Thread by @SCynic1

So, at Leeds NE community hustings.
The Tory - suspended for racism - hasn’t turned up.
The meeting is likely to be spicy for @FabianLeedsNE.
There’s a mood of anticipation mixed with depression - you don’t get that right often.

We’re being live streamed on You Tube. We’re hosting @marievanderzyl who is @BoDPres. This is me (ok that’s not very political) but it’s my feed

Apparently the Tory didn’t give a reason for blowing us off.
At a wild guess it’s because he’s been suspended for racism. There are about 50 candidates I know of in this election to whom that should have happened (no one else in this constituency). So props, I suppose.

We’re being told not to vent. Hmm.
The candidates get 4 minutes to big themselves up. Then there are pre-submitted Qs, which have been “composited”. Hmm again (don’t like juniors messing with my work).
Then subsidiary questions and closing speeches. End 945.
Eyes down look in.

@FabianLeedsNE kicks off. He’s the incumbent. He’s been a good constituency MP imffho. But he’s been silent on antisemitism & the community is unimpressed.
He’s being heard in silence. I’d not call it respectful. I’d call it sullen. But I may be wrong.
He says the manifesto is

radical and for the good of all by injecting money into public services to mend an unequal & divided society.
Applause. Barely.

@brexitparty_uk now. Inaya Iman (can’t find a twitter handle). Social cohesion means & requires Brexit. Political class has failed & we need to reform parliament, more local democracy, more referendums (you WOT?).
Inflammatory rhetoric needs to stop she’s clearly not met Farage).

British identity should be inclusive. Works for Index on Censorship.
More applause than last time.

@JCHannah77 now. Suspected Corbynista in front of me heckles.
He was the candidate last time, but v much third in a 2 horse race. Lives here. Ex civil servant. Helped write Equality Act (professionally impressed as it’s well written, which is unusual). Teacher now.

Liberal as believes in personal responsibility. I believe myself to be a radical.
The candidates are nice to each other. They’ve probably experienced a common terror.

Now Greens. Rachel Hartshorne from St Albans. Been here 3 years. First timer.
Probably the most applause but not much content.

Brexit:
Brexit candidate wants clean break. She’s v articulate. Dangers of second referendum. More dither. Respect referendum.
Brexiteers applaud.
Labour - remainer. ⅔ remain constituency. Party has dilemma. EU has kept peace & security. Flawed but valuable. 2nd referendum.

@rbhartshorne (Green) wants to stay. 2nd referendum.
@LibDems wants to stay & thinks we won’t be shocked. Social chapter good. Nothing of substance against. As civil servant came to see politicians incompetent. Best deal is remain.
What’s curious is how rehearsed this feels.

Risks of second referendum?
LibDem says we should’ve known what we were doing or ratified after. This is daft. He’s right.
Brexit. Q idea that people didn’t know what they were voting for. It stinks of disrespect. No scrutiny of what it looks like. 10 years have a rejoin campaign

Leavers applaud this.
Labour: referendum was to save Cameron’s skin. But we’re a parliamentary democracy. Democracy isn’t frozen at date of referendum. Best answer by far. But Jews really don’t care. Applause but not much.

Antisemitism. How do you intend to combat it? How well has your party dealt with it.
@FabianLeedsNE says we’re one community. No room for hatred. Not institutionally antisemitic (boos). Quotes the much loved report that says it’s less bad in Labour. Alas the report doesn’t answer

that q. We need to celebrate diversity.
Shouting that question not answered. It wasn’t. Nothing about his own behaviour. And it was a bad question.
Green: first time in a shul. Diversity important. Doesn’t recognise the hidden spite of her own manifesto.
Brexit: antisemitism bad.

Those at top need to combat it (much applause). References Jewish manifesto (good job). Social cohesion underpins this.
@JCHannah77 - can’t say there’s an acceptable figure for racism. Antisemitism trebbled. We’re not perfect but we’re better than others.
Mrs Hamilton telling

husband to keep calm. Attack on Labour - huge applause. We got rid of Ward- applause. EHRC will condemn @UKLabour - applause.
Supplemental: only Tories or Labour can win. Should we spoil our papers?
LibDem: Labour will win. But we can take votes from anyone. We can get there.

