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.

,,,and am glad to see socialist ideas being brought back into the mainstream.

Oh, do you mean socialist ideas like anti Jewish rhetoric? because that's not my sort of socialism.

You really should do a bit of your own research then whatthe. There is a lot of information on the web about who is in charge of momentum - the usual white middle class boys club is heavily involved so no surprises that many of their themes echo those in the conservatives who similarly have a number of wmcb involved as well.

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

So it can't have a problem with misogyny?!

Really?

Have you been on MN long?

Oh well in that case its all fine

I am trying to do some research but it seems like there are only 3 white males on the leadership group of momentum (no idea of their class) and the rest are all women or men from ethnic minorities. It just doesn't tally with what you're saying.
I have also searched for evidence of anti Jewish rhetoric and can't find that either.
It seems likes there's lots of rumors and gossip about them but very little backed up with facts which is what worries me. I will cheerfully denounce anyone who I can prove is anti Semitic or misoginistic but without proof I'm just not comfortable doing that.

Too bloody long Redtooth!
I didn't say it's impossible but unusual for a group who are run by a majority of women to than have a blatant (and yet invisible) anti woman agenda.

I read an interview with him where he said he frequents a nightclub called Dempsey's.

Dempsey's is well known in Sheffield for being awash with drugs, dealers, stolen goods and rent boys. It's the sort of place I one might go at 3am in the morning when far too steaming drunk to get in anywhere else. For an MP to admit to going there regularly is quite shocking IMO.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/jeremy-corbyn-womens-plp-momentum-online-abuse-metro-mayor-selections-luciana-berger-jess-phillips_uk_58ad5d82e4b0d0a6ef465753
Jeremy Corbyn Under Attack From Women MPs Over Momentum 'Threats'

Just one story. There are others I could find.

Remember that O'Mara was on the Womens and Equalities Select Committee too. It wasn't JUST that he was an MP. Its that he put himself forward and other thought he was felt suitable for that particular role.

I have also searched for evidence of anti Jewish rhetoric and can't find that either.
Really? You've searched? And somehow missed Jackie walker?

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/07/misogyny-feminism-stop-the-war-jeremy-corbyn
Why I won’t shut up about misogyny and the left
Jess Phillips MP
Jan 2017

www.ft.com/content/07b304d4-4698-11e6-8d68-72e9211e86ab
The Labour party’s trouble with female leaders
The party has been trumped by the Tories on gender equality in leadership, writes Ayesha Hazarika
July 2016

That the party elected an all-male top team is not the fault of Mr Corbyn and Tom Watson, his deputy. But they then chose to give the top shadow cabinet jobs to men. Most of Mr Corbyn’s powerful key advisers are men. The general secretary is a man. Most of the key trade union bosses are men. All our mayors are men. Anyone spotting a theme?

The culture of the party has changed, too. There is a level of misogyny which should shock, but is now standard. “Remember the good old days when we used to get together to moan about the pay gap and childcare — now it’s all death and rape threats,” a female MP remarked darkly, referring to the abuse she encounters online.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/feminism/2015/12/are-jeremy-corbyns-supporters-really-sexist
Are Jeremy Corbyn's supporters really that sexist?
Dec 2015

The last couple of paragraphs which almost justify abuse are quite something.

Then there is all the criticism about why Corbyn refuses to support the boycott of SWP events.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/10/corbyn-under-fire-speaking-anti-racism-rally-links-swp-socialist-workers-party
Corbyn under fire for speaking at anti-racism rally with links to SWP
Equality groups claim they were misled to believe the Labour leader had pulled out of event as they planned to air concerns
Oct 2016

All these articles contain women speaking out about the type of language used against them and why it is bad and saying they are not being heard.

And several of them state that the problem has existed for a while, but has got worse and has got nastier in its tone in recent times.

Some of it relates to relationships and the influence of Corbyn personally and how his backing has aided certain individuals OUTSIDE the norm structure of election or how he has changed the rules to favour people who perhaps are more sympathetic to him. Not hard to see how this centralisation of power might cause side effects - intended or not.

So of it is, also technologically driven as one of the articles above does point out. But Corbyn has been criticised over how weak his criticism has been in this area, because it has also aided him in establishing control of the party.

Point being there is an under current that was very much present BEFORE the election and really should have been a concern when it came to selection of candidates if there was a serious attempt at trying to improve the situation.

Incidentally, I know that the rush to get candidates in place was also an issue because the party did not address the problem earlier and could have. I know that even though it was said repeatedly that there wasn't going to be an election, the LDs put the party on notice in the Autumn of last year and told them to sort out as many candidates as possible just in case. Irony being that the Tories also failed on this score. Both parties were crippled by their internal feuding though.

There are lots more stories of this type.

There is a culture which is being flagged up and a theme throughout.

Whether or not its fair isn't necessarily the point. The point is the public perception is there.

