He's being a politician , no better nor worse than May or any of them
He says Labour is the most democratic party, when clearly they are not. His handling of the Antisemitism shows how ineffective a leader he is. If you think there will be no more resignations you are mistaken. He is an absolute disaster. He will never be Prime Minister.
You know what , imo he's the least duplicitous of the lot and that's why he was always going to have a target on his back . Politics in this country needs a complete shake up , wannabe moderate breakaways aren't going to provide it .
I don't think he's racist , a terrorist supporter , antisemitic or any of the other things that have been levelled at him . I think the current climate of wishy washy moderate " lets play both sides to get more votes and switch opinions as per the populus, politics" , was never going to turn out well for him . There you go ...targets now on my back !
He's being a politician , no better nor worse than May or any of them
He says Labour is the most democratic party, when clearly they are not. His handling of the Antisemitism shows how ineffective a leader he is. If you think there will be no more resignations you are mistaken. He is an absolute disaster. He will never be Prime Minister.
You know what , imo he's the least duplicitous of the lot and that's why he was always going to have a target on his back . Politics in this country needs a complete shake up , wannabe moderate breakaways aren't going to provide it .
He is not squeaky clean, by any means, and cant be Prime Minister. You can live in hope.
He's being a politician , no better nor worse than May or any of them
He says Labour is the most democratic party, when clearly they are not. His handling of the Antisemitism shows how ineffective a leader he is. If you think there will be no more resignations you are mistaken. He is an absolute disaster. He will never be Prime Minister.
You know what , imo he's the least duplicitous of the lot and that's why he was always going to have a target on his back . Politics in this country needs a complete shake up , wannabe moderate breakaways aren't going to provide it .
In September, here in Liverpool, at its annual conference, the Labour Party unanimously backed a motion that stated: ‘Should Parliament vote down a Tory Brexit deal or the talks end in no-deal, Conference believes this would constitute a loss of confidence in the Government. In these circumstances, the best outcome for the country is an immediate General Election that can sweep the Tories from power. If we cannot get a general election Labour must support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote. If the Government is confident in negotiating a deal that working people, our economy and communities will benefit from they should not be afraid to put that deal to the public.’ I, along with my Labour colleagues, have now tried, and sadly failed, to force a General Election. I will not help the Tories get their disastrous deal through which will directly negatively impact on the livelihoods of people locally. The best outcome would be to trust the people with a new vote. My position is fully in line with the views expressed by Labour Party members and is in line with the views expressed by voters in Liverpool Wavertree. I will not stop speaking out on this - the most critical issue facing our country for decades.
John McDonnell says Jewish Labour MP facing no confidence vote 'has not been clear' in proving loyalty to party Shadow chancellor's comments on move against Luciana Berger labelled 'unacceptable' and 'a disgrace'
John McDonnell has sparked fury by suggesting a Jewish Labour MP facing a vote of no confidence needs to confirm her loyalty to the party. The shadow chancellor said Luciana Berger "hasn't been clear" in distancing herself from reports of a possible breakaway of Labour MPs and called on her to "put the issue to bed".
Ms Berger, who has suffered anti-Jewish abuse and been a vocal critic of Jeremy Corbyn's handling of antisemitism, is the subject of two motions of no confidence tabled by party members in her Liverpool Wavertree constituency.
One has been proposed by a member who previously called Ms Berger, the parliamentary chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, a "disruptive Zionist".
Jeremy Corbyn faces a backlash from Labour's women politicians after his top team are accused of bullying pregnant Jewish MP Luciana Berger amid the party's anti-Semitism crisis Liverpool Wavertree MP, 37, was facing bid from local party activists to oust her She has been vocal in Labour leader's 'failure' to deal with anti-Semitism in party John McDonnell insisted the move was due to fears she would join rival party Senior Labour sources confirmed no-confidence bid was withdrawn this evening
Jeremy Corbyn has been slammed by some of his party's most prominent female figures over the treatment of Jewish MP Luciana Berger. Harriet Harman, the former leader, Margaret Hodge, and Dame Louise Ellman all called for Berger to be spared from being ousted for criticising Corbyn's handling of the anti-Semitism crisis. The bid to oust Ms Berger was dramatically dropped last night after MPs rallied around her. According to the Times, Labour sources suggested Corbyn feared a walkout over the crisis, combined with Labour's ambiguous position over Brexit.
Ms Berger, who is Jewish, has been scathing about Jeremy Corbyn's handling of Labour's anti-Semitism crisis, as well as his positioning on Brexit. Senior MPs rallied behind her last night after it emerged the Liverpool Wavertree constituency party will consider two no confidence motions on February 17. John McDonnell inflamed the row this morning by arguing that the action against Ms Berger was triggered by concern about her loyalty to the party. But senior Labour sources confirmed tonight that the no confidence motions had been wtihdrawn. A source close to the Labour leader said activists had taken the 'right decision'.
Earlier, Mr McDonnell called on the MP to make clear she is not planning to 'jump ship'. He told Sky News: 'If people are saying 'look, we are expressing a vote of no confidence because Luciana has stood up and exposed anti-Semitism in our party', that would be completely wrong and, of course, we would say that is not right. 'But it looks as though there's other issues. 'It seems on social media, from what I've seen, what's happened is Luciana has been associated in the media with a breakaway party.
