So still waiting my ballot papers for the Labour leadership election, and a little while after an Owen Smith message, one from Jeremy Corbyn drops into my inbox
"Dear ****** Our party is now at a crucial moment: do we look forwards toward taking on the Tories, winning and forming a Government or do we turn back to the same old failed ways of doing things that lost two General Elections. From today, you and other members should start to receive your ballot papers to decide who leads our party. VIDEO: Click here to watch I first joined our party for the same reason as most members. I knew we had to elect a Labour government if we wanted to create a country — and a world — very different to the one we have. All my life I've lived by my values; defined by a belief in social justice, an economy that puts people first, good wages so people can live in dignity, human rights for all and a foreign policy based on peace and respect. I have never strayed from them and you can trust I never will. These are the values that will take our party back to power. Under my leadership, Labour has become the biggest party in Europe, and is still growing. Our party's finances are healthier than ever before. We are no longer beholden to corporate donors, but funded by the ordinary people we seek to serve. We will use our resources to organise in every part of this country to take the fight to the Tories. We will be the most innovative, effective and formidable campaigning force our country has ever seen, using the talents, skills and knowledge of all of our members. We will be ready for a general election, whenever it may come. We need a principled, reforming Labour government to rebuild and transform Britain, so that no one and no community is left behind. We are laying out that agenda, underpinned by our fiscal credibility rule, so we can invest to grow the economy. We've set out those plans in our ten pledges to rebuild and transform Britain. In Parliament, I am determined to reach out the hand of friendship and solidarity to my Labour colleagues. Our members, our communities, our country, are calling on us to unite and do what we are elected to do — take on the Tories. If you trust me to stay true to our party's values, and oppose the Tories at every turn, then vote for a party where hope is not just expected, but demanded. Together we can win power to rebuild and transform Britain, so that no one and no community is left behind. Yours in friendship, Jeremy [My reply? That'll do for me!]
Mr Corbyn has been harassed by the paparazzi but who cares? Well I and his other supporters care. Monday as he left home with his cycle he said good morning to the waiting press commenting thank you for being outside of my house for three hours.
Yes he is being hounded and traingate appears to be the latest in a lo g line of smears. Owen Smith is as fake and phoney as they come. His last gaffe came during a husting last week when he said he would like to open up dialogue with ISIS. That foot in mouth moment resulted in a wealth of hilarious memes on social media but little mainstream media coverage. Highlighting a genuine problem of overcrowding on privately owen British trains seems much more serious than wanting to talk to ISIS. By the way I voted after this story broke Tuesday and Jeremy Corbyn got my vote. Traingate may have been a gaffe, PR gone wrong or a real incident being misrepresented by the opposition but I still trust that man much more than I do Owen Smith. #JC4PM http://www.ft.com/fastft/2016/08/23/virgin-clarifies-corbyns-train-predicament/ Voting in the Labour leadership election begins Monday. Some Labour Party members have taken to social media to post an image of their vote but I am still waiting for my online voting email to arrive. The time-scale is such that full members are balloted before affiliates and later this week postal votes go out. That belt and braces approach means that every person entitled to vote should be covered probably this week. But while I wait for an inbox notification that my voting papers have arrived up pops one from leadership challenger Owen Smith MP. Calling him a challenger makes it sound like a boxing match but to be fair the Labour Party is in the throes of a huge fight. So what did Owen or rather his campaign team have to say Monday? As voting begins this week, we face the most important decision for this generation of Labour supporters. I received a similar email from London Mayor Sadiq Khan Sunday. It too included buttons to click on and show your voting intention. As always I did not click through.
It is a brief polite email but here is the thing Owen. I do not believe you. You do not have the credibility Jeremy Corbyn has. You may or may not win voters over or you could lose more than you win over. If you win you may or may not become party leader and remain in post for sometime. Then again you may be a stalking horse; you could be telling tall tales; the plotters may remove Mr Corbyn and then remove you with or without your approval. That could put a right-wing of Labour politician in the frame; Corbyn could be kept off the ballot; we could be back to square one. Fair enough I doubt that scenario is on the cards but this is the problem Labour supporters and in particular those who support Corbyn have. Who to trust and who to believe? Too many Labour MPs have painted ghastly portraits of themselves during this orchestrated coup. You Owen may be a good guy who at one time may have received my vote but your behaviour during this coup has forever tarnished your reputation for me. Sadly that is true of others. It will take the plotters a great deal of time and hard work to win people back. Additionally your emailed promises offer me nothing new or extra to Jeremy Corbyn's election promises. Yes you hint or perhaps claim that Corbyn is not electable in a General Election but what makes you think you are? This party member is a loyal indivdual. So when my ballot papers arrive I know who will get my vote and it will not be you Regards Eileen Sadiq Khan has kindly sent me an email today [Sunday] distributed by The Labour Party on behalf of Owen Smith, candidate in the Labour leadership contest.
