Well done Labour NEC - Corbyn can stand

[claig]

They have voted 18-14 to allow Corbyn to stand in the leadership election.

One less stitch-up in a season os stitch-ups.

Go Corbyn!

What do you think his "friends" Hamas and Hezbollah do? What about his great mate Putin? What do you think his lovely Holocaust-denying friend is in favour of? Or his mates in Iran - great Western ideals do they have?

Know a man by the company he keeps.

..and UK bombers didn't deliberately target civilians, unlike the IRA. I'm not suggesting Iraq was justified, it clearly wasn't and has been proven to have been illegal. But there is no 'St Jeremy.'

I was recently accused of spewing bile by a relative. Which caused me to raise an eyebrow and be quite startled because all I had done was politely and clearly express a difference of opinion and say I was saddened by the rise in racist incidents since Brexit.

It is fascinating how often people accused of spewing bile and other similarly floridly negative phrases are, when one investigates closely simply saying something another person doesn't like and can't find a lucid argument against.

Exactly - how can Jeremy object to wars designed to take out terrorists yet support terrorist groups that deliberately repeatedly target and murder civilians?

How can anyone think he is on the Good side?

lljkk - do you also support terrorists? What about you claig?

I don't completely disagree with the points you're making, oldbirdy, and I am aware that I am not as well informed as I could/should be about the Kosovo War. However, I think I am correct in saying that no UN resolution mandated that war, meaning that it was not legal. It's possible that the perceived success of a supra-legal intervention in Kosovo emboldened Blair and his followers and contributed to the disaster in Iraq. The consequences of disregarding the rule of law may not be immediately apparent. Anyway, the point I am making is that the Kosovan intervention was, and is, morally controversial. Corbyn was not necessarily wrong to oppose it, particularly in the light of what happened afterwards.

Re: the IRA, I think it is important to point out that Jeremy Corbyn did not support the bombing campaigns of the IRA. What he did do was make some ill-advised nostalgia-infused comments at various commemorative meetings. A bad, bad thing to do, but this is not the same as being an active supporter.

flowers, Hamas, Hezbollah, etc. are not Jeremy Corbyn's friends, they are organisations with which he thinks it is important to have a dialogue. Many eminent statesmen (including Blair) have said that, in the business of peace-making, there comes a time when it is necessary to talk to terrorists.

I don't understand what you are getting at here: StopTheWar - which he led for a long time - is in favour (despite its name) of murdering "men, women and children" "in flagrant disregard for international law" ie "simply brutal vigilanti sm" - when those men, women and children live in Israel. Please can you explain this, flowers?

It is fascinating how often people accused of spewing bile and other similarly floridly negative phrases are, when one investigates closely simply saying something another person doesn't like and can't find a lucid argument against.

Yes, I absolutely agree with you Banana.

The Labour Party is a party of its members, not of 172 Oxbridge, privately educated middle class spinners

You seriously think that all the 172 neatly fit into your box. I suggest you actually look into the backgrounds of them.

Re St Jeremy & Hamas & Israel

This story came up on my FB on On This Day today

doesn't it make you all rather angry with Israel?

& then this, the following year

'You seriously think that all the 172 neatly fit into your box'

I was exaggerating to make a point. But a lot of the "leading lights" (if they can be called such a thing) in the party, the ones who are propelled to the top are that type.

flowersandsunshine, I don't agree with everything Corbyn says and does, he has some barmy policies and positions, but then so do most of the rest of the political class; but Corbyn's good points outweigh the negatives of most of the rest of them.

"Poll brings some good news for Jeremy

As he battles for his political life, there is a crumb of comfort for Jeremy Corbyn in a ComRes poll for the Sunday Mirror.

Labour voters say he has a much better chance of winning a General Election than leadership rivals Angela Eagle and Owen Smith.

They reckon by a margin of 50 per cent against 23 per cent he is a safer bet than Ms Eagle.

