Labour Party Splits

March 2024 Forums General discussion Labour Party Splits

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 38 total)
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  • #183600
    alanjjohnstone
    Keymaster
    #183602
    PartisanZ
    Participant

    In a founding statement on its website, the group sets out its approach to the economy, public services and security, as well as Brexit, saying its aim was to “pursue policies that are evidence-based, rather than led by ideology”.

    Hilarious.

    #183604
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    “Hilarious”

    Yes, what a coterie of pathetic know-nothings.

    #183617
    alanjjohnstone
    Keymaster

    Why don’t they stand in by-elections if they are such democrats…

    #183619
    ALB
    Keymaster

    One of their pretexts for leaving Labour was anti-Semitism, but within a couple of days it was revealed that over 14% of the new group’s membership is colour-prejudiced:

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/independent-group-mp-angela-smith-sparks-racism-row-after-referring-to-people-from-the-bame-a4069856.html

    So the moral high-ground against prejudice has crumbled beneath them. They can’t have much of a future after the next general election in 2022 when they will all be booted out — though they can draw their MP’s salary and other perks in the three years till then. After that, into retirement or a job in the City.

    Who wants another capitalist political party anyway?

    p.s. this is not a split. It’s a splinter.

    #183620
    Hic rodus
    Participant

    LBC were asking people in the streets of Glasgow if they knew who these people were. One of the people interviewed thought Angela Smith was a comedy actress, close but maybe tragedian is closer. I’m no expert but I keep thinking of Plato’s philosopher kings. Just like more capitalism is supposed to save us, now it seems politicians who only follow facts will save us.

    #183621
    alanjjohnstone
    Keymaster

    More bad news for Labour.

    Derek Hatton rejoins

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-47286766

    #183632
    alanjjohnstone
    Keymaster

    Perhaps our election committee can comment

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/19/independent-group-criticised-for-not-registering-as-political-party

    The Independent Group resembles a political party and is soliciting money from members of the public, it currently only exists as a limited company called Gemini A Ltd. It was incorporated last month by Gavin Shuker MP, who is its sole director.

    It is unclear whether the commission, which regulates the use of political party names, would allow the name “the Independent Group” to be registered because of potential confusion on the ballot paper with candidates standing as genuine independents. As a result the group could ultimately adopt a different name to stand in election.

    The group has said it intends to voluntarily disclose donations in line with the law governing political parties, only accepting money from UK donors and naming individuals who give more than £7,500.

    Were it to register with the commission, the Independent Group would eventually be entitled to public “Short money” funding for opposition parties, but not until it had fought in a general election.

    The Independent Group’s domain is actually registered with a company based in Phoenix, Arizona, and its website was designed by Seraph, a web design business based in Shuker’s Luton South constituency.

    #183645
    Hic rodus
    Participant
    #183646
    ALB
    Keymaster

    Now you’ve mentioned him, I thought I’d look up more on this Shuker character. It turns out he’s a raving Christian fundamentalist. From the Wikipedia entry on him:

    Shuker became leader and pastor of the City Life Church in Luton until he stood for parliament (…) Shuker was opposed to the introduction of same-sex marriage. In 2012 he threatened to resign if Ed Miliband whipped Labour to support equal marriage. (…) In March 2012, Shuker was one of three MPs who signed a letter sent to the Advertising Standards Authority asking it to reverse its decision to stop the Christian group “Healing on the Streets of Bath” from making explicit claims that prayer can heal. The letter called for the ASA to provide indisputable scientific evidence that healing did not work.

    Pity Ivan isn’t still doing his “Greasy Pole” column in the Socialist Standard. He could have a field day with this lot.

    #183650
    alanjjohnstone
    Keymaster

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47312006

    Derek Hatton suspended for 2012 tweet that

    “Jewish people with any sense of humanity need to start speaking out publicly against the ruthless murdering being carried out by Israel!”

    This would be presumably in breach of the IHRA guideline

    “Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.”

    #183652
    alanjjohnstone
    Keymaster
    #183659
    ALB
    Keymaster

    Those Tory women are a bit more impressive than the original band of Labour malcontents and misfits but still capitalist politicians of course.

    As for Hatton, there’s nothing particularly antisemitic about what he said in 2012. Everybody was saying it at the time as Israel was then bombing the hell out of the poor sods in Gaza. Some idiots had lobbed some rockets into Israel and the Israeli army was applying its usual policy of a hundred eyes for one eye.

    #183681
    ALB
    Keymaster

    I see the issue of “deselection” and a proposal that MPs who change parties should have to resign has come and is being criticised, but what’s wrong with this, at least with deselection? Under the names of “recall” and “revocation” isn’t this an essential part of the sort of democracy we advocate? In other words, if someone elected doesn’t carry out the mandate that their electors voted for, then the electors have the right to replace them with someone who will.

    #183684
    alanjjohnstone
    Keymaster

    I recall a pamphlet by someone (Mick Parkin?) who had studied the radical CNT unions of Spain and although that all had the recall provision in their constitutions he found no evidence that it had actually been evoked.

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