It was only fair that I respond. Dear Sadiq Thank you for taking the time to write to me, expressing your support for Owen. I remember along with a number of good colleagues throughout the early part of 2010 working your constituency and helping to turn it around from what was predicted a Tory gain, to a Labour Retain. The hours and the days we put in to do this, proved worthwhile. I will not forget that election night, when it was predicted that the Tories would win the country, and we actually got a hung parliament! I remember you pounding the streets until late at night, ensuring everyone who could vote, did so. So I have no doubt about your commitment in wanting to see Labour in political power. I was pleased for you and the constituency when in 2015 you increased your majority. May I also send a belated congratulations on becoming Mayor of London. Which I hope you will be a success. And I respected you in maintaining your personal standards, in the face of the awful challenge from the Tories in their campaign. Their attacks was insulting to you personally and to the city itself. I did not agree with you appearing with Cameron, on the Remain vote. That does not mean to say I did not agree with remain. Especially after he started the slurs against you whilst standing for Mayor from the comfort of parliament. I just think campaigning with the Tories is wrong and was an error of judgement. Whilst I respect your view and your right to express support for Owen. And I respect Owen right to stand for leader. I must say, there is nothing what you have said, or Owen for that matter, that will persuade me to vote against JC less than a year after his emphatic win. I believe that the battle we face is with the Tories that are in power, not with ourselves. I have seen in recent weeks the Mantra that JC is not a leader, that he cannot be Prime Minister, in the main by people who have caused confusion, upset and division. I would say to you as I have said to Owen, can we please get back to some sanity and unity. And if you think there are shortcomings regards JC leadership, privately speak to him, and privately encourage him to do better! After all I am sure that is what you would have done with Ed, or other former leaders. I have seen people posting some remarks about you today, regards your email and your article. I don't share the views of vilification for you doing what you have done. Although I disagree with you. I thought it only correct after your public support against JC, and for taking the time and trouble to publicise widely such, including your message to me, that I returned the compliment by publishing my reply to you. May I wish you well and I hope your term of office is a success for you, for Labour and for the people of London. Comradely regards, Mick Cometh the time, Cometh the man.
The Establishment really, really, really, doesnt get it do they? Its not so much what Jeremy Corbyn is saying. Its what he is offering that's making the difference. Every time a representative of the establishment, be it the BBC and other Media, MP's, Civic Leaders and the like comes out and makes a statement about the unelectability of Corbyn's Labour, or attempt some kind of character assassination of those around him we (Entryists, Trots and the like) kick back and his power becomes stronger. He portrays the power of collectivism in a way that is shaking the very foundations of British society. On the one hand we have people who for one reason or another have grown suspicious of the 'Established Order', either in their own lives through insecure jobs, housing and the like, or have become disillusioned with the self inflicted Terrorism threats they witness and all the awful consequences of getting involved in other peoples domestic wars. We should be involved, but in a way that helps resolve these conflicts, not pouring petrol on the flames. The middle east is awash with weapons manufactured in Britain and the west!!! On the other hand we have the Establishment wanting more of the platitudinous same, in the interests of their 'British justice' whilst at the same time feeding off the profits of the masses who are just about getting by in poor housing , poor jobs, children having no future and increasing waiting health issue lists. The wealth creators seeing little prospect of wealth for their children. Then the Likes of Sadiq Khan and Kezia Dugdale, now seen in some ways as reflective of the old Labour way of doing things, like shoehorning candidates into power; then they forget their roots so quickly and become themselves part of this 'establishment' that people have so much antipathy towards. A sort of payback time for being given a nudge in the right direction. Anyone with any sense and in power should have realised that you cannot defend the indefensible by condemning such a huge movement without it having some kind of back lash. The Royals know this and practise this neutrality-hence they survive as they are always seen generally as bystanders. The Establishment are using all their power to stop this Social revolution juggernaught which is growing daily. The natives have watched the faltered uprisings elsewhere on the Continent in places like Spain and Greece and have learned much from it. One thing the British have when push comes to shove is a collective will to succeed. It is only people like Corbyn and Churchill before him who instinctively tap into the hopes and fears of the masses and will them on to do that which seems impossible. Both men have had their respective critics and both men made big mistakes too, but they both have that ability to rise above it all and succeed where lesser men fear to tread. I am happy to have lived during the lifetime of both these people who in their respective ways will harness the power of the people for the good of Great Britain. Thanks as always to Steve Howard WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones has spelled out in detail the reasons she cannot support Jeremy Corbyn in the ballot to elect the leader of the Labour Party.