'Some local party members, the media, have asked her to deny that. She hasn't been clear in that. 'So my advice really, on all of this, is for Luciana to just put this issue to bed. 'Say very clearly 'no, I'm not supporting another party, I'm not jumping ship'. 'And for local party members to sit down with Luciana and actually say 'how can we support you? How can we work together in the future?' And then overcome the present difficulties.' Mr McDonnell said: 'It's not a deselection from what I understand. We are not into our selection process. 'It's a vote of no confidence, which is simply an expression by local party members.' The intervention sparked fury, with Holocaust Educational Trust chief executive Karen Pollock branding him a 'disgrace' and saying he needed to 'deal with the racism in your own party'. Posting on Twitter, she responded: 'Demanding loyalty from @lucianaberger rather than addressing the racism in your party? What a disgrace. Take responsibility @johnmcdonnellMP and deal with the racism in your own party. What has @UKLabour become?'
Reacting to the treatment of Berger, Labour Member of Parliament for Camberwell and Peckham Harriet Harman tweeted: 'All this & @lucianaberger is 8 MONTHS PREGNANT! @UKLabour has proud record leading on pregnant women’s rights & against harasment of pregnant women. 'STOP THIS NOW! An 8 month pregnant MP at bay will shame all the women in our party!' Margaret Hodge added that it is 'unfair and outrageous' that her 'friend' has to face a no confidence motion. She tweeted: 'So unfair and outrageous for my friend Luciana Berger to face no confidence motion. She spearheads campaign to root out anti Semitism, fighting for the moral soul of Labour. 'Her work on mental health helps Labour stay ahead on this vital issue. Stop this vindictive absurdity now.' 'After today’s events, the Labour Party must now carry out its promise and root out anti-Semitism. Fully support @lucianaberger, a very hardworking and inspirational MP,' said Louise Ellman.
Ms Berger has clearly faced some vile stuff recently. Even so, (unsurprisingly) the Mail over-eggs it. She had faced deselection by her local party, but that had been overruled by the central party. Something the Mail "forgets" to mention. She was asked to commit to the Party-she refused. Wouldn't anyone ask for a commitment when asked to stop any deselection amid rumours the MP would jump ship? Is it fair to say "how dare they" and then do it? She was invited to a meeting with Corbyn-she decided not to go, but still managed to lambast him for not speaking to her.
Some of her treatment has been appalling. I have more sympathy for her than the other 10. But there are always 2 sides to every story. Bit like Brexit, really
Ms Berger has clearly faced some vile stuff recently. Even so, (unsurprisingly) the Mail over-eggs it. She had faced deselection by her local party, but that had been overruled by the central party. Something the Mail "forgets" to mention. She was asked to commit to the Party-she refused. Wouldn't anyone ask for a commitment when asked to stop any deselection amid rumours the MP would jump ship? Is it fair to say "how dare they" and then do it? She was invited to a meeting with Corbyn-she decided not to go, but still managed to lambast him for not speaking to her.
Some of her treatment has been appalling. I have more sympathy for her than the other 10. But there are always 2 sides to every story. Bit like Brexit, really
Wasting your time with that , theres just 2 of us in the party here , and I'm a backbencher and prone to voting against you
Ms Berger has clearly faced some vile stuff recently. Even so, (unsurprisingly) the Mail over-eggs it. She had faced deselection by her local party, but that had been overruled by the central party. Something the Mail "forgets" to mention. She was asked to commit to the Party-she refused. Wouldn't anyone ask for a commitment when asked to stop any deselection amid rumours the MP would jump ship? Is it fair to say "how dare they" and then do it? She was invited to a meeting with Corbyn-she decided not to go, but still managed to lambast him for not speaking to her.
Some of her treatment has been appalling. I have more sympathy for her than the other 10. But there are always 2 sides to every story. Bit like Brexit, really
Wasting your time with that , theres just 2 of us in the party here , and I'm a backbencher and prone to voting against you
Ha-I left Labour long ago. I was too left-wing for Blair, and left over his attacks on Militant. Strangely, I am now regarded as too right-wing for Corbyn, a situation I am entirely comfortable with
Ms Berger has clearly faced some vile stuff recently. Even so, (unsurprisingly) the Mail over-eggs it. She had faced deselection by her local party, but that had been overruled by the central party. Something the Mail "forgets" to mention. She was asked to commit to the Party-she refused. Wouldn't anyone ask for a commitment when asked to stop any deselection amid rumours the MP would jump ship? Is it fair to say "how dare they" and then do it? She was invited to a meeting with Corbyn-she decided not to go, but still managed to lambast him for not speaking to her.
Some of her treatment has been appalling. I have more sympathy for her than the other 10. But there are always 2 sides to every story. Bit like Brexit, really
Wasting your time with that , theres just 2 of us in the party here , and I'm a backbencher and prone to voting against you
Ha-I left Labour long ago. I was too left-wing for Blair, and left over his attacks on Militant. Strangely, I am now regarded as too right-wing for Corbyn, a situation I am entirely comfortable with
But there is still a common goal isn't there ? ...or is that just wishful thinking now ?
