How much worse can it get ...??

[Joseph K]

Or it could be that, having already seen the EHRC report on anti-semitism in Labour (which it appears is likely to be damning) Starmer decided that refusing to settle this case would do nothing for Labour’s reputation, and would simply ensure that it would continue to be viewed as institutionally racist.

Weird how the EHRC won't investigate racism in the Tory party, almost like it isn't impartial at all.

[Serial_Apologist]

Weird how the EHRC won't investigate racism in the Tory party, almost like it isn't impartial at all.

Yes, but as I was remarking, you know what excuse will be churned out - namely that "that" is a separate issue! I also have a sneaking suspicion that there exists a tacit sense that some forms of institutional racism are OK to a degree that antisemitism is not: a kind of grading.

Yesterday's exhibition of ex-Stoke-on-Trent MP Ruth Smeeth being trotted out on Channel 4 News, of all things, to blast Corbyn for speaking out and tell him he should observe ex-leader protocols and keep his mouth shut was hypocritical at best. And she added that this was not to be the end of the issue as far as she was concerned. Well, the purge isn't over, they won't be happy until the last drop of blood has been mopped off the playground - we realised that! All this while Starmer was boasting in the Commons to the PM, of all people, that the party was now under new management. Just imagine the lambasting in the press Corbyn would have been inflicted had he not said anything.

[gurnemanz]

Unable ever to vote Tory I have mostly found refuge in the Lib Dems or Greens. Yes, things are ghastly at the moment but the removal of Corbyn at least marks some improvement on the political scene. I might now even be able to vote Labour at some point. Having had experience at first hand of the brand of state socialism which Corbyn expouses and which leads inherently to repressive, one-party, totalitarian dictatorship, I am delighted to see the back of him. My wife spent the first 25 years of her life in the German Democratic Republic and has seen what happens when ideologues and their functionaries get the reins of power. She has as much contempt for Corbyn as Johnson because Corbyn, as opposition leader, was in a position to prevent the Johnson/Brexit scenario which now benights our country. He failed.

[LMcD]

Unable ever to vote Tory I have mostly found refuge in the Lib Dems or Greens. Yes, things are ghastly at the moment but the removal of Corbyn at least marks some improvement on the political scene. I might now even be able to vote Labour at some point. Having had experience at first hand of the brand of state socialism which Corbyn expouses and which leads inherently to repressive, one-party, totalitarian dictatorship, I am delighted to see the back of him. My wife spent the first 25 years of her life in the German Democratic Republic and has seen what happens when ideologues and their functionaries get the reins of power. She has as much contempt for Corbyn as Johnson because Corbyn, as opposition leader, was in a position to prevent the Johnson/Brexit scenario which now benights our country. He failed.

Snap!

[Joseph K]

Having had experience at first hand of the brand of state socialism which Corbyn expouses and which leads inherently to repressive, one-party, totalitarian dictatorship, I am delighted to see the back of him.

No - Corbyn is a democratic socialist, not a totalitarian. I wonder if you thought Clement Attlee's government led to Stalinism in Britain? Or Harold Wilson's?

My wife spent the first 25 years of her life in the German Democratic Republic and has seen what happens when ideologues and their functionaries get the reins of power. She has as much contempt for Corbyn as Johnson because Corbyn, as opposition leader, was in a position to prevent the Johnson/Brexit scenario which now benights our country. He failed.

Your use of the word 'ideologue' is strange - every politician is an ideologue of one sort or another.

It sounds to me that you are relieved as much that Corbyn didn't get into power. This is something I hear from Liberals time and again - that Corbyn failed etc. yes - well, you are as much against Corbyn as you are supposedly against Johnson.

The only thing voting the Lib Dems has done in recent history is help prop up the Tories and implement austerity which has seen over a hundred thousand needless deaths.

[teamsaint]

The ship has sailed
Too late to be a repentent labour voter.
Stuck for almost 5 years with the worst of the many many awful tory governemnets we have had in my lifetime. We had a chance late last year, and blew it.
( And Corbyn was never going to be able to implement many of the the “wilder” aspects of party policy, in any case.)

Shame for all the young people, isn’t it ? And isn’t great to have the tories running the country during this crisis ?

[teamsaint]

And.......

Labour had exactly no chance of winnning the election on a remain ticket. None whatsoever.
Because if they did, they would have.

[french frank]

Weird how the EHRC won't investigate racism in the Tory party, almost like it isn't impartial at all.

That isn't 100% accurate, is it?

What they have said is that they will monitor the Tories' "independent" inquiry, have asked for regular updates on its progress and will review the situation, reserving the right to implement their legal powers if they see cause. They have "dropped" (press word) their own plans for an investigation "at this stage" to avoid two simultaneous investigations being carried out. Scepticism as regards the Tory investigation is allowed.

[Joseph K]

[french frank]

No - Corbyn is a democratic socialist

What other sort of socialist is there?

[oddoneout]

The ship has sailed
Too late to be a repentent labour voter.
Stuck for almost 5 years with the worst of the many many awful tory governemnets we have had in my lifetime. We had a chance late last year, and blew it.
( And Corbyn was never going to be able to implement many of the the “wilder” aspects of party policy, in any case.)

Shame for all the young people, isn’t it ? And isn’t great to have the tories running the country during this crisis ?

With a bit of help from FPTP - speaking as one who is marooned in an inescapable blue sea.

[Serial_Apologist]

What other sort of socialist is there?

Well according to everyone else all sorts. Same with Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc. Which is why we sometimes go to the extent of reminding people that socialism is a democratic philosophy. No democracy, no socialism - simples. But we're not allowed to define ourselves and be offered credence, as that would be special pleading.

[teamsaint]

With a bit of help from FPTP - speaking as one who is marooned in an inescapable blue sea.

FPTP is a given.
Voting for the tories, or parties that enable tory governments isn’t.

[french frank]

FPTP is a given.
Voting for the tories, or parties that enable tory governments isn’t.

Isn't democracy necessarily pluralist, recognising a need to represent competing views? Not all Tory governments have been bad, nor all Labour governments good. Should FPTP be a "given" given that it's generally recognised as democratically flawed? And shouldn't a democratic socialist support a change in the electoral system rather then condemn the country most of the time to a Buggins' Turn system to ensure they get a chance to be in power?

[LMcD]

With a bit of help from FPTP - speaking as one who is marooned in an inescapable blue sea.

I hear they may rename Suffolk Coastal constituency 'The Deep Blue C'.