[teestub]

In the full text of his statement, 90+% of what is in there seems to be an appropriate response, but it seems he just couldn’t resist a couple of digs about not agreeing with the findings and the whole thing being overblown. It’s almost like those comments were thrown in as testers to see how the new leadership would respond.

[seankenny]

A decent course of action, but then I would say that given that I left the Labour Party over this issue.

Wait till the EHRC report and kick him out of Labour for bringing the party into disrepute. Of course lots of members would leave too, but if subscriptions had to rise because of it, I’m sure for many left that would be a price worth paying.

[teestub]

Can someone wiser than me help with a point: if you are a member of Unite, but don’t agree with McLuskey’s potential withdrawal of funding, are there other unions that you can join to represent you, or are you stuck?

[mrjonathanr]

TGWU?

Corbyn has really made the EHRC point for them about the leadership being unwilling to seriously address the issue.

[T_B]

He managed to turn what should have been a day of humility into it being all about him and playing the victim. Pathetic and juvenile.

Absolutely 100%. Unbelievable.

[benpritch]

i thought this was quite an interesting article from Peter Oborne - ex Telegraph

worth a read for a slightly different slant on this situation

https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/ehrc-labour-antisemitism-starmer-corbyn-soul?fbclid=IwAR0mgIIsgyc6rinTbW9EmYUWuP8S4E2cP2zMdDII-gBTXVlHDyaXeOKRhj8

[Johnny Brown]

I don't doubt the problem and Corbyn's culpability has been overstated by an unsympathetic media. That unfortunately is out of the Labour party's hands. Sadly politics is rarely about the facts and details, it's about the general impression given to a disinterested public.This was about a bit of theatre to pacify the attack dogs so the party could finally move on. Despite an enormous imbalance between the potential benefit and damage,  Corbyn did the opposite. Clearly he is incapable of putting his slighted ego aside for the sake of the party.

[mrjonathanr]

It’s an interesting read, casting Corbyn in a much more favourable light. Thanks for the link.

As JB says above (more or less), Corbyn’s response was politically inept.

Standing back a little, if you have a mounting crisis which challenges the core values of the party, what do you do? Let it build and argue you are doing a good job? Or show some humility and awareness and make resolving it a top priority?

I do not feel that Corbyn and his team have ever grasped the seriousness of this.

Edit:

I don't doubt the problem ...  has been overstated by an unsympathetic media.

I am afraid I do. Unsympathetic média or not, hysterical headlines or not, the problem is manifestly widespread and serious. I came to that conclusion in spring 2017 and it has only recently appeared to be taken seriously. Corbyn’s own comments have done nothing to address it- the mural, the foreword, the ‘friends’ in Hamas vs the unironic Zionists. The list goes on. He had to go.

[Johnny Brown]

I didn't mean to imply it didn't exist. But it was always going to be treated very differently in the media from, say, islamaphobia in the Conservative party.

[Oldmanmatt]

I didn't mean to imply it didn't exist. But it was always going to be treated very differently in the media from, say, islamaphobia in the Conservative party.

Right wing parties are supposed/expected to be some sort of ‘ist. Racist, sexist, classist or all the ‘ists.

So it’s never “ News” only “Olds”...

[mrjonathanr]

I didn't mean to imply it didn't exist. But it was always going to be treated very differently in the media from, say, islamaphobia in the Conservative party.

No, I did not think you meant that it did not exist, but do feel that the media bandwagon does not make it substantìally worse than it already is, so disagreed with that point.

Islamophobia reporting and the Tories? Yes, absolutely.

FWIW I really do not care if Corbyn dislikes Jews, has a ‘blind spot’ or any other scenario regarding his personal beliefs. I care that the consequences of his actions are that antisemitism in the Labour Party has not been adequately addressed. That is enough.

[Mike Highbury]

It’s an interesting read, casting Corbyn in a much more favourable light. Thanks for the link.

Oborne in Middle East Eye, yes? It's nothing less than an antisemitic blog.

[mrjonathanr]

Thanks, I don't know it and you may well be right. The point about the transition in management of the complaints process was interesting but it does not change the overall responsibility in my eyes.

[benpritch]

It’s an interesting read, casting Corbyn in a much more favourable light. Thanks for the link.

Oborne in Middle East Eye, yes? It's nothing less than an antisemitic blog.

could you post some evidence of that please? I've googled and duck duck go to no avail

[Mike Highbury]

could you post some evidence of that please? I've googled and duck duck go to no avail

A spin through the editor's twitter account, if your stomach is strong enough,

Or, absolutely anything Oborne has written about Jews and Israel, may convince.

[mrjonathanr]

Double posted in error.

[mrjonathanr]

Details on its site are delightfully vague.. . ‘independently funded’ (how? by whom?) ‘influential think tanks’ (which?). Editor and funding not listed.

Had to google to find out anything.

[seankenny]

I don't doubt the problem and Corbyn's culpability has been overstated by an unsympathetic media.

Two problems with this. Firstly, talk of “the media” as an identical mass always strikes me as an inaccurate simplification that plays into the conspiratorial mindset of left and right, indeed helps create it. I was going to suggest the only things the editors of the Guardian and the Mail have in common is a dedication to getting the spellings right, but to be honest I’m not sure about that either.

But mainly, Corbyn and Corbyn Labour have been strongly criticised by prominent Jewish journalists like Nick Cohen, Jonathan Freeland, Oliver Kamm and Daniel Finkelstein. Are they exaggerating racism because they disagree with Corbyn’s policies? Are Gary Younge or David Olusoga any less trustworthy writing about racism from Trump or Johnson because they disagree with those men’s politics?

[spidermonkey09]

Can I second the call for some actual evidence about MEE and Peter Oborne antisemitism? A google has only produced a link to this crank site: https://honestreporting.com/. If I am missing something I am happy to be corrected.

[lagerstarfish]

[IanP]

Brilliant, just wish it wasn't so true!

[Mike Highbury]

Can I second the call for some actual evidence about MEE and Peter Oborne antisemitism? A google has only produced a link to this crank site: https://honestreporting.com/. If I am missing something I am happy to be corrected.

Have you looked at its output on say, Israel, antisemitism, Corbyn, or are you Googling-around?

[spidermonkey09]

I've had a look but am struggling to see anything that seems especially worrying. I might just be not looking hard enough. It's quite a serious word to just chuck around, can you post a link or two? Again I stand to be corrected but it's not immediately obvious to me.

[Oldmanmatt]

Can I second the call for some actual evidence about MEE and Peter Oborne antisemitism? A google has only produced a link to this crank site: https://honestreporting.com/. If I am missing something I am happy to be corrected.

Have you looked at its output on say, Israel, antisemitism, Corbyn, or are you Googling-around?

You haven’t actually provided any specific examples.

Given the lack of similar commentary, I’m guessing this is an opinion you have formed yourself through reading Oborne? I don’t/haven’t, so have no opinion. Surely you can point to specific articles and his expressed views that have lead you to this conclusion?

Not having a go, it’s just too much to try and plough through his back catalogue, right now...

[Mike Highbury]

I've had a look but am struggling to see anything that seems especially worrying. I might just be not looking hard enough. It's quite a serious word to just chuck around, can you post a link or two? Again I stand to be corrected but it's not immediately obvious to me.

It's an absolute sewer of a site. Just one example because you can look yourself, can't you?  https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/israel-lobbys-non-stop-attacks-corbyn-will-backfire