Ms Berger has clearly faced some vile stuff recently. Even so, (unsurprisingly) the Mail over-eggs it. She had faced deselection by her local party, but that had been overruled by the central party. Something the Mail "forgets" to mention. She was asked to commit to the Party-she refused. Wouldn't anyone ask for a commitment when asked to stop any deselection amid rumours the MP would jump ship? Is it fair to say "how dare they" and then do it? She was invited to a meeting with Corbyn-she decided not to go, but still managed to lambast him for not speaking to her.
Some of her treatment has been appalling. I have more sympathy for her than the other 10. But there are always 2 sides to every story. Bit like Brexit, really
I don't think that is a fair and balanced view. She was facing a no confidence vote that was proposed by one of her tormentors. John McDonnell suggested she should commit her future to the party, before they would take any action.
Why would you commit to a party, when you were being abused by members of it.
She was invited to an event that Corbyn was attending, but was unable to attend. He had not spoken to her directly in the previous 14 months. That alone is embarrassing.
This article below was written in 2016.
Corbyns position is indefensible/
Were he alive, Shinwell would be as proud of his great-niece’s defiance as she is of his, given the scale of antisemitic provocation she, too, has had to endure. Three men have been convicted of abuse against her and there’s even been an international social media campaign – #FilthyJewBitch – organised against her. But that is not the only reason that Berger, who resigned as Labour’s shadow minister for mental health following Brexit, has been targeted. An atmosphere of contempt and violent aggression has recently begun to pervade political discourse. The most extreme illustration of it was the murder of politician Jo Cox, but others have had to endure aggressive and misogynistic intimidation. None more so than Luciana Berger. “It’s a combination of being young, female and Jewish,” she explains. “Look,” says Berger, who was the director of Labour Friends of Israel for three years before becoming an MP, handing over her phone. She shows me a website which contains a vitriolic catalogue of messages, urging people to tell her – and I can’t even repeat what they call her – that Hitler was right – six million times.
The campaign, organised because antisemites were angry at one of their own being jailed for abusing Berger, has been online since 2014. Could Twitter do more to control it? “Of course they could!” Berger says. The effects of receiving these messages go deep. “It’s personal and sometimes very extreme in its nature. Sometimes it’s pornographic, sometimes violent, often very misogynistic. At its peak, there were 2,500 tweets. Some people who were shown just one message couldn’t believe it, so to receive thousands is difficult.” But Corbyn’s Labour party has heralded strangely intimidating times, and resulted in new attacks on Berger who is supporting Owen Smith in the current leadership election. Almost half of Labour’s 99 female MPs (including Berger) signed a letter to Corbyn deploring the party’s bullying culture and accusing him of not doing enough to stop threats against women by his supporters. “I’m very worried about the future for women in politics,” admits Berger, who joined parliament in 2010 as one of 64 new Labour MPs – 32 men and 32 women. “It’s definitely got uglier. People feel they have permission to say the most awful things.”
We really ought to have a Politics thread, but I don't know enough about the subject.
This is a non-Brexit topic, but being as it was mentioned on here 2 days ago that Derek Hatton had been re-admitted to the Labour Party after 34 years, today he was........suspended from the Labour Party.
Ms Berger has clearly faced some vile stuff recently. Even so, (unsurprisingly) the Mail over-eggs it. She had faced deselection by her local party, but that had been overruled by the central party. Something the Mail "forgets" to mention. She was asked to commit to the Party-she refused. Wouldn't anyone ask for a commitment when asked to stop any deselection amid rumours the MP would jump ship? Is it fair to say "how dare they" and then do it? She was invited to a meeting with Corbyn-she decided not to go, but still managed to lambast him for not speaking to her.
Some of her treatment has been appalling. I have more sympathy for her than the other 10. But there are always 2 sides to every story. Bit like Brexit, really
Labour deputy demands Luciana Berger's constituency party be SUSPENDED over ‘bullying'
LABOUR’S deputy leader Tom Watson has called for the Liverpool Wavertree constituency group to be suspended after saying MP Luciana Berger “is being bullied”
Mr Watson has written to Labour’s general secretary Jennie Formby outlining his concerns about behaviour in the constituency. Ms Berger is an outspoken critic of her party leader Jeremy Corbyn and was facing two no confidence motions before they were withdrawn earlier today. A source in Mr Corbyn’s office said it was “the right decision” to withdraw the motions.
Ms Berger has criticised Mr Corbyn’s handling of the anti-Semitism row engulfing the Labour party as well as his handling of Brexit. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell had suggested the no confidence motions were because the Labour party feared Ms Berger was planning to join a breakaway party rather than because of her criticism of Mr Corbyn.
Mr McDonnell told Sky News: "My advice really, on all of this, is for Luciana to just put this issue to bed. Say very clearly 'no, I'm not supporting another party, I'm not jumping ship'." However Mr Watson said: “Let us not forget our honourable colleagues on both sides of this House, the subject of death threats, the subject of racist abuse, the subject of misogynistic abuse, the subject of bullying and anti-Semitism. "As deputy leader of my party let me say to the honourable colleagues facing that abuse and in particular my friend and comrade the member of Liverpool Wavertree (Ms Berger) that she has our solidarity and she has our support as she battles the bullying hatred from members of her own local party.
