While finding Corbyn's excuses for how he keeps ending up talking to and associating with awful people increasingly lame, am I alone in thinking Labour's press office is busy trawling through historical photos to find examples of Tory MPs standing next to bad people right now?
The Tories seldom claim the moral high ground so it doesn't apply to the same extent, indeed several Tory MPs wear the 'bad ass' motif as a badge of honour. The MP for Shipley, for NW Leicestershire and even our old friend and the soon to be next MP for Peterborough spew bile and the voters love it!
A Labour spokesperson says Jeremy Corbyn is "determined" to tackle anti-Semitism in the party and says Dame Margaret Hodge's comparison of the party's disciplinary proceedings to Nazi Germany is "extreme and disconnected from reality"
Turns out comparing x to the Nazis is extreme, noted Jeremy, noted.
Well, Lady Chakrabarti did tell Labour in her report that they should 'resist the use' of Nazi metaphors in debates. About 'Israel-Palestine 'in particular', but in fairness it's not bad advice generally (well ok, it's not great advice since it only asks them to resist the use, but it is better than nothing), for once, even if the swiftness to resort to it on specific topics is...suspicious.
My wife listened to the interview and fully understood the fear that Dame Margaret Hodge elluded to in respect of her Father always having a suitcase packed and ready. We are the war time generation and it is very real in our memories of that period in history.
Sky's lead with Dame Margaret Hodge , followed by Corbyn's declaration against the print media, McCluskey's attack on the party including Chuka Umunna and Tom Watson, and Jewish leaders renewing their attacks on Corbyn tonight all as covered in the Sky report portray a party at war and must be a precursor to a split
Surely September is the moment? Surely, the moderates can't look themselves in the mirror and stand 3 or 4 more years of this ultra hard left crap.
I see three scenarios - One, the 'moderates' truly cannot take anymore, even with their tribal loyalty to Labour, and finally take the leap. Two, they are just expressing frustrations, and will continue to cause trouble when Corbyn has negative stories, but that's it, it is how they justify staying in place despite despairing of him. Three, Corbyn gets sick of his baggage causing difficulties, and anoints a successor who can carry the project forward.
September seems too soon for two of those scenarios, never mind how likely any of them are.
Corbyn is 69 years old and there is no general election due for another four years. (Trump is 72 btw.) I doubt he'd have aimed to be running the party then anyway, even without this.
Sky's lead with Dame Margaret Hodge , followed by Corbyn's declaration against the print media, McCluskey's attack on the party including Chuka Umunna and Tom Watson, and Jewish leaders renewing their attacks on Corbyn tonight all as covered in the Sky report portray a party at war and must be a precursor to a split
Surely September is the moment? Surely, the moderates can't look themselves in the mirror and stand 3 or 4 more years of this ultra hard left crap.
I see three scenarios - One, the 'moderates' truly cannot take anymore, even with their tribal loyalty to Labour, and finally take the leap. Two, they are just expressing frustrations, and will continue to cause trouble when Corbyn has negative stories, but that's it, it is how they justify staying in place despite despairing of him. Three, Corbyn gets sick of his baggage causing difficulties, and anoints a successor who can carry the project forward.
September seems too soon for two of those scenarios, never mind how likely any of them are.
Corbyn is 69 years old and there is no general election due for another four years. (Trump is 72 btw.) I doubt he'd have aimed to be running the party then anyway, even without this.
Therefore, those who dislike Corbyn can bide their time, as he is unlikely to lead Labour into GE2022.
Also Corbyn is an absolute disaster for labour and the Country. Neil Kinnock ridding labour of militant tendency is one of those political moments etched into my memory. Where is today's Neil Kinnock
Did you ever vote for Kinnock?
No of course not but it was an epic moment
A classic exchange showing why taking even genuinely-meant advice (I know Big G doesn't do wind-ups) from another party is not always helpful. I think Ken Clarke would (still!) be a much better Tory leader, but I wouldn't actually, er, vote Tory if he were.
Nick - it was one of those moments that provided genuine relief that labour would not be taken over by militant and that led to the Blair years which apart from Iraq were in the main successful. Even I voted Blair twice
WHAAAAAAAT?
BIG G????
I hope that it demonstrates I do have an open mind on politics but not when it comes to Corbyn
You are a credit to whichever party you support, Big G.
I voted for Maggie back in the day
Too much Macallan since then has evidently taken its toll.
