As much as it amuses Guido and generates television producer pleasing social media buzz, hasn’t the rise of the TrotsApp generation of talking heads on our screens undermined the Labour Party more effectively than the “billionaire-owned media” could ever do? In the postmortems the effect of the continuous platforming by broadcasters of far-left types – just because they are extremely active on Twitter – by current affairs shows should be reflected on. It normalised people who would in the past have only been selling Trotskyite papers outside train stations.
The negative effect is two-fold, firstly the zealous Labour activist base become ever more radicalised as the self-defined Trotskyites and communists normalise policies that are far away from the views and values of traditional Labour voters. As we found out last week.
Secondly, it just encourages polarisation, pitting Katie Hopkins against a silly luxuriating communist might make a noisy and watchable bunfight, does it really inform the viewers much? Policy development is made in think tanks of the left, right and centre. It is made by single-issue campaigns with deep knowledge of their subjects. It is not made by people who scream about billionaires and want “to kick the Tories out of Labour” whilst describing the Prime Minister as a fascist and “alt-right”. Shouting slogans and their well rehearsed soundbites doesn’t add to the sum of political knowledge in any meaningful way.
This is not to say they should be no-platformed. When Paul Mason or Owen Jones has a book out, let’s hear from them. They are articulate voices of the left, that articulacy alone does not warrant giving them almost continuous airtime. Do we really need them on our screens every day? That hasn’t done the Labour Party any good. Producers and bookers may want to reflect and seek out more representative left-of-centre voices.
As the polling seems to suggest that the Labour Party’s offer of free things to voters might perhaps be a teensy weensy little bit less than credible, it seems to be dawning on some of the smarter Labour lefties that they might just possibly be about to lose. Guido has a sense that the penny is dropping for Owen Jones that his adoring Twitter following is not representative of Britain. It must be doubly demoralising for Owen, because he worked out years ago that Corbyn was rubbish. Then after Corbyn lost the 2017 general election not as badly as expected, he reverted back to public Corbyn adoration. Here is a reminder of what Owen Jones really thinks about Jeremy Corbyn:
- “Jeremy Corbyn, a person who will never win a British general election… I know him personally and I know he never wanted to be leader; It was presented as a sense of obligation. He never anticipated this result and now leads the party without having any experience.” (Contexto y Accion, November 2016)
- “The Left has failed badly. I’d find it hard to vote for Corbyn… They have made lots of bad mistakes. There’s been a lack of strategy, communication, vision.” (Evening Standard, February 2017)
- “Since the by-election rout, [Corbyn] has made it clear he isn’t going anywhere without even offering the vaguest outlines about how to turn it around. That isn’t good enough: again, consider the stakes. Both he and his team have to think hard. If Corbyn decides he is unable to confront the multiple existential crises enveloping Labour, then an agreement should be struck where he can stand down…” (Guardian, March 2017)
- “My passionate and sincere view is Jeremy Corbyn should stand down as soon as possible in exchange for another left-wing MP being allowed to stand on for leadership in his place: all to stop both Labour and the left imploding, which is what is currently on the cards.” (Medium, March 2017)
- “Yes, it’s true that Labour has won all its by-elections since Jeremy Corbyn became leader, and increased majorities. But in his first year, the picture was the same with Ed Miliband. Neither did Corbyn do as badly in the local elections as was predicted. But Labour still lost seats — unprecedented for an the main opposition party for decades …” (Medium, July 2016)
- “Corbyn’s acceptance speech — his first attempt to address the country — lacked coherence and had no core message to connect to people outside of the left’s bubble. He then disappeared for several days (with notable exceptions like walking in silence as a reporter followed him) while the press (inevitably) viciously attacked him, except to turn up to a war memorial and fail to sing the national anthem.” (Medium, March 2017)
- “I’m somebody who campaigned for Corbyn, I’m a left-wing journalist. But I’m genuinely not clear on the policies being offered. It seems as though Ed Miliband presented his policies as less left-wing than they actually were, and now the current leadership presents them as more left-wing than they actually are.” (Medium, July 2016)
- “When I asked Jeremy Corbyn in my recent interview what his strategy was, he came up with some sensible starting points… The problem is — that’s the first I’ve heard of it… There’s no point having a vision unless it is repeated ad infinitum, rather than being offered after being prompted: it will go over everyone’s head.“(Medium, July 2016)
- “Most people don’t give a toss about politics on an every day basis. A bad image of a new politician at an early stage is tough to shift.” (Twitter, September 2015)
- “As Jeremy Corbyn is surrounded by cheering crowds, Labour generally, and the left specifically, are teetering on the edge of looming calamity.” (Medium, July 2016)
Owen issued a mea culpa to Corbyn and his inner circle in 2017 and has since been publicly loyal, even though Corbyn is still the same. The truth is that in his heart Owen again knows that the absolute boy is, to coin a phrase, “teetering on the edge of looming calamity”.