"They bring disgrace to the party that I love." Other senior Labour MPs also rallied to Ms Berger’s side. Chuka Umunna said Ms Berger deserved more respect.
He tweeted: “So a victim of outrageous racism in @UKLabour must promise she will not walk because of that racism and then this can all go away. "How about demanding her CLP treats her with the respect she deserves. How about the party deals with that racism. Words fail me. Totally unacceptable." Meanwhile shadow education secretary Angela Rayner added: “I don't know what's happening in Luciana's constituency but she has my full support in speaking out and stamping out the racism and antisemitism that's in our party & wider community."
So a victim of outrageous racism in @UKLabour must promise she will not walk because of that racism and then this can all go away. How about demanding her CLP treats her with the respect she deserves. How about the party deals with that racism. Words fail me. Totally unacceptable Kevin Schofield ✔ @PolhomeEditor
John McDonnell on Luciana Berger no-confidence motions: "Luciana has been associated in the media with a break away party…the media have asked her to deny that and she hasn’t been clear on that. So, my advice on all of this is for Luciana to just put this issue to bed."
4,821 8:50 AM - Feb 8, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
These are the sort of things that make Labour look so stupid.
Derek Hatton suspended by Labour days after being reinstated
Derek Hatton has been suspended by the Labour Party less than 48 hours after he was admitted back into the party. The former deputy leader of Liverpool council had his membership reinstated on Monday, more than 30 years after he was expelled from the party. But senior Labour figures have since complained about the move and comments the ex-Militant man made about Israel. In a tweet in 2012, he said "Jewish people with any sense of humanity" must condemn Israel's "ruthless murdering".
Brighton councillor Anne Meadows quits Labour over 'anti-Semitism'
'Driven out'
Ms Meadows, who has represented the Moulsecoomb and Bevendean ward for nearly 25 years, said the abuse "came to a head even in Labour group meetings where I would be attacked, and none of the other councillors would prevent it or halt it". "I used to go home feeling awful and I thought there's got to be more than this, it's not the Labour party I knew and loved." She added: "The last 18 months has shown to me that the new Momentum members [left wing campaign group backing Jeremy Corbyn] don't share Labour values. "They don't have Labour traditional thoughts around common-sense policies for the good of the residents in the city. "What I want is to do the best for the residents of my ward and the city, and only the Conservatives can take that forward."
Ms Berger has clearly faced some vile stuff recently. Even so, (unsurprisingly) the Mail over-eggs it. She had faced deselection by her local party, but that had been overruled by the central party. Something the Mail "forgets" to mention. She was asked to commit to the Party-she refused. Wouldn't anyone ask for a commitment when asked to stop any deselection amid rumours the MP would jump ship? Is it fair to say "how dare they" and then do it? She was invited to a meeting with Corbyn-she decided not to go, but still managed to lambast him for not speaking to her.
Some of her treatment has been appalling. I have more sympathy for her than the other 10. But there are always 2 sides to every story. Bit like Brexit, really
More overegging?
Antisemitic abuse[edit] In January 2013, a Merseyside music promoter, Philip Hayes, who later apologised and said he had been drunk and was acting out of character, was convicted of a racially aggravated public order offence and fined £120 after making a series of antisemitic remarks about Jews to Berger at the Liverpool Music Awards.[58][59] In October 2014, Garron Helm, a member of the small neo-Nazi National Action youth group, was imprisoned for four weeks after he sent an antisemitic tweet to Berger in August 2014, serving two weeks before being released.[60][61][62] Following the conviction, it was reported that similar messages to her were being posted on Twitter.[63] According to Berger in December 2014, "[a]t the height of the abuse, the police said I was the subject of 2,500 hate messages in the space of three days" using the same hashtag.[64] She has had to take security measures where she lives in Liverpool and London, and has accused Twitter of insufficient action to counter the problem. In her view, the site "could start by proactively banning racist words which aren't allowed to be printed in newspapers or broadcast on TV that could never be used in a positive way".[64] During the 2015 general election, right-wing UK Independence Party parliamentary candidate for West Lancashire Jack Sen was suspended from the party after sending an allegedly antisemitic tweet to Berger.[65] Joshua Bonehill-Paine, a supporter of Helm and a self-described far-right anti-Semite, was convicted of racially-aggravated harassment of Berger in December 2016 and sentenced to two years.[66][67] In February 2017, John Nimmo was sentenced to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty to nine charges, including the sending of death threats and antisemitic messages signed 'your friend the Nazi', to Berger.[68] After Berger asked Jeremy Corbyn's office in March 2018 why in 2012 he had queried the removal by a local council of an allegedly antisemitic mural by Mear One, she received further online abuse which she believes came from left-wing individuals.[69][70][71] Her staff have given statements to police about their own victimisation.[69][70] Berger attended a demonstration in Parliament Square concerning ongoing cases of alleged antisemitism in the Labour Party, and made a speech at the event at which she said: "Antisemitism is very real and alive in the Labour Party. It pains me to have to say that today".[72]
Is this a Brexit thread or an anti labour thread? ...sorry the lines are a bit fuzzy .
Just comprehensively answering an ill judged post.
I must admit that I am starting to totally dislike Jeremy Corbyn, and the Labour Party. John McDonnell tries to lie about his comments. I listened to Chris Williamson this morning droning on for 20 minutes about nothing being wrong in the Labour Party.
