Outrage as NEC blocks Chris Williamson
The Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has refused to endorse Chris Williamson as the Labour Party candidate for Derby North. This move is intended to destroy his career as a Labour MP.
The LRC has consistently supported Chris against the false accusations of antisemitism levelled against him. The fact is that he has been a doughty supporter of Jeremy’s Corbyn’s leadership. That is his real ‘crime’.
To review the falsity of the case against Chris in more detail, with all the inconsistencies and lies concocted against him, see our previous coverage, including here:
https://labourrep.com/blog/2019/10/11/court-rules-in-williamsons-favour-but-party-plays-dirty
Those who have persecuted him are Corbyn’s opponents within and outside the Labour Party. They wish to see Jeremy’s leadership weakened, and if possible Jeremy removed as leader. Typical of them is Margaret Hodge, who called Corbyn “a f***ing anti-Semite” in front of the TV cameras. Recently she pledged, “I’m not going to give up until Jeremy Corbyn ceases to be leader of the Labour Party.” Naturally she is gloating at the decision.
This cowardly choice will not put off the pack of wolves baying about ‘Labour antisemitism’. It will embolden them, and could do immense harm to Labour in the middle of an election campaign.
Fiona Sharpe, spokesperson of the misnamed Labour Against Antisemitism (LAAS), has claimed Labour's action against Mr Williamson was "too late in coming and totally inadequate... "Mr Williamson should have been expelled from the Labour Party years ago.” In other words their appetite increases with eating. They’ll be after us still more on account of the NEC’s perceived weakness. LAAS declares that, ‘Jeremy Corbyn is unfit to be Prime Minister and that the Labour Party is unfit to be in government’.
The bizarre and inconsistent stance of the NEC amounts to Labour shooting itself in the foot in the middle of the campaign. The sneaky way the decision has been published, when every Labour loyalist sees their utmost priority to get the vote out against this hated Tory government, is incredibly stupid and counterproductive.
Labour supporters will be wondering, as they put their feet up after a day’s canvassing or leafleting, whether we really have a left-controlled NEC. Who voted for this decision?
The NEC judgements on the day is also incredibly flaky. They also rejected Roger Godsiff, a self-confessed homophobe, as an official candidate. Fair enough. Such views have no place in the labour movement. But they still haven’t decided on whether to back Keith Vaz. Electors in Leicester East are entitled to as what is going on. We have dealt with the Vaz case here:
https://labourrep.com/blog/2019/11/4/a-tale-of-two-mps-nears-its-end
This is a bad day for Labour Party democracy and for the future of our Party. Members should express their anger in every way they can.
