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This Labour leadership election is getting very dirty

Labour MP John Mann says leadership contender Mr Corbyn "did nothing" about allegations of child abuse in Islington in 1980s

Jeremy Corbyn, the hard-left Labour MP who is tipped to lead the party, has been accused of "doing nothing" over allegations of child abuse in his constituency during the 1980s.

Islington council has paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation to victims following widespread sexual abuse in the London borough in the 1970s and 1980s. It is thought dozens of vulnerable children were abused by a number of paedophiles.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11758612/Jeremy-Corbyn-accused-of-inaction-over-paedophile-scandal.html

FPT: Mr. Eagles, indeed.

I wonder what impact such a serious claim will have. Might make Corbyn's supporters dig their heels in, if they feel it's a false claim made solely to deprive him of the leadership.

Slackbladder said:

Ouch.. thats dirty fighting.. someone is worried.

Why is it dirty? It's a legitimate question to ask: was he told and, if so, what did he do? After all, Labour (Tom Watson, likely Labour Deputy Leader) has not been shy about accusing Tories of turning a blind eye to alleged child abuse by senior Tories. We have seen the results of inaction by those in a position to do something in Rotherham, Rochdale and elsewhere.

Turning a blind eye to criminality doesn't just occur in banks you know. And if people want to present themselves as on the side of the vulnerable then we're entitled to ask questions about what that has meant in practice.

Interesting. We now have three NOTA parties all polling similar shares around 8-10%.

Will a Corbyn led Labour party join them?

TheScreamingEagles said:

This Labour leadership election is getting very dirty

Labour MP John Mann says leadership contender Mr Corbyn "did nothing" about allegations of child abuse in Islington in 1980s

Jeremy Corbyn, the hard-left Labour MP who is tipped to lead the party, has been accused of "doing nothing" over allegations of child abuse in his constituency during the 1980s.

Islington council has paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation to victims following widespread sexual abuse in the London borough in the 1970s and 1980s. It is thought dozens of vulnerable children were abused by a number of paedophiles.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11758612/Jeremy-Corbyn-accused-of-inaction-over-paedophile-scandal.html

John Mann will have to be careful with this - as it goes wider within the London Labour movement. Margaret Hodge was running Islington at that time IIRC - and other party names were certainly around.

TheScreamingEagles said:

Just had a look at John Mann's Twitter feed.

I'm speechless and that seldom happens.

I've had a look. What are you seeing that I'm not?

"Labour MP John Mann says leadership contender Mr Corbyn "did nothing" about allegations of child abuse in Islington in 1980s"


Impeccable timing - Is John Mann a Blairite perchance?

TheScreamingEagles said:

This Labour leadership election is getting very dirty

Labour MP John Mann says leadership contender Mr Corbyn "did nothing" about allegations of child abuse in Islington in 1980s

Jeremy Corbyn, the hard-left Labour MP who is tipped to lead the party, has been accused of "doing nothing" over allegations of child abuse in his constituency during the 1980s.

Islington council has paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation to victims following widespread sexual abuse in the London borough in the 1970s and 1980s. It is thought dozens of vulnerable children were abused by a number of paedophiles.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11758612/Jeremy-Corbyn-accused-of-inaction-over-paedophile-scandal.html

Smear-tastic.....John Mann is the worst kind of MP.

John Mann to Jeremy Corbyn:

"You inadvertently helped the rubbishing and the cover up of all of the Dickens allegations. Indeed your actions encouraged others, because a week later the Islington Gazette published a letter attacking Geoffrey Dickens over his allegations from Roger Moody, a prominent pro paedophilia activist."

http://www.mann4bassetlaw.com/an_open_letter_to_jeremy_corbyn_on_child_abuse

Plato said:

http://www.mann4bassetlaw.com/an_open_letter_to_jeremy_corbyn_on_child_abuse

Gloves off.

Does Mann ever focus on representing his constituents? Or does he just spend his time promoting himself?

The letter is a classic smear tactic. Cheap work

Could this election get any better?

Mr. Paris, Andy Burnham could be revealed to secretly be Andy Miliband.

TheWhiteRabbit said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

This Labour leadership election is getting very dirty

Labour MP John Mann says leadership contender Mr Corbyn "did nothing" about allegations of child abuse in Islington in 1980s

Jeremy Corbyn, the hard-left Labour MP who is tipped to lead the party, has been accused of "doing nothing" over allegations of child abuse in his constituency during the 1980s.

Islington council has paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation to victims following widespread sexual abuse in the London borough in the 1970s and 1980s. It is thought dozens of vulnerable children were abused by a number of paedophiles.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11758612/Jeremy-Corbyn-accused-of-inaction-over-paedophile-scandal.html

Smear-tastic.....John Mann is the worst kind of MP.

