Jeremy Corbyn - Not Not Labour Party(?), not a Communist (BBC)
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
How many actually attended
It just says thousands... It does mention 300k at a similar one in 1983
Labour anti-Semitism row threatens to divide the Party
Former shadow cabinet ministers call for suppressed investigation to be published as Party is accused of failing to take issue seriously
By Camilla Turner
06 Mar 2016
The Labour anti-Semitism row threatens to divide the Party as two former shadow cabinet ministers accuse officials of failing to take the issue seriously.
It comes as insiders claim that Jeremy Corbyn is trying to “bury the Party’s problem with anti-Semitism” after refusing to publish the original investigation into harassment of Jewish students at Oxford University, then subsuming it within a new, wider inquiry that involves unrelated complaints.
Michael Dugher MP and Rachel Reeves MP, both of whom held shadow cabinet roles under Ed Miliband, called for the initial report by Labour Students to be published immediately while Labour peers joined the chorus of criticism against the Party’s stance.
Mr Dugher and Ms Reeves said the Labour Students investigation must be published “in the interests of transparency” and "to demonstrate beyond all doubt the seriousness with which we take these allegations”.
They said that it “isn’t acceptable for the Party to now wrap serious allegations about anti-Semitism inside Labour Students into a wider inquiry”.
Meanwhile, Joan Ryan MP, Chair of Labour Friends of Israel, has written to Labour General Secretary Iain McNicol to express her “deep concern" about the new inquiry, chaired by Baroness Jan Royall.
She said it is “highly inappropriate” for the new investigation to be “rolled together” with other issues surrounding the Labour Youth elections which took place last weekend in Scarborough.
Two distinct investigations must be set up to “provide a degree of reassurance that allegations of anti-Semitism are being treated with the seriousness that they deserve”, she added.
• Momentum activists blamed for rise of anti-semitism at Oxford Labour Club, a senior source has claimed
Lord Tony Clarke, a former Labour chairman, and Lord Bernard Donoghue, a senior advisor to the late Prime Minister Harold Wilson, also expressed disappointment at the Party's stance.
"For the Labour Party, or left-wing elements of it, to now be flirting with anti-Semitism is an appalling development," Lord Donoghue told the Jewish Chronicle.
Two Momentum activists - Max Shanly, 25, and James Elliott, 22, - are both understood to be the subject of allegations in the original Labour Students report. Both vigorously deny the claims.
The Party’s decision to launch a new investigation while failing to publish the initial report, led to claims that it was a “cover-up” and an attempt by Mr Corbyn to protect his favoured candidates at the Labour Youth Elections last weekend.
A Labour Party source said: “The original report was handed to Corbyn’s office and circulated among senior Labour staff but they wanted it to be buried, especially the week of the election. It was clearly a politically motivated decision.
“It plays to a wider issue: everyone knows there is a problem with anti-Semitism on the left but they continue with impunity, they have a carte blanche under Corbyn.
"There was an understanding that the Party would endorse the Labour Students’ findings and build on them. But that is not what has happened. They did not like the findings so shut it down.”
Elliott, 22, lost out on a seat as youth representative on the powerful National Executive Committee by a narrow margin to Jasmin Beckett. Shanly, 25, also lost the election but was subsequently elected to the Young Labour National Committee afterthe initial results were overturned on a technicality.
At this week’s Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) meeting, general secretary Iain McNicol said that the investigation into alleged anti-Semitism will also examine claims of election foul play in the Labour Youth Elections over the weekend.
A Labour spokeswoman said: "The Labour Party takes all allegations of anti-Semitism, racism, bullying, intimidation and candidate misconduct very seriously.
"Baroness Jan Royall is currently leading an investigation into the conduct of individual Young Labour Party members. Baroness Royall will consider all allegations and all relevant evidence."
Mr Corbyn's office did not respond for comment.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...mitism-row-threatens-to-divide-the-Party.html
Former shadow cabinet ministers call for suppressed investigation to be published as Party is accused of failing to take issue seriously
By Camilla Turner
06 Mar 2016
The Labour anti-Semitism row threatens to divide the Party as two former shadow cabinet ministers accuse officials of failing to take the issue seriously.
It comes as insiders claim that Jeremy Corbyn is trying to “bury the Party’s problem with anti-Semitism” after refusing to publish the original investigation into harassment of Jewish students at Oxford University, then subsuming it within a new, wider inquiry that involves unrelated complaints.
Michael Dugher MP and Rachel Reeves MP, both of whom held shadow cabinet roles under Ed Miliband, called for the initial report by Labour Students to be published immediately while Labour peers joined the chorus of criticism against the Party’s stance.
Mr Dugher and Ms Reeves said the Labour Students investigation must be published “in the interests of transparency” and "to demonstrate beyond all doubt the seriousness with which we take these allegations”.
They said that it “isn’t acceptable for the Party to now wrap serious allegations about anti-Semitism inside Labour Students into a wider inquiry”.
Meanwhile, Joan Ryan MP, Chair of Labour Friends of Israel, has written to Labour General Secretary Iain McNicol to express her “deep concern" about the new inquiry, chaired by Baroness Jan Royall.
