http://kenlivingstone.net/2018/05/statement-from-ken-livingstone/After much consideration, I have decided to resign from the Labour Party.
The ongoing issues around my suspension from the Labour Party have become a distraction from the key political issue of our time – which is to replace a Tory government overseeing falling living standards and spiralling poverty, while starving our schools and the NHS of the vital resources they need.
We live in dangerous times and there are many issues I wish to speak up on and contribute my experience from running London to, from the need for real action to tackle climate change, to opposing Trump's war-mongering, to the need to end austerity and invest in our future here in Britain.
I do not accept the allegation that I have brought the Labour Party into disrepute – nor that I am in any way guilty of anti-Semitism. I abhor antisemitism, I have fought it all my life and will continue to do so.
I also recognise that the way I made a historical argument has caused offence and upset in the Jewish community. I am truly sorry for that.
Under Labour's new General Secretary I am sure there will be rapid action to expel anyone who genuinely has antisemitic views.
I am loyal to the Labour party and to Jeremy Corbyn. However any further disciplinary action against me may drag on for months or even years, distracting attention from Jeremy's policies.
I am therefore, with great sadness, leaving the Labour Party.
We desperately need an end to Tory rule, and a Corbyn-led government to transform Britain and end austerity. I will continue to work to this end, and I thank all those who share this aim and who have supported me in my own political career.
Wonder if it was a "jump, or we'll push" thing. Was the only reasonable outcome though. Ken was a distraction and an embarrassment.
I didn't even think it was luck so much as the Tories being revealed as wearing no clothing following the post-ref circus, and Labour naturally benefiting from that. I don't think they'll have as much luck if snap elections were to be called later this year.After reading Fall Out, the arguments could have been made (presupposing the events protrayed were accurate, which is a leap of faith) That the Torys have a fundamental organisation problem that can't really have improved with all the chaos going on.
On the other hand Corybn is both obstinate to the point of ridiculousness, and far to easily swayed by his inner circle. His gains last time round were as much due to luck as anything else.
I'd imagine that once again, things would settle down to a stalemate that is broken by the other parties. A Tory majority is out of reach but I'm still convinced that so is a Labour one.
That would in turn be incredibly unpopular and any winning party would be no better at improving things than they are now. They have fucked the chicken one too many times IMO.
Boy, time sure flies, it feels like only yesterday I was dunking on Tim Farron for being a bigoted asshole, and now look what he's up to:
What's that Toto? Why yes, yes that is a bigoted dog-whistle he's blowing!
Tim has taken a look around, really put in the hard yards, and realised the truth. The problems of today aren't caused by racism, or sexism, or inequality, or any of that nonsense. No! It's those gosh darned uppity minorities and their demands to be treated fairly. How dare those poofters say it's wrong for him to call them sinners! How dare those dirty homos demand he respect their humanity and afford them the rights they deserve!
Any Lib Dems who defended this man, out of some misplaced sense of loyalty or some misguided belief he had a good heart, you were had. He should have never led your party and should be repudiated and rebuked in the strongest terms possible by your leadership and membership. At this point he's as poisonous as Nick Clegg and should be treated as such.
Boy, time sure flies, it feels like only yesterday I was dunking on Tim Farron for being a bigoted asshole, and now look what he's up to:
This was announced a little while ago and I think about 300 members resigned from the party.Labour has officially confirmed as party policy that trans women are women.
If you are a woman you can stand on all women shortlists, become a women's officer and otherwise expect to be treated as a woman.
I await the swift resignation of any and all transphobes from the party, may the exit door hit them hard enough on the arse that they proceed to get directly in the sea.
It's been the unofficial understanding for many years,but now it's officially passed the NEC.This was announced a little while ago and I think about 300 members resigned from the party.
Fuck em. Try can go rot with the UKIP.This was announced a little while ago and I think about 300 members resigned from the party.
Another fucking open goal by Corbyn, a day after Mark Carny said the average house has lost £900 due to Brexit, no mention of it in PMQs.
He is inept.
Another fucking open goal by Corbyn, a day after Mark Carny said the average house has lost £900 due to Brexit, no mention of it in PMQs.
He is inept.
Where do I sign?
Another fucking open goal by Corbyn, a day after Mark Carny said the average house has lost £900 due to Brexit, no mention of it in PMQs.
He is inept.
If Corbyn is a socialist (or any other brand of economic left), I can definitely see why he is okay with Brexit. The EU definitely has redeeming qualities (like the aim for continental union) but economically speaking it is a neoliberal institution i.e. edulcorated capitalism, and practices like austerity can be seen as punishing the lower class for the failures of the ruling class.Then again people are saying he avoided brexit because of some untimely comments from within the party that May would bring up.
Where do I sign?
If Corbyn is a socialist (or any other brand of economic left), I can definitely see why he is okay with Brexit. The EU definitely has redeeming qualities (like the aim for continental union) but economically speaking it is a neoliberal institution i.e. edulcorated capitalism, and practices like austerity can be seen as punishing the lower class for the failures of the ruling class.
Unless the EU changes it's tune someone like Corbyn will be hardly interested in fighting for it so he just dodges the issue to avoid to lose consensus either side
So far he's just content to let May fumble it, completely avoiding the burden of convincing Remain voters to vote for him as the Tories are doing the job for himI can see his play of his ultimate socialist utopia being a lot more free to pursue its goals, but it's gonna be impossible for him to convince remain voters like myself that the pain is gonna be worth it, compared to a soft brexit or binning the thing.
She'll crumble too, in time. The mask has slipped in the past.The prospect of Ruth in charge is almost as scary to me as Gove. A cuddly Tory is bad news.
Not surprising, given May's entire career is built around her being opposed to anybody having any kind of rights at all.Who would've thought May would completely dodge women's rights in order to avoid upsetting her DUP cronies?
The Submarine dives again.
"Delegitimising the state of Israel is antisemitic," Arkush told the newspaper. "He was a chairman of Stop the War, which is responsible for some of the worst anti-Israel discourse.
"If he shares the prevalent discourse about Israel, then that view is unquestionably antisemitic."
Arkush said Corbyn would need to tell Jews that he "will not accept a discourse which denies the existence of their own land to the Jewish people … I think we are all entitled to some clarity on his real views about Israel".