… on a quiet day, I can hear her breathing

Category: Andy Burnham

  • Morning Star Editorial: Good riddance to Labour’s worst leader

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    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/good-riddance-labours-worst-leader

    ON FRIDAY Keir Starmer will leave the leadership of the Labour Party, having debased and disgraced the office over his six-year tenure.

    Whatever hopes and fears there may be concerning his successor, Andy Burnham, it would be near impossible for the new leader to be as bad as the outgoing one.

    Starmer was elected on a fraudulent prospectus, posing as a supporter of Jermey Corbyn with added “competence” when he was no such thing.

    He soon revealed himself to be an entrenched rightwinger, who discarded all the policies and commitments on which he had stood for election.

    He also discarded the coalition of voters that Corbyn’s leadership had assembled in 2017 and secured even fewer votes in 2024 that Corbynism did at its 2019 nadir.

    Instead he handed the party over to the most bitter and malicious rightwingers, thirsting for revenge against the left.

    The most authoritarian Labour leader ever, his tenure was marked by expulsions, witch-hunts, the withdrawal of the whip from dissenting MPs and the marginalisation of the membership.

    His initial mendacity and deceit shaped everything that happened since, marking him out as untrustworthy and politically incoherent.

    His predilection for falsehoods stayed with him to the end. At his last Prime Ministers Questions in the Commons he smeared Labour under Corbyn as having been found “institutionally antisemitic.” No such finding was ever made.

    Just two weeks ago he claimed he had inherited a bankrupt party. False again.

    Having failed so spectacularly as prime minister, it seems that Starmer can only find consolation in smearing his predecessor, who was everything he is not in terms of principle and conviction.

    Nor was he competent. It is now acknowledged that he failed to make any preparations for government, despite it being evident from 2022 at least that a Labour victory was certain.

    So he had blundered from U-turn to U-turn, launching attacks on working people only to be forced to retreat under mass pressure.

    He has hewed close to Treasury and City orthodoxy in economics while backing Israel’s genocide in Gaza, sabre-rattling against Russia and pandering to Donald Trump.

    At home, he has extended authoritarianism by every measure, from proscribing Palestine Action to curbing jury trials to clamping down on the right to protest.

    The future of our economy and social provision has been mortgaged to a massive arms build-up.

    And, like Boris Johnson before him, Starmer has been up to his neck in sleaze.

    In opposition he claimed epic expenses. Then he took free clothing, glasses, accommodation and tickets from millionaire Waheed Alli in an orgy of grifting, even as he was slashing winter fuel benefit for pensioners.

    He was finally undone by appointing Peter Mandelson, already known to be a close friend of convicted financier and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and an intimate of sundry oligarchs, as ambassador to Washington.

    A brazenly factional move, it led to the departure of Starmer’s consigliere Morgan McSweeney, without whom he lost whatever capacity to govern that he had to begin with.

    The damage he has done to the Labour Party is immense and lasting. Even by David Lammy’s diminished standards to declare this week that Starmer will be remembered as “a giant of the labour movement” was a remarkably stupid encomium.

    He will be remembered in fact as Labour’s least successful prime minister since Ramsay MacDonald, who at least had the distinction of being the first, and its most dishonest and undemocratic leader ever.

    Starmer was one thing only — a loyal servant of the bourgeois state. When he steps down today, the air is at least a little cleaner in the labour movement.

    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/good-riddance-labours-worst-leader I hope that Morning Star will excuse me republishing this in it’s entirety. Morning Star‘s copyright is acknowledged.

    Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
    Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
    Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
    Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
    Keir Starmer refuses to be outcnuted by Nigel Farage's chasing the racist bigot vote.
    Keir Starmer refuses to be outcnuted by Nigel Farage’s chasing the racist bigot vote.

  • And so it comes to pass

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    that Andy Burnham takes over as UK’s Prime Minister imminently or actually over the weekend. I wonder if anything will change. Will he call a snap election so that he gets up to five instead of up to three or so years? Watch out for new speech bubbles …

  • Burnham’s non-apology for Labour inaction over genocide is gaslighting while arms sales continue

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    Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
    Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.

    An ‘apology’ issued by Andy Burnham over the Labour party’s response to the Israeli genocide is “meaningless” unless followed by an end to arms sales to Israel, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) has said. This includes components for the F-35 combat aircraft that Israel has used extensively in its attacks in Gaza, Iran and Lebanon.

    In a three-minute piece to camera, published alongside an exclusive story with the Guardian, the likely next Labour leader stated: “I know many people feel that at the start of Israel’s military action in Gaza, my part didn’t get it right and I am sorry about that. The response has too often not been good enough. We need to do better.”

    The MP for Makerfield continued, “We’ve got to do more to put pressure on the Israeli government … Yes, we have taken some important steps … But let’s be honest, the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire. And we must now do more to strengthen our approach.”

    On Israeli war crimes during the almost-three year genocide in Palestine, he said “I have been absolutely appalled by what I’ve seen and read about the destruction of Gaza. There’s increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed.”