She said it is “highly inappropriate” for the new investigation to be “rolled together” with other issues surrounding the Labour Youth elections which took place last weekend in Scarborough.
Two distinct investigations must be set up to “provide a degree of reassurance that allegations of anti-Semitism are being treated with the seriousness that they deserve”, she added.
• Momentum activists blamed for rise of anti-semitism at Oxford Labour Club, a senior source has claimed
Lord Tony Clarke, a former Labour chairman, and Lord Bernard Donoghue, a senior advisor to the late Prime Minister Harold Wilson, also expressed disappointment at the Party's stance.
"For the Labour Party, or left-wing elements of it, to now be flirting with anti-Semitism is an appalling development," Lord Donoghue told the Jewish Chronicle.
Two Momentum activists - Max Shanly, 25, and James Elliott, 22, - are both understood to be the subject of allegations in the original Labour Students report. Both vigorously deny the claims.
The Party’s decision to launch a new investigation while failing to publish the initial report, led to claims that it was a “cover-up” and an attempt by Mr Corbyn to protect his favoured candidates at the Labour Youth Elections last weekend.
A Labour Party source said: “The original report was handed to Corbyn’s office and circulated among senior Labour staff but they wanted it to be buried, especially the week of the election. It was clearly a politically motivated decision.
“It plays to a wider issue: everyone knows there is a problem with anti-Semitism on the left but they continue with impunity, they have a carte blanche under Corbyn.
"There was an understanding that the Party would endorse the Labour Students’ findings and build on them. But that is not what has happened. They did not like the findings so shut it down.”
Elliott, 22, lost out on a seat as youth representative on the powerful National Executive Committee by a narrow margin to Jasmin Beckett. Shanly, 25, also lost the election but was subsequently elected to the Young Labour National Committee afterthe initial results were overturned on a technicality.
At this week’s Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) meeting, general secretary Iain McNicol said that the investigation into alleged anti-Semitism will also examine claims of election foul play in the Labour Youth Elections over the weekend.
A Labour spokeswoman said: "The Labour Party takes all allegations of anti-Semitism, racism, bullying, intimidation and candidate misconduct very seriously.
"Baroness Jan Royall is currently leading an investigation into the conduct of individual Young Labour Party members. Baroness Royall will consider all allegations and all relevant evidence."
Mr Corbyn's office did not respond for comment.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...mitism-row-threatens-to-divide-the-Party.html
Not sure this'll end well http://www.theguardian.com/politics...n-for-labour-leadership-talk-corbyn-challenge
But I suppose you never know if you don't try.
But I suppose you never know if you don't try.
I'd personally welcome the Green Party taking over the British left.
If the Labour Party establishment chooses May/June as its moment to strike, you could find that the far-left throw their support behind Brexit in response. As a Eurosceptic i wholeheartedly encourage this action. 
On the other hand...a failed coup attempt might leave MPs with no choice but to breakaway or defect to the Lib Dems.
Personally, i would look upon the creation of a new centrist party with favour, albeit with an improved cast of characters.
They are not ready for that yet; support for some of the Green Party's ideals isn't the same as confidence in their policies.
On the other hand...a failed coup attempt might leave MPs with no choice but to breakaway or defect to the Lib Dems.
Personally, i would look upon the creation of a new centrist party with favour, albeit with an improved cast of characters.
They are not ready for that yet; support for some of the Green Party's ideals isn't the same as confidence in their policies.
If the Labour Party establishment chooses May/June as its moment to strike, you could find that the far-left throw their support behind Brexit in response. As a Eurosceptic i wholeheartedly encourage this action.
On the other hand...a failed coup attempt might leave MPs with no choice but to breakaway or defect to the Lib Dems.
Personally, i would look upon the creation of a new centrist party with favour, albeit with an improved cast of characters.
They are not ready for that yet; support for some of the Green Party's ideals isn't the same as confidence in their policies.
Timeline for a Corbyn challenge I see as being around conference season
Get smashed in Scottish and local elections
Have the referendum
Then Trident maingate before the summer holidays then the infighting can properly kick off
Article says the idea is to do it after June 23rd probably partly for the reason you give.If the Labour Party establishment chooses May/June as its moment to strike, you could find that the far-left throw their support behind Brexit in response. As a Eurosceptic i wholeheartedly encourage this action.
On the other hand...a failed coup attempt might leave MPs with no choice but to breakaway or defect to the Lib Dems.
Personally, i would look upon the creation of a new centrist party with favour, albeit with an improved cast of characters.
They are not ready for that yet; support for some of the Green Party's ideals isn't the same as confidence in their policies.
If the Greens would take Corbyn and McDonnell I'd be delighted. I wouldn't wish Burgon on anyone though.
let momentum set up as a party with corbyn, mcdonnell, burgon, abbott. etc
Doubt it will happen but I think that when the challenge comes its going to be very fractious for the party and you may indeed end up with people leaving.
Is anyone that voted for Corbyn and thought Labour at the election were "Tory-lite" a bit annoyed that McDonnell's now got a remarkably similar fiscal policy to that of Balls?
Odd question, It was never going to change substantially the only difference will be in how it's presented. Ed was caught half way being cautious and almost apologetic for wanting to invest.
