Op-ed: According to an ICM poll Monday their latest poll figures suggest the Labour party is not as far ahead as it should be at this stage of the political game. ICM quote: ICM Phone: CON 38%, LAB 33%, LDEM 7%, UKIP 13%, GRN 3% ICM Online: CON 36%, LAB 31%, LDEM 7%, UKIP 16%, GRN 4% The problem with polls is they are not reliable but they are usually used to suit. Ahead of the GE 2015 pundits were predicting a hung parliament and then miraculously as the actual polls closed switched to show a majority Tory vote which proved to be correct. That means the latest ICM polls can and will be viewed to suit but may be flawed. One writer at the Labour List, Luke Akehurst, a man standing for election to the NEC, Labour's governing body, was quick to respond to the polls tweeting: "Corbyn should put party above faction & resign. He has wrong politics to win an election, & lacks skills & experience to lead effectively." Why would a man who feels this way want to work as part of Labour's NEC? But Mr Akehurst has been saying similar for some time; he has openly showed a lack of respect for the party leader and more. I imagine that may appeal to those actively working to oust Jeremy Corbyn as party leader but will anger many more supporters and voters. Currently the Tory party is not just split it is disintegrating mainly over the EU referendum. Now could be the perfect time for Labour to unify and organise but many will think it will be a case of fighting a losing battle as self-servers within the party continue on their merry way. Tuesday Akehurst posted "Time for a reality check: Labour is plunging to historic lows" at the Labour List a website that often bears little resemblance to the Labour party and its supporters; it often reads more like an opposition publication. One can almost read the glee Mr Akehurst feels in posting yet another damning report undermining Corbyn's leadership. Akehurst may choose to believe that "ICM are often described as the gold standard of opinion pollsters in terms of accuracy" but we do not. He adds "And ComRes also showed us 5% behind this week" for good measure. Jeremy Corbyn has been party leader since September 12, 2015, and has faced a barrage of criticism from day one; criticism from within the party but mainly employees such as politicians not supporters and voters. He was elected with a huge mandate but some people will not be happy until he is ousted and the party split. You could understand that if attacks were coming from the Tory party but they are not. In January 2016 the Telegraph ran a live blog titled "Labour revolt: Shadow minister quits on live TV in fury over Jeremy Corbyn's revenge reshuffle - live." It is telling that report included tweets from Akehurst and some of his little gang. Jamie Reed @jreedmp tweeted "So people who campaigned, worked & sacrificed so much to establish the UK's most redistributive gvt ever are now 'hard right'. Inexplicable." And accepting the prompt John Woodcock MP tweeted ""Hard right" in British politics means the BNP. Shadow chancellor on media about his own MPs - destructive madness." Yet it appears fine for those three men to call Mr Corbyn's supporters hard left which following that logic must mean we are all raving communists? As a handful of disgruntled Labour activists and politicians jockey for position we the ordinary voters and party supporters are watching. That is not any sort of threat but a reminder that YOU are not the party. We are all the Labour party and without supporters the Tories will be in office for decades. Perhaps those planning a coup or coups think they can act this year and give themselves time to recover before the 2020 scheduled election but they are wrong. A coup could be that straw that breaks the camel's back for many Labour supporters. Those touted to replace Mr Corbyn may appeal to floating voters but will offer little to socialists or left-wing politics supporters. We do not need another centre right of politics party; we need a left wing political party in government and with help from those riding the gravy train that could become reality. Having tweeted for Corbyn to resign Akehurst back pedals slightly in his report Tuesday saying: Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell have two and a half weeks to turn round our performance and win the May elections. How do you feel Comrades when you read that?
