Keir Starmer is often portrayed as a “moderate” candidate in the race to become Labour Party leader, but it seems that these suspicions are slightly misplaced.
Writing in the New Statesman today, left-wing journalist Paul Mason pointed out that Comrade Keir was in fact the co-editor of a radical left-wing publication, in his early 20s.
Indeed, it appears as though Starmer was the co-editor of “Socialist Alternatives” magazine – a publication so left-wing that Mason describes it as a “Trotskyist front”.
Comrade Paul Mason Backs Keir Starmer; on Starmer’s ‘Socialist Alternatives’ background.
Starmer has a proud Left-wing background.Paul Mason writes today
Clive Lewis and Keir Starmer are the candidates who understand how Labour must change
You can criticise Starmer for many things: the compromises he made as director of public prosecutions and his resignation during the chicken coup. But you cannot say he is not left wing. From the miners and print workers’ strikes onwards, even if you leave aside co-editing a Trotskyist front magazine in his 20s, Starmer has been of the humanist and socially-liberal left. As someone who stood in the way of the same mounted police charge as he did, at Wapping in 1986, I can tell you it didn’t feel very centrist at the time.
In an era where personality matters, Starmer has a lot going for him. The raw 12 minutes he spent bossing Andrew Marr in the studio last Sunday felt like a revelation after the months we’ve spent wincing during Corbyn’s live appearances. He also connects with working-class people better than Corbyn did – though that is not a differentiator in this contest: all of the candidates do. By this I mean real, undecided or hostile voters, not the bussed-in faithful at Labour Roots rallies.
Finally, Starmer has worked and lived in the world of professional competence. Corbyn surrounded himself with amateurs: strategists who didn’t care about the polls, office managers who could not manage.
This aspect of Stamer’s background has been followed up: Keir Starmer used to edit a radical socialist newspaper
The far right media has already got that one.
Keir Starmer’s chilling explanation of Labour election defeat exposed
KEIR STARMER explained why Labour would lose in a general election in a throwback editorial for a socialist newspaper, it can be revealed.
Starmer was active in the new left Socialist Society some of whose leading figures, Hilary Wainwright and John Palmer have been active on the present pro-European internationalist left.
The journal Socialist Alternatives (SA) was set up by a small group active within this body, and was also part of the broad current known as the ‘new left’.
The key idea was ‘the alternative’, a term used in France by the Fédération pour une gauche alternative (FGA) an alliance of leftist groups, including trade unionist supporters of self-management, and some councillors during the 1980s.
The objective was to find alternatives to traditional socialist and social democratic parties, and SA can be read as strongly influenced by Green politics and social movements.
It was strongly opposed to ‘actually existing Communism’.
It would be misleading to call it ‘Trotskyist’ although SA was directly inspired by the French current known as ‘Pabloism’. This was originally Trotskyist but by the 1980s had dropped Trotsky as their main reference point. They were only one current within the broader bloc, or ‘cartel’ as it was known.
I was active in the group which inspired many of these themes, the FGA, and campaigned with them.
To indicate our politics, I was one of the groups’ delegate to the committee which organised a demonstration following the Chernobyl distaster.
Our own local committee in the 17th and 18th arrondissements of Paris had a councillor for the 17eme, elected as a member of the PSU in alliance with the Parti Socialiste.
It was hardly ‘trotskyist’ in the conventional sense.
There were the Unified Socialist Party (PSU), like Jean-Pierre Lemaire, who are opposed to participation in the government and gathered around the Left Self-Management trend , as well as some observers of Trend 3 of the Revolutionary Communist League (LCR). Some Pabloites ( Maurice Najman , Gilbert Marquis , Michel Fiant ) and other extreme left activists ( Jacques Archimbaud , former member of the Revolutionary Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) (PCR), and Patrick Petitjean, a former member of the Communist Organization of Workers (OCT)) are also part of the rally, as well as some members of the French Communist Party (sociologist Philippe Zarifian ).
