“Look, you have to see my desire for a Tory election win in context …You mean there’s a ‘context’ to comments like ‘f*ck off pube head’ and ‘I hope he dies in a fire’?” David Osland
Re The Labour Leaks Report where it is alleged the investigation into it is going to be a complete stitch-up with allegedly racist, sexist, abusive comments being labelled as “out of context”. Which, if confirmed, is clearly absolute & utter bullsh*t, arrogance on a level not seen since Blair, a massive “f**k you!” to our BAME MPs & members, and an insult to everyone’s intelligence. Oh, and the same allegations show transcripts where those accused Iiterally state they tried to lose the election(s?). I give you David Osland again:
“Here’s the acid test: if I were publicly to Tweet ‘f*ck off pube head’ directly to Keir Starmer, how much longer would I remain a Labour Party member?
I know Diane Abbott as my constituency MP, and can testify that three decades of sustained virulent racism has left her with pretty thick skin. I cannot imagine what it took to reduce a woman like that to tears, but it must have been pretty bloody nasty.
Where I work – a FTSE 100 corporate – foul-mouthed derogatory comments about a colleague would get you straight to a disciplinary. And if the target of the invective were black, the possibility of racist motivation would be a consideration.”
To quote the brilliant BAME Labour MP Claudia Webbe: “If the leaked Labour report gives a misleading account of what you said, why would you call for the inquiry into the leaked report to be abandoned?”
This is very simple for The Labour Party & Keir Starmer: PUBLISH, IN FULL, COMPLETELY TRANSPARENTLY, ALL THE EVIDENCE. THEN, IF THERE TRULY IS NOTHING TO HIDE, THE “OUT OF CONTEXT” CAN BE SEEN IN THE FULL CONTEXT.
Not doing so would mean that you have absolutely no substance or credibility. I will repeat: Just because the media are barely mentioning this, just because the public & even large swathes of the membership may not be aware, be under no doubt whatsoever: Any potential stitch-up job will not be accepted or tolerated in any way. If that means Labour & Starmer wish to trigger the almightiest of internal civil war, then that is on them.
All we ask for as members is consistency. Honesty. Transparency. All we ask is that the rules and laws are applied and that we stand in total, unapologetic solidarity with those allegedly bullied & abused in this report. To not do so, and Labour & Starmer have absolutely NOT done this at all so far, would be a complete betrayal to those affected, the Party, members and the BAME community. It would be deplorable, indefensible, and ANYONE who shows apathy, turns a blind eye or says nothing at all would be part of the problem.
It really is as simple as that. Of course anyone is entitled to do whatever they want, and my opinion is no more or less valid than anyone else’s; but when the investigation is released, if the above is confirmed, If you are a member who is aware of all this, and does nothing, says nothing, wants an easy life and so buries their head…then you are no comrade or friend of mine.
Over to you Labour, Starmer & my fellow members. We are either serious about the values of our Party or we are just as hypocritical & racist-enabling as the Tories. You cannot be selective about such serious issues.
Solidarity.
Adam Samuels