I wonder what he makes of Labour council leader Margaret Hodge, and sometime councillor during the seventies Jack Straw...

Can add Keith Vaz, Harman, Dromey etc to that list as well. The scandals are ticking time bombs and no party will will be able to claim the moral high ground.

oxfordsimon said:

Plato said:

http://www.mann4bassetlaw.com/an_open_letter_to_jeremy_corbyn_on_child_abuse

Gloves off.

Does Mann ever focus on representing his constituents? Or does he just spend his time promoting himself?

The letter is a classic smear tactic. Cheap work

I will never forget him having some of the top brass from the banks infront of a select committee, and he used his questions to grill the top bod about issues with his current account. I mean

1) Do you think the top man knows the ins and outs of your current account

2) Do you think the public care

3) What about what the public do care about.

Disraeli said:

franklyn said:

May I draw readers' attention to the government petition website https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104334
This petition has reached over 176.000 signatures in 48 hours, and passed the 100,000 threshold in 24 hours.
This isn't about politics; this is about Jeremy Hunt having no concept of the degree to which the NHS is, and has always been, dependent on the good will of the workforce.
Please sign and let others know about it

I am signee 176,924

I wonder how many of those signatures actually read the full speech he made that set this whole outcry off. Because I have, and he didn't say what most people think he said...and I don't care that much for Hunt.

Casino_Royale said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Casino_Royale said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Just had a look at John Mann's Twitter feed.

I'm speechless and that seldom happens.

I've had a look. What are you seeing that I'm not?

Some of the replies to his tweets.

Had a look at those and couldn't see anything special, but I'm not a Twitter user.

Link?

@roadcustard: @JohnMannMP a red tory trying desperately to concoct a smear campaign need to join the tories. Tabloid politics from mann the red tory

There's some others that Mike won't appreciate being repeated on PB

franklyn said:

May I draw readers' attention to the government petition website https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104334
This petition has reached over 176.000 signatures in 48 hours, and passed the 100,000 threshold in 24 hours.
This isn't about politics; this is about Jeremy Hunt having no concept of the degree to which the NHS is, and has always been, dependent on the good will of the workforce.
Please sign and let others know about it

It is entirely about politics and about sad idiots who can't accept the fact that the Tories won a majority and so can pursue their agenda as they see fit so long as they can command a majority in the Hoc.

It doesn't matter how many people sign the petition. They will not overturn a democratically elected Government (who just for the record I did not vote for and do not support).

TGOHF said:

The NHS is about patients not the workforce.

lts about politics. The policy is about making the NHS more efficient. Health costs and demands are rising astronomically.

Has Corbyn issued a writ yet?

Richard_Tyndall said:

franklyn said:

May I draw readers' attention to the government petition website https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104334
This petition has reached over 176.000 signatures in 48 hours, and passed the 100,000 threshold in 24 hours.
This isn't about politics; this is about Jeremy Hunt having no concept of the degree to which the NHS is, and has always been, dependent on the good will of the workforce.
Please sign and let others know about it

It is entirely about politics and about sad idiots who can't accept the fact that the Tories won a majority and so can pursue their agenda as they see fit so long as they can command a majority in the Hoc.

It doesn't matter how many people sign the petition. They will not overturn a democratically elected Government (who just for the record I did not vote for and do not support).

I am a Conservative voter, and a party member, but, and I say this as someone who started work in the NHS as a lab assistant in 1969, was a medical student 1969-75 and then a doctor 1975-present, that Hunt has taken on a unique position in antagonizing the workforce; he has shown himself as the worst Health Minister (and I have been through quite a number) in the last 46 years. I fully support reform. I support the Conservative party, but I cannot support the ignorant and aggressive style of this man.

dr_spyn said:

Has Corbyn issued a writ yet?

I think he can shrug Mann off by equally pointing that if he is responsible for that sex scandal simply because he is the local MP, then John Mann is equally responsible for the sex scandals in Bassetlaw, like this one:

http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/dogging-scandal-at-clumber-1-638210

No writs needed, just humour at the face of absurdity.

franklyn said:

Richard_Tyndall said:

franklyn said:

May I draw readers' attention to the government petition website https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104334
This petition has reached over 176.000 signatures in 48 hours, and passed the 100,000 threshold in 24 hours.
This isn't about politics; this is about Jeremy Hunt having no concept of the degree to which the NHS is, and has always been, dependent on the good will of the workforce.
Please sign and let others know about it

It is entirely about politics and about sad idiots who can't accept the fact that the Tories won a majority and so can pursue their agenda as they see fit so long as they can command a majority in the Hoc.