And they give him 44 per cent against 26 per cent over Mr Smith."
....
Mr Corbyn was giving his first newspaper interview since a cackhanded coup to topple him began two weeks ago.

He chose a little cafe in his Islington North constituency in London to mount his fightback.

Our interview was constantly interrupted by wellwishers popping in to wish him good luck and get selfies."

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jeremy-corbyn-considers-legal-challenge-8435835

People interrupting Corbyn to wish him good luck, wanting selfies. Do you think anyone wishes the 172 good luck or asks for selfies with them?

The NEC vote to bar members who joined since 12th January was entirely unconstitutional (both because it wasn't on their agenda, so several members left the meeting not knowing it was coming up, & because there's nothing about it on the Party website)

Last year I joined in June & voted in August & it should be the same this year.

The Party's behaviour has been disgraceful.

Corbyn is the favourite to win the leadership contest with the bookies.

The Mail on Sunday has an article out tomorrow

"Is it the Kinnock & Paddy Party?
150 Labour MPs plotting breakingaway if Jeremy Corbyn clings on to power"

The Continuity Labour Party, they apparently have been approaching donors. Sounds like the Oxbridge Party, all the Establishment favourites will be in it, and the people are likely to give it a wide berth and vote for real Labour with Corbyn at the helm, marching with unions and opposing austerity, Davos, the bankers and wars.

The Establishment have probably got big plans for Stephen Kinnock. He is right up their street, unlike Corbyn.

"Look to Davos for partners for a new kind of growth

Posted by Stephen kinnock 2sc on January 22, 2016
Progress
....
Labour is the party of business, but not business as usual; and it is with this in mind that we should look to Davos as an opportunity to identify those progressive business leaders with whom we can engage – as partners for a new kind of growth."

www.stephenkinnock.co.uk/look_to_davos_for_partners_for_a_new_kind_of_growth

Go Corbyn!

Mr Corbyn brushed aside the leadership contest “as a little local difficulty”. I don't think Jeremy gives a shit.

And what a decent man Corbyn is to not try and overturn the will of the people.

"Mr Smith is promising a second referendum on Brexit if he becomes PM.

But Mr Corbyn said: “The country has voted – we have to respect that.”

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jeremy-corbyn-considers-legal-challenge-8435835

"Neil McLeod: The appalling treatment of Jeremy Corbyn shows where Labour is heading

Writer Neil McLeod says the Labour party is fast becoming irrelevant to its members and voters

IT seemed too good to be true for long suffering socialists when Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader of the Labour party.

Here was an unquestionably principled politician who, in an era of political blandness, wasn’t just another flavour of vanilla. Despite his age and length of service in parliament he proved hugely popular with young Labour voters and caused a surge in membership as he was such a breath of fresh air after years of soft-right centre-ground consensus.

He actually stood fully opposed to the Tories rather than, like Ed Miliband, slightly to their left, holding their Barbour jackets like a mildly rebellious manservant."

www.commonspace.scot/articles/8738/neil-mcleod-appalling-treatment-jeremy-corbyn-shows-where-labour-heading

A total bunch of non-entities telling Corbyn that he is useless. Kezia Dugdale and the "career politicians" telling a principled socialist that they are more in touch with working people and unions than Corbyn.

Go Corbyn!

"Is it the Kinnock & Paddy Party? 150 Labour MPs plotting breakaway if Jeremy Corbyn clings on to power
...
A senior source said: 'If Corbyn wins, the party is finished in its current form. There are at least 150 MPs who would break away, and many are already discreetly sounding out donors about what they are calling 'Continuity Labour'. Stephen is central to the plans. The plotters have calculated that they could start a new party, debt-free, while leaving Corbyn's rump mired in financial problems.'
...
Mr Kinnock, referring to his discussions with Mr Ashdown, said: 'Electoral reform and safeguarding the interests of our country are common purposes among people in all parties, and I am happy to be part of that.'

