Forum Topic

Rebecca Long-Bailey sacked

So the failed Corbynite leadership candidate decided to share a tweet that blamed the Israeli secret services for the treatment of George Floyd. Credit to Starmer for his prompt action in firing her. Let's hope she is the first of many so that we can again have a viable alternative government.

Richard Greenhough ● 2321d37 Comments

RLB retweeted a wide-ranging interview that Maxine Peake had given to the Independent, mainly criticising the present government. As an aside Peake suggested that US police force restraint training was based on that used by Israeli security forces. RLB's dismissal is more likely to be because she had reservations about the speed of school reopening and, even more likely, because Starmer didn't really want to appoint her to any post in the first place. I've not seen her doing any TV interviews, with it more likely to be that blast from the past, Rachel (welfare cuts) Reeves. Now the clear out is complete - and not in a good way.

Peter Evans ● 2321d

"Now the clear out is complete.."If you think that this one sacking completes the clear-out of anti-semitism, let alone Corbynism, in the Labour Party, then you are living in cloud-cuckoo land.

Richard Greenhough ● 2321d

There's an analysis of this issue here:https://zelo-street.blogspot.com/2020/06/maxine-peake-and-no-anti-semitism.html

Peter Evans ● 2321d

Don't think that the issue is whether or not Rebecca Long-Bailey is or isn't an anti-Semite is the issue here. It's about basic competence. She either read the article and the problem with it didn't register or she didn't read it but felt it was a good use of her time to share it anyway. Either way this would below the standard we should expect for people who want to be ministers of state. Just because the current incumbents don't live up to theses standards doesn't mean anyone presenting themselves as an alternative doesn't have to.

Paul Corcoran ● 2321d

You, Richard are talking out of your arse. You must make a living out of being an idiot?Maybe you'll be saying The Independent and Amnesty International are anti semitic next? Twat

Basil Finnis ● 2321d

They are coming out like flying ants.

Julian Pavey ● 2321d

"Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has sacked Rebecca Long-Bailey, saying she shared an article containing an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory."By your reckoning, Basil, that makes Starmer an idiot and a twat who talks out of his arse. And yet he is still an improvement on his predecessor....

Richard Greenhough ● 2321d

I wonder how long it will take Starmer to condemn the imminent annexation of 30% of the West Bank in violation of international law by the racist Zionist State of Israel.

John Connelly ● 2321d

If KS does condemn the imminent annexation of 30% of the West Bank he will be in good company. Some of the most respected members of the Jewish community have written to Israel’s ambassador in London, Mark Regev,  to condemn “alarming” plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. The signatories include former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind, historians Sir Simon Schama and Simon Sebag Montefiore, scientist Lord Robert Winston, former Labour MP Luciana Berger, Lord Daniel Finkelstein, a columnist at The Times newspaper, the author Howard Jacobson, and Sir Ben Helfgott, one of the UK’s best-known Holocaust survivors.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 2321d

John, you miss the issue here. The right wing political (libertarian etc) actively leverage their supporting press to establish new norms that suit them. We’ve seen that in abundance over Brexit. But here with anti Semantism they have found a gift that keeps giving. The story they weave goes like this:- anti-semantism is bad, that is a given, we simply do not need to say more (aside: that is correct)- Isreal has a really dodgy record of crapping on its neighbours- Isreal is JewishBeaut. Now if you suggest Palestine has been crapped on by its neighbour then, whoa, you are anti-Isreali. And if you are anti-Isreali then it follows...The right wing here love this. It is easy pickings for them. And a perfect distraction from their own ingrained racism and Muslim hatred. And the left are the gift that keeps giving. See today’s news.

Alan Clark ● 2321d

That would be the racist Zionist State of Israel where their Muslim and Christian Arab-speaking citizens have the vote and representation in parliament, would it ? I'll bet there are a few citizens of neighbouring Syria who would appreciate those rights.

Richard Greenhough ● 2321d

I think Keir Starmer can be trusted to forthrightly condemn any annexations of Palestinian land by the Netanyahu Government. My question for Cllr Sam Hearn is will HM Government? Or will they follow President Trump?From what I've read, Netanyahu is likely to announce the annexation of the Gush Etzion settlement.  For him annexation is the gift that keeps on giving him a Knesset majority and a possible 'Stay out of jail' card.  So why do it all at once?

David McLoughlin ● 2321d

Richard, when annexations take place, as they did with East Jerusalem, Palestinians do not become Israeli citizens and have no right to vote.

David McLoughlin ● 2321d

Starmer’s decisiveness with regard to Long-Bailey reveals a stark contrast with Johnson’s shameless backing of Cummings and Jenrick, forum Tories please note.

