In his first national electoral test, Jeremy Corbyn has made a really good start and results are better than expected, with a strong swing in Labour’s favour since the general election. Last May, the Tories led by 7%. When Jeremy became leader last September that lead had swollen to 15% in some polls.
Why the Left must stop talking about ‘Zionism’
May 2nd, 2016 by Jon Lansman.There is every justification for talking about the rights of Palestinians, for campaigning against the profound injustice that has been done to them and for criticising the actions and policies of the Israeli government but there is no defence for antisemitism, whoever makes the accusation. As the Jewish Socialists’ Group (JSG) has rightly argued, “accusations of antisemitism are […]
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Sanders must keep up his Momentum until the Democratic Party is won for Socialism
Apr 25th, 2016 by Jon Lansman.Following the New York primary, Hillary Clinton is “cautious but confident” says yesterday’s New York Times, and is busy picking running mates. Bernie Sanders, who lost by 16%, picking up 106 delegates to Clinton’s 139 is ploughing on. And so he should. Even the New York Times in an editorial agrees: Mr. Sanders has voiced the […]
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John McDonnell speaks out against antisemitism
Apr 3rd, 2016 by Jon Lansman.Interviewed by Andrew Marr this morning, shadow chancellor spoke out in the strongest possible terms about antisemitism within the Labour Party. As soon as Jewish people start telling us that there is antiSemitism in our party we’ve got to sit up and listen. That’s why I said last week, if there are people who’ve expressed […]
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Inspiration from the anonymous revolutionary, aged 16
Mar 20th, 2016 by Jon Lansman.If you need inspiration, try this. The words of published author (of The Anonymous Revolutionary) and blogger (on the themes of Marxism, communism, their significance and their relevance today) and Tweeter, Max Edwards, diagnosed with terminal cancer 5 months ago, aged 16, published yesterday in the Guardian. Readers of this blog won’t necessarily agree with every word […]
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Labour MPs abstain on snoopers’ charter. Straight talking, honest politics?
Mar 16th, 2016 by Jon Lansman.Yesterday in the vote on the second reading of the Investigatory Powers Bill (aka the snoopers charter), there were just two Labour votes against. All credit to Dennis Skinner and David Winnick who were amongst the 15 votes against (plus two tellers) comprising Lib Dem, Plaid, Green and SDLP MPs and a solitary SNP rebel. No doubt […]
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Young Labour in Left landslide but chaos, manipulation & smears mar NEC election
Feb 29th, 2016 by Jon Lansman.The Young Labour conference in Scarborough this weekend has seen the triumph of the Momentum Youth and Student slate in the elections for the Young Labour national committee. The sweeping victory of the Left for the first time in 30 years presents an opportunity to create a movement capable of attracting not those who want careers in politics […]
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Momentum builds foundations for a Labour victory, but you can’t please everyone
Feb 9th, 2016 by Jon Lansman.After months of working without a proper governance structure, it was a relief when on Saturday the first meeting of Momentum’s newly inaugurated National Committee, drawing delegates from across the country and trade unions, the Labour-supporting campaigning movement agreed on a governance structure. It also affirmed its determination to see Jeremy Corbyn elected Prime Minister […]
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Centralisation versus democracy: Labour’s national executive makes its choice
Jan 26th, 2016 by Jon Lansman.This afternoon, Labour’s national executive (NEC) will discuss under the rather dull heading “NEC Terms of Reference and Committees” an important matter: how much power should lie with its grassroots members. Most NEC members understand that what the rulebook says about the primary purpose of the NEC being to “provide a strategic direction for the party” […]
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Bernie Sanders for US President
Jan 24th, 2016 by Jon Lansman.The Nation, the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States, “the flagship of the left” as it describes itself, has come out in support of Bernie Saunders for US President, only the third time it has support a US Presidential candidate (the previous two being Jesse Jackson in 1988 and Barack Obama in 2008). […]
