Labour Party Desolation v3: Abstainence Makes the Farce Grow Stronger

[Absorb the anus burn]

https://skwawkbox.org/2020/11/27/ceredigion-labour-votes-no-confidence-in-starmer-and-against-evans-and-treatment-of-young-labour-chair/

Apologies for the long cut 'n' paste, but there's some brilliant stuff in the conclusions sent from Ceredigion to LP HQ:

"... Ceredigion constituency Labour Party (CLP) in Wales has joined the growing number of CLPs to vote no confidence in Labour leader Keir Starmer... "

"... This CLP believes that members have the right to discuss, debate, speak out and show support and solidarity with comrades in the party.  Freedom of speech and democracy are precious to us, it is our core and our strength.  We feel that democracy and freedom to  speak out is being threatened and our rights are being undermined. Regretfully and after much consideration we have decided that we have no confidence in the Labour leader. We have arrived at this conclusion because:

·         It feels that we are barely functioning because of a dictatorial style of leadership, leading to an oppressive atmosphere. People are no longer confident to speak out in case they are disciplined or suspended.

·         The leadership demonstrates that it does not value the members and priorities are skewed. Our work for the party is taken for granted, and we are not appreciated. We are used and abused. We are indispensable when canvassing at election times, but we are disposable at other times when bigger donors are being courted. We are labelled and derided for our true socialist values. We feel unwelcome in a place where we should be valued.

·         It feels that our party under the leadership of Mr. Starmer is taking us to places that are an anathema to our standards and expectations. The whipping of the PLP to abstain on the 'Spycops Bill', the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn, commenting to the media (Andrew Marr) re the disciplinary matter and generally not providing an effective foil to the incompetent Prime Minister.

·         We were promised unity, we get the opposite. We should be supporting 'Black Lives Matter', BAME members of the PLP are receiving no visible support. Mr Starmer seems to have some issues with women which has been demonstrated by the treatment of; Rebecca Long-Bailey and Nadia Whittome amongst others. 

·         Mr Starmer appears to be distancing himself from all forms of oppression bar one. On the issue of antisemitism, which we agree is a problem and deserving of action, he appears to be ignoring the valid contribution of Jewish Voice for Labour. It can only be assumed thatthis is because of their support for Jeremy Corbyn.

·         Mr Starmer authorised compensation without court action for individuals who may yet be found culpable in losing the 2017 election. The Forde report is yet to be published and our members are suspicious that findings will be swept under the proverbial carpet.

·         The latest action, denying Jeremy Corbyn the whip, is a betrayal of us all.

[Buelligan]

Marvelous stuff but will it be heard or listened to?  I hope so but I doubt it.  Still, solidarity with Ceredigion.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Now Corbyn has offered a glimmer of what a nation could be like with a party run boldly and unashamedly striving for a better world for ordinary people, standing up for them and making me, you and others feel represented, feeling like there was a voice in the darkness, there is no going back to the failed, dead, uninspiring, morally bankrupt policies of appeasement or worse, collusion. Starmer is the snake and the phoney we feared, but even worse than our worse fears. Ceredigion have called him on it. More to follow please.

[BlodwynPig]

Uh-oh! Looks like we might have lost another one:



https://mobile.twitter.com/NadiaWhittomeMP/status/1332461331656679427

Of course, we don't know what the motion was but someone in that thread reckons it was this:



https://mobile.twitter.com/Red4Red1/status/1332466448568963073

Can't see anything wrong with that. Can't decide whether I hope they're right or wrong.

A culture of fear and cowardice amongst the last dregs of socialism in the Party. Shame on John Mc, Shame on Nadia and the rest.

Burn in hell actually. You have kicked away the last support for progressive, even-handed and inclusive change in Britain.

[Buelligan]

Ah, it's not the last support.  Never fear.  They're just individuals, we are many - they are few. 

[BlodwynPig]

Now Corbyn has offered a glimmer of what a nation could be like with a party run boldly and unashamedly striving for a better world for ordinary people, standing up for them and making me, you and others feel represented, feeling like there was a voice in the darkness, there is no going back to the failed, dead, uninspiring, morally bankrupt policies of appeasement or worse, collusion. Starmer is the snake and the phoney we feared, but even worse than our worse fears. Ceredigion have called him on it. More to follow please.

Fucking hell. Blodwyn's razor man, BLODWYN'S RAZOR IS ALWAYS RIGHT*.

*

Spoiler alert

ALWAYS**

[close]

**Like bamboo. Never yield.

[Paul Calf]

What does 'FOFM' mean?

[BlodwynPig]

What does 'FOFM' mean?

rude words

[Paul Calf]

Fucking hell. Blodwyn's razor man, BLODWYN'S RAZOR IS ALWAYS RIGHT*.

*

Spoiler alert

ALWAYS**

[close]

**Like bamboo. Never yield.

Bamboo yields. That's what makes it stronger than steel.

[Johnny Yesno]

What does 'FOFM' mean?

Fuck off Falcon Malteser

[BlodwynPig]

Bamboo yields. That's what makes it stronger than steel.

I've tried yielding and it doesn't bend.

[idunnosomename]

What does 'FOFM' mean?

Bald Tory Sex Pest

[greenman]

What does 'FOFM' mean?