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3693903/Is-Kinnock-Paddy-Party-150-Labour-MPs-plotting-breakaway-Jeremy-Corbyn-clings-power.html

It looks like we will definitely have to be given PR voting soon because the Establishment has lost control of the people, the Oxbridge teams are unable to persuade them any more.

The architect of 'Blue Labour', Lord Glasman, speaks a lot of sense in today's Mail on Sunday

'We are in crisis but a new party is doomed, says leading Labour peer LORD GLASMAN
...
He now faces a leadership contest with Angela Eagle or Owen Smith and if Mr Corbyn wins that election there is high-level talk of a breakaway party of MPs who oppose the direction of the party under his leadership.

I think that such a party would be doomed. It would be part of the problem and not the solution as it would be based on the progressive politics that led to the rupture of trust between the Labour Party and the working class in the first place.

Labour is having an identity crisis because it has lost its identity. The Labour Party has been an enormous blessing to our country and its potential destruction should be a cause of grief and concern.
...
Instead of fracturing into a new Blairite identity, Labour needs to once again draw its inspiration and leadership from the working class.

I supported Brexit with all my heart. I think the EU is hostile to democracy and has a contempt for the settled life of modest people. The free movement of labour has exerted a relentless pressure on the lives of working people.

That is why the poorest areas voted to leave. It was the Labour vote that swung the referendum.

The party should not now treat Brexit voters with contempt. Labour needs to return to its core purpose of ensuring that workers are represented at the tables of power in the politics and the economy of our country.

Talk of a Labour split is meaningless because there is nothing to split into.

In order to save itself Labour must not split, but become itself once more."

www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-3693947/We-crisis-new-party-doomed-says-leading-Labour-peer-LORD-GLASMAN.html

'Labour is having an identity crisis because it has lost its identity.'

I think it is because of the Oxbridge set, the Establishment's favourites, the ones chuffed to receive tidbits thrown to them by the Establishment in return for favourable media coverage and power, the Davos crowd, the bankers' mates, the Primrose Hill Progressives, the spin doctors, the servants of the system.

Corbyn is the antithesis of that whole crew and that is what the people are now crying our for - a return to politics of the people, for the people and by the people.

Kezia Dugdale and the "career politicians" telling a principled socialist that they are more in touch with working people and unions than Corbyn*

Is this the same Kezia Dugdale who led Labour to a resounding defeat in the May elections for the Scottish Parliament? They came third, behind the Tories.

And now she lectures Corbyn. The arrogance is astonishing.

Kezia is only still in post in Scottish Labour cos no-one else wants the job. The Scottish conference voted against her pro-Trident stance. She lost votes (IMO) because she did not tackle the unsatisfactory nature of the current devolution settlement (EVEL etc) and she moved to the "Left" on raising basic rate taxation without considering the impact on working families exposed to Universal /Tax credit cuts.

In short just like AE she is completely out of touch with the people who do / would vote for her and seems to have no underlying political compass.

Corbyn would be better off jettisoning Scottish Labour and coming to an accommodation with the SNP.

Very informative and thought provoking thread Claig.

Good sense (as usual) from Michael Rosen

I notice he describes the 170/1/2/3 (he says 172 but I can't remember how many) rebel MPs as "Labour MPs, ex-Blairite warlords and sundry miffed New Labourites doing everything they can to prevent this team emerging and strengthening itself" which sums them up nearly as they're not all Blairites, as frequently noted.

*neatly

The NEC vote to bar members who joined since 12th January was entirely unconstitutional (both because it wasn't on their agenda, so several members left the meeting not knowing it was coming up, & because there's nothing about it on the Party website)

It WAS on the agenda. It is a blatant lie to circulate this misinformation. For example, ee political editor George Eaton's tweet from Monday 11th, the day before the NEC meeting, with an overview of the agenda, including membership freeze and registered supporters' fees. There is someone called Milne on the retweet list - I wonder if it is possibly Seamus Milne? Anyway, the votes were absolutely on the agenda. I think McCluskey would have had something to say for a start - Unite actually tabled an amendment to the membership freeze to reduce it to 4 weeks.