It doesn't matter how many people sign the petition. They will not overturn a democratically elected Government (who just for the record I did not vote for and do not support).

I am a Conservative voter, and a party member, but, and I say this as someone who started work in the NHS as a lab assistant in 1969, was a medical student 1969-75 and then a doctor 1975-present, that Hunt has taken on a unique position in antagonizing the workforce; he has shown himself as the worst Health Minister (and I have been through quite a number) in the last 46 years. I fully support reform. I support the Conservative party, but I cannot support the ignorant and aggressive style of this man.

More aggressive than Ken Clarke? Really?

antifrank said:

John Mann's intervention tells you everything you need to know about the febrile nature of today's Labour party.

Whoever wins is going to need the wisdom of Solomon and dollops of emotional intelligence to bring the party together.

Oh dear!

antifrank said:

John Mann's intervention tells you everything you need to know about the febrile nature of today's Labour party.

Labour's 'feral' nature would be more appropriate..!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11758612/Jeremy-Corbyn-accused-of-inaction-over-paedophile-scandal.html

And yet his own constituency party never mentioned it before re-selecting him.. and why is John Mann suddenly raising it now.. its not as tho this is an old story..

Apols if already discussed in a hurry and saw it..

Cyclefree said:

antifrank said:

John Mann's intervention tells you everything you need to know about the febrile nature of today's Labour party.

Whoever wins is going to need the wisdom of Solomon and dollops of emotional intelligence to bring the party together.

Oh dear!

Right now you go away for a few hours and then tune back to see Labour digging itself into a deeper hole.

Let's hope it's cathartic.

JEO said:

franklyn said:

Richard_Tyndall said:

franklyn said:

May I draw readers' attention to the government petition website https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104334
This petition has reached over 176.000 signatures in 48 hours, and passed the 100,000 threshold in 24 hours.
This isn't about politics; this is about Jeremy Hunt having no concept of the degree to which the NHS is, and has always been, dependent on the good will of the workforce.
Please sign and let others know about it

It is entirely about politics and about sad idiots who can't accept the fact that the Tories won a majority and so can pursue their agenda as they see fit so long as they can command a majority in the Hoc.

It doesn't matter how many people sign the petition. They will not overturn a democratically elected Government (who just for the record I did not vote for and do not support).

I am a Conservative voter, and a party member, but, and I say this as someone who started work in the NHS as a lab assistant in 1969, was a medical student 1969-75 and then a doctor 1975-present, that Hunt has taken on a unique position in antagonizing the workforce; he has shown himself as the worst Health Minister (and I have been through quite a number) in the last 46 years. I fully support reform. I support the Conservative party, but I cannot support the ignorant and aggressive style of this man.

You don't like him because he's requiring doctors to work more unsocial hours to provide a more convenient service for the general public. Why don't you just be honest rather than blaming it on something so meaningless as "style"?

I still recall long shifts; like coming on duty on a Friday morning and not leaving the hospital till the following Monday evening (or the time, when covering sick leave, I didn't leave the hospital for 16 days); catching the odd moments of sleep with the bleep next to your ear, or trying not to go to the loo while you had the cardiac arrest bleep, and with overtime paid at 30% of your basic rate. And my hourly rate is still 15% of what I get when I see private patients or do medico-legal work.
So please don't talk nonsense

franklyn said:

Richard_Tyndall said:

franklyn said:

May I draw readers' attention to the government petition website https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104334
This petition has reached over 176.000 signatures in 48 hours, and passed the 100,000 threshold in 24 hours.
This isn't about politics; this is about Jeremy Hunt having no concept of the degree to which the NHS is, and has always been, dependent on the good will of the workforce.
Please sign and let others know about it

It is entirely about politics and about sad idiots who can't accept the fact that the Tories won a majority and so can pursue their agenda as they see fit so long as they can command a majority in the Hoc.

It doesn't matter how many people sign the petition. They will not overturn a democratically elected Government (who just for the record I did not vote for and do not support).

I am a Conservative voter, and a party member, but, and I say this as someone who started work in the NHS as a lab assistant in 1969, was a medical student 1969-75 and then a doctor 1975-present, that Hunt has taken on a unique position in antagonizing the workforce; he has shown himself as the worst Health Minister (and I have been through quite a number) in the last 46 years. I fully support reform. I support the Conservative party, but I cannot support the ignorant and aggressive style of this man.

