Jeremy Corbyn to stand as Independent in Islington North.
This is desperately sad
https://x.com/jeremycorbyn/status/1793899852624953398
It is not to grasp the former Labour leader’s reasons. He has been treated shabbily.Apart from not agreeing with the decision to stand one thing that will put people off will be the virulent anti Labour stand of some of those who will now present themselves in the election campaign.
The anti Labour deserve better campaign which also advocates backing the non socialist Green Party and a variety of independents, often eccentrics, is one of the more temperate of them.
Tendance Coatesy 
What exactly is the issue here? Are you saying that he shouldn’t stand?
What exactly are we even supporting with Labour? They’ve rolled back on almost everything witha leader who has left himself vulnerable to stupid and obvious attack lines, who welcomes vicious right wingers and boots out long standing community activists because he can’t deal with false claims of antisemitism (as some of them were).
Jeremy is, afaict, popular in his constituency and well liked as a constituency MP. Are you suggesting that constituents should ignore that?
I don’t get this at all. If you want to put forward an argument to advance a position you clearly hold, then do so. All I ever see on this blog are high minded comments that offer no explanation at all.
whophd2ea33c35bc
May 24, 2024 at 11:17 am
He has fallen into the Starmer trap for yèars tĥe Labour right have wanted to expeĺ him añd nòw they ĥave the best reason òùt standing agaiñst the official Labour cañðiďate
Scott
May 24, 2024 at 12:12 pm
What trap? He was booted out by Starmer and his constituency, I assume, want him to stand. This is all Starmer and Mandelson’s fault.
whophd2ea33c35bc
May 24, 2024 at 5:35 pm
His peevish and provocative response to the EHRC’s report into antisemitism in the party started this fiasco; now he’s putting his personal vanity and delusions of grandeur ahead of the interests of the labour movement and the working class as a whole. Yes, he was shabbily treated (Diane Abbott even more so) but standing as an independent is not the answer.
Jim Denham
May 24, 2024 at 2:49 pm
In the pages of Solidarity a wide cross section of the left debated Martin Thomas’ critical analysis of Corbyn. I don’t recall any unqualified defence and some were more