Oh the arrogance. I doubt Akehurst et al will be delighted if Labour does well in the May elections but it will shut the coup gang up at least temporarily. Most times we blame the right wing MSM for undermining Corbyn and causing party splits but who do we blame when it is these people and includes one man expected to be elected to the NEC? What future for the NEC and more importantly what future for Labour? Related: Open Letter to BDS, the Labour Party, NEC hopefuls Left Futures- Young Labour in Left landslide but chaos, manipulation & smears mar NEC election
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Op-Ed: The right-wing media are loving Labour party tussles that have surfaced since Jeremy Corbyn was elected party leader on September 12, 2015. But all too often it seems there are some within the party, and not just the rank and file, that are lapping it up if not actively encouraging it. This has led to open letters in Tory supporting publications, as well as others that lean to the left, attacking Mr Corbyn and aiming to undermine him at every opportunity. An internal struggle to get control of the NEC, Labour's National Executive Committee, a body that decides the direction and policies of the party is underway. And the state of Israel could be playing a part, one way or another. Not much of the above sits well with this long time Labour voter. She like so many ordinary working class voters feels uncomfortable simply when she hears career politicians speaking about reconnecting with the working class as if this section of society is alien to them. There was a time when working class people occupied the senior roles of the Labour party and indeed that party's seats in the House of Commons. The Tory party front benches became a millionaire's row some years ago and at one time it was a similar picture at the other side of the house. But before you think this piece is all about the politics of envy hold that thought. Most working class people admire those who manage to run a successful political career and along the way help the rest of us. The politics of greed is a Tory concept or at least it used to be. But what about those seeking power in the Labour party that have their own agendas? This week the Manchester and Leeds Jewish Telegraph reports "GOVERNMENT Minister Jo Johnson has demanded an investigation into antisemitism at Oxford. His call came after the university's Labour Club was accused of having "some kind of problem with Jews"." "Joseph Edmund Johnson is a Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament for Orpington since the general election in May 2010" and he is the brother of one-time London mayor and the man tipped as a possible future PM of the UK Boris Johnson. The Telegraph continues by saying Oxford’s "co-chairman Alex Chalmers made national headlines this week after he quit the group, accusing it of antisemitism. The 20-year-old history student, who is not Jewish, said he decided to resign after the club endorsed Israel Apartheid Week. Universities Minister Johnson said he was concerned over "reports of intimidation of Jewish students on campuses, which risked curtailing free speech"." While Israel Apartheid Week would need carefully managing as there will be students of the Jewish faith attending the university it seems a fairly good subject for a student protest and as if in some vague way to protect the free speech of some it is being curbed for others. Sadly some have taken anti-Semitism to a whole new level recently but that includes Zionist supporters. Having written and followed reports during the last Israeli occupation of Gaza which resulted in major infrastructure damage to the country and a huge loss of life it is difficult to empathise with the Israeli problem as it stands today. When you build a huge wall, include the side that faces the sea and prevent fisherman making a living, land grab and extend your borders, tell people of your faith across the world "come on come all" and simply expect other residents to vamoose you are on a hiding to nothing. Friends of Israel have many groups across the world and especially in the UK. They receive cross party support already. But it is galling how some are trying to use the Israel Palestine two-state issue to undermine Mr Corbyn. The timing of the Oxford investigation announcement which ties in with a proposed British government ban on any UK based Israeli trade boycott stinks. The government has even tried to say that a ban would protect UK national security. It will of course protect the incomes of those who have a vested interest in such trade and help keep the state of Israel ticking over nicely thank-you while the people of Palestine and Gaza starve. The ban will be for public procurement but once in place it could of course be extended. The IBT Times reports "On 17 February the government published new guidelines that aimed to "stop inappropriate procurement boycotts by public authorities". The guidelines have been published under an "open consultation", which means that British citizens are able to respond to the proposal by emailing their suggestions to the Department for Communities and Local Government." Thousands have reportedly written in to complain about the ban; will all critics be branded anti-semetic? One man who is angling to be re-elected to the NEC and is gathering support is Luke Akehurst. A piece about him in the Jewish Telegraph begins with this "BEING appointed director of BICOM's We Believe in Israel department was a dream job for Luke Akehurst. Luke, who has just stood down after 12 years as a Labour councillor in Hackney, spent 11 years as a lobbyist for a PR company and worked with Weber Shandwick, largely for the defence industry, as well as for property companies and local authorities. "As a PR consultant, you don't get a lot of choice about your clients," he said. "It was almost my dream job to run a pro-Israel campaigning organisation." And therein lies the rub. A man who wants to be part of the body that determines Labour party policy with links to the defence industry and whose dream job was working at the Believe in Israel department. Support for Israel has declined in the UK but that is not down to any type of religious hate but rather people despairing of what they often see these days as a rogue state. Young students have always protested-take David Cameron when he was at Oxford and voicing support for hanging Nelson Mandela. The British electorate needs a Labour party working as one and for issues at home but one that does not support apartheid in the world in my opinion. From the Jewish Telegraph Why non-Jewish Luke's family has always given support to Israel Minister seeks Oxford probe on antisemitism From the Independent Palestinians attack Tony Blair for helping Israel strike 'secret peace deal' with Hamas |
British political scene
The next General Election in the UK may not be scheduled any time soon but the British political landscape is changing. With that in mind this blog will concentrate on the political scene but with a left wing perspective. Opinion pieces and news will bring you the stories that the MSM prefer to ignore. Archives
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