Dans la Fédération pour une gauche alternative se rassemblent des militants du Parti socialiste unifié (PSU), comme Jean-Pierre Lemaire, opposés à la participation au gouvernement et rassemblés autour de la tendance Gauche autogestionnaire, ainsi que quelques observateurs de la tendance 3 de la Ligue communiste révolutionnaire (LCR). Quelques pablistes (Maurice Najman, Gilbert Marquis, Michel Fiant) et d’autres militants d’extrême gauche (Jacques Archimbaud, ancien membre du Parti communiste révolutionnaire (marxiste-léniniste) (PCR), et Patrick Petitjean, ancien membre de l’Organisation communiste des travailleurs (OCT)) font aussi partie du rassemblement, ainsi que quelques membres du Parti communiste français (le sociologue Philippe Zarifian).
Alternatives writing in the journal included Frieder Otto Wolf who was from 1984 to 1989 and in 1994 a leading member of the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen in the European Parliament.
A a key figure helping create the group in the UK (apart from ‘Harry Curtis’) was Maurice Najman.
Maurice Najman ,born onn Paris and died onin Paris 1 ,was a journalist having worked in particular in the newspaper Liberation and in the monthly Le Monde diplomatique. Active on the extreme left , a libertarian Trotskyist passionate about the underground , he was one of the figures of the protest movement of May 68 , having notably co-founded the action committees of high school students or CAL in 1967.
Maurice Najman (who spoke Yiddish ) came from a Polish Jewish family . Her father was a communist activist and her mother, Solange, daughter of a cousin of Rosa Luxemburg , Maria Luxemburg was a survivor of Auschwitz .
His flat, in Belleville, was situated in historic Jewish quarter of the Paris.
Maurice was greatly loved.
When he passed away the French press was full of respectful tributes.
Mort du journaliste Maurice Najman. Militant gauchiste; il avait travaillé à «Libération».
Comrade Paul Mason is right to say that our left was and is, “humanist and socially-liberal”.
There is nothing obscure about Keir Starmer’s new left background, nor anything to hide.
I was also part of the Socialist Society when I returned to the UK in the late 1980s and early 1990s when SA were part of the body.
Tendance Coatesy 
You get rid of one Islington leftie and another one comes along…
Steven Johnston
January 8, 2020 at 6:13 pm
Fun fact – Keir Starmer sat in Keir Hardie’s chair when he interviewed Tony Benn.
Btw, another “fun fact”, NEC member Rachel Garnham (who’s backing Rebecca Long-Bailey for Leader) says the “Left” candidate for Deputy is Richard Burgon while RBL herself is backing Angela Rayner for that position. John McDonnell, it has to be said, is backing RBL/Burgon. It is looking like an interesting contest.
John Rogan
January 8, 2020 at 7:05 pm
Starmer “socialism should advance to a new type of individualism where the individual, instead of being repressed by society, is positively encouraged to develop freely her/his own individuality.” 10/10
David Walsh
January 9, 2020 at 10:03 am
A definition of socialism with no socialism in it. Sludge without nuggets. 0/10.
He sounds like a libertarian!
Steven Johnston
January 9, 2020 at 10:20 am
When the Tories examine his record they will have no end of ammunition. If there is to be a clear break with the Marxist/Trotskist/Leninist past he isn’t the man to do it.
Dave Roberts
January 9, 2020 at 10:44 am
The next leader of the Labour party is just that. They won’t become PM and will lead the party to their firth electoral defeat.
Steven Johnston
January 9, 2020 at 10:57 am
Dave, do you remember when the left used to care about the state unlawfully killing people? Like Blair Peach of Liddle Towers. Now they are very glib about Starmer allowing the policeman, who unlawfully killed the homeless news vendor, Ian Tomlinson, off scot free.
Steven Johnston
January 9, 2020 at 11:06 am
Barry Gardiner expected to enter Labour leadership race
https://www.cityam.com/barry-gardiner-expected-to-enter-labour-leadership-race/
Barry Gardiner’s support for Narendra Modi is unacceptable. (letter signed by activists last year)
We are appalled by Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner’s tweet not only hailing Narendra Modi’s election victory, but endorsing Modi’s utterly false claim that his government represents India’s “diversity” and “progress”.