They had a party meeting on Monday night, to give them a boost after the resignations.
We really ought to have a Politics thread, but I don't know enough about the subject.
This is a non-Brexit topic, but being as it was mentioned on here 2 days ago that Derek Hatton had been re-admitted to the Labour Party after 34 years, today he was........suspended from the Labour Party.
File under "you can't make this stuff up".
MarkyCash started one.
He is suspended over a tweet he sent in 2012.
No you couldn't make it up.
Maybe that would be a better name for a politics thread.
Labour Party crisis deepens after stormy party meeting as Tory MPs also 'consider quitting'
The crisis within the Labour Party has deepened following a stormy meeting of its members in the wake of the resignations of seven MPs. Tempers flared during heated discussions at the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday night, just hours after seven MPs quit in protest at the party’s leadership, its handling of Brexit and anti-Semitism within the party’s ranks. In an emotional intervention at the meeting, Ruth Smeeth said she and another Jewish MP, Louise Ellman, had been told by a party member they did not have “human blood”, but no action had been taken against the individual concerned.
Mr Corbyn has been warned that more Labour MPs could quit amid fears the party may “disintegrate”. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has called for a “mammoth listening exercise” after the resignations. He told Sky news: “We need a mammoth, massive listening exercise and (to) address some of those criticisms that have been made.” Mr McDonnell played down suggestions that as many as 36 Labour MPs had been considering a split. He said: “I don’t think there is that scale, but the key issue for us – and it was made clear at the Parliamentary Labour Party, Tom Watson said it and others – the Labour leadership, and I’m part of that, we need to keep listening, bring people in, talk to them.”
Former Labour home secretary David Blunkett said: “We are facing the potential disintegration of the Labour Party and the end of its existence as a serious political force.” Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: “There are major implications, not just for Labour but for British democracy. That is why these departures matter to us all.” Deputy leader Tom Watson said other MPs are considering leaving the party.
He said: “Even a single incident of antisemitism in the Labour Party shames us. Now we have lost Luciana, one of our most dedicated and courageous MPs. “If someone like Luciana no longer believes there is a home for her in the Labour Party then many other colleagues will be asking themselves how they can stay.” He added: “I confess I feared this day would come. And I fear now that unless we change, we may see more days like this.”
Party chairman Ian Lavery faced an angry backlash at the PLP meeting on Monday. Labour sources said Mr Lavery stressed the leadership’s commitment to rooting out anti-Semitism at what was described as a “heated” behind-closed-doors gathering at Westminster. But his claims were greeted with derision by some of those present with accusations that he failed to understand the “enormity” of the problem.
Comments
There you go ...targets now on my back !
You can live in hope.
In September, here in Liverpool, at its annual conference, the Labour Party unanimously backed a motion that stated: ‘Should Parliament vote down a Tory Brexit deal or the talks end in no-deal, Conference believes this would constitute a loss of confidence in the Government. In these circumstances, the best outcome for the country is an immediate General Election that can sweep the Tories from power. If we cannot get a general election Labour must support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote. If the Government is confident in negotiating a deal that working people, our economy and communities will benefit from they should not be afraid to put that deal to the public.’
I, along with my Labour colleagues, have now tried, and sadly failed, to force a General Election. I will not help the Tories get their disastrous deal through which will directly negatively impact on the livelihoods of people locally. The best outcome would be to trust the people with a new vote. My position is fully in line with the views expressed by Labour Party members and is in line with the views expressed by voters in Liverpool Wavertree. I will not stop speaking out on this - the most critical issue facing our country for decades.
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/luciana-bergers-letter-wavertree-labour-15840648
Shadow chancellor's comments on move against Luciana Berger labelled 'unacceptable' and 'a disgrace'
John McDonnell has sparked fury by suggesting a Jewish Labour MP facing a vote of no confidence needs to confirm her loyalty to the party.
The shadow chancellor said Luciana Berger "hasn't been clear" in distancing herself from reports of a possible breakaway of Labour MPs and called on her to "put the issue to bed".
Ms Berger, who has suffered anti-Jewish abuse and been a vocal critic of Jeremy Corbyn's handling of antisemitism, is the subject of two motions of no confidence tabled by party members in her Liverpool Wavertree constituency.
One has been proposed by a member who previously called Ms Berger, the parliamentary chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, a "disruptive Zionist".
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/john-mcdonnell-luciana-berger-labour-mp-no-confidence-party-antisemitism-brexit-a8769976.html
Liverpool Wavertree MP, 37, was facing bid from local party activists to oust her
She has been vocal in Labour leader's 'failure' to deal with anti-Semitism in party
John McDonnell insisted the move was due to fears she would join rival party
Senior Labour sources confirmed no-confidence bid was withdrawn this evening
Jeremy Corbyn has been slammed by some of his party's most prominent female figures over the treatment of Jewish MP Luciana Berger.
Harriet Harman, the former leader, Margaret Hodge, and Dame Louise Ellman all called for Berger to be spared from being ousted for criticising Corbyn's handling of the anti-Semitism crisis.
The bid to oust Ms Berger was dramatically dropped last night after MPs rallied around her.
