1/ The Alan Bull story is perhaps the worst case of institutional antisemitism seen in Labour since 2015. Its worth looking at what happened to understand why the selection of Ed Murphy is another victory for those who enabled antisemitism in the Labour party.
2/ Bull was reported to the regional party for antisemitic posts by two local Labour councillors including @MatthewMahabadi, other members raised it with the CLP. Nothing happened.
This is what Bull had posted.
This is what Bull had posted.
3/ Despite this Bull was selected by the CLP as a potential candidate in the local elections *after* those who selected him were aware of the above post.
4/ The councillors were then forced to go public and Bull was suspended.
Some in the local and wider party turned against the whistleblowers tarring them as troublemakers trying to damage the party.
They later resigned as Lab cllrs, citing bullying.
newstatesman.com/politics/stagg…
Some in the local and wider party turned against the whistleblowers tarring them as troublemakers trying to damage the party.
They later resigned as Lab cllrs, citing bullying.
newstatesman.com/politics/stagg…
5/ Astonishingly the whistleblowers had previously been disciplined by the local party for taking a moral stand against Bull.
6/ Btw Bull's defence was the screenshot was doctored.
Many took his word for it. They still do.
Then he claimed he'd posted the Holocaust denial to criticise it.
There was no evidence in the thread underneath this was true.
Some still took his word for it.
They still do.
Many took his word for it. They still do.
Then he claimed he'd posted the Holocaust denial to criticise it.
There was no evidence in the thread underneath this was true.
Some still took his word for it.
They still do.
7/ However the press reports revealed other antisemitic posts by Bull which were seen by the local party... despite this, they voted to keep him as a candidate for a Labour in the local elections.
This is one of the posts.
I mean, it is borderline.
This is one of the posts.
I mean, it is borderline.
8/ It was then revealed that Labour's Head of Disputes had quashed Bull's suspension. The head of disputes had recently been installed by the leadership - despite her obvious unsuitability for the role - and was duly sacked after pressure from "moderates" .
9/ A case where you can draw a straight line of gross institutional antisemitism from the grassroots to Corbyn's office.
And the proposer of the motion to keep Alan Bull as candidate - after he'd seen the antisemitic posts - is now standing to be an Labour MP.
And the proposer of the motion to keep Alan Bull as candidate - after he'd seen the antisemitic posts - is now standing to be an Labour MP.
ENDS/ Remember this when you see people lay a guilt trip on those who won't vote for a political movement which fostered that culture of anti-Jewish racism, where those responsible are given leadership roles, enabled by those at the very top.
NB: would like to know if @mattzarb - who I've usually got time for - has anything to say re: Murphy, given he blamed it on a pre-Formby conspiracy.
The conspiratorial nod to the timing of the posts going public is a gross insult to those whistleblowers.
The conspiratorial nod to the timing of the posts going public is a gross insult to those whistleblowers.