Modi presided over the genocidal attacks on Muslims in Gujarat in 2002 and in the last five years Modi’s regime has been violently majoritarian, anti-Muslim, anti-Dalit, anti-minority, and anti-worker. It has murdered dissidents and critics from journalists to judges and is the bitter enemy of all progressive people in India. Modi is the counterpart of other right-wing demagogues including Trump, Bolsonaro, Salvini, Netanyahu and Erdoğan.
In contrast to Jeremy Corbyn’s support for progressive struggles in South Asia, Gardiner’s comments about deepening his ‘friendship and trade’ with Modi sends a message of hostility to progressives in India and to many in the diaspora, particularly Dalits and Muslims.
This is a continuation and stepping up of Gardiner’s shameful two-decades-long record of acting as an ally and an apologist for Modi. The Labour Party must repudiate his comments and make clear its solidarity with the labour movement, the left and the oppressed in India. Gardiner must resign or be removed from his shadow cabinet position.
Signatories:
Seema Syeda – Secretary, Streatham CLP
Nadia Whittome – Nottingham South CLP
Sacha Ismail – Lewisham for Corbyn Secretary, The Clarion editor
Cllr Lakhvinder Singh – South Derbyshire CLP, East Midlands Unite BAME Chair, Minorities of India
Jagdip Lehal – Broxtowe CLP, Indian Workers’ Association
Aliya Yule, Co-Founder, Labour for a Green New Deal
Abdallah Al-Ammari – Stirling CLP, Scottish Young Labour BAME Officer
Hasib Baber – External Liasion Officer, Labour Against Racism And Fascism
Ansh Bhatnagar – Chair, London Labour Students
Cllr Shaista Aziz – Oxford East CLP, Stop Trump Coalition
Cllr Sasha Das Gupta
Cllr Niroshan Sirisena, Labour Party, Fairfield Ward, London Borough of Croydon
Cllr Tauseef Anwar – Lewisham Deptford CLP
Artin Giles, Vice-chair, London Young Labour
Neha Shah – Oxford Young Labour Co-Chair
Shezan Renny – BAME Officer, Highgate BLP
Ilyas Nagdee – Stretford and Urmston CLP, NUS Black Students Officer
Vijay Jackson – Edinburgh Central CLP Youth Officer, Momentum Edinburgh Treasurer, NCAFC national committee
Malak Mayet – Broxtowe CLP, University of Nottingham Students’ Union/ NUS Disabled Students’ Campaign 2nd place elect
Rida Vaquas – Oxford East CLP, former Momentum NCG member
Jagdish Patel – Rushcliffe CLP, National Union of Journalists
Neal Tank – Wirral South CLP, Nottingham Trent Labour Students Chair
Lubaba Khalid – Croydon South CLP
Sara Khan – Manchester Withington CLP, University of Manchester Students’ Union Liberation and Access Officer
Kulsoom Jafri – Bristol West CLP, Central Branch Secretary
Kas Witana – Political Education Officer, Penistone and Stocksbridge CLP
Camila Bassi – Sheffield Central CLP
Joshua Kelly – Streatham CLP, former St Leonard’s Branch BAME Officer
Hassaanah Amejee – Streatham CLP
Geeta Kauldhar – Wolverhampton South East CLP
Omar Raii – Lewisham Deptford CLP
Dharam Kauldhar – Wolverhampton South West CLP, GMB rep
Kalyani Mitra – Rushcliffe CLP
Asad Rehman – West Ham CLP
Sol Gamsu – Newcastle East CLP
Sammi Ferhaoui – Enfield North CLP
Heather Peto – Nottingham South, former PPC Rutland and Melton
Cllr Georgia Power – Nottingham South CLP
Ben Towse – Co-founder, Labour Campaign for Free Movement
Steve Lapsley – Nottingham East CLP, Open Labour national committee
Daniel Round – Hornsey and Wood Green CLP, The Clarion editor
Barnaby Marder – Richmond CLP, Socialists Against Antisemitism Founder (pc)
Daniel Nichols – Political Education Officer, Romford CLP
Andreas Wittel – Nottingham East CLP
