new authoritarianism

Starmer’s Labour abstains on vote to protect journalists from state persecution, allowing Tory win

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Original article republished from the Skwawkbox for non-Commercial use.

Yet another shameful episode from ‘long-time servant of the security state’ Starmer

Image of Keir Starmer, thanks to The Skwawkbox

The UK’s lurch toward fascism continued last night with yet another shameful – and shamefully unsurprising – episode of cowardice and betrayal by Keir Starmer and the shell of the Labour party under his control.

With the Tories’ repressive ‘National Security Bill’ in the Lords last night, the Green party tried to rally support to protect journalists – and investigative journalism and therefore the interests of the UK people – from persecution under a bill widely recognised to be a measure to give the government freedom to act without scrutiny or accountability, turning the UK into a mini-US in its treatment of journalists for doing their job.

Even a handful of Tories in Parliament have pointed out that such vital revelations as the ‘Panama papers’ would not have been possible under the new bill and that the rights of women, minority groups and the wellbeing of citizens are under severe threat from the proposed new law.

So the Greens in the Lords called a vote to protect journalists – for the sake of all this country’s people. It was defeated, because Keir Starmer whipped Labour peers to abstain.

Keir Starmer has been called a ‘long-time servant of the British security state’ and his affiliations have been expressed in votes to protect state agents from even such crimes as rape and murder, his attacks on environmental and human rights protesters, his support for immunity for soldiers who murdered civilians in Northern Ireland and more. So his action in the Lords vote last night should surprise no one, but his decision to whip for abstention and engineer the defeat of the motion rather vote against it directly is another manifestation of his fundamental spinelessness.

He is avidly helping push this country along the road to fascism, but doesn’t have the moral courage even to nail his colours to the mast, instead hoping that telling Labour representatives not to vote at all will lessen the backlash against his betrayal.

Original article republished from the Skwawkbox for non-Commercial use.

Continue ReadingStarmer’s Labour abstains on vote to protect journalists from state persecution, allowing Tory win

Selection AND executive committees of Broxtowe Labour resign over candidate stitch-up (yet another one)

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Original article republished from the Skwawkbox for non-Commercial use.

Starmeroids block another popular local candidate – in favour of parachuted Blairites

Original article republished from the Skwawkbox for non-Commercial use.

Two entire Labour committees have resigned after yet another candidate selection stitch-up by Keir Starmer and his drones in the Labour party.

Local favourite Greg Marshall – backed by figures from a wide spectrum of the party – tweeted news that the party had blocked him from the shortlist:

In response to the shameless rigging, the local party (CLP) selection committee resigned and issued a withering statement about London officials overriding local democracy:

Shortly afterward, the entire CLP executive resigned too over the ‘undemocratic’ behaviour of the party and its national executive (NEC):

Meanwhile, Anna Joy Rickard – a literal Blairite – was tweeting her joy at being shortlisted and was admonished by a local figure for her claim, when no shortlist had even been announced:

Broxtowe is just the latest in a series of shamelessly-rigged selections as the Labour right tries to eradicate the left, both in seats that Labour does not hold and in those it does – and a repeat of Labour’s routine tactic of fixing selections by making sure members can only choose from a shortlist of approved Blairites.

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Continue ReadingSelection AND executive committees of Broxtowe Labour resign over candidate stitch-up (yet another one)

Labour members pass motion demanding party stop rigging candidate selections

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Original article republished form the Skwawkbox for non-Commercial use.

Motion condemns Starmer party’s attack on democracy

‘Democracy’ in Labour – often rigged before members even start to vote

Members of a Labour front-bencher’s local party passed a motion last week condemning the regime’s shameless rigging of party democracy and demanding to be allowed to select their candidates without interference.

Hornsey and Wood Green members voted strongly for the following emergency motion:

Selection of Candidates

HWG CLP notes the Labour Party’s assertion that it is a ‘democratic socialist party’ (Clause IV). HWG CLP further notes that Keir Starmer stated in February 2020:

‘The selections for Labour candidates needs to be more democratic, and we should end NEC impositions of candidates. Local party members should select their candidates for every election.’

HWG CLP agrees with this statement, and strongly believes that it should be the democratic right of constituency members to choose their prospective candidates and regrets that this is not being acted upon.

