Forum Topic

Starmer Sacks Long-Bailey

"The article Rebecca shared earlier today contained an antisemitic conspiracy theory. 'As Leader of the Labour Party, Keir has been clear that restoring trust with the Jewish community is a number one priority. Antisemitism takes many different forms and it is important that we all are vigilant against it."Oh dear.  Is anti-semitism still rife within the Labour Party?

Sue Hammond ● 2175d17 Comments

Its difficult to say.She has been cool, to say the least it would be fair to say for kids to return to school. But that is what the science and guidelines says.With no effective test, trace isolate in place it depends very much on individual teacher/school circumstances.Other countries have been far more imaginative such as Denmark who used museums etc.So in this respect I think she was right at the time because of the government didn't deliver.That said I had assumed that key workers and vulnerable children were getting a full school days education at school during lockdown. This appears not to be the case (unless I'm mistaken). This is shocking if true.

Ed Robinson ● 2172d

Quite apart from the reason giving for her sacking, I don't think she's any loss to the shadow cabinet.

Richard Carter ● 2173d

He was forced to keep some Corbyn followers and she was runner up to him in the leadership election. It was just a matter of time  till he began the culling.

Lucille Grant ● 2173d

He only appointed her 10 weeks ago.

Michael Winstanley ● 2173d

I read that Starmer has wanted to get rid of Long-Bailey for a some time, given her loyalty to Corbyn and her hard left views.

Bunny Payne ● 2173d

I agree Clifford - but nothing this government does  surprises me any longer.

Lucille Grant ● 2174d

Thanks Ed 'Calling out Israel's human rights abuses is not antisemitic unless we are holding them to a higher standard than ourselves or other countries that we stay silent.'

Lucille Grant ● 2174d

*The tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck, that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services.” The article added that a spokesperson for the Israeli police has denied this, stating that “there is no tactic or protocol that calls to put pressure on the neck or airway”*Amnesty have stated they have never reported that American police were taught this by the israeli secret service. From the Spectator yesterday 'Amnesty itself admitted, the programs that took American officers to Israel were for ‘police chiefs, assistant chiefs, and captains’. Amnesty’s report contained no evidence that American officers received any information, let alone ‘training’, from their Israeli peers on relevant matters such as the militarising of the American police, targeting minorities for traffic stops and minor violations, or using deadly force in routine encounters.'

Lucille Grant ● 2174d

Thank you, Ed, for your considered reply. This is indeed a difficult subject to deal with and I was reticent to raise it. The key thing is that it's essential to distinguish between criticising Israel - as with any other country - when it abuses human rights, and criticising it because it's Jewish. And some defenders of Israel tend to confuse the two, either deliberately or inadvertently.

Richard Carter ● 2174d

No it isn't but there is no sign of the anti-Islamaphobia investigation in the Tory party, or is it the intention not to focus on letter-box racism?

Clifford Cowell ● 2174d

Richard I agree that this is not a simple matter and very brave of you to respond as such. As I understand it there are complexities due to the Independent article being amended and some complex issues.Firstly I like to say that any form of racism is vile and needs calling out. I like to respond with facts and figures as some people are I'll informed and hard evidence may sway them.Secondly I believe all states including our own, will become evil unless constantly checked. Hence the USA constitution provides balance against the executive.Thirdly I prefer people (including me) look closer to home than calling out incidents abroad. This is difficult but the UK does seem to hold other states to a higher level than itself.This is how I see the things:The USA is a democracy so they are wholely accountable for whatever methods they used irrespective of where those methods came from. There should be no deflection from this.Calling out Israel's human rights abuses is not antisemitic unless we are holding them to a higher standard than ourselves or other countries that we stay silent.In short "First, remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye".This is where I have an issue and it comes down to the proportionality. This sounds dreadful as every life is precious and it what I say may give the opposite impression.I look at the recent huge direct ill deeds of the UK where we can make a difference but it is not called out every day.I look at the recent huge indirect ill deeds of the UK where again we can make a difference but it is not called out every day.I think the Palestinians have been extremely ill treated by Israel but more importantly by the UK.We haven't faced up to our own historical and current policies, surely this needs to be the priority??

Ed Robinson ● 2174d

I have to admit I'm slightly in two minds on this, but it's a difficult case to make because of obvious sensitivities. On the positive side, it's excellent that Starmer has acted swiftly and decisively, and that makes a huge contrast with Corbyn's endless feeble temporising. Whatever the reasons, Labour has struggled with the anti-semitic issue for far too long, so positive action on it is hugely welcome.On the other hand, I do have some doubts about the issue on which he acted. It started with this extract from Maxine Peake's interview in the Independent, which included this assertion:“The tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck, that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services.” The article added that a spokesperson for the Israeli police has denied this, stating that “there is no tactic or protocol that calls to put pressure on the neck or airway”.And the statement from the Labour Party said about this that: “This afternoon Keir Starmer asked Rebecca Long-Bailey to step down from the Shadow Cabinet. The article Rebecca shared earlier today contained an antisemitic conspiracy theory."Now, does Peake's statement constitute an anti-semitic conspiracy theory? I'm not sure I really see that; what I do see is a criticism of the Israeli police, and it is generally accepted that criticisms of Israeli government (or, in this case, police) actions are not in themselves anti-semitic. Is it true, though, as Peake asserted, that the US police's kneeling tactic was taught in seminars by Israeli secret service? I don't know, and Peake didn't produce any evidence for it. However, there is evidence both of Israeli police using this tactic and of their training US police forces (https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/the-knee-on-neck-long-a-staple-of-israel-s-occupation-of-palestine-36787, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-us-police-training-end-knee-neck-protests).So perhaps, despite Starmer's action being swift and decisive, aren't there at least doubts that Long-Bailey's tweet contained an antisemitic conspiracy theory? Maybe I'm overthinking this, and I'd welcome other views.

Richard Carter ● 2174d

Absolutely brilliant.  My hat off to Keir Starmer.  

Ivonne Holliday ● 2175d

Absolutely brilliant.  My hat off to Keir Starmer.  

Ivonne Holliday ● 2175d

Brilliant move. Well done Keir.

Lucille Grant ● 2175d

Good move. Corbyn would have promoted her.

Sue Hammond ● 2175d

Decisive.

Michael Ixer ● 2175d