As Guido reported earlier, journalists at the Guardian have been getting into a bit of a tizzy about the prospect of The Canary editor-in-chief Kerry-Anne Mendoza coming to speak at a lecture next month, leading to the amusing hard left #BoycottTheGuardian Twitterstorm last night. Will she still be boycotting them on 11th October?
The Guardian‘s NUJ Chapel convened an emergency meeting at 2pm today, where Guido understands that those present voted 35-8 in favour of allowing Mendoza to speak. Controversially, former Guardian writer Marc Wadsworth – expelled from the Labour Party for abusing Jewish MP Ruth Smeeth – was one of those who spoke in support of Mendoza at the meeting.
The Chapel also voted in favour of spending £500 of NUJ subs on drinks, leaving some Guardian hacks less than impressed. Marina Hyde reportedly asked “why don’t we roll out the red carpet too?” What better way to show solidarity than with champagne and canapés?
The person elected to chair Labour’s disciplinary panels defended the expelled Marc Wadsworth in an interview on Russia Today, Guido can reveal. Claudia Webbe was appointed as Labour’s new head of disputes this week, four months after Christine Shawcroft resigned from the role after she sent an email backing a suspended alleged Holocaust denier.
In the Russia Today interview broadcast after the local elections in May, Webbe says that Wadsworth, who was expelled from the Labour Party for heckling Jewish MP Ruth Smeeth, was “demonised” by the media, big business and the political elite. Which is an unfortunate choice of words.
Webbe: In crediting Marc Wadsworth with the tremendous work that he has done over many years in terms of the anti-racist movement, one at the same cannot deny that the party has to address issues of anti-Semitism, issues of racism…
RT: He is clearly not an anti-Semite, is he?
Webbe: When you’ve the powers of the mainstream media, working together with big business working together with the political elite, they can in a sense demonise individuals in this way.
Christine Shawcroft’s tough zero tolerance approach to Labour disciplinary cases lives on with her successor…
Marc Wadsworth, expelled from Labour for abusing Jewish MP Ruth Smeeth, has claimed Jeremy Corbyn’s office backed him before his disciplinary hearing. Wadsworth said he had received a call from Corbyn’s office: “When they called me on the first day of the hearing, they said to me that they had been working behind the scenes, that what I said wasn’t anti-Semitic. They wanted me to know they backed me”. He also said Jezza told mutual friends he didn’t think he had done wrong. Awaiting response from Team Corbyn… this doesn’t look good…
UPDATE: Corbyn’s team are calling Wadsworth a liar and say no member of staff phoned him to offer support.
Marc Wadsworth, the piece of work who abused Jewish Labour MP Ruth Smeeth, has been kicked out of the party after a two day disciplinary hearing. Stay tuned for Chris Williamson’s response…
Around 50 Labour MPs are currently making their way to Church House in support of Ruth Smeeth, who is giving evidence against Mark Wadsworth in his anti-Semitism disciplinary. pic.twitter.com/YnWolswpnX
— Theo Usherwood (@theousherwood) April 25, 2018
Grim scenes ahead of the Labour HQ hearing on Marc Wadsworth, the Momentum activist who abused Jewish MP Ruth Smeeth in 2016. Smeeth had to be escorted to Southside by Labour colleagues and was told to enter her own party headquarters through the back door to avoid pro-Wadsworth protesters. Chris Williamson has turned up to support Wadsworth…
Confirmed Williamson has appeared to support Wadsworth.
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) April 25, 2018
… Alongside other Corbynistas claiming anti-Semitism is a smear:
Supporter of Marc Wadsworth says anti Semitism is being weaponised in labour to get rid of Jeremy Corbyn pic.twitter.com/bKgUc32aW3
— kateferguson (@kateferguson4) April 25, 2018
The infamous Tony Greenstein, who was expelled from Labour for using the term “Zio”, is outside Labour HQ telling journalists that Israel “should go”:
The state of Israel “should go” says blogger Tony Greenstein, expelled from Labour, who’s protesting to keep activist Marc Wadsworth in the party pic.twitter.com/jVUE1nH5KT
— Dan Bloom (@danbloom1) April 25, 2018
What is Corbyn going to do about this? Will he even say anything about Williamson?
https://audioboom.com/boos/4889314-gerry-downing-i-intend-to-vote-in-the-labour-leadership
Gerry Downing, who was expelled from the Labour Party after Guido revealed his rants about “the Jewish question”, has vowed to vote in the leadership election. Downing told LBC he will seek to vote as an affiliate member via his trade union. Marc Wadsworth, the Momentum activist who was suspended after abusing a Jewish MP, also says he will vote as an affiliate. Will Labour HQ try to block them?
