Michael Gove

June 2024 Forums General discussion Michael Gove

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  • #252155
    Bijou Drains
    Participant

    I am note sure if any other comrades saw Michael Gove (horrible little tosspot) and his speech on anti-Semitism. His speech is available on line:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/secretary-of-states-speech-on-anti-semitism

    He stated, and I quote:

    “So far right figures – like Nick Griffin, formerly of the BNP, Mark Collett of an organisation called Patriotic Alternative, Jayda Fransen of Britain First, and Jim Dowson, a transatlantic hate preacher – have been invited to share space with Islamist advocates and broadcast from Islamist platforms, where the common focus of concern is Jewish influence, the Jewish state, the Jewish threat.

    And on the extreme Left, academics such as Professor David Miller and groups such as the Socialist Workers’ Party, the Socialist Party and the Revolutionary Communist Party jostle to share platforms with Islamist groupings, deploy aggressive language about “Zionists”, support calls for intifada and praising te (sic) the resistance – a synonym for Hamas – in terms that Jewish students say cause them physical fear.”

    You will note he refers to the Socialist Party, not Socialist Party of England and Wales.

    I think we need to challenge this and make the press and Gove differentiate between the Trotskyist band wagon jumpers who have made it their business to make common cause with extreme islamists, and our principled position of opposing the poison of nationalism. Gove has demonstrated that he hasn’t done his homework and as a result of this he is defaming our party.

    This is a party that a long history of democratic and reasoned opposition to the forces of anti-Semitism, Gove goes on to say:

    “That is why none of us can afford to be indifferent to the increasing prevalence of anti-Semitism in our society. There is a reason television series about the 1930s are called “A Lesson from History”.

    He might also add that in the 1930s the SPGB were opposing the Mosleyites through reasoned debate and the power of democracy, whilst the Tory Party (including their hero Churchill) were cosying up to Franco, Mussolini and Hitler!

    • This topic was modified 3 weeks, 3 days ago by Bijou Drains.
    #252157
    ALB
    Keymaster

    Yes, we shouldn’t let this pass unchallenged.

    Actually, Gove is being unfair to SPEW. They don’t agree with the SWP and RCP position of “smashing Israel”. I have been at various Gaza events and can confirm their lit sellers do not join in the chants of “from the river to the sea”. They are for a “two-state” solution, with a Labour government in Israel and a Labour government in Palestine co-operating.

    Just seen that they have already replied to him pointing this out:

    https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/124901/21-05-2024/socialist-party-answers-goves-antisemitic-slur-and-demands-debate/

    As you say, Gove has not done his homework.

    #252167
    ALB
    Keymaster

    Mind you, it’s their own fault as, to curry favour with the demonstrators, they had a leaflet calling for a “socialist intifada”.

    https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/32551/26-05-2021/palestinians-need-a-new-socialist-intifada/

    They just meant a mass uprising. That will teach them to be opportunist (but it won’t)

    #252172

    The following letter has been sent to Gove today.

    Mr Gove,

    We notice that, in a speech to Parliament on 21 May, you referred to the Socialist Party as jostling to share a platform with islamists in support of the state-building activities of Hamas.

    This is not true. We have been a political party using this name since 1904 and never in our history have we shared a platform with islamists nor have we ever supported an attempt to create new states. In fact we are opposed to all religion and any existing or nascent nation state as they are nothing other than tools of oppression in the service of the capitalist class, whose expropriation by the working class is our sole aim.

    We would therefore request that you note this for future reference and take steps to correct the public record that is Hansard to remove your damaging misinformation.

    For Socialism

    Stephen Finch
    Assistant Secretary

    #252176
    imposs1904
    Participant
    #252177
    imposs1904
    Participant
    #252179
    chelmsford
    Participant

    Steady Finchy, steady!

    #252229

    Seems our stern letter did the trick: he’s gone. That’ll learn them: you don’t mess with the Socialist Party….

    #252241
    chelmsford
    Participant

    You’re not wrong there Smeety. Reading that excoriating missive Gove obviously saw that his entire political career had been utterly meaninglass, and did the honourable thing ( for the first time in his miserable existence).
    What about a letter campaign to every member of the capitalist class showing them they are being naughty hogging the means of production and distribution all to themselves and they should let the rest of us have a go.

    #252246
    ste finch
    Participant

    Just had a quick look at the RCP response. Self-deluding Trots, as usual: “No wonder that support for revolution and communism are on the rise, as millions can see every day the horrors that the capitalist system creates, both in Gaza and elsewhere.”
    If only this were true

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