A Labour spokesperson has said that despite saying he would discuss it with Reed after his morning LBC interview, Starmer is to take no action against his shadow local government and communities minister.
“Steve deleted the tweet and did not mean to cause any offence.”
It’s understood Reed “regrets” the language he used.
Starmer’s inaction has managed to unite the Tories and the hard left over his inconsistent responses to Reed and Rebecca Long-Bailey’s social media Semitic slipups, with Corbyn’s former spokesman and Long-Bailey campaign manager Matt Zarb-Cousin claiming Reed’s Antisemitism was “much worse” than Becky’s.
Reed is yet to publicly apologise…
UPDATE: Reed apologises
I want to apologise unreservedly for the language in the tweet I posted on Saturday. It was inappropriate and as soon as I realised my error I deleted it
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedMP) July 6, 2020
The Times’ Matt Chorley found himself in a scrap with Rebecca Long-Bailey spinner Matt Zarb Cousin this morning when pointing out that Long-Bailey conducted an interview in which she tried to distance herself from Corbyn… inside one of Corbyn’s office rooms. Zarb-Cousin tried to hit back with what looks like a denial…
That’s not Corbyn’s office it’s a meeting room in Norman Shaw South, the building where Rebecca’s office is
— Matt Zarb-Cousin (@mattzarb) January 22, 2020
However, as with other Matt Zarb Cousin denials, this one quickly fell apart…
Sounds like you’re rowing back there Matt 🚣♀️ is it his office or a boardroom
— Matt Zarb-Cousin (@mattzarb) January 22, 2020
Long-Bailey’s interview was in Corbyn’s suite of offices. Zarb-Cousin, who used to work for Jezza, claiming that this is materially different from inside his core office, seems to be a stretch…
If Jeremy happened to be pottering about in the background I might think you’d have a point
— Matt Zarb-Cousin (@mattzarb) January 22, 2020
As ever Guido will let you decide who won…
Corbyn spokesman turned Twitter outrider Matt Zarb-Cousin has been referred to Labour’s disputes panel and told not to engage in abusive behaviour on social media, Guido can reveal. Zarb-Cousin was grassed by a fellow Labour member for calling people “nonce” on Twitter. An email from the Labour Party complaints administrator seen by Guido says Zarb-Cousin has been referred to the disputes team and reminded of his responsibilities:
Complaint ref:
I am writing regarding your complaint relating to Matt Zarb-Cousin.It is the job of the Complaints team to review all complaints to ensure that matters are dealt with appropriately and by the correct unit of the
organisation.Having reviewed the content of your complaint, I have forwarded it to the Disputes team, for further action.
They will remind Mr Zarb-Cousin of the importance of using appropriate language and not engaging in abusive behaviour on social media.
Best wishes,
Complaints Administrator
The Labour Party
Is there anyone left in Labour who hasn’t been referred to the disputes panel?
Last night Jeremy Corbyn’s former spokesman Matt Zarb-Cousin vowed to wear a Donald Trump Make America Great Again hat if Labour failed to win Barnet:
Fair play to Matt, who kept his word and donned the cap when Guido presented it to him this morning. He tells us:
“I think that a lesson has been learned, really, on expectations management. I just don’t think you can really make these kind of bold predictions, particularly if the punishment is this, which is going to be tweeted at me forever now. I’m pleased I didn’t say I would eat the hat. In effect that is a kind of expectations management.”
Good sport. Matt’s face speaking for all Corbynistas this morning…
Top Corbynistas are openly referring to John McDonnell by his IRA nickname “The Quartermaster”. Momentum man Max Shanly called the Shadow Chancellor by his IRA nom de guerre on this week’s Novara Media All The Best podcast. Appearing alongside former Corbyn spokesman Matt Zarb-Cousin, Shanly said:
“I went to John McDonnell’s Alternative Models of Ownership Conference this weekend… it was very interesting, I don’t know how many of you have read the Alternative Models of Ownership report commissioned by The Quartermaster and Rebecca Long-Bailey, but it’s a very good read.”
As WikiGuido revealed in 2016:
“The story goes that McDonnell used to frequent a working men’s club in Camden which was known as a hub of IRA activity at the time. He was said to be so pally with the republicans who drank there that it allegedly led to him being given the nickname ‘The Quartermaster’. The joke among local Labour figures was that he was so involved he must have had his own quasi-military rank. His spokesman does not deny he was a regular visitor, but says: ‘It may have been a nickname for him as he was resourceful and in charge of budgets at the GLA.’”
It’s the second time in as many weeks the All The Best podcast has got Corbynistas in trouble. Last week Guido told how Clare Kober’s demise was cheered on during an episode of the socialist broadcast: Shanly shouted “she’s dead”. The brocialists later apologised. All The Best gaffes…
Top Corbynista Aaron Bastani has caused much amusement with his suggestion following Elon Musk’s latest SpaceX launch that a “socialist space agency would bump Labour’s polling by 5 points”. This artist’s impression reveals what a Corbynista NASA could look like. Can think of a few Labour MPs who would be up for blasting Basto and co into space…