Alastair Banton ● 2321d

It never ceases to amaze me - the stupidity of some of our elected representatives.  Did nobody ever explain to Rebecca Long Bailey that if you retweet a message on Twitter, it gives tacit approval to the statement, and that it might be best to consider its accuracy or how it will appear to others.

Micki Hawkes ● 2321d

In that R L-B seems to have made some dubious claims on her CV, accuracy isn't her strong point.

Richard Greenhough ● 2321d

One sometimes gets the impression that politicians just don't get the hang of Twitter. They seem to use it obsessively, but, like small children, don't seem to understand its implications and possible consequences.

Colin Jordan ● 2321d

One sometimes gets the impression that some people go missing in posts. Maybe i should say "move on "

Julian Pavey ● 2321d

She is a woman Alastair, and while on that subject they have never had a woman leadership.

Janice Evans ● 2321d

Her gender is irrelevant.

Alastair Banton ● 2321d

Might be to you.

Janice Evans ● 2321d

Women's fairness in life matters.

Janice Evans ● 2321d

Absolutely right Starmer is showing deceive leadership whilst Johnson is showing neither leadership or even the slightest inclination to do the right thing with regard to Cummings or Jenrick - however as someone said sacking Cummings would have been like Sooty sacking Ronnie Corbett

John Stroud ● 2321d

Brilliant, I can see the funny side.

Janice Evans ● 2321d

Janice - technically speaking, Margaret Beckett became leader of the Labour Party following the death of John Smith. It would be correct to say that they have never elected a female leader. In the recent election there were four female candidates, at least two of whom would have been bold and interesting choices, and one southern middle-aged white male, and it was no surprise that the male won.

Richard Greenhough ● 2321d

Richard, it would have been a nice change, having said that happy to see Starmer in the seat.

Janice Evans ● 2321d

"Labour anti-Semitism row: Long-Bailey allies urge Starmer to reinstate her"So an interesting test of his leadership - will he stick to his guns ?

Richard Greenhough ● 2321d

Would like to see her return.

Janice Evans ● 2321d

'Women's fairness in life matters.'It certainly does - but it is not the issue here. And from my standpoint the women the Tories have had have never been that popular with other women. Thatcher at least was a polician to her fingertips but lacked any empathy with her gender. As for May - FFS!

Vanessa Smith ● 2321d

Vanessa, some of the men have not been popular at all but still hung on too long.

Janice Evans ● 2321d

"Long-Bailey allies urge Starmer to reinstate her" Is that Ash Sarkar and Owen Jones then. First on the scene and last to leave. I think its very much Zero chance of her return and its only going to get even more tougher for kier. The removed have not gone far and when its all back to normal i think difficult times are ahead for him. Has to make a stance,and yesterday was the first.

Julian Pavey ● 2321d

Showing some flexibility is not a bad thing.

Janice Evans ● 2321d

In normal life that would be true. However, as a new leader of the party Starmer wants and needs to be seen as firm and decisive. Those on the left of the party have failed to understand the issue. They are claiming that this was about a criticism of the Israeli state and not anti-semantic. What they fail to grasp is that the claim that the US police were trained in certain techniques by the Israel secret service is not a criticism of Israel, it is a promotion of an anti-anything linked to Jews conspiracy rubbish. The alt-right regularly promote this sort of stuff and anyone with awareness of this issue (and you'd think a senior member of the labour party would be quite up to speed with these issues) would recognise the claim for what it was. Long-Bailey made a very badly timed but in the scheme of things fairly small error - but a serious error of judgement nonetheless. No chance of her being re-instated.

Alan Clark ● 2320d

'some of the men have not been popular at all but still hung on too long.'Lwt's be straight about this a lot of them are pretty mediocre which is a thing that women are never allowed to be, even in this day and age there is still this insistence that a womwn has to be super amazing to make it. Would that the same standard was applied to the opposite gender, but let's face it they don't lack egos even if they do lack brains.

Vanessa Smith ● 2320d

I completely agree.  The hard left constantly tell us that criticism of Israel is not anti-Semitic but then rush to the defence of someone who gave explicit support to a completely made up conspiracy theory that Israeli security forces taught the knee on the neck until victim is dead "choke hold".  That is a classic example of an anti-Semitic canard, its intent is no difference to the other classic canards of "jews control the media", "jews control the global financial system" and of course Blood Libel.Rebecca should have known better but the hard left will accuse Israel of anything whether factually true or not.  Starmer was correct to fire her and she should not be at the top table of politics for a long time

Justin Stephenson ● 2320d

That '..the hard left will accuse Israel of anything..' is as much an unsupportable smear as the other examples given.

Peter Evans ● 2320d

Maybe - or not - but Justin isn't a member of the Shadow cabinet so can express his views without having to consider their consequences. 

Micki Hawkes ● 2320d