Disability charity criticised for appointing chief executive who praised Ukip

[stumbledin]

Just thought I would post this as some may have wondered what happened to Katie Ghose.
www.thirdsector.co.uk/disability-charity-criticised-appointing-chief-executive-praised-ukip/management/article/1667929

As far as I know Women's Aid has still not appointed a new CE. Not sure it has even been advertised as a vacancy.

This is another attack on free speech and an example of de-platforming and cancel culture in a broader and potentially scarier format - a sort of McCarthyism.

Ghose was fulfilling her then employers' mission to agitate to reform democracy in a way that, in fact, many progressive, liberal and left wing people agree with. And the only thing she was praising UKIP for was their agreement with that reform. But because UKIP is a bunch of people those progressive, liberal or left wing people don't like she is being vilified for recognising that one of their policies was kind of good.

If she is kicked out of another job for doing her previous job properly without ignoring people who aren't considered part of the tribe it will make others in similar positions less likely to reach across the divides we have to create a better society that includes everyone. It's profoundly illiberal and unprogressive.

Have just watched the film 'Trumbo' and yes this whole no platforming and hounding people is straight McCarthyism. UKIP is a political party not a proscribed organisation. People no longer seem to understand the concept of democracy or tolerance. These complaints are made by a tiny number of people.

@Imnobody4 As a side note, I highly recommend "Good night, and good luck," (2005) www.imdb.com/title/tt0433383/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 which is about Ed Murrow, a man of integrity who contributed greatly to bringing down McCarthy.

I find the above comments really puzzling.

This has nothing to do with no platforming.

This is about the way member groups of Women's Aid felt about having a CE who worked with UKIP.

This isn't about free speech or no platform.

It is about ensuring that a service based on certain principles are maintained.

If your CE doesn't share those values she shouldn't be in the job.

For the women accessing women's aid services this is important.

In what capacity did she "work with UKIP"?

She says that she is not a member of the party or a supporter of its policies. But, as the CEO of the Electoral Reform Society, she praised the party for its "new way of doing politics" and said that Douglas Carswell was a outstanding MP.

I really don't see the problem. I would never vote UKIP or hold any truck with its policies, but there is no doubt that it was a very successful party in terms of challenging the status quo. So successful that there is no longer any need for it. It achieved its aims with only one of its candidates ever winning an election, and by assent from 52% of the population.

Carswell may well have been an outstanding MP. There are good and bad MPs across all parties. He seems a interesting and somewhat iconoclastic character, and hardly fits the mould of the racist KIPper. Again, this is someone who was elected several times by his constituents, including in a by-election when he switched parties.

Ghose's other crime was to thank UKIP for their support for electoral reform. There are a lot of people in this country (myself included) who think that electoral reform is desperately needed because the FPTP system is broken and disenfranchises millions of us (not that there is anyone I can vote for at the moment, but that's another story).

So I see no evidence that she is racist, misogynistic, or anything else that is being levelled at her. She was commenting on UKIP and its key figures from the perspective of electoral reform.

The fact that the aggressive authoritarians, Sisters Uncut, are involved in this confirms to me that this the kind of performative witch hunting which is their raison d'etre..

This is another attack on free speech and an example of de-platforming and cancel culture in a broader and potentially scarier format - a sort of McCarthyism

I agree. It seems almost unbelievable that someone can be sacked for this.

Crikey - a woman who praised UKIPs commitment to electoral reform is being hounded out of charity work yet a man who wanked in the toilet of a children’s charity was defended on a charities twitter account?

Peak 2019 mate!

My understanding is Carswell was a good constituency MP. That doesn't mean I share his views. It's recognition he worked hard for the interests of the people he represented.

Which if you live in Sheffield Hallam you might well appreciate more than most.

Thanks Jared O'Mara.

As previous posters say, a good local MP might have a voting record you disagree with, but if they work hard and fight for local issues they can be a damn sight better than an MP who can't be bothered to do any work but has the right voting record.

Carswell does say intelligent stuff and things worth listening to even if you don't agree with his politics FWIW.

Which again is more than I can say about some other politicians of the 'correct' political leaning.

It is useful to listen to a variety of political views to refine, defend and promote your own core beliefs in a better way and to a wider audience.

Yey! More witch hunting!

From the article linked, which refers to the appointment of Katie Ghose to "Kids" charity:

"Ghose stepped down as chief executive of Women's Aid in February after footage emerged of her giving a speech in which she praised Ukip's "passion for a new way of doing politics" and referred to Douglas Carswell, then a Ukip MP, as "an outstanding MP".

Women's Aid did not say why Ghose, who was chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society when she made the comments, departed.

But her views sparked criticism from black, Asian and minority ethnic women’s groups and by a former Women’s Aid trustee.

Francisco told Third Sector he represented 23 parents of service users from diverse backgrounds and it was incompatible for them to work with a charity led by a chief executive who had shown support for a right-wing party.

Ghose, he said, should resign and the charity should address questions about whether the appointment process considered her comments about Ukip.

I presume that anyone who thinks it is a good idea to drive Katie Ghose out of job because a few left wing people make a spurious claim that she showed "support for a right-wing party" will be cheering if someone tries to get other women sacked for talking to the right wing Heritage Foundation in the USA?

Have I got that right?