[Malcolm Armsteen]

Agree. Far more likely he meant "wish we could deport the Home Secretary" than anythung else. He's about to lose the Unite election anyway. Not worth the bother.

1) That just doesn't hold. Patel's ethnicity and parental history means that any comment about deporting her will be about deporting a person of colour. Because she is. It's prima facie. There would be no question of deporting a white Home Sec. It only works because of her ethnicity.

2) It doesn't matter whether or not he is going to lose the Unite election, because wrong is wrong. And when Labour politicians do wrong they must be, and be seen to be, held responsible for thier words and actions.

3) The matter of Labour's perceived racism is real. We will not be in any position to challenge for power until all such dinosaaurs are turfed out - publicly. A 'defenestration'* is needed.


*A political metaphor, meaning that the sanction is both decisive and public.

[Tubby Isaacs]

People say things that come out wrong. Beckett is a moron, but haven't seen many people accuse him of being an anti-Asian racist. Apologize properly and move on.

The Labour source has linked the case with getting rid of Mccluskey influence. That's already undercut things in terms of justice. A bad look.

Blair and Kinnock wouldn't have wasted time on a busted flush like Beckett.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Nope.
It was a racist comment. I'm not prepared to excuse racism.

[Bones McCoy]

Labour has to be seen to be squeaky clean, or face a decade of "Remember that guy did a racism".
At the very least you can expect Fiona Bruce to ask the citizens of Zoom their thoughts on the "latest Labour racism scandal".

So it may appear heavy handed, but it's rational.
And if the guy was a troublemaker - minor bonus.

Only the Tories can get away with disguising their dirt as banter.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Nope.
It was a racist comment. I'm not prepared to excuse racism.

That doesn't make sense at all in the context. He attacked Priti Patel for deporting Asian people by making a racist comment about her? It's only racist if you think people like him don't say this sort of stuff about white Tories as well. They do.

He's not being excused. Everyone called him out and he deleted it and apologized pretty much immediately. Nobody is going to think "we're ignoring you calling out Boris Johnson because Howard Beckett".

[Tubby Isaacs]

Labour has to be seen to be squeaky clean, or face a decade of "Remember that guy did a racism".
At the very least you can expect Fiona Bruce to ask the citizens of Zoom their thoughts on the "latest Labour racism scandal".

So it may appear heavy handed, but it's rational.
And if the guy was a troublemaker - minor bonus.

Only the Tories can get away with disguising their dirt as banter.

I don't think this would fly as a racism scandal. Others did because that faction were ascendant and running to be the government. Some goon who is on his way out of Unite's leadership doesn't come into that category.

[The Weeping Angel]

[Youngian]

It doesn't matter whether or not he is going to lose the Unite election, because wrong is wrong. And when Labour politicians do wrong they must be, and be seen to be, held responsible for thier words and actions.

And that means being prepared to sack your mates. Its a fortunate bonus its usually morons you don’t want near your team that do it.

What’s the Tory view on this, is Starmer being too woke with the loud mouth commie?

[kettle]

The problem is of course that the left is far more critical of racism in its own camp than it is elsewhere, and of course the media holds a double standard which we play into. This leads to centrists tying themselves in knots trying to say "racism is bad, but racists need to be given a platform for their legitimate concerns", which ends up pleasing nobody.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

The problem is of course that the left is far more critical of racism in its own camp than it is elsewhere

Is it? I had noted the exact opposite.

See also: misogyny.