In an email sent to Labour Party members and supporters in her constituency she warns that with Mr Corbyn as leader there is a very real possibility of Labour ending up with less than 200 seats in the House of Commons for the first time since 1935. Yet the country needs a Labour government – as do the people of Warrington North, she says. The full text of her message to supporters is as follows: “As a member of the Party for over 40 years and as your Labour MP, I have watched with dismay what has been happening to Labour since the 2015 General Election. “That election produced our worst result since the 1980s, the loss of all but one of our seats in Scotland and Labour representation cut to only 13 seats south of the Midlands (outside of London). “The fact that our majority in Warrington North went up should not blind us to the wider picture. “Since then, things have got worse. The party has fallen to third place in Scotland, behind the SNP and the Tories, lost our overall majority in the Welsh Assembly, and suffered a net loss of seats in the English council elections. At the time of writing, the polls show Labour on between 26 per cent and 28 per cent support (which is between 12 per cent and 14 per cent behind the Conservatives), yet at this stage in the electoral cycle we should be polling at least 40 per cent to have a chance of winning the next General Election. “When Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader, we were promised that he would improve Labour’s position, that the voters in Scotland would return to us and that we would gain more working class votes. None of this has happened. Instead the situation has got worse. “Jeremy does not have the support of many people who have previously voted Labour. “You will know that I spend a lot of my time out knocking doors in this constituency. Time and time again, people who were previously solid Labour voters tell me that they cannot vote for us with him in charge. People have come out into the street to tell me he has to go. “Nor does he have the support of most of his colleagues in parliament. I have watched Jeremy’s performance in the House since he was elected, hoping that it would get better. It has not. He is simply not capable of taking on the Tories at the Dispatch Box. “Many of my colleagues who were on the front bench have found it impossible to work with him. They have found that they agree policies only to find that something different is announced or that they cannot get meetings with him to decide important issues. Whether you like these things or not, they are facts and they will not go away. “Yet we need a Labour government. The people we represent here in Warrington North need one. Everyday, my office deals with people who cannot manage on what they earn, who are at risk of losing their homes, who have long waits for the hospital treatment they need or whose children cannot find a decent job. “These things cannot be changed by big rallies, however much people enjoy them. We are not a debating society. The Labour Party exists to win a parliamentary majority so that it can improve the life chances of people in this country. If we have no chance of doing that, then we have to ask if we are going in the right direction. “Labour governments created the NHS and the welfare state. Labour governments gave women the right to equal pay, raised the school leaving age and built decent housing. It was the last Labour government which brought in the minimum wage, the right to paid holiday, the right to union recognition, which increased maternity leave, introduced paternity leave, brought homes up to the decent homes standard, and made a record investment into the NHS. “That government built a new A&E department here in Warrington and provided the money to take over the private hospital that was once in its grounds, giving state of the art facilities to NHS patients. It opened Sure Start centres (now being closed by Tory cuts) and funded the Orford Jubilee Neighbourhood Hub. It improved the incomes of working people through its tax credits and gave extra money to the poorest pensioners. “It was because of that government that I met families who could give their children a day out for the first time and pensioners who could have a holiday for the first time in years. “None of this was achieved by rallies or talking to ourselves. It was achieved bypersuading people across the country, poor or well-off, old and young to vote for us. “Sadly, I do not believe we can do this under Jeremy Corbyn. His personal ratings are dragging Labour down. Polls now show that only 18 per cent of voters would choose him, rather than Theresa May, as Prime Minister. If he continues as leader, there is a real risk of Labour ending up with less than 200 seats for the first time since 1935. “That is why I am supporting Owen Smith in this ballot. He is capable of holding the Party together, he is good on the media and he appeals to a cross-section of voters. I believe that he can win the next General Election.” Ms Jones asks people to visit Owen Smith’s website and appeals to Labour members to think about the future of the party and the future of people in Warrington North before casting their vote. Helen Jones June 26 Liverpool Echo: The Warrington North MP took to Twitter. She did not call for Jeremy Corbyn to go but her only tweet on the matter so far today has led to fury among Corbyn supporters: “Sorry to see @hilarybennmp go from the Shadow Cabinet. One of the most decent people in politics. @UKLabour needs people like him." https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10319/helen_jones/warrington_north Et tu, Sadiq? Sometime it’s maybe worth ignoring the knives and focusing on the whispers.
