalp who cares? Because that’s exactly it, who does really care in Parliament?

Unsurprising he has been suspended given the “sexy little slags” and fingering comments.

I’m not bothered by the gold digger comment though personally.

This seat was won for Labour because of the student vote in this area of Sheffield. Momentum are very strong in Sheffield and this is the type of person they support. Bigger fool the students and Sheffield Labour Party for not doing due diligence themselves.

So all candidates supported by Momentum are like this ? Do you realise how ridiculous that sounds?

Momentum are notoriously misogynistic.

He embodies the qualities momentum values - misogyny, hostility to people who disagree with him, aggression. In terms of the modern Labour Party he is surely a success rather than a failure.
The rest of us have to hold our noses of course

We are saying that misogyny is a problem in the hard left , yes. We need to deal with it if we don't want the Tories to use it against the Labour party. Or we can play at politics and let the Tories remain in power.

Where is the evidence that Momentum are inherently mysoginistic?

Excuse applying spelling!

Ha. Appalling even.

The last election was problematic as lots of constituencies did not have candidates in place - for all the major parties. So they rushed through candidates and were not as thorough as they normally are, in their selection. There were gaffs and appalling candidates put forward by all. In this case, one of them, actually got elected.

Momentum has a particular issue, in that it was desperate to get candidates through from its faction of the Labour party to change the direction of Labour. They did use the issue of the snap election to aid this - and didn't necessarily vet candidates in the way they should have.

There is already concern over Momentum and infiltration from the SWP (a rape controversy) and links to the Stop the War Coalition (accusations over anti-Semitism), which have both been subjects of controversy and hypocrisy over an agenda which is not consistent with progressive politics. The fact that Jared O'Mara seems to be not exactly contradicting those fears, does suggest that actually Momentum as a whole, does have a problem, which they are not being honest with themselves about.

This all seems to be known to Momentum members and yet he still got the nod. Why?

Don't forget Corbyn, personally, is strongly associated with Momentum, the SWP and the Stop the War Coalition.

This is really what a lot of the Tory involvement is about imho. The fear of the far left rather than denouncing MPs who behave in an appalling fashion. This will have more traction with an audience which didn't blink at the IRA comments. The Labour Party and Momentum have left themselves open to this, by forgetting the principles they are supposed to uphold. Its the new dead cat attack. They've fucked up big time here. Similar things levelled at Tories don't stick as their voters think in different ways - it doesn't loose them votes.

The reality is that Labour needed to be shit hot on this and they weren't. The danger is it will damage the party. The Tories know it. Especially if O'Mara decides not to resign as an MP. Withdrawing the whip doesn't solve the issue which remains as a reminder as long as O'Mara stays MP.

What you’re surely not asking for evidence?

I should add that the current driving dynamic in British politics is this:

Eventual Brexit Type = The Level of Fear of Corbyn.

Of course he should. If this was a Tory MP we'd never hear the end of it from all the mealy mouthed PC usual suspects.

Bourdic yeah I sort of thought there might be some evidence as people seem so certain of what they are saying

The evidence is coming from Labour party members who, because they are involved/heavily involved with their party at a local level, will be well aware of momentum and their views. that's the evidence - real people seeing it first hand.

momentum really is the most tech savvy of all the "parties" in british politics and will be very careful not to commit their views to writing. you have to go along to meetings to hear what is being said both openly on the platform and then not so in the discussions.

I have worked with Jeremy corbyn. he was a misogynist, anti jewish, IRA sympathiser who had no real interest in anyone elses views but his own. he subscribed to the Brian clough school of people management.

I don't have anything in writing either as it was a while ago. but I didn't like him or trust him then and nothing I have seen has changed that.

anyone who doesn't believe that Momentum is THE driving force behind the Labour party at the moment is fooling themselves.

Callum May‏*@callummay*
Chief sub: “Boss, can we put ‘Labour MP’ and ‘sexy slags’ in the splash?”

George Osborne: “Fine.”

Can I just face palm at this please? Words are failing me.

The evidence is that those of us in the Labour party have seen it for years and years. But we are only women what do we know.

Mummym I don't consider that to be evidence but it is an interesting anacdotal perspective. I am not saying one way or the other whether momentum are inherently sexist and awful as I'm not involved enough to know but it doesn't seem as though there is much actual evidence to prove that they are - which is unusual if the problem is that widespread and obvious.
I do agree with a number of the political points they are making though and am glad to see socialist ideas being brought back into the mainstream.

Suzanne Moore on sexism in the far left

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/10/how-could-labour-allow-jared-o-mara-scandal-happen
How could Labour allow the Jared O’Mara scandal to happen?
A factional dispute has arisen about who, exactly, is to blame for the failure in vetting

Is it true that the leadership group for momentum is made up of 7 women and 5 men? Unusual for an inherently misogynistic group?