According to the Times, Labour sources suggested Corbyn feared a walkout over the crisis, combined with Labour's ambiguous position over Brexit.
Ms Berger, who is Jewish, has been scathing about Jeremy Corbyn's handling of Labour's anti-Semitism crisis, as well as his positioning on Brexit.
Senior MPs rallied behind her last night after it emerged the Liverpool Wavertree constituency party will consider two no confidence motions on February 17.
John McDonnell inflamed the row this morning by arguing that the action against Ms Berger was triggered by concern about her loyalty to the party.
But senior Labour sources confirmed tonight that the no confidence motions had been wtihdrawn.
A source close to the Labour leader said activists had taken the 'right decision'.
Earlier, Mr McDonnell called on the MP to make clear she is not planning to 'jump ship'.
He told Sky News: 'If people are saying 'look, we are expressing a vote of no confidence because Luciana has stood up and exposed anti-Semitism in our party', that would be completely wrong and, of course, we would say that is not right.
'But it looks as though there's other issues.
'It seems on social media, from what I've seen, what's happened is Luciana has been associated in the media with a breakaway party.
'Some local party members, the media, have asked her to deny that. She hasn't been clear in that.
'So my advice really, on all of this, is for Luciana to just put this issue to bed.
'Say very clearly 'no, I'm not supporting another party, I'm not jumping ship'.
'And for local party members to sit down with Luciana and actually say 'how can we support you? How can we work together in the future?' And then overcome the present difficulties.'
Mr McDonnell said: 'It's not a deselection from what I understand. We are not into our selection process.
'It's a vote of no confidence, which is simply an expression by local party members.'
The intervention sparked fury, with Holocaust Educational Trust chief executive Karen Pollock branding him a 'disgrace' and saying he needed to 'deal with the racism in your own party'.
Posting on Twitter, she responded: 'Demanding loyalty from @lucianaberger rather than addressing the racism in your party? What a disgrace. Take responsibility @johnmcdonnellMP and deal with the racism in your own party. What has @UKLabour become?'
Reacting to the treatment of Berger, Labour Member of Parliament for Camberwell and Peckham Harriet Harman tweeted: 'All this & @lucianaberger is 8 MONTHS PREGNANT! @UKLabour has proud record leading on pregnant women’s rights & against harasment of pregnant women.
'STOP THIS NOW! An 8 month pregnant MP at bay will shame all the women in our party!'
Margaret Hodge added that it is 'unfair and outrageous' that her 'friend' has to face a no confidence motion.
She tweeted: 'So unfair and outrageous for my friend Luciana Berger to face no confidence motion. She spearheads campaign to root out anti Semitism, fighting for the moral soul of Labour.
'Her work on mental health helps Labour stay ahead on this vital issue. Stop this vindictive absurdity now.'
'After today’s events, the Labour Party must now carry out its promise and root out anti-Semitism. Fully support @lucianaberger, a very hardworking and inspirational MP,' said Louise Ellman.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6685065/Jeremy-Corbyn-faces-backlash-Luciana-Berger-bullying-accusations.html
Even so, (unsurprisingly) the Mail over-eggs it. She had faced deselection by her local party, but that had been overruled by the central party. Something the Mail "forgets" to mention.
She was asked to commit to the Party-she refused. Wouldn't anyone ask for a commitment when asked to stop any deselection amid rumours the MP would jump ship? Is it fair to say "how dare they" and then do it?
She was invited to a meeting with Corbyn-she decided not to go, but still managed to lambast him for not speaking to her.
Some of her treatment has been appalling. I have more sympathy for her than the other 10. But there are always 2 sides to every story. Bit like Brexit, really
I was too left-wing for Blair, and left over his attacks on Militant. Strangely, I am now regarded as too right-wing for Corbyn, a situation I am entirely comfortable with
I don't think that is a fair and balanced view.
She was facing a no confidence vote that was proposed by one of her tormentors.
John McDonnell suggested she should commit her future to the party, before they would take any action.
Why would you commit to a party, when you were being abused by members of it.
She was invited to an event that Corbyn was attending, but was unable to attend. He had not spoken to her directly in the previous 14 months. That alone is embarrassing.
This article below was written in 2016.
Corbyns position is indefensible/
Were he alive, Shinwell would be as proud of his great-niece’s defiance as she is of his, given the scale of antisemitic provocation she, too, has had to endure. Three men have been convicted of abuse against her and there’s even been an international social media campaign – #FilthyJewBitch – organised against her. But that is not the only reason that Berger, who resigned as Labour’s shadow minister for mental health following Brexit, has been targeted. An atmosphere of contempt and violent aggression has recently begun to pervade political discourse. The most extreme illustration of it was the murder of politician Jo Cox, but others have had to endure aggressive and misogynistic intimidation. None more so than Luciana Berger. “It’s a combination of being young, female and Jewish,” she explains.
“Look,” says Berger, who was the director of Labour Friends of Israel for three years before becoming an MP, handing over her phone. She shows me a website which contains a vitriolic catalogue of messages, urging people to tell her – and I can’t even repeat what they call her – that Hitler was right – six million times.