Sadiq Kahn has thrown in his two penneth worth into the Labour leadership thing and has decided to support Owen Smith. Carry on with your Sunday, nothing to see here. … Still here? Why should you care if Kahn supports Smith? Why are people upset that Khan has supported Smith? Firstly, I don’t think you should much care that Khan supports Smith. True, it rather suggests that his political judgement is unsound but, then, he’s maybe not speaking to you. In the world of British politics, we have the spectre of wealthy donors who pump £millions into party politics because it sates their egos to have people jumping to their tune and putting them on a pedestal. It is already rumoured that there are sizable war chests already allocated to fighting Corbyn’s leadership should or when he receives a second mandate from the party membership. Just as I don’t think that most of Zak Goldsmith’s ‘dog whistle’ campaign for London Mayor was truly aimed at London voters, my suspicion is that very little of the noise coming from the “coup” is genuinely targeting Labour party members. Goldsmith was a well-liked, leftish leaning greenish Conservative who was part of and party to an appalling gutter political campaign that will almost certainly forever tarnish his political career and people’s opinions of him. Was he naïve to have trusted his party leadership and their choice of campaign leaders? He was certainly hung out to dry by his party and, one wonders, what the motivations for that were. Was a Conservative ‘golden boy’ being brought down a peg or two in case he ever had party leadership aspirations? Were the ‘dog whistles’ aimed at audiences outside of London pre EU referendum, as part of stoking up Brexit support? That Goldsmith was brought so low by his party certainly left me feeling that all was not what it seemed in that business. So is Khan even talking to us, the members, at all? Are things as they seem? Secondly, people feel Khan has repeated Ed Miliband’s crime of stabbing his brother in the back. Khan was reliant on Corbyn’s support to gain the Labour nomination to run for Mayor ahead of Tessa Jowell and then utilised Corbyn’s grassroots support to campaign in the capital. Supporting Smith is seen as a betrayal. Yes, it probably is, but it’s politics and knives go in the front as easily as in the back. The thing I find more interesting is not what he’s said or done but what the reasons might be for why. My speculation: Khan has played the loyal political voice for those wealthy donors to Labour and has done so at a time when it is considered it might have some impact in the leadership voting. He has otherwise remained fairly quiet. Members may provide essential funds to party coffers but wealthy donors put cash into MP’s and Mayor’s “personal” funds for campaigning etc. Wealthy donors can help with money for when you’re buying that second or third home. It’s helpful to have wealthy people on your side. Yes, he has taken a gamble on losing Labour support when he runs for a second term as London Mayor but I think, with backing from wealthy donors, he is probably fairly confident of success as an independent candidate. Plus, there is life outside of being an MP and it never hurts to plan ahead. Do I think Khan feels Owen Smith is a better leader for Labour and more likely to be able to lead Labour to a general election victory? No, Khan is not a stupid person. I’m sure Khan knows Smith’s short comings, least of which includes his ability to win the Labour leadership election. Khan won’t stop being London Mayor because he has backed the losing horse in the Labour leadership race and there’s a far longer game being played. Thanks to Roger C Also posted at https://medium.com/@Roger.C/et-tu-sadiq-sometime-its-maybe-worth-ignoring-the-knives-and-focusing-on-the-whispers-da2e03c5e1f2#.oopl5t82x http://www.thejeremycorbyneffect.com/jeremy-corbyn-blog/khan-emails-party-members-a-day-after-blabbing-to-the-media Spot the true and honest Labour politician in the three images above Saturday night ITV news announced that in a couple of hours a 'big name' was going to announce he was backing Owen Smith. Social media users speculated on the announcement "So @OwenSmith_MP has a mystery rich backer now! Establishment money now moving to prop up their puppet #LabourLeadership candidate!" was one tweet Saturday evening. True to form a few hours passed and the 'name' was announced; it is London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Before most people retired for the night the story about Khan's decision had done the rounds and been re-posted in various mainstream media publications. The title of each report varied a great deal from plain speaking to bordering on abusive. Heading towards 24 hours later an email has arrived from the Owen Smith 2016 election campaign but from Khan. It says: I was deeply humbled to be elected as the Mayor of London in May, thanks to the hard work of Labour members and supporters. But for me there is a problem. I do not believe a word he says. If he valued party members at all perhaps he would have made the announcement to us first? But he has a big ego to serve. "After much thought I'm supporting @OwenSmith_MP to lead @UKLabour back to power. Here's why... www.theguardian.com/… 21 hours ago - Twitter" His successful bid to become London Mayor was helped along by Corbyn who was or is popular in London. The plotters have said Corbyn is not popular in the home counties, will not win over voters in the North of England, cannot win back Scotland and is losing support in London. The multiple pronged attack approach though make the plotters look ever more ridiculous. Smith's or is it Khan's email continues: Owen has the strongest Labour values - he led and won our fight against the Tory cuts to tax credits and disability allowances. The polls show he is the most likely Labour candidate to win the next election. But Smith was simply doing his paid job surely?