As I say, other parties seem to also have issues with their vetting processes:

In this case, one was given the chop before the election after first being approved and the leader had to step in (overruling normal procedures):

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39723144
Ex-Lib Dem MP David Ward sacked as Bradford East candidate

But this charming fellow did actually stand. He lost by just 3000 votes.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/31/controversial-blogposts-tory-party-candidate-absolutely-shocking
Tory candidate's blogposts on rape 'absolutely shocking'

All three parties need to do a lot better, if they are all serious that this type of behaviour is unacceptable. It shouldn't even be being put to the public if the party has standards it values. O'Mara was just the one who got in.

Thank you Redtooth, I will read those links tonight.

Birds - Women from the centre of the party are saying time and time again that there are problematic views on the left towards women.

I've said this already on the thread but it is not a right/left/centre issue. I'm in the Party and very much an on the left, Corbyn supporting, zero issue with Momentum's existance member. Misogyny is rife on the left and in the centre and on the right. Politicians are people, and just as men (and women) with a range of political views in society are also sexist, so too are many members and MPs of the political Parties.

I really wish women would stand together on this against the sexism which affects us all instead of closing our eyes and pretending it's those bastards on the left/centre/right who are the problem. It is absolutely rife throughout politics.

It clearly hasn’t dawned on those here who are denying labours problem how much they sound like a bunch of old, smug, right wing men denying the existence of racism and sexism. “Well I’ve never seen any” “show me evidence” “ I’ve never spoken to anyone like that” etc. The women of the Labour Party like jess Philips are telling you. Yet like a bunch of bigoted jurors in a rape trial, you won’t believe them.
Ugh. Just ugh. I think I’d rather vote UKIP than labour right now, and I’d saw my arm off before I’d vote UKIP.

From David Davis's failed Tory Leadership Campaign.

Just, y'know, saying.

Btw, O'Mara got a first class honours degree in JOURNALISM and worked as a Press, Parliamentary and Campaigns Officer for a disability charity before standing for MP.

He wasn't a naïve kid without any understanding even as a 21 year old.

He was someone who had political ambitions even as a teenager and was educated in the media and how it worked. This, by the way, usually includes understanding the media's role in accountability and how journalists roast people in public life when they don't behave themselves.

Karlos there are many, many of us in the Labour Party, both women and men, absolutely aware of the sexism in the Party and working hard to try and expose and eradicate it, both in the Party and in society in general. It is a monumentally hard task where more often than not you feel is a never ending battle, but thousands of us are trying. I cannot imagine anyone in UKIP is doing the same.

I am praying this is the tide beginning to change, very slowly, and that people are starting to wake up to what some of us having been complaining about for years.

North - I wish that you were right about the tide turning. but unfortunately I think that the Momentum/JC leadership has actually meant a backward step.

there are other people like you across the political spectrum in other parties banging the drum and trying to fight sexism. please don't just assume its labour party members because it isn't.

Karlos - I think you put your finger on it right there.

NorthandSouth, the Sun is carrying an article about how John Mann intends to speak out.

www.thesun.co.uk/news/4760275/labour-mp-john-mann-promises-to-name-and-shame-sex-pest-politician/

Westminster insiders said the party chiefs are braced for up to half a dozen serious sleaze cases to emerge in the coming weeks and months.

A Labour source said: “It won’t be quite as many as the expenses crisis but there will definitely be resignations and by-elections if the dam breaks.”

Karlos yes because asking for evidence in a discussion about whether to write off an entire political party is just so bigoted and right wing.

I've read the links now and I agree, this is wrong and scary. But I don't find it quite as wrong and scary as what the Tories are doing to our country. So for me I think the right decision is to get more involved with Labour, not to turn my back and walk away. I believe the majority of people in labour and momentum do not harbor secret evil plans to bring down women and Jewish people, I believe the majority are fighting for social justice and an end to the privatisaation of our welfare state, and that's a fight I want to be part of. I will also fight misogyny and anti semitism both inside and outside the party whenever I see it.

John Mann seems to think it's a game. Just name them and stop playing stupid games with the press. Not a single thought for how the women involved are being affected by him acting like he's got a tantalising secret.

mummy I didn't say and don't think that it is just Labour members fighting sexism, it would be a very sad state if it was. I just don't think UKIP members are. I worked in politics for years before Corbyn's election and still do now. The sexism has remained stagnant. I had derogatory comments and discrimination pre Corbyn and have done since Corbyn.

Whatthefuck I'm so pleased to hear you say that. The resounding majority of Labour members really are what you describe - genuinely committed to ending social injustice. It's just a small, but powerful and significant, minority dragging us down. The Labour Party does not belong to them and it would be wrong to abandoned it to them.

Abandon*

Do some digging on the source of this and you will find a deeply unpleasant, partisan individual st the bottom of it. If all the politicians who said unpalatable things 15 years ago had to resign, the House of Commons would be half empty. He has expressed regret at his online activity, which is more than 90% of politicians do. And at least one of his more contemporary accusers I have serious doubts about.

And at least one of his more contemporary accusers I have serious doubts about.

Well unless you know them and have access to all the information then you are in no position to say

And at least one of his more contemporary accusers I have serious doubts about.

Why is that?

Because of her appearance? Occupation? Who she told?

I'm interested to know why you have this doubt.

Because these accusations are disrupting the message. And we can't have that can we. It's irrelevant what Labour members are doing to lead the charge against misogyny, they don't run the Labour party anymore.