The campaign, organised because antisemites were angry at one of their own being jailed for abusing Berger, has been online since 2014. Could Twitter do more to control it? “Of course they could!” Berger says. The effects of receiving these messages go deep. “It’s personal and sometimes very extreme in its nature. Sometimes it’s pornographic, sometimes violent, often very misogynistic. At its peak, there were 2,500 tweets. Some people who were shown just one message couldn’t believe it, so to receive thousands is difficult.”
But Corbyn’s Labour party has heralded strangely intimidating times, and resulted in new attacks on Berger who is supporting Owen Smith in the current leadership election. Almost half of Labour’s 99 female MPs (including Berger) signed a letter to Corbyn deploring the party’s bullying culture and accusing him of not doing enough to stop threats against women by his supporters. “I’m very worried about the future for women in politics,” admits Berger, who joined parliament in 2010 as one of 64 new Labour MPs – 32 men and 32 women. “It’s definitely got uglier. People feel they have permission to say the most awful things.”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/28/luciana-berger-i-have-been-contending-with-issues-surrounding-my-safety-and-security-for-years
We really ought to have a Politics thread, but I don't know enough about the subject.
This is a non-Brexit topic, but being as it was mentioned on here 2 days ago that Derek Hatton had been re-admitted to the Labour Party after 34 years, today he was........suspended from the Labour Party.
File under "you can't make this stuff up".
Labour deputy demands Luciana Berger's constituency party be SUSPENDED over ‘bullying'
LABOUR’S deputy leader Tom Watson has called for the Liverpool Wavertree constituency group to be suspended after saying MP Luciana Berger “is being bullied”
Mr Watson has written to Labour’s general secretary Jennie Formby outlining his concerns about behaviour in the constituency. Ms Berger is an outspoken critic of her party leader Jeremy Corbyn and was facing two no confidence motions before they were withdrawn earlier today. A source in Mr Corbyn’s office said it was “the right decision” to withdraw the motions.
Ms Berger has criticised Mr Corbyn’s handling of the anti-Semitism row engulfing the Labour party as well as his handling of Brexit.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell had suggested the no confidence motions were because the Labour party feared Ms Berger was planning to join a breakaway party rather than because of her criticism of Mr Corbyn.
Mr McDonnell told Sky News: "My advice really, on all of this, is for Luciana to just put this issue to bed. Say very clearly 'no, I'm not supporting another party, I'm not jumping ship'."
However Mr Watson said: “Let us not forget our honourable colleagues on both sides of this House, the subject of death threats, the subject of racist abuse, the subject of misogynistic abuse, the subject of bullying and anti-Semitism.
"As deputy leader of my party let me say to the honourable colleagues facing that abuse and in particular my friend and comrade the member of Liverpool Wavertree (Ms Berger) that she has our solidarity and she has our support as she battles the bullying hatred from members of her own local party.
"They bring disgrace to the party that I love."
Other senior Labour MPs also rallied to Ms Berger’s side.
Chuka Umunna said Ms Berger deserved more respect.
He tweeted: “So a victim of outrageous racism in @UKLabour must promise she will not walk because of that racism and then this can all go away.
"How about demanding her CLP treats her with the respect she deserves. How about the party deals with that racism. Words fail me. Totally unacceptable."
Meanwhile shadow education secretary Angela Rayner added: “I don't know what's happening in Luciana's constituency but she has my full support in speaking out and stamping out the racism and antisemitism that's in our party & wider community."
Chuka Umunna
✔
@ChukaUmunna
So a victim of outrageous racism in @UKLabour must promise she will not walk because of that racism and then this can all go away. How about demanding her CLP treats her with the respect she deserves. How about the party deals with that racism. Words fail me. Totally unacceptable
Kevin Schofield
✔
@PolhomeEditor
John McDonnell on Luciana Berger no-confidence motions: "Luciana has been associated in the media with a break away party…the media have asked her to deny that and she hasn’t been clear on that. So, my advice on all of this is for Luciana to just put this issue to bed."
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8:50 AM - Feb 8, 2019
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Angela Rayner
✔
@AngelaRayner
I don’t know what’s happening in Luciana’s constituency but she has my full support in speaking out and stamping out the racism and antisemitism that’s in our party & wider community.
Chuka Umunna
✔
@ChukaUmunna
Replying to @ChukaUmunna
What does the rest of the shadow cabinet think of this? @HackneyAbbott @EmilyThornberry @AngelaRayner @JonAshworth @DawnButlerBrent @jon_trickett @BarryGardiner @GwynneMP @Keir_Starmer @NiaGriffithMP etc
Are we going to act? Defend a colleague in the face of this outrage?
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9:13 AM - Feb 8, 2019
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https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1084605/labour-party-luciana-berge-wavertree-constituency-labour-party-suspension
Derek Hatton suspended by Labour days after being reinstated
Derek Hatton has been suspended by the Labour Party less than 48 hours after he was admitted back into the party.
The former deputy leader of Liverpool council had his membership reinstated on Monday, more than 30 years after he was expelled from the party.
But senior Labour figures have since complained about the move and comments the ex-Militant man made about Israel.
In a tweet in 2012, he said "Jewish people with any sense of humanity" must condemn Israel's "ruthless murdering".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47312006
Brighton councillor Anne Meadows quits Labour over 'anti-Semitism'
'Driven out'
Ms Meadows, who has represented the Moulsecoomb and Bevendean ward for nearly 25 years, said the abuse "came to a head even in Labour group meetings where I would be attacked, and none of the other councillors would prevent it or halt it".