The orchestrated and organised coup was nasty beyond believe. Mr Corbyn also has strong Labour values and in my opinion much stronger than Smith. I wonder which type of Labour values Khan is referring to-Progress, old Labour, New Labour, Saving Labour, Labour Tomorrow or even Continuity Labour. I prefer good old fashioned but modern Labour with Jeremy Corbyn or a politician of equal qualities as party leader. Mr Khan's email was interspersed with linked buttons to I'm supporting Owen, I'm not sure yet and I'm supporting Jeremy. Experience has taught me to ignore such buttons. They are rarely what they seem. But then if Mr Khan and Mr Smith were to bother to read this brief post I guess they will suss who I am voting for. #JC4PM http://www.newtekjournalismukworld.com/georgie-harrison/ditch-corbyn-before-it-is-too-late-says-sadiq-khan http://www.thejeremycorbyneffect.com/jeremy-corbyn-blog/an-open-letter-writer-thanks-smith-for-strengthening-her-corbyn-resovle http://www.thejeremycorbyneffect.com/jeremy-corbyn-blog/sadiq-khan-announcement-in-angela-eagle-style http://www.itv.com/news/2016-08-20/sadiq-khan-backs-owen-smith-saying-labour-is-doing-badly-under-corbyn/ It takes a certain kind of person to be an MP in Westminster, and stay true to their beliefs, and to know that they are there because of the likes of you and I, the electorate, and to know that they are there to represent us, and to give us a voice in parliament, and have the strength of character and moral backbone, to avoid the obvious pitfalls of the corridors of power, such as power itself and the lure of a big fat bank balance.
This certain type of person or MP is one who believes in morality and all that it entails and they use such power that they have been given, by the electorate, to try and improve the living standards of the whole country, and to try and change things for the better. But many MPs fall at these pitfalls, and they bury deep, or forsake their morals, and their virtues of Integrity. Honesty, Humility, and Loyalty, are the first to be buried deep or forsaken, when the lure of power and wealth comes knocking at their door; these MPs are the ones that use others to get what they want and then turn on those that have helped them, We know who they are, they send us emails trying to justify their position, loyalty is certainly not their strong point. These MPs live their lives in the comfort of knowing that things will stay the same, and so of course they live in fear, of someone who is looking to change things for the betterment of the country, and not just the few. So they fear everything that person stands for, in case it upsets their own personal little applecart, and they lose their positions of wealth and power. We have seen many such MPs fall by the wayside when change comes their way, but there are many more that still take their seats in Westminster everyday, playing out their role putting themselves before the greater good; believing. that we the electorate, we who campaigned for them put leaflets through letterboxes for them, and raised money for them, are not important and need not be listened too. They are living in a bubble protected by a right-wing press who are just as scared of change as they are. I ask do the people of this country still want to live under the same old same old, that is screwing them into the ground, making them poorer and poorer by the day, while they live a comfortable lifestyle at our expense? Or do you like hundreds of thousands of others want a change,
I know which type of person and MP I will be voting for in the next general election, and it won’t be for those who think US unimportant. It won’t be for those that get rich at our expense, it won’t be to maintain those who have a cushy life telling us all what we can and can’t do. It will be for the person who can maintain their moral compass, who still has Dignity, Integrity, Honesty, Humility, Humanity and of course Loyalty, a person who cannot be bought, who shows no fear in the face of abject hostility towards him, who is not swayed by personal attacks on his good name. In my mind there is only one person who fits that bill, and that is our very own, very electable Jeremy Corbyn. Sunday Caroline Lucas, Green Party, shared her thoughts on the misuse of her NHS reinstatement bill by anti-Corbyn MPs, in particular Heidi Alexander, in an open letter published by the guardian.
