I’m against the Labour leadership proscribing organisations because I’m against bureaucratic and disciplinary mechanisms for dealing with political problems - and if you license the use of those mechanisms, at some point they’ll be turned on you.
There are reactionary views across the spectrum in the Labour Party, including plenty held by individuals who aren’t in a group/faction (how do you “proscribe” that?). The only way to sort that is a more robust culture of open political debate and ideological confrontation.
In terms of my critique of the groups facing proscription, especially the ones whose main purpose is promoting left antisemitism, I undoubtedly have more in common with many who’ll support proscription than those opposing it.
But that’s why it’s even more important for those of us who *do* have a critique of left antisemitism to oppose the use of bureaucratic procedure to combat it. Ideological problems can only be confronted in an atmosphere which opens up speech/debate, not one which closes it down.
As an aside, it’s worth remembering that there were waves of expulsions of people associated with the far left, mainly Socialist Appeal and AWL (I was expelled twice!) in the early years of the Corbyn leadership, because the right still substantially controlled the machine.
Several prominent left voices now speaking up against proscription/expulsion were much quieter then, because they didn’t want to embarrass the Corbyn leadership and force it to “defend Trots”. It’s good they’ve found their voice but it’d be better if they’d been consistent.
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