I thought Malc preferred Lanliq.
Dear Dear , I am a quality man, no rubbish for me. PS: I will not take that as an insult William , just you not being very savvy.
A Labour spokesperson says Jeremy Corbyn is "determined" to tackle anti-Semitism in the party and says Dame Margaret Hodge's comparison of the party's disciplinary proceedings to Nazi Germany is "extreme and disconnected from reality"
Turns out comparing x to the Nazis is extreme, noted Jeremy, noted.
Well, Lady Chakrabarti did tell Labour in her report that they should 'resist the use' of Nazi metaphors in debates. About 'Israel-Palestine 'in particular', but in fairness it's not bad advice generally (well ok, it's not great advice since it only asks them to resist the use, but it is better than nothing), for once, even if the swiftness to resort to it on specific topics is...suspicious.
My wife listened to the interview and fully understood the fear that Dame Margaret Hodge elluded to in respect of her Father always having a suitcase packed and ready. We are the war time generation and it is very real in our memories of that period in history.
It's a nice example of how the nuance of speech is utterly lost on Twitter. In the context of a five or ten minute interview outlining why the political is personal with this. Not just in Germany but in various countries over the past two centuries Jews who believed they had found a home within rational, civilised societies and quickly found that it has vanished and they've had to vanish too or lose their lives or possessions. The most extreme example is obviously Nazi Germany, but of course it also happened in Tsarist and Soviet Russia, the Middle East, France. And of course in Nazi Germany it was letters telling you to leave your job long before trains to Auscwitz. It's a fair point about why spurious disciplinary hearings over her complaints make her think 'hang on a sec'. If you've read your Hannah Arendt you'll know what she's getting at. It won't start with persecution but saying You're unwelcome and blame.
Of course on Twitter it comes out as 'Hodge says Labour are like Nazis'
Blimey, just got in. Looks like senior corbynista are seriously sh***ing themselves tonight that the break is about to happen.
Well, chaps, you have dug your own nasty little hole.
Any betting opportunities?
I have Chukka as next PM at 160. But that was from 3 months ago, when a mate came up with a complex scenario (after a few beers) as to how we would end up with a National Government led by Chukka.
As he had put a couple of quid on, I didn't want to be left out.
No, anything to the political left of Ken Clark is now dead and buried. Any split on the left under FPTP means Boris is PM, Sine Die. Well done Jezza!
So, if the Jezzuits are so worried that a split will destroy their dreams, why don't they occasionally trim and compromise? Or even treat moderate MPs with a modicum of decency, rather than 'fuck off and joining the tories'?
Answer: because the Left can't. They exist in a world of total endless war and betrayal.
Indeed! Idiots of Corbyn's ilk would just love perpetual opposition. That gives them the luxury of carping on about Israel, Loyalists, Capitalists, Tories and Blairites, which is what they live for. Who would they have to complain about if they were put in the driving seat, surely not themselves?
That's what I worry about. Who would they blame when they are actually at the cabinet table?
BBC, journalists, liberals, jews, moderate union members, the bloke who delivers the milk. The list is endless.
I know I am seen as optimistic in this, but I find it hard to believe the same level of cultish behaviour will be possible once a Corbyn government starts to disappoint, as all governments do, on its promises. Some will of course remain just as passionate and attack any critics, but I cannot see the same number doing so, going the full Venezuela.
Just imagine people earning over £40k having to pay a new NHS tax. A new social mobility tax being charged on businesses to support poorer communities. New entry criteria for the public service sector jobs. Judges having to have social backgrounds that more fitted the communities ravaged by crime. An abolished House of Lords with an appointed second chamber. Momentum being organised to help local policing. The armed forces having to swear a new oath of allegiance to Parliament, and being purged of those who refuse. Very popular with non-taxpayers who are almost a majority of voters.
Comments
Jeremy Hunt was very measured and sensible when interviewed by Peston tonight
£350m for the NHSProbably not as bad as the Black Death
We have stockpiled SPAM and Aspirin
Relax, Chris Grayling is on it...
PS: I will not take that as an insult William , just you not being very savvy.
Of course on Twitter it comes out as 'Hodge says Labour are like Nazis'
LEAVE or REMAIN in Europe .... Burnley FC .... the nation awaits ..
We could go full Venezuela remarkably quickly.
I'll be editing PB for most of September whilst Mike is on holiday.