Free of Frustrating Morality

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Third way Zionist sex offender who is still convinced that sex offences can be sweated out. They can't be sweated out mate, you're just wrong about that one. Haha, look at him, he's still desperately trying to sweat them out.

I appreciate you are all thinking ''FOFM'' can't possibly stand for all that, but you are wrong and it does on this occasion. Rich tapestry isn't it, language and consciousness.

[idunnosomename]

anyone want to see how CHUKers are doing to make your day



From PE, obvs

[olliebean]

This seems to be the Sunak puff piece referred to above: https://www.edelman.co.uk/sites/g/files/aatuss301/files/2020-07/Edelman%20Analysis%20-%20Summer%20Statement.pdf

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Leeds central (Hillary Benn's digs) passed a motion of no confidence in the general secretary (leaving Starmer out) and calling for Corbyn's reinstatement.

[pigamus]

What do all these motions actually mean? I mean even if they all pass why does Starmer give a toss?

[Buelligan]

Nothing much.  They convey to those named, the sitting MP, the PLP and the whole of the Party that a tide of serious dissatisfaction with the current direction is moving through the membership.  MPs don't really like to feel that their CLPs no longer fully back them and it makes them aware that they're being watched, the choices they make, are being watched.

[Sebastian Cobb]

The fact they're creating a fuss, especially amongst cry-bullies shows they're doing something.

Full disclosure I stole this opinion from someone else on twitter but it sums up my sentiments I reckon.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Centrists love it when members of the PLP like Jess Phillips tweet that CLP motions are useless. Yay, 3 cheers for disempowerment of ordinary paying members of a purportedly democratic party!

It all comes down to gatekeepers. Self proclaimed adults in the room. We can't be trusted with real democracy so we'll create this pseudo one where we call the shots, even inside Labour itself.

The mainstream media then back that up by giving nearly no airtime to any voices other than the gatekeepers themselves,  reinforced by the Tory guest, reinforced by the journalist guest, reinforced by the centrist broadcaster guest, moderated by the Tory host.

[TrenterPercenter]

Sorry if this was already discussed.

https://labourlist.org/2020/11/exclusive-poll-shows-labour-members-deeply-divided-over-corbyn-whip-decision/

Interesting segment on Novara with the lad from Momentum (who I thought was pretty impressive).  The recent Labourlist poll however paints a murky picture with many Labour members thinkng Corbyn was wrong in his statement (58%) and that Starmer was right to remove the whip (46% vs 48%).

I imagine a lot of the 58% don't think Corbyns statement was terrible or antisemitic in itself but are just annoyed about him choosing to do it then and walking into all again but a nearly 50-50 split on right to remove the whip isn't so easily explained and I'd say considering the gamble against the press response is a massive win for Starmer.

Still whatever the case who is there to replace him.  No one on the left.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Centrists love it when members of the PLP like Jess Phillips tweet that CLP motions are useless. Yay, 3 cheers for disempowerment of ordinary paying members of a purportedly democratic party!

It all comes down to gatekeepers. Self proclaimed adults in the room. We can't be trusted with real democracy so we'll create this pseudo one where we call the shots, even inside Labour itself.

The mainstream media then back that up by giving nearly no airtime to any voices other than the gatekeepers themselves,  reinforced by the Tory guest, reinforced by the journalist guest, reinforced by the centrist broadcaster guest, moderated by the Tory host.

I saw that, CLP motions are useless, but also, I get invited to talk at CLP's all the time, because I'm so liked and popular!!!!

[king_tubby]

https://twitter.com/AmmarKazmi_/status/1332686399636725763

Not good for Whittome if true.

[Buelligan]

Bloody hell, that's shocking stuff.

[imitationleather]

Fucking hell. As someone commented underneath: Is there anyone left you can trust?

[TrenterPercenter]

I was wondering if that had been discussed yet.  Jess Phillips was retweeting Ruth Smeeth congratulating Whittmore on standing up to AS.

You need to have proper checks and balances on what is acceptable, you need standards and rules that should be met and be consistent with them EVEN when someone that is not on your side falls foul of them.  This is because anyone can lie and tell you want you want to hear.  That is politics.

[Buelligan]

_{A rose}

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Sorry if this was already discussed.

https://labourlist.org/2020/11/exclusive-poll-shows-labour-members-deeply-divided-over-corbyn-whip-decision/

Interesting segment on Novara with the lad from Momentum (who I thought was pretty impressive).  The recent Labourlist poll however paints a murky picture with many Labour members thinkng Corbyn was wrong in his statement (58%) and that Starmer was right to remove the whip (46% vs 48%).

I imagine a lot of the 58% don't think Corbyns statement was terrible or antisemitic in itself but are just annoyed about him choosing to do it then and walking into all again but a nearly 50-50 split on right to remove the whip isn't so easily explained and I'd say considering the gamble against the press response is a massive win for Starmer.

Still whatever the case who is there to replace him.  No one on the left.

The left boards I follow say that those polled are Labourlist members who are generally right leaning in Labour. Not sure if that's true, I'm sure someone will set that straight.

To claim this has been a massive win is both extremely premature and rather crass.

As for who to replace Starmer with, virtually no-one would have named Corbyn in 2015 as he wasn't a household name, so an absence of an obvious challenger is not a guarantee there isn't one.

[Johnny Yesno]

I'd have Burgon or Butler but even settle for Thornberry over Starmer at the moment.