Keir Starmer’s statement on 15th February 2023 regarding Islington North [where Starmer is blocking former leader Jeremy Corbyn from standing as a Labour candidate], the imposition of shortlists in Wakefield, Bolton North East, and other constituencies, and the suspension or expulsion of very good potential candidates prior to selection processes commencing are all contrary to this democratic principle.

HWG CLP calls on the NEC to confirm that the selection of candidates is the democratic right of local Labour Party members and must be upheld. In Solidarity.

The motion, no doubt cautiously worded because of the regime’s readiness to punish members for speaking out against its misdeeds, triggered ludicrous responses from a few right-wingers – including the husband of one key Starmer adviser, who tried to argue that it was ‘anti-democratic’ for the ‘CLP’ to follow its own standing orders and hold a vote on whether the motion was in order before a vote on the motion itself was held.

Starmer’s lackeys have routinely been put in direct charge of selection processes in areas considered to be likely to select a candidate who isn’t a Starmer clone – and in many cases have rigged longlists to exclude the candidates local members prefer, leaving them with no choice but to choose which of the approved drones will stand for election.

Keir Starmer expects the country to believe that he will push power away from himself and out to the regions – but he won’t even allow Labour members to exercise the democracy to which the party’s rules entitle them.

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Original article republished form the Skwawkbox for non-Commercial use.

Continue ReadingLabour members pass motion demanding party stop rigging candidate selections

Labour bans CLPs from links with string of human rights/peace/health groups incl PSC, JVL, Corbyn’s PJP

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Original article and image republished from The Swawkbox for non-Commerical use.

Email to CLPs warns them that any existing affiliations with groups campaigning for abortion rights, minority human rights, disarmament and a fully public NHS are cancelled

Image thanks to The Skwawkbox

The Labour party has banned local parties (CLPs) from affiliating with an array of groups supporting the human rights of ethnic minorities or campaigning for a public NHS, in yet another Stalinist move to limit members’ freedom of expression.

And local parties are being notified by email that any affiliations they already have in place are unilaterally cancelled – and that if a right-wing group is affiliated with the party nationally, they have no say over whether that group affiliates with them locally.

One such email reads:

Organisations that are nationally affiliated to the party are eligible to affiliate to any CLP provided they pay the appropriate fee and the CLP cannot debate or decide on their affiliations.

…The following affiliations are therefore no longer valid and the CLP may not renew its affiliation without approval from the NEC. To do so would breach party rules. These are:

Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Labour Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Stop the War Coalition, Republic, London Irish Abortion Rights Campaign, Jewish Voice for Labour, Somalis for Labour, Sikhs for Labour, All African Women’s Group, Health Campaigns Together, The Campaign against Climate Change Trades Union, Peace & Justice Project.

Yes, you read that right: a group campaigning for peace, human rights, women’s rights, disarmament and to protect the environment are not welcome in Keir Starmer’s Labour party and party member groups risk disciplinary action if they try to associate with them.

The news should come as no surprise in Starmer’s racist, pro-privatisation, pro-apartheid party where his promises to renationalise the NHS and public utilities, protect the climate and empower member rights and democracy were binned almost the instant he got his backside into Corbyn’s office and his claim to be on the side of domestic violence victims masks a shameless cover-up of abuse of them.

And of course, given recent appalling comments by the leadership and its agents, Jews who believe in the human rights of Palestinians are particularly unwelcome – and indeed are being disproportionately targeted by the regime in a campaign of blatant (but ignored by the media) antisemitism and discrimination.

Original article and image republished from The Swawkbox for non-Commerical use.

Continue ReadingLabour bans CLPs from links with string of human rights/peace/health groups incl PSC, JVL, Corbyn’s PJP

Tories’ anti-protest Bill suffers eight defeats in the House of Lords

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/tories-anti-protest-bill-suffers-eight-defeats-in-the-house-of-lords

THE Tories’ anti-protest Bill has suffered eight defeats in the House of Lords, setting back government plans to outlaw tactics used by climate activists.

The votes mean that some of the most controversial elements of the Public Order Bill have been thrown out for good, including a measure that sought to give police powers to preemptively shut down protests where officers believe disruption might occur.

However other powers could be reinserted into the Bill when it returns to the Commons in the coming weeks.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/tories-anti-protest-bill-suffers-eight-defeats-in-the-house-of-lords

Continue ReadingTories’ anti-protest Bill suffers eight defeats in the House of Lords