Yet another NHS worker who seems to think the workforce are more important than the patients.

franklyn said:

JEO said:

franklyn said:

Richard_Tyndall said:

franklyn said:

May I draw readers' attention to the government petition website https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104334
This petition has reached over 176.000 signatures in 48 hours, and passed the 100,000 threshold in 24 hours.
This isn't about politics; this is about Jeremy Hunt having no concept of the degree to which the NHS is, and has always been, dependent on the good will of the workforce.
Please sign and let others know about it

It is entirely about politics and about sad idiots who can't accept the fact that the Tories won a majority and so can pursue their agenda as they see fit so long as they can command a majority in the Hoc.

It doesn't matter how many people sign the petition. They will not overturn a democratically elected Government (who just for the record I did not vote for and do not support).

I am a Conservative voter, and a party member, but, and I say this as someone who started work in the NHS as a lab assistant in 1969, was a medical student 1969-75 and then a doctor 1975-present, that Hunt has taken on a unique position in antagonizing the workforce; he has shown himself as the worst Health Minister (and I have been through quite a number) in the last 46 years. I fully support reform. I support the Conservative party, but I cannot support the ignorant and aggressive style of this man.

You don't like him because he's requiring doctors to work more unsocial hours to provide a more convenient service for the general public. Why don't you just be honest rather than blaming it on something so meaningless as "style"?

I still recall long shifts; like coming on duty on a Friday morning and not leaving the hospital till the following Monday evening (or the time, when covering sick leave, I didn't leave the hospital for 16 days); catching the odd moments of sleep with the bleep next to your ear, or trying not to go to the loo while you had the cardiac arrest bleep, and with overtime paid at 30% of your basic rate. And my hourly rate is still 15% of what I get when I see private patients or do medico-legal work.
So please don't talk nonsense

So why did you do it? If it was as bad as you say then surely you'd want to look for another job, or were you doing it because you thought it would put you in good stead for promotion later in your career (i.e. we all had to do it).

During the 2011 Census I worked some very long hours, but that was the nature of the job and I was going to do what was necessary. The point is, lots of professions are required to work long hours, not just doctors.

PClipp said:

First?

That must be a novelty....

franklyn said:

JEO said:

franklyn said:

Richard_Tyndall said:

franklyn said:

May I draw readers' attention to the government petition website https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104334

It is entirely about politics and about sad idiots who can't accept the fact that the Tories won a majority and so can pursue their agenda as they see fit so long as they can command a majority in the Hoc.

It doesn't matter how many people sign the petition. They will not overturn a democratically elected Government (who just for the record I did not vote for and do not support).

I am a Conservative voter, and a party member, but, and I say this as someone who started work in the NHS as a lab assistant in 1969, was a medical student 1969-75 and then a doctor 1975-present, that Hunt has taken on a unique position in antagonizing the workforce; he has shown himself as the worst Health Minister (and I have been through quite a number) in the last 46 years. I fully support reform. I support the Conservative party, but I cannot support the ignorant and aggressive style of this man.

You don't like him because he's requiring doctors to work more unsocial hours to provide a more convenient service for the general public. Why don't you just be honest rather than blaming it on something so meaningless as "style"?

I still recall long shifts; like coming on duty on a Friday morning and not leaving the hospital till the following Monday evening (or the time, when covering sick leave, I didn't leave the hospital for 16 days); catching the odd moments of sleep with the bleep next to your ear, or trying not to go to the loo while you had the cardiac arrest bleep, and with overtime paid at 30% of your basic rate. And my hourly rate is still 15% of what I get when I see private patients or do medico-legal work.
So please don't talk nonsense

No-one denies that doctors and other health service professionals work hard in sometimes very stressful conditions.

But at the moment we have the Tories talking about making the health service operate well 7 days a week so that your risk of dying does not increase if you become sick over the weekend.

And Labour and health service staff talking about how difficult / expensive it all is etc. And they may have a point.

But one group is talking about doing something for patients. And the other sound as if they're more bothered about their own position.

That may be unfair but that is how they risk coming across. I doubt for instance that many taxpayers are going to be tremendously upset at the fact that in the NHS you only earn 15% of what you can earn outside it. Most people don't have the chance to do this in their jobs. Or their contracts forbid it.

FPT @SeanT

MrT: I have just paid the princely sum of $26 for your book: I think you owe me a drink.

edit: just saw your 3:08 post. It was out-of-stock at the first B&N I tried; the second one had it, but they struggled to find it (wasn't on the shelf where it should be and had to get it out of the back). Not sure if that is a good sign or not!

I'm a Labour supporter and I have to say there's a part of me that's beginning to enjoy this. Where will it end? Victory in 2020 is one possibility that we can rule out for now.