@rbhartshorne - vote green for the environment. Good answer.
Labour - no. Vote for someone. This was my Q (I think it would embarrass @UKLabour if lots of people said “none of the above”).
Again:
What efforts has Fabian made?
We’ve done badly and slowly. Party line on brilliance

of @JennieGenSec is provoking real unrest. Antisemitism is everywhere.
I’ve raised it with Corbyn (groans & laughter). Would we rather no Jews in @UKLabour? Tackle it within Party.

Religious freedom. I’m guessing they’re all in favour here. But LibDem rightly says these are dog whistles used as cover for hatred.
Brexit want parental choice for schools as well.
@FabianLeedsNE quoting @chiefrabbi on how good life is here is high grade trolling.

We did see @rbhartshorne checking her manifesto but we don’t mind. However she’s read it out & it’s clear they’re not actually in favour of faith schools.

Social care: v clear that a large proportion of people want to discuss antisemitism some more. Some disturbance at the back. Check the YouTube feed.
Mixed feelings about this. No answer from Labour but it’s a hustings. The right to shout at a candidate (deserved) may not exist.

@JCHannah77 is v comfortable on this. So is @rbhartshorne who’s an adoptive parent.
Labour answers THIS q with his personal involvement. Interesting contrast to previous question. No profit from social care is the message throughout. Labour will set up a national care service.

Brexit - support NCS. Majority consensus is to increase funding. Nothing on immigration & it’s impact which is interesting.
We need to replace immigrants with home trained people. Points based immigration. The candidate or her parents were immigrants I ought to make clear.

@LibDems - people don’t want to come here. It takes years to train people up. We can’t do it in the short term (Challenge to that from audience).

Environment & northern powerhouse issue.
Greens - scrap HS2 & use local electric rail. Scattered claps. Promote the countryside.
Labour - no rail based system. Invest in public transport on renewable electricity & encourage bikes. Can now spot the supporters - only ones clapping.

@InayaFolarin (just found her - Brexit) also pro-environment. They all agree. Still no word on who’s paying but @JCHannah77 acknowledges cars will go & Brexit doesn’t have a driving license so is committed.
If they all agree, it must be Johnson’s fault that nothing’s happened.

Foreign affairs: stance on authoritarian regimes.
@InayaFolarin - no official stance (presumably because Farage) but we’ve got to be realistic, whilst standing by principles. I support no arms sales to SA.
@FabianLeedsNE - human rights indivisible. Stop arms to SA. We’ll pre vet

licenses. Citing Syria (which @UKLabour refused to back strikes). Support Israel. Heckling on this because no one believes it. Sad but true.
@LibDems - encourage abusers to stop. We’re looking outwards & can change it by talking. We were right to take action in Kosovo.

Greens campaign for rights. Their manifesto ain’t great on Israel but Caroline Lucas is admired by our candidate. Not good if you’re a Zionist...
Q: why will @UKLabour suspend arms sales to Israel? Chairman elides it with next Q. People ain’t ‘appy. But I think you have to trust

@InayaFolarin has to go first & no one cares. It’s all about Labour. But correctly doesn’t differentiate Israel and is against BDS even though not perfect. If this was labour policy we’d be so happy.
@FabianLeedsNE - Corbyn should go to Israel. And manifesto isn’t party policy.

If this is right then the manifesto has been hijacked by the haters & deliberately misrepresents @UKLabour policy to get at Israel. Why that’s ok the Lord alone knows.
@stephenpollard @marievanderzyl @lmharpin @Daniel_Sugarman

Final statements. Blah blah blah.
Takeaway: best performer - @InayaFolarin. Shame about the party politics. Who runs the country is too divisive for me.
Nicest person - @rbhartshorne evidently sincere. Not quite attuned to the issues that effect us.
Then @FabianLeedsNE...

You’ll win. But the Jewish community only hears that your party hates us. Because what was said sounds great but no one cares - we simply don’t trust it. Last election many Jews said we didn’t trust @UKLabour but we did trust you. This time - no.
@JCHannah77 says he can do better

I’m afraid people don’t believe that in sufficient numbers.
Personally I came here undecided between @LibDems and spoiling. Still am.
It’s been quiet. But that’s because the organisers were frightened of a row. Whether the balance was right I’m unconvinced. Felt sterile to me.

Biggest cheer of the night for @CST_UK who protect us because we’re Jews and we need it, in the UK in 2019.

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