The message going forward needs to be proudly investing for a better future. The ridiculous concept of the household budget needs to be buried rather than tolerated.
McDonnell can't do a worse job than Balls at trying to address that narrative.
It was criticised numerous times on here (after the general election, anyway) from supporters of Corbyn as having been austerity-lite, nothing to do with the messaging.
The message surrounding such announcements is everything. Balls very much went along with the austerity line of paying down the debt with investment largely a hidden guilty pleasure. McDonnell is saying tight controls but championing investment and where the BoE can't boost the economy Labour will.
Are you saying you don't think the previous Labour regime went along with the austerity ideology? Or that the current one is?
I don't even know what you mean by "austerity ideology", acknowledgement that spending cuts probably have to happen if you want to balance the current budget (as McDonnell has pledged to do) and bring down the debt/GDP ratio (as McDonnell has pledged to do)? You seem to be saying that austerity is really just a rhetorical device.
EDIT - and has for the "household budget" analogy you mentioned earlier, presumably you won't enjoy this from McDonnell:
I was being kind and not mentioning his general incompetence.you sure about that?
It's a good policy though isn't it.
It's fine as a policy, I'm more interested in seeing if voters who were excited for Corbyn's anti-austerity campaign message were happy that they'd reverted to Balls' plan. Apparently so, thus far.
It's better than Ball's plan though innit?
In what way? It's the same.
This is the Balls policy right?
- We will cut the deficit every year with a surplus on the current budget and get the national debt falling as soon as possible in the next Parliament.
- We will make fair and sensible spending decisions, including capping social security spending so that it is properly controlled, stopping the payment of the winter fuel allowance to the wealthiest five per cent of pensioners and capping child benefit rises for the next two years.
- There is not a single policy in this manifesto that is funded by additional borrowing. There are tough decisions to be taken and we haven’t made any commitments that we can’t keep.+
Yeah, which all essentially means balancing the current budget, which is McDonnell's new policy. He unfortunately apparently left the press announcement before taking questions today so I'm not sure if there's any detail on what spending he plans to cut down on.
McDonnell's policy wouldn't apply right now though would it due to the interest rate clause. That's not a small difference.
It's a very good policy in my opinion, much better thought out than Balls'.
And it doesn't just need to rely on spending cuts.
From JC's Leadership bid documents also, I don't see much backtracking here.
From what I've read, the interest rate thing doesn't kick in unless they're at 0%. And they're currently slated to remain at 0.5% until 2019, when they're likely to rise.
Im pretty sure it's when it's close.
Looks like "close" is defined by there being a 50/50 chance of them falling to zero:
http://www.newstatesman.com/politic...-john-mcdonnell-s-new-fiscal-credibility-rule
That's Paul Mason writing on it, using the report by Simon Wren-Lewis (Corbyn advisor) and Jonathan Portes (chief economist under New Labour). Given there's little chance of an interest rate fall, it doesn't fit the criteria.
That's a very good article.
I don't really know enough about the current situation it to argue with you but feck it... I thought things were looking at lot less rosy recently. Does the Bank of England publish its interest rate forecasts? Even if it doesn't apply now, I still think it's better than Ed's which is making promises for which there is a non-insignificant chance it can't keep.
Judging by this, I'm guessing Cameron got his line on Corbyn's dress sense straight from focus groups in ex-Labour marginals - http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/mar/12/labour-party-jeremy-corbyn-2015-election
The problem is that momentum and the corbynistas will just brand Di piero and the other one as Blairite scum and put time and effort into de-selecting them rather than listen to what they have to say.
Owen Jones should stick to writing... He is bloody awful as a presenter
Think he's quite a good presenter .Liked the interview he did with Peter Hitchens.
I know this will reveal me for the left-wing, liberal elitist dickhead I am, but these focus groups always depress me at how dumb the electorate is. There was a similarly illuminating article for Buzzfeed following De Piero talking to young female non-voters.
But Corbyn clearly isn't connecting with those people and Labour needs to if it is to win.
As an aside: Britain is a strange country really. Although those on the left moan about our incredibly classist social structure there are clearly a huge amount of people who have been successfully convinced that a private school/Oxbridge education is a prerequisite for politicians. That they should be a certain sort of person rather than representative of us.
Cindy Faulkner, a children’s books illustrator, chips in: “And he didn’t even sing the national anthem, which I think is most disrespectful because it means he doesn’t give a tinker’s toss about the Queen or he doesn’t know the national anthem – and if he doesn’t know the national anthem, that is disgraceful.”
I'd happily bet £1000 that she cannot accurately sing the second verse
There is certain irony in you 'liberal elitist dickeads' bemoaning the stupidity of the electorate when you were warned by every man and his dog about the stupidity of backing Corbyn. If you really want to wrap yourself in high minded ideals then join the Green Party, or do they not have a big enough platform for you to wank off on?
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Why is that ironic?
I'm calling the electorate dumb for being ill informed, myopic, self-interested, and basically stupid, when I was equally stupid backing a Labour leadership candidate who would never appeal to those people.
If we had a fair electoral system then yes.