Titled Corbyn’s support for my NHS reinstatement bill was not inept Caroline writes: I have no wish to intrude on the Labour leadership debates and I have no idea whether former shadow health minister Heidi Alexander is right in her critique of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership style, but for her aides to pick out Corbyn’s support for my NHS reinstatement bill as evidence both of his “ineptitude” and of his shadow chancellor’s “undermining” her strikes me as both desperate and depressing (Shadow cabinet inept and shoddy, says MP, 20 August). My private members’ bill, drawn up after extensive consultation with health experts and health service users, would have reversed the creeping marketisation of the NHS – under both New Labour and the Conservatives – and stripped away the costly market mechanisms that waste NHS money and lead to inefficiencies and the fragmentation of services. Perhaps a more interesting question is why the rest of the Labour party didn’t join their SNP, Plaid and Lib Dem colleagues in giving it their backing too. With a few honourable exceptions, they chose to abstain instead. Yet this is precisely the kind of policy a successful Labour party would surely be expected to promote – as well as demonstrating a greater willingness to work alongside colleagues from other parties on those areas where there is common ground between us. Overcoming party tribalism and finding practical ways of working together will be crucial to any hope of progressive policies finding a majority at the next election – whether that be on the NHS, tackling inequality, putting rail in public hands, or seriously addressing the climate crisis. Real leadership means being bold and honest enough to recognise that there’s far too much at stake to refuse to cooperate for the common good. Caroline Lucas MP [Ms Alexander has responded in the usual way, on Twitter, and her response is posted below] [On Twitter Monday Ms Lucas has tweeted "It's in hope that Labour MPs will support it if it's sponsored by a Labour MP (in a way they didn't when it was a Green MP :("] http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/21/corbyns-support-for-my-nhs-reinstatement-bill-was-not-inept? Related; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/12094737/Labour-is-betraying-patients-by-siding-with-striking-junior-doctors.html https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/19/heidi-alexander-corbyn-resign-shadow-cabinet From a child I grew up in poverty, I know what it feels like to go hungry, I know what it's like to be ridiculed for wearing hand me down school uniform.
My dad tried his hardest but the work wasn't there and he had to deal with constant stress every day. As I grew older and left school I found work but it was always a low wage, I learnt a trade but no one wanted to pay much and this was before minimum wage so you just got paid as little as they could get away with. Then I found myself homeless, through no fault of my own, I was working too and that made life very awkward but due to circumstances and quite a lot of money deducted from my wages it was impossible for me to get a place, no support was in place, no council homes available and I couldn't afford rent and council tax. I was lucky enough to have friends that helped when they could but being a proud man I would some times rather rough it than ask for help. The reason I am explaining this is because most of the circumstances I have found myself in could have been prevented by caring politicians, by people with power caring more about people, rather than how much money could be saved. For over 40 years we have endured government after government that have put economics above the welfare of its vulnerable and poverty stricken citizens. We have endured governments that have encouraged home ownership and not given a thought about social housing. Many of our mentally ill are sleeping on the streets unmedicated and with out support. These are my reasons for supporting Mr Corbyn, he shows compassion, he looks out for the ones that politics has neglected. I don't want to see a single person go through the things I have had to endure, I want to see a caring and compassionate government that lifts children out of poverty and encourages education for all and not just for those who can afford it. Corbyn is the only one offering truly compassionate politics and it's some thing this country desperately needs. So let Khan back Smith, let the PLP have their tantrums, Corbyn represents the true values of a true Labour party, and we the people together and united will never surrender, we will have the most compassionate politician to ever walk this earth as our Prime Minister. Many Thanks to Steve Harrison Posted as an open letter in Off Guardian this demands to be read and shared:
I’m sure you’d agree that 2016 has been a turbulent time for UK politics – indeed I wouldn’t be surprised if my young son were to be writing about it in future exam papers in years to come. I am one of those pesky newcomers to the Labour Party, I joined because, after years of voting Labour through gritted teeth (my first ever vote was in 1997), I had finally found someone willing to speak up for me, and those like me, in Jeremy Corbyn. Oh Mr Smith, how wonderful it was last year to hear the results come in and feel as if I were part of a great change to politics. The hope! The end to feeling disenfranchised by a party I knew in my heart was supposed to be for people like me but had moved so far to the right it made my teeth itch! It was truly a glorious moment! The grassroots movement (Momentum) set up to help spread the word that the Labour Party had had a reboot and was fit for purpose again reinvigorated me, made it possible to promote Labour again, and even feel included as it was okay to say the word socialism again. And then came the growing discontent amongst the PLP followed by the mass resignations and the call for a second leadership contest. Okay I thought, if this is going to clear things up and show who the members truly want to be leader then I’m all for it. But, Mr Smith, the way this has come about is truly despicable. The underhand tactics used by some are so very