    Burnham added, “There must be accountability for the depth of the suffering the people of Gaza have experienced. Ultimately, however, it must be for the international courts to determine, rather than politicians.”

    Commenting, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) Research Coordinator, Sam Perlo-Freeman said:

    “It is a cynical move by Burnham to issue a non-apology for the Labour government’s many outrages during Israel’s ongoing genocide, while throwing us a red herring about the timing of ceasefire calls. His ‘apology’ is meaningless unless it is followed, if and when Burnham becomes PM, by a total ban on arms sales to Israel, with no exceptions or excuses.

    “Burnham’s public relations push is designed to distract from the fact that Britain has, and remains, a vital cog in Israel’s war machine; whether in the F-35 programme, used by Israel to bombard Gaza, Iran and Lebanon, turning a blind eye to the 2,000+ Brits fighting in Gaza, drone component exports, or hosting Israelis who incite genocide – such as President Herzog.

    “In hedging his language around the undeniable evidence of systematic war crimes by the Israeli government, Burnham is carefully avoiding triggering a legal duty to immediately halt arms sales. That in itself should ring alarm bells.

    “Accountability means, among other things, ending the supply murder weapons to a genocidal regime and urgently investigating the over-2,000 Britons who took part in the organised, wanton slaughter of Palestinians, which the Met has so far refused to do. A Burnham government can also act to investigate how and why the current government allowed weapons to be unlawfully shipped to Israel via Belgium. But will it?

    “All this points towards continued gaslighting by the next Labour government – albeit with new window dressing – in a desperate attempt to claw back the progressive vote.”

    Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
    Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

  • Reeves mis-sold Heathrow expansion to the cabinet, Labour MPs and the country

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    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/reeves-mis-sold-heathrow-expansion-cabinet-labour-mps-and-country

     A plane taking off from Heathrow Airport A plane taking off from Heathrow Airport

    ANTI-HEATHROW expansion activists slammed Rachel Reeves for “mis-selling” the third runway to the Treasury as she prepares to leave No 11 when Andy Burnham becomes PM in just over a week.

    …

    No 3rd Runway Coalition chair Paul McGuinness accused Ms Reeves of using data commissioned by Heathrow Airport to “coax” her Labour colleagues into supporting the expansion.

    Mr McGuinness said: “It seems astonishing that, rather doing the due diligence of instructing the Treasury — her own department — to conduct an impartial assessment of the economic case for Heathrow expansion, Rachel Reeves chose to pluck panglossian figures from a report that had been commissioned and financed by Heathrow airport to coax her government colleagues and Parliamentary Labour Party into backing Heathrow expansion.

    “And that even after her department’s own objective calculations had shown that Heathrow expansion could offer no economic benefit to the UK, she continued to cite figures that are derived entirely from Heathrow’s own sales puff.

    …

    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/reeves-mis-sold-heathrow-expansion-cabinet-labour-mps-and-country

  • Morning Star Editorial: Burnham’s apology vindicates the Palestine movement. But will he stop the repression?

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    This is an excerpt of the Morning Star editorial which can be found at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/burnhams-apology-vindicates-palestine-movement-will-he-stop-repression

     HEAVY HANDED: A police officer detains Reverend Sue Parfitt who declared her support for Palestine Action

    … The strongest sign of a new direction on Palestine would be to end the repression.

    Reverse the outrageous ban on Palestine Action as a “terrorist” group. Stop the legislation placing further restrictions on protests. Apologise to the thousands rounded up by police for sitting down holding placards. Burnham mentions none of this.

    On genocide, he hints it’s for the courts to decide. So address Britain’s appeal to the International Court of Justice to refuse to hear the genocide charges against Israel brought by South Africa, and state that we will no longer obstruct these cases. Call out the US bids to undermine international courts for daring to hold Israel accountable, and its sanctions on UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese.

    Burnham rightly observes that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to make a two-state solution impossible. But pretending that Netanyahu’s excesses have nothing to do with what went before will not wash.

    The occupation and colonisation of Palestinian land has proceeded over decades and a fundamental break with Tel Aviv on this, tied to sanctions and a total ban on arms sales, is urgent.

    Ultimately that means a fundamental break with Washington. Burnham will hardly say so, but our movement must raise the stakes.

    Britain supports the illegal occupation of Palestine because we are tied into a wider network of imperialist alliances led by the United States.

    It is inconsistent to demand justice for Palestine while backing Trump’s rearmament drive and remaining a junior military and intelligence partner to the United States. We need an independent foreign policy.

    This is an excerpt of the Morning Star editorial which can be found at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/burnhams-apology-vindicates-palestine-movement-will-he-stop-repression

    Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
    Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
    Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
    Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
    Genocide denying former UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government's support for Israel's Gaza genocide and the UK government and military's active participation in genocide.
    Genocide denying UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government’s support for Israel’s Gaza genocide and the UK government and military’s active participation in genocide.