Andrew Peak – Oxford East CLP
Dana Mills – Oxford West and Abingdon CLP
Benetta Adamson – Lewes CLP, honorary member BECTU
Joe Kearsey – Chingford and Woodford Green CLP, Unite Bar and Restaurant Workers branch rep
Sylvia Schwarz – Rushcliffe CLP
Will Stephens – Hampstead and Kilburn CLP
Hannah Sawtell – Nottingham East CLP
Daniel Randall – Assistant Chair, RMT Bakerloo Line branch (pc)
Matthew Heath – Rushcliffe CLP
Tom Leach – Nottingham South CLP
Lynton North – Torridge & West Devon CLP
Norman Wood – Wantage CLP
Alena Ivanova – Bethnal Green and Bow CLP
Sandy Paul – Poplar and Limehouse CLP
Ruth Cashman – Women’s Officer, Tooting CLP
Stefano Vozza – Bermondsey and Old Southwark CLP
James Simpson – Birmingham Yardley CLP
Fabian Newton-Edgar – Leeds North East CLP
Emrys Travis – Cambridge CLP
George Gray – Woking CLP
Hatty Ruddick – Levenshulme CLP, Salford Labour Students
Joanne Land – Holborn and St Pancras CLP
India Wilkins – Exeter CLP
Karol Florek – Cambridge CLP
Rowan Fortune – Brentford and Isleworth CLP
Andy Richards – Hove CLP
Cian Ireland – Dwyfor Meirionydd CLP, Stirling University Labour Society Treasurer
James Jacobs – Broxtowe CLP, Branch Disability Officer
Vicki Morris – Nottingham East, University of Nottingham Unison branch chair (pc)
Billy McLean – Salford and Eccles CLP
Marko Dimač – Nottingham South CLP
Kristian Ravnkilde – Broxtowe CLP
Tom Harris – PCS rep
Janine Booth – Trade Union Liaison Officer, Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP
Lucy Stokes – Dudley North CLP, Unite Community and Neurodivergent Labour
Maisie Sanders – Hornsey and Wood Green CLP
Thomas Johnson – Lewisham Deptford CLP
Liam Cooper – Dulwich and West Norwood CLP
Christie Neary – Croydon South CLP
Phil Dodds – Lewes CLP
Andy Warren – Lewisham Deptford CLP
Charlie McDonald – West Ham CLP
Joe Rayment – Bath CLP
Nick Foster – Bristol West CLP
Rob Shorrock – Grantham and Stamford CLP, NASUWT Convenor
Daniel Davison-Vecchione – Cambridge CLP
Joshua Barretto – Cardiff Central CLP, GMB
Josh Berlyne – Sheffield Central CLP, Unite the Union workplace rep, University of Sheffield branch
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqnYRcYnUqVyB3n8cdBlbDJ05yiEw4uUAzIyRM5McgRyFXxw/viewform?fbclid=IwAR1qIbDJFqXmK1nPMi-_ZfnwpVgPQhl6G6eWDQVYrZWOnF_SrqZ6eec5PLo
Andrew Coates
January 9, 2020 at 11:24 am
Is this the old “not as bad as” argument? Keir Starmer isn’t as bad as the others, so he should get the leadership?
Steven Johnston
January 9, 2020 at 12:02 pm
Starmer is one of those people who think they can be on both sides of the class divide and it isn’t something socialists can straddle, the clue to his first loyalty and politics is in the prefix to his name. That alone makes him unfit to be LP leader.
Mick Hall
January 9, 2020 at 9:18 pm
Correct Mick Hall! Better plain old Mr/Mrs/Ms. than to join the legion of dishonour.
Though there is the matter of this…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Ian_Tomlinson
Which get glibly passed over as “just one of those things” or, even worse a disgusting comment about how the homeless man deserved it (did I get that right Andrew?).
Truly the man is a c**t.
Steven Johnston
January 9, 2020 at 9:55 pm
Yes Steven, we are just supposed to blithely accept that even when good men are in a job such as the Director of Public Persecutions they sometimes do bad things.
Ms Black
January 10, 2020 at 12:58 am
Yes Ms Black, they are very understanding with the death(s) of other peoples relatives.
Steven Johnston
January 10, 2020 at 12:25 pm