"I used to go home feeling awful and I thought there's got to be more than this, it's not the Labour party I knew and loved."
She added: "The last 18 months has shown to me that the new Momentum members [left wing campaign group backing Jeremy Corbyn] don't share Labour values.
"They don't have Labour traditional thoughts around common-sense policies for the good of the residents in the city.
"What I want is to do the best for the residents of my ward and the city, and only the Conservatives can take that forward."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-47306426
Antisemitic abuse[edit]
In January 2013, a Merseyside music promoter, Philip Hayes, who later apologised and said he had been drunk and was acting out of character, was convicted of a racially aggravated public order offence and fined £120 after making a series of antisemitic remarks about Jews to Berger at the Liverpool Music Awards.[58][59]
In October 2014, Garron Helm, a member of the small neo-Nazi National Action youth group, was imprisoned for four weeks after he sent an antisemitic tweet to Berger in August 2014, serving two weeks before being released.[60][61][62]
Following the conviction, it was reported that similar messages to her were being posted on Twitter.[63] According to Berger in December 2014, "[a]t the height of the abuse, the police said I was the subject of 2,500 hate messages in the space of three days" using the same hashtag.[64] She has had to take security measures where she lives in Liverpool and London, and has accused Twitter of insufficient action to counter the problem. In her view, the site "could start by proactively banning racist words which aren't allowed to be printed in newspapers or broadcast on TV that could never be used in a positive way".[64]
During the 2015 general election, right-wing UK Independence Party parliamentary candidate for West Lancashire Jack Sen was suspended from the party after sending an allegedly antisemitic tweet to Berger.[65]
Joshua Bonehill-Paine, a supporter of Helm and a self-described far-right anti-Semite, was convicted of racially-aggravated harassment of Berger in December 2016 and sentenced to two years.[66][67]
In February 2017, John Nimmo was sentenced to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty to nine charges, including the sending of death threats and antisemitic messages signed 'your friend the Nazi', to Berger.[68]
After Berger asked Jeremy Corbyn's office in March 2018 why in 2012 he had queried the removal by a local council of an allegedly antisemitic mural by Mear One, she received further online abuse which she believes came from left-wing individuals.[69][70][71] Her staff have given statements to police about their own victimisation.[69][70]
Berger attended a demonstration in Parliament Square concerning ongoing cases of alleged antisemitism in the Labour Party, and made a speech at the event at which she said: "Antisemitism is very real and alive in the Labour Party. It pains me to have to say that today".[72]
I must admit that I am starting to totally dislike Jeremy Corbyn, and the Labour Party.
John McDonnell tries to lie about his comments.
I listened to Chris Williamson this morning droning on for 20 minutes about nothing being wrong in the Labour Party.
They had a party meeting on Monday night, to give them a boost after the resignations.
It was an absolute car crash of a meeting.
Where was Corbyn?
He just hasn't got a clue.
He is suspended over a tweet he sent in 2012.
No you couldn't make it up.
Maybe that would be a better name for a politics thread.
The crisis within the Labour Party has deepened following a stormy meeting of its members in the wake of the resignations of seven MPs.
Tempers flared during heated discussions at the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday night, just hours after seven MPs quit in protest at the party’s leadership, its handling of Brexit and anti-Semitism within the party’s ranks.
In an emotional intervention at the meeting, Ruth Smeeth said she and another Jewish MP, Louise Ellman, had been told by a party member they did not have “human blood”, but no action had been taken against the individual concerned.
Mr Corbyn has been warned that more Labour MPs could quit amid fears the party may “disintegrate”.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has called for a “mammoth listening exercise” after the resignations.
He told Sky news: “We need a mammoth, massive listening exercise and (to) address some of those criticisms that have been made.”
Mr McDonnell played down suggestions that as many as 36 Labour MPs had been considering a split.
He said: “I don’t think there is that scale, but the key issue for us – and it was made clear at the Parliamentary Labour Party, Tom Watson said it and others – the Labour leadership, and I’m part of that, we need to keep listening, bring people in, talk to them.”
Former Labour home secretary David Blunkett said: “We are facing the potential disintegration of the Labour Party and the end of its existence as a serious political force.”
Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: “There are major implications, not just for Labour but for British democracy. That is why these departures matter to us all.”
Deputy leader Tom Watson said other MPs are considering leaving the party.
He said: “Even a single incident of antisemitism in the Labour Party shames us. Now we have lost Luciana, one of our most dedicated and courageous MPs.
“If someone like Luciana no longer believes there is a home for her in the Labour Party then many other colleagues will be asking themselves how they can stay.”
He added: “I confess I feared this day would come. And I fear now that unless we change, we may see more days like this.”
Party chairman Ian Lavery faced an angry backlash at the PLP meeting on Monday.
Labour sources said Mr Lavery stressed the leadership’s commitment to rooting out anti-Semitism at what was described as a “heated” behind-closed-doors gathering at Westminster.
But his claims were greeted with derision by some of those present with accusations that he failed to understand the “enormity” of the problem.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/labour-mps-quit-party-may-disintegrate-jeremy-corbyn-warned-075522657.html