disappointing, I was angry at first but now I am resigned to the fact that these people will not go away, they have too much to lose. The NEC’s decision to prevent us newcomers from voting in the leadership contest (despite advertising the point that they could when they joined up) unless they had the £25 to prove their Labour credentials was the biggest clarion call to just how frightened the PLP have become. The faux declarations of Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘unelectability’ by Labour Party MPs in a bid to make it true via the media’s continual use of the word is so very dispiriting and utterly transparent. This is the job of the Tories, not our own party. The ‘concerns’ over Jeremy Corbyn’s ability to lead the party are, again, so transparent it’d be laughable if it had come from another party. But it didn’t. It came from our party. If Jeremy Corbyn is unelectable then why has the membership grown immensely under his watch? If Jeremy Corbyn is not able to lead the party then why are you keen to create a new role for him as ‘President of the Labour Party’ were you to become leader? Mr Smith, this just does not ring true. However, I do want to thank you Mr Smith and I really mean this. Since you contested the leadership, Jeremy Corbyn’s support has grown. Since you contested the leadership, support for Momentum has grown. Since you contested the leadership, the mainstream media has been forced to cover the policies of the Labour Party. Since you contested the leadership, the Labour Party is being talked about again by the electorate. I believe it is essential for every person to engage in conversation with people that hold opinions different to their own. It's a great intellectual exercise that either bolsters your beliefs or alters them. You have done this for me Mr Smith without even realising it. Jeremy Corbyn’s supporters are not blindly following him; if there were a credible opposition that held the same integrity I would be open to changing my mind. I do not believe Jeremy is the only socialist in Westminster, no one does, I do not understand why you are pushing this as if it were the case. Jeremy Corbyn is about to win the leadership contest. However, this time I am apprehensive instead of hopeful. This past year has opened my eyes to just how unwelcome real change is to those in power in the Labour Party. And yet, it is this change to politics that places us in the best position to be in government! Right now I am working with my local Momentum group in order to bring about change in my local community. We are a lovely bunch (with ne’er a Trot or Nazi, or whatever else we’re being accused of being this week, to be seen) and have already achieved so much in such a short amount of time and have so much to offer in the future. That is a direct result of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. So thank you again Mr Smith for your part in galvanizing my support for a Jeremy Corbyn led Labour Party. I’m sure it’s all been part of the plan hasn’t it? With best wishes, Louise PS. Can we please get back to work immediately after 24th September? This Tory government is destroying everything we hold dear. Thank you. https://off-guardian.org/2016/08/21/thank-you-owen-smith-from-a-jeremy-corbyn-supporter/ Opinion: Sunday August 21, at 6pm, supporters of Jeremy Corbyn will gather in London for what is expected to be the biggest rally of his 2016 leadership election campaign so far. Ballot papers start to be sent out Monday but Mr Corbyn and his team have further rallies around the country scheduled. Presumably leadership contender Owen Smith will be in a similar position. Corbyn is far from the underdog in this race but those trying to remove him as party leader certainly have some big guns on their side. Blair's former old new Labour spin doctor was in the mainstream media Saturday spewing more bile in the direction of Corbyn supporters. Later Saturday with a flurry and fanfare ITV news announced that in a couple of hours they would be reporting on a new convert to Camp Smith. It was reminiscent of Angela Eagle and those announcements that there would be an announcement that then failed to materialise as the MPs scheduled resignations continued and the so-called chicken coup played out. Saturday it was done in the finest, phoniest spin doctor style. It had no class, honesty or credibility but was the usual style over substance. When the name was announced later it was something of a damp squib to me. It is London's Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan. Perhaps it will impress Labour voters in London but I doubt it will raise an eyebrow North of Watford or further afield. To be honest I thought he was already well entrenched in Camp Smith. He certainly tried to put distance between himself and the party leader Jeremy Corbyn during his London mayoral campaign. He is far from a man of the people even though he likes to refer back to his Dad who was a bus driver. Of course this year's orchestrated chicken coup has its roots back in 2015 before Khan became London Mayor; it probably dates back to the date Corbyn was put on the ballot. Well maybe not that far back as MPs such as Alan Johnson thought Corbyn's leadership bid was hilarious and called him the joker in the pack. But once they realised Jeremy could win all bets were of. So Saturday it is Khan; last Sunday it was Michael Foster writing abusively in the Mail; and what will Sunday bring? Who knows but the best advice is ignore the hype. Khan's damning piece in the Observer will be republished here and there for maximum negative impact ahead of Sunday's rally and voting. If you are in London Sunday enjoy the Corbyn rally. Let London tell Khan what they think of the Labour leader. Rally: Join Jeremy Corbyn in London is a ticketed event. Apply following this link "We will be joined by Jeremy Corbyn, trade unionists and community activists from across the country. This will be a coming together to show support for Jeremy’s vision to rebuild and transform Britain." WHEN August 21, 2016 at 6pm - 8pm WHERE Ruach City Church 197 199 Kilburn High Rd London NW6 7HY United Kingdom Previously Khan said he was neutral on the leadership race 2016.
