Keir Starmer is preparing to purge far left Labour members part of “poisonous” campaign groups in one seems to be an attempt to rid the party of Corbyn loyalists, reports The Mirror.
It comes as Jess Phillips compared Owen Jones and Novara Media to noisy, overexcited children saying “Who cares what they think, frankly, ” in an article in The Times.
I guess if Jess Phillips' strategy is to slag off left-wingers in the Murdoch-owned Tory press to win the approval of Darren Grimes, it's been a resounding success pic.twitter.com/78y6vVbAgW
— Owen Jones ? (@OwenJones84) July 17, 2021
In response Owen Jones tweeted: “Keir Starmer promised no more navel gazing, but instead of fighting the Tories, Labour is now beginning a Stalinist style purge. All the people who portrayed Corbynism as scary authoritarianism will be those most loudly demanding ever bigger purges.”
Keir Starmer promised no more navel gazing, but instead of fighting the Tories, Labour is now beginning a Stalinist style purge.
— Owen Jones ? (@OwenJones84) July 17, 2021
All the people who portrayed Corbynism as scary authoritarianism will be those most loudly demanding ever bigger purges.https://t.co/qDaWqu6Tpj
He followed up by writing: “The main target of this purge is Socialist Appeal, whose members have been active in the Labour Party for decades, and weren’t even purged under Tony Blair. With no inspiring vision to offer the country, the Labour leadership has settled on kicking the left and nothing else.”
The main target of this purge is Socialist Appeal, whose members have been active in the Labour Party for decades, and weren’t even purged under Tony Blair.
— Owen Jones ? (@OwenJones84) July 17, 2021
With no inspiring vision to offer the country, the Labour leadership has settled on kicking the left and nothing else.
John McDonnell
Standard Blairite fare to try show how strong a leader you are by taking on your own party but bizarre to do it by expelling people, most of whom have left already. Looks desperate when what is needed is restoration of whip to Jeremy Corbyn, publication of Ford & taking on Tories
Standard Blairite fare to try show how strong a leader you are by taking on your own party but bizarre to do it by expelling people, most of whom have left already. Looks desperate when what is needed is restoration of whip to Jeremy Corbyn, publication of Ford & taking on Tories
— John McDonnell MP (@johnmcdonnellMP) July 17, 2021
Dawn Butler also waded into the row writing: “I really don’t see the point in attacking @novaramedia and @OwenJones84 . Use the energy to attack the government corruption and erosion of our democracy. I really don’t see why a member of @UKLabour@Keir_Starmer shadow cabinet would see this as a priority.”
I really don't see the point in attacking @novaramedia and @OwenJones84 . Use the energy to attack the government corruption and erosion of our democracy. I really don't see why a member of @UKLabour @Keir_Starmer shadow cabinet would see this as a priority.
— Dawn Butler MP✊?? (@DawnButlerBrent) July 17, 2021
It appears the Labour Party are intent on cutting ties with their left-wing supporters in an attempt to regain power.
Labour ‘s ruling National Executive Committee will be asked to proscribe four “toxic” organisations which promote communism, claim anti-Semitism allegations are overblown and demand whips restore Mr Corbyn as a Labour MP.
Those to be banned include Resist and Labour Against the Witchhunt, which claim anti-Semitism allegations were politically motivated, and Labour In Exile, which expressly welcomes expelled or suspended members.
The openly communist Socialist Appeal will also become a forbidden group.
Anyone found to be a member of any group will be automatically expelled from the Labour Party.
Related: The harshest reactions to Boris Johnson’s self-isolation u-turn farce