***DISCLAIMER - I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL***
Staffing levels in the NHS are not matched to demand. As Foxinsoxuk (a medic himself) has explained many times on PB, the NHS is losing disturbingly high numbers of medical staff, particularly to the US and Australia.
The gap is being filled by immigrants.

Number of foreign GPs working in the NHS increases by 11% in decade - and will continue to rise due to shortage of doctors
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3021849/Number-foreign-GPs-working-NHS-increases-decade-continue-rise-shortage-doctors.html

The argument that "if you don't like it then go and do something else" is spurious. It's human nature to fight to improve your present lot, rather than gamble on something new. It's not easy to switch careers, especially in the professions. There's also the pull of the fulfilment of being in a vocation with some jobs. (e.g Teachers)

For those looking for a good read for the evening, a double feature:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/23/trump-s-mobbed-up-mccarthyite-mentor.html

"They met at Le Club, a private disco on the Upper East Side frequented by Jackie Kennedy, Al Pacino, and Diana Ross, according to Trump: The Saga of America’s Most Powerful Real Estate Baron. Donald Trump, the young developer, quickly amassing a fortune in New York real estate and Roy Cohn, America’s most loathed yet socially successful defense attorney who had vaulted to infamy in the 1950s while serving as legal counsel to Sen. Joseph McCarthy."


http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/23/how-thatcher-s-mi5-spy-chief-protected-a-pedophile-member-of-parliament.html

"The head of Britain’s MI5 domestic intelligence service told the Thatcher government that a pedophile MP was operating in the House of Commons but suggested a plot to cover up his “penchant for small boys” in order to avoid political embarrassment.

It was a plan the government was only too happy to accept."

If the Labour party, or this country, completely lose it's marbles and elect Jeremy Corbyn, then this man will be responsible for keeping this country safe. He will have access to and be briefed on 'intelligence matters'.

Needless to say, I leave that happy thought with you!!

Meanwhile, on a lighter note, the dangers of Badger Watching:

"Man calls 999 to say badger chased him"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33645647

LadyBucket said:

If the Labour party, or this country, completely lose it's marbles and elect Jeremy Corbyn, then this man will be responsible for keeping this country safe. He will have access to and be briefed on 'intelligence matters'.

Needless to say, I leave that happy thought with you!!

Richard Nabavi raised yesterday the question of whether he would even get security clearance as an Opposition leader. Would you really want intelligence information going to someone who appears on platforms with representatives of Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation, at a time of increased risk of Islamist terrorism?

Plato said:

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/06/who-nominated-who-2015-labour-leadership-election

Mann is Yvette.

The_Apocalypse said:

In some ways this Labour leadership farce is hilarious. At some point they'll see the light. The question is when?

On Mann: I think he supports Kendall, not Cooper.

Mann must have changed his mind then. When Kendall first declared her bid I recall him deciding to back her, after Jarvis confirmed he wasn't running.

franklyn said:

May I draw readers' attention to the government petition website https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104334
This petition has reached over 176.000 signatures in 48 hours, and passed the 100,000 threshold in 24 hours.
This isn't about politics; this is about Jeremy Hunt having no concept of the degree to which the NHS is, and has always been, dependent on the good will of the workforce.
Please sign and let others know about it

Why would anyone want to call for a constitutional nonsense? No confidence debates relate to HMG as a whole, not to specific ministers

I'm still torn between which of Andy and Yvette would have the best shot of winning a general election. I'd been drifting to the view that Yvette would be a more robust and competent leader, but this is the second poll in a row where the public have given her markedly worse ratings than Andy. We really need some more to be commissioned.

Cyclefree said:

But aren't we - the patients and the taxpayers - entitled to ask that the service be provided on a 24/7 basis? And work out a sensible way to achieve that?

That's exactly what I personally want to see - though I can only speak for myself, of course.

The limiting factor is our attitudes to public services and their funding. We criticise the Greeks for "wanting their cake and eating it", but when it comes to public services the great UK public wants a Rolls Royce service for the cost of a Renault.

[Edited to remove a Grocer's Apostrophe]

Disraeli said:

Cyclefree said:

But aren't we - the patients and the taxpayers - entitled to ask that the service be provided on a 24/7 basis? And work out a sensible way to achieve that?

That's exactly what I personally want to see - though I can only speak for myself, of course.

The limiting factor is our attitudes to public services and their funding. We criticise the Greeks for "wanting their cake and eating it", but when it comes to public services the great UK public wants a Rolls Royce service for the cost of a Renault.

[Edited to remove a Grocer's Apostrophe]

I think it is more that we want a modern Rolls Royce for the price of a modern Aston Martin, rather than an antique Rolls Royce for the price of an antique Rolls Royce...