Thread by @joinaunionpls

The problem with this analysis is that it's all well and true but a considerable amount of people stated that this kind of thing was going to happen.

The only place where we were wrong was that we vastly understated quite how pointless and directionless Starmer was going to be.

https://twitter.com/paulmasonnews/status/1374785759216078849

Like most of us on the left find centrists to be a waste of space and all the rest - but Starmer is legitimately quite extraordinary. He seems to take this to astonishing levels. He isn't even bothering to oppose the government.

The Liverpool manoeuvre is notable - even Blair wouldn't do something as absurdly daft as that.

This line by Mason is notable:

It is not a case of "some". This is imprecise. It is the case that the central figures of the leadership - Starmer, Dodds, Evans, et al - believe this.

And whilst yes, the LP should be in touch with grassroots movements, it won't be - and can't ever be - in this leadership.

This is the crucial flaw with Mason's positioning over the past year or so. Starmer is not left-wing. His project is not left-wing. The people around him are not left-wing.

Everything you need to know about this is summed up by the fact that the leadership were going to whip to abstain on the PCSC Bill.

This plan collapsed after people rightfully performed civil disobedience: attending the vigil in defiance of police instructions to not go - and then having the crap beaten out of them.

The bluntness of it bares repeating: the leadership only decided to not abstain after images & anecdotes of women being pinned down, shoved, kicked, elbowed in the face, & insulted by Met police officers came out on social media.

Starmer and his team are a disgrace.

It took *institutionalised abuse* *against women* *in a public space* to force them to change their position.

Astonishing when you think about it.