"Zero tolerance of antisemitism, racism or discrimination of any kind"
Really? 🧵...
Really? 🧵...
https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1625887628141764610
What about Barry Sheerman - an MP on the right of the Labour Party?
He sent two clearly antisemitic tweets in August 2020. Was the whip withdrawn? Was he suspended? No
thejc.com/news/uk/labour…
He sent two clearly antisemitic tweets in August 2020. Was the whip withdrawn? Was he suspended? No
thejc.com/news/uk/labour…
Keir Starmer appointed Martin Forde QC to investigate the #Labourleaks report.
Forde found that senior staff in the party insulted Diane Abbott, using “expressions of visceral disgust, drawing (consciously or otherwise) on racist tropes.”
The abusers remain Labour members.
Forde found that senior staff in the party insulted Diane Abbott, using “expressions of visceral disgust, drawing (consciously or otherwise) on racist tropes.”
The abusers remain Labour members.
In 2021, Keir Starmer readmitted Trevor Phillips to the Labour Party.
The Muslim Council of Britain said had made "incendiary statements about Muslims that would be unacceptable for any other minority".
Forde found Labour operated a "hierarchy of protected characteristics"
The Muslim Council of Britain said had made "incendiary statements about Muslims that would be unacceptable for any other minority".
Forde found Labour operated a "hierarchy of protected characteristics"
The Labour Muslim Network said “We are once again in a position where we must express the deep disappointment and frustration of Muslim members…quietly readmitting him behind closed doors, without apology or acknowledgment, will only cause further anxiety and hurt among Muslims”
The Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield liked posts on social media that compared transgender people to 'cosplayers', and called trans women 'male predators'.
LGBT+ Labour, Labour Students and Young Labour all called on the party to withdraw the whip.
Starmer?
LGBT+ Labour, Labour Students and Young Labour all called on the party to withdraw the whip.
Starmer?
The Forde report also found
“undoubted overt and underlying racism and sexism apparent in some of the content of the whatsapp messages between the Party’s most senior staff”
Despite discriminatory abuse, all of those ex-staff remain Labour members (they're on the party's right)
“undoubted overt and underlying racism and sexism apparent in some of the content of the whatsapp messages between the Party’s most senior staff”
Despite discriminatory abuse, all of those ex-staff remain Labour members (they're on the party's right)
The General Secretary at the time - who was in these senior staff chats, and didn't once challenge "undoubted overt and underlying racism and sexism" - retains the Labour whip in the House of Lords.
In 2021, Warrington Labour distributed leaflets that claimed they were “dealing with Traveller incursions”
The leaflets were eventually withdrawn after a backlash in national press and social media. But no one was suspended or investigated for using this discriminatory language
The leaflets were eventually withdrawn after a backlash in national press and social media. But no one was suspended or investigated for using this discriminatory language
Forde also found that under the then General Secretary, the party “prioritised ‘hunting trots’, ie suspending members who supported Jeremy Corbyn in 2015 and 2016, over dealing with complaints of antisemitism, Islamophobia or other types of complaints”
He remains a Labour peer
He remains a Labour peer
I'm sure there are other egregious examples too...
And there's a serious debate to be had on "zero tolerance" vs an educational approach
But whatever system, it has to be consistent
As Forde found, factionalism plays a destructive role in Labour's complaints handling.
🧵ends
And there's a serious debate to be had on "zero tolerance" vs an educational approach
But whatever system, it has to be consistent
As Forde found, factionalism plays a destructive role in Labour's complaints handling.
🧵ends
Anyway, I wrote about all of this for @novaramedia:
"By using the EHRC’s positive findings to launch an attack on the party’s left, Starmer has shown that he is willing to weaponise the issue of antisemitism to fight a factional battle."
novaramedia.com/2023/02/16/kei…
"By using the EHRC’s positive findings to launch an attack on the party’s left, Starmer has shown that he is willing to weaponise the issue of antisemitism to fight a factional battle."
novaramedia.com/2023/02/16/kei…
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