But Saturday Murdoch's Sky News has posted a report titled "London Mayor Sadiq Khan Calls On Labour To Ditch Jeremy Corbyn." That begins "London's Mayor Sadiq Khan has called on fellow party members to replace Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. In an article in The Observer, Mr Khan warns that the Labour Party "cannot go on like this," urging party members to ditch Mr Corbyn in next month's leadership election. The popular London Mayor, who until now has been tight lipped over who he is backing for party leader, announced his support for Mr Corbyn's rival, Owen Smith. In the damning article, Mr Khan accuses the Labour leader of failing to "win the trust and respect of the British people," saying his lack of leadership had become clear during the EU referendum." More work on that self fulfilling prophecy from Khan and his gang. Days ahead of the EU Referendum Khan was a guest at media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s exclusive drinks bash alongside the likes of Jerry Hall, Bob Geldof and Bill Wyman. Also in June he was up close and personal to members of the Royal Family at Wimbledon. He may be your idea of a Labour politician but he certainly is not mine. Sadiq Khan shares platform with extremist David Cameron Open letter to Sadiq Khan What ever will Corbyn say? Sadiq Khan attends Rupert Murdoch’s summer party Op-ed: That tangled web they continue to weave; the one that they seem to think voters, party members and supporters will simply forget about come a General Election is spinning out of control. That well known fan of the Tory Party the Daily Telegraph, or as it is affectionately called at times The Torygraph, has a report Saturday titled "Thousands of Labour supporters could be expelled from party over anti-Semitism and abuse allegations." It claims the NEC committee responsible is looking at 6,000 allegations of abuse and or anti-Semetism. One presumably is wealthy Labour Party donor and one time parliamentary Labour Party candidate Michael Foster. He caused outrage with an article published in the mainstream media last weekend that likened Corbyn supporters to Nazi Stormtroopers. But the Telegraph story appears in some ways incorrectly titled as it continues to roll and moves on to other allegations: Tory MP Andrew Bridgen revealed he had been approached by Labour MPs as part of an attempt to secure an early general election to “get rid of Jeremy Corbyn” as the party’s leadership contest continues. Some double-dealing and two-faced Labour MPs continue to leak information to the mainstream media. The mainstream media fills in the gaps with fiction and fantasy citing anonymous sources. But if these MPs were loyal to the Labour Party there would be no information leaks. Those damning leaks are a huge problem for the Labour Party: Documents seen by The Telegraph reveal that almost 5,850 people have been reported to the party’s executive in total, more than 3,000 of them for allegations of abuse, with the rest accused of anti-Semitic behaviour and of supporting other political parties – banned under Labour’s rules. So are these documents widely available for us all to view?
If not how did the Telepgraph get hold of them? Are people named? Is the Telegraph able to identify those accused? We need to bear in mind that it is a nicely crafted propaganda piece with few real facts. It includes old news about Jess Philips though does not name her. But the conclusion is that when or if Mr Corbyn is re-elected party leader there is much work to do not least ousting those who only show loyalty to pay masters and themselves. [The Telegraph is getting its money's worth Saturday - http://www.newtekjournalismukworld.com/georgie-harrison/former-blair-spin-doctor-uses-the-telegraph-to-undermine-corbyn] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/20/thousands-of-labour-supporters-could-be-expelled-from-party-over/ Op-ed: Friday evening Jeremy Corbyn was in Sheffield for an open air rally.
Wet weather did not dampen the event or the spirit of those taking part. The crowds turned out for Corbyn but the five local MPs did not. That is pretty much the same story as here in Hull. Here our three local Labour MPs were noticeable by their absence at a huge Corbyn rally in late July. The Daily Mirror covered the Sheffield event. Their report titled "Hero worship for Jeremy Corbyn as thousands turn up at Sheffield rally" begins with "A spot of drizzle wasn't enough to put off the people of the Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire." Presumably that sells papers these days. Hero worship? Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire? A quick check and I see the report is penned by Mikey Smith a political reporter at the Mirror. I have discovered lately that I can easily spot this guy's work especially when it refers to Corbyn. So enough of that and we will share the following from Jo Riches Corbyn's local campaign manager who posted this on social media Friday evening "On way home from an exhilarating couple of days in Sheffield. Awesome events with wonderful people - huge thanks to all at Momentum Sheffield, the Trades Council, Unite the Union, our speakers and everyone who did so much in a short space of time. The rally was easy organisationally compared to the Ken Loach film - but I know all the efforts have paid off. Proud to be part of Team Corbyn. It was wonderful being a Regional Organiser last year but feel so much closer as part of the team in the whole campaign this year. Brilliant support as ever from Marshajane, James and Yannis." Scout aroumd online for images and footage from people at the rally. Social media is bound to have plenty to share. You can then make up your own mind whether it was a good event or not. If you like what you see Mr Corbyn is in Harrogate Saturday and there are more events scheduled. |
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