LISTEN TO THE LEFT STARMER, OR GO!
Masks off! Keir Starmer got elected as Labour leader under false pretenses. At the next Labour leadership election he will be sent into oblivion. Keir Starmer, like Tom Watson, got into his position by pretending to be on the left. It is now clear that he is not on the left. He has allied himself with some of the most reactionary forces in the Labour party.
In doing so he has insulted the membership. This is a fatal strategic mistake. This is the beginning of the end for Starmer. It’s happening now. There is a ground swell of anger from Constituency Labour Parties and the membership.
During the leadership campaign Starmer’s centre-left pitch appealed to many members who were emotionally battered and demoralised following the election defeat. The feeling was that while he was not a Corbyn continuity politician, Keir Starmer would at least adhere to most of the principles that the party had espoused over the previous five years. That faith has quickly been eroded.
What has tarnished this golden idol so quickly? Quite a few people felt that something was not quite right when, during his campaign, Starmer refused to disclose a full list of his backers. It was obvious he was being very well-funded.
…overshadowing all of these factors, the ultimate and seismic betrayal of the left, is the decision to ignore the report into antisemitism in the Labour Party drawn up by Jennie Formby to be presented as evidence to the IHRC investigation into the Labour Party.
Following his success in the ballot the reason for his coyness become apparent. With generous donations from figures behind the Labour right – and in some cases far further in that direction – people’s suspicions were fully vindicated. With backers such as Waheed Ali, Bob Latham, Martin Taylor, Clive Hollick and Trevor Chinn, the march to the right was well underway.
There was also concern at Starmer’s uncritical acceptance of the ten conditions, aka the Ten Commandments, laid out by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which can claim to speak for only around 30% of the UK’s Jews. Under these strictures, legitimate criticism of Israel, over Palestinian rights for instance, can be viewed as antisemitism. Other Jewish groups, such a the Jewish Voice for Labour, will not be deemed legitimate. Many left wing Jews feel betrayed and fear victimisation.
… presenting over 800 pages of evidence of sabotage by Labour Party workers (and their backers) of the Labour election campaigns of 2017 and 2019.
Additionally, the make-up of the shadow cabinet gives evidence of a shift to the right as does the shortlist for the new party General Secretary, but overshadowing all of these factors the ultimate and seismic betrayal of the left is the decision to ignore the report into antisemitism in the Labour Party drawn up by Jennie Formby: the report to be presented as evidence to the IHRC investigation into the Labour Party.
This is probably the most important political scandal in postwar Britain, presenting over 800 pages of evidence of sabotage by Labour Party workers (and their backers) of the Labour election campaigns of 2017 and 2019.
Starmer’s first first reaction was to ignore the report into antisemitism and his second, following its widespread leaking, was to whitewash it. The commission to look into its formulation, content and dissemination was hand-picked to do just that.
With every passing day the evidence that Labour’s direction of travel is towards status quo-friendly “safe” centrism. Little wonder increasing numbers of Labour voters feel sick to their stomachs and utterly betrayed.
Starmer has made a strategic mistake in sidelining the left and duping the Labour Party membership. It is unlikely Starmer will get to the next election. He will probably lose any future leadership battle because of his recent tactics, no matter how well he plays in the mainstream media.
Keir Starmer seems to feel no pressure from the left or obligation to the membership. The only pressure he demonstrably reacts to is pressure from the right: from the right wing papers, the BBC and Guardian, the captains of industry and the Blairites and Brownites in the PLP.
But listen now, Starmer. We won’t roll over. This is the beginning of the fight back.
If you want us to support you, this is our price. Otherwise, prepare to lose the next Labour Leadership election:
1. We want Rebecca Long-Bailey as our opposition Home Secretary.
2. We want John McDonnell reinstated as shadow Chancellor.
3. We want Jeremy Corbyn to be our opposition Foreign Secretary.
No token concession will do.
Despite the expulsions we will soon outnumber the Labour right again. Remember the school children chanting Jeremy Corbyn’s name? Remember that all those 15, 16, 17 and 18 year olds know that it is only with a Left Labour government that they will have a chance in hell of living a secure, good life, with dignity.
Tom Watson is off with the fairies, now giving health advice. As a result of Starmer’s anti-Corbyn appointments and actions, if he isn’t careful, Starmer may soon be following in Watson’s footsteps.
By Paul Halas and Philip Hall
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