A co-conspirator spotted Shadow Brexit Secretary, Keir Starmer, meeting with Paul Mason last night – hot off his hysterical protest rant. Embarrassing for Starmer…
Tory MPs have been told by CCHQ to share this graphic boasting about their new commitment to make the UK carbon-neutral by 2050. No other major country has committed to the pledge although Theresa May is planning a desperate attempt at the G20 to talk other leaders into it. The fact that developed countries going ‘net zero’ simply means they’ll outsource all their emissions to the developing world instead seems to be completely lost on her…
The pledge will cost the UK at least £1 trillion, much of which will be borne by individuals and businesses rather than the exchequer, we don’t know the true cost as May hasn’t even done a proper Treasury analysis. Eco-fanatics love to talk about the burden this generation is placing on children and grandchildren. For a fleeting PR stunt Tory MPs are being told to boast about piling on mountains of economic harm for future generations by a leader who won’t be in office to deal with the consequences…
All the Tories are doing is playing into the hands of the hard left, Paul Mason spilled the beans with his article yesterday all but admitting that the climate agenda is just a Trojan horse to bring about “the end of capitalism as we know it.” Diehard eco-loons will always attack the Tories no matter how much they do – since 2010 the UK has cut emissions by 25%, by far the most of any G20 country, and UK carbon emissions are already the lowest since 1888. They won’t be satisfied until the entire free enterprise system that underpins global prosperity is completely dismantled…
When businesswoman Michelle Dewbury spoke about the abuse she recieved from Momentum activists during the 2017 election, journalist turned hard left activist Paul Mason responded with immediate dismissiveness. The ensuing argument continued while a VT played, when things got even more heated…
“You have been deeply rude to me in the break, you find that funny… when I just called you out on that you just sat and laughed.”
Sadly the BBC has told Guido that it will not be releasing the unseen footage…
UPDATE: In a series of tweets Michelle has explained what happened off-air: “I offered Paul Mason evidence. He replied “I’m not interested” and laughed…” Now she’s calling on the BBC to release the footage…
For the record, I am 100% happy for @BBCPolitics to release footage of my off-air ‘debate’ with @paulmasonnews and I hope they do…
I’ve had enough of this bullying, condescending, misogynistic attitude from some in @UKLabour
I’m not “offended” by it, I am saddened by it…
— Michelle Dewberry (@MichelleDewbs) March 11, 2019
Members of CIJO, a Dutch youth organisation which actively fights racism, discrimination and prejudice with a focus on antisemitism, last week welcomed Corbyn to a meeting with this banner. Corbyn spoke last Thursday night in The Hague at the invitation of PvdA leader Lodewijk Asscher. The PvdA is Labour’s sister party.
The banner mocking the official Labour slogan was hung on the balcony during Corbyn’s speech. After a few minutes, several people present, including someone from the organisation, physically challenged the CIJO members. CIJO chairman Hidde van Koningsveld claims he received a few blows. After Corbyn’s speech, the CIJO members were asked by security officers to leave.
Hidde tells Guido that fists were flying and he was abused. Subsequently he identified “the most violent” of the challengers as being Paul Mason. “We pressed charges on Tuesday and his name has been forwarded to the Dutch police.”
Guido spoke to Masson and he categorically denies being violent, he says he went over to find out what was going on and who they were, because he thought their banner was anti-Semitic. He says it was he who was verbally harassed and physically intimidated, adding that he got elbowed for his troubles.
David Garcia, who tweeted the above picture, sympathises with Paul Mason, saying it was a “vicious banner attacking Corbyn when he addressed the Dutch Labour party in the Hague. Paul Mason who was also present was understandably furious and tried to pull it down. The banner was later removed by security.” Guido put this to Mason and he also denied making any attempt to pull the banner down.
Who to believe in this case? One for Detective Van Der Valk…
