Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Welcome to Scotland; Jeremy Corbyn is called a ‘terrorist sympathiser’in Glasgow, outside the Heart of Scotstoun community centre, cyber attacks on Labour, former Labour Ministers voting Conservative and now a clergyman screaming, “I thought you would be wearing your Islamic Jihad scarf”, there is a lot of lead flying towards Labour Party, almost near perfect political combat conditions















Dear All

There is a saying, it never but it pours, and for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, he must feel he is in the middle of monsoon season. In the space of a few weeks, cyber attacks on Labour Party website, being heckled by a Church of Scotland minister describing him as a “terrorist sympathiser” on his first general election visit to Scotland, and former Labour Government Ministers publicly declaring they are voting Conservative.

This is looks it is going to be a long campaign for him.

The cyber attacks will be a nuisance but that will be all, former Labour Ministers voting Conservative is highly embarrassing and being heckled is life at the front. When you are fighting an election in the trenches, you have to watch your step, trouble is round every corner.

When Jeremy Corbyn was outside the Heart of Scotstoun community centre in Glasgow, he must have thought this would just be a routine campaigning, photo op event, but the Rev Cameron had other ideas, He referenced a tartan scarf worn by the Labour leader and in full view of the press, shouted:

“I thought you would be wearing your Islamic Jihad scarf.”

Having walked away Jeremy Corbyn was still in earshot when the heckler continued:

“Do you think the man that is going to be prime minister of this country should be a terrorist sympathiser?”

He went on:

“Who is going to be the first terrorist invited to the House of Commons when you are prime minister?”

Jeremy Corbyn looked visibly uncomfortable and had to be ushered inside the venue,there is no point trying to have a debate with the heckler, his purpose was to destroy the event, not engage in a dialogue.

Rev Cameron’s parting shot was;

”Aye, he’s running away”.

This type of behavior isn’t new in politics, my only surprise is usually it comes from Sean Clerkin, who carved out a niche in Scotland for heckling Labour politicians. In real terms, the incident will by tomorrow be chip paper wrapper, the agenda will move on. The real issue for me is the fact that former Labour Ministers of the Blair era don’t back Jeremy Corbyn. In Labour, the internal struggle still goes on and will impact this election.

Ian Austin, a former Labour Minister gave press interviews where he denounced Jeremy Corbyn;


Recently, I attended a Scotland Matters event, Tom Harris, former Labour MP and Minister attended to give a talk, one thing he said during the evening was will be voting for Boris Johnson's Conservatives in the election because Jeremy Corbyn won’t deliver Brexit. He has since said the idea of Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister "chills me to the bone". And he also accused Jeremy Corbyn as an "extremist" and claimed he was "not someone who can be trusted with the security of the nation".

One thing which isn’t really spoken about in politics much is how deeply care about the security of the nation. If you want to understand the British mentality, this scene from the movie the Darkest Hour sums up Britain.


This was true back in 1940’s and as true today, the EU referendum result was an indication of our nation spirit; it was a declaration of sovereignty which goes to the core of our being. This is why I did the Brexit campaign, just as in 1940, the few fought for the many, not over the skies of Dover, but in streets up and down the UK. The Labour Party policy on Brexit should have been to honour the result. Instead, the Labour Party leadership dug themselves which has caused the party great damage with the public. And that is why I said repeatedly that Labour policy had to change.

Just as Winston Churchill tested the resolve of the British people, Jeremy Corbyn should have done likewise. In politics, getting it badly wrong has consequences for others. The so called ‘people’s vote’ on what many would be offered as either a bad deal Brexit or staying in is nonsense, it is totally lacking in credibility.

Who does a deal then campaigns against it and emerges credible?

No one!

Tom Harris also touched on another is specific to Scotland that hasn’t gone down well, the idea that a Labour Government would back a second Scottish Independence Referendum. The deal would be the outcome of a deal with the SNP to gain power. When John McDonnell floated the idea, the reaction in Scotland from Scottish Labour was overwhelmingly hostile to the idea. To some people, this statement meant a betrayal of the 2014 referendum vote, it also meant that at both Westminster and Holyrood level, having Labour MPs or MSPs didn’t matter, what matter was winning power in Westminster.

Off the cuff remarks have consequences, actions have consequences and trying to ride two horses at once have consequences.

Tom Harris’s remarks are damning, he said:

"He is not someone who can be trusted with the security of the nation as far as defence is concerned, he is a man who has instinctively sided with our country's enemies over the years he has been an MP. The idea of him becoming prime minister just chills me to the bone. The only way of stopping Corbyn becoming Prime Minister is to vote for Boris Johnson's Conservatives, it is a very simple, logical conclusion."

He added:

"I opposed him strongly even before he talked about him betraying the Scottish people and the Scottish Labour Party by allowing a second referendum. But, yes, that does add to the many reasons to vote against the Labour Party."

Of course, Tom Harris can say these things publicly; he has left the Labour Party and gone into private business.

Finally, it is 30 days till polling day on the 12th of December, as I said this will be a rather nasty election, both in Scotland and the rest of the UK, the main thrust of this election is that this is a Brexit election. If I was an advisor to Jeremy Corbyn, the only advice that makes sense is to back Brexit. No other scenario in my opinion works, in Scotland, there are other issues which the Labour Party need to grapple with, those relate to the Holyrood dimension and how the Labour Party works and campaigns.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear George Laird

I THANK GOD YOUR BACK :)

There's still away to go for you and so my (and my prayer circle's) prayers and thoughts are with you.

Regards Stafford 1069

Anonymous said...

Part of me feels sorry for him. I've always loathed the SJW type left wing hecklers, and this is no better. I may not like him as a politician, but I have nothing against him as a person. However, at the same time it does feel like he's brought it on himself. He's been bullied by his own party - many of momentum are nasty buggers - into aligning with remain, and that's a big mistake. I agree with the point that they make about him being untrustworthy if he's cosied up to our enemies, just not the method of "discussion". But if he's too spineless to stand up to his own party and put his foot down, he has no business being Prime Minister.

G Laird said...

Dear Anon

I have always thought heckling was for the count only. I would never condone it at someone's else's event.

George

G Laird said...

Dear Stafford 1069

Thank you very much, I hope I can give a few blog posts to add to everyone's enjoyment.

George

Anonymous said...

Ian Blackford is emailing SNP members for funding to pay for a legal challenge to itv. Please voters remove this idiot. As for Corbyn, I don't think he will get close in England but tactical voting up here to block the SNP may gain a few seats. Hope you're doing well George, I'm in a similar situation waiting for an op, already 2 months overdue.

G Laird said...

Dear Anon

"Hope you're doing well George, I'm in a similar situation waiting for an op, already 2 months overdue".

When it happens you will see a huge difference.

George

Anonymous said...

With the introduction of the minimum wage. I vaguely remember my wages getting cut 40%. My wages slightly better than dole money. I signed on and 6 months later I was forced to work in a charity shop for my dole money. After 12 weeks being a slave. They sanctioned me completely and refused to give me any unemployment benefit.
Now, you wouldn't mind this sort of treatment from a raving lunatic Tory government but happening under a so called Labour government is unforgivable.
I was starting to warm to Corbyn but his betrayal of leave voters just brings back memories of Lie@bour. As a socialist, I will be voting Tory.

G Laird said...

Dear Anon

There is certain a concerted effort by the Conservatives to get Labour voters to switch.

George