Labour’s decision to pay a six-figure libel settlement to ex-staffers who claimed the party was failing to deal with antisemitism has plunged the party back into civil war, with Jeremy Corbyn publicly condemning his successor’s decision to settle the case. Corbyn’s statement caused astonishment among the litigants in the libel action, with the Panorama journalist John Ware confirming to the Guardian that he was “consulting his lawyers” and raising the prospect of another costly court battle over Labour and antisemitism.Wait, wait!
Ahhhh! OK, carry on...
The former leader, who is believed to have considered a court challenge to the settlement along with senior allies, said the party had received legal advice that it would win the libel case brought by the seven ex-staffers and the journalist who made the BBC Panorama programme on which they appeared.Well, yes, I expect it did. The new leader, however, is a lawyer himself. He clearly doubted his legal advice was sound.
The decision to settle and apologise incensed key figures on the left of the party who have claimed that a separate leaked report on “hyperfactionalism” among those dealing with antisemitism complaints – which named some of the Panorama whistleblowers – vindicates the comments made in the wake of the programme.Wait, isn't that the report that...?
Reader, it is.
The leaking of that report and its contents, including emails, messages and private WhatsApps, is now the subject of an independent inquiry by the QC Martin Forde, and legal action is also being taken against the party by people named within it.Delicious! Can I have some Momentum tears to wash down all this popcorn?
What puzzles me equally is the dichotomy that (a) parties of the Left traditionally hate Jews, and (b) many Jews support parties of the Left.
ReplyDeleteDoes (a) flow from (b)? or is (b) because they think that being in with that crowd will save them when the cattle trucks are being shunted into a siding to await embarkation? Historical precedent suggests not.
At least the money comes from party funds. Here our Labour council pays out for gagging orders to retiring staff and refuses to disclose how much they gave them. Not bad when you remember that it's my council tax they are using to keep their ex employees quite.
ReplyDeleteEmployees quite what? Damn fat fingertips and small keys!
ReplyDeleteHello love. Hope all is well.
ReplyDeleteJust clearing up any confusion as I messaged you a little while ago to say I was going to see my dad. Well I had been on at my doctor and social worker for a long time how I wanted to go see him and nip to the cemetery to make sure my relatives headstones/graves were still in order and to pay my respects and at my last mdt meeting the doctor told me to arrange with my father a time to visit (I have to be chaperoned) and he would let the MOJ know. This is why I thought you had something to do with it as I assumed -wrongly-that someone had said to him it was ok for me to go to Chichester. After arranging with my father and a member of staff to go with me on August 11th, out of respect I told my social worker who then advised me she needs to get permission from the MOJ first. Honest to God the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. So since permission will take forever or even worse not allow me to go I expect I have to let my father down. I am just letting you know in case you thought I was hotfotting it to Chichester and breaking my conditions. Sorry for the confusion. X
Malcolm Tucker would so be in his element here
ReplyDelete"...or is (b) because they think that being in with that crowd will save them ..."
ReplyDeleteI genuinely don't know, it's an utter mystery...
"At least the money comes from party funds. "
And now Unite is threatening to turn off the money taps if Starmer 'takes Labour to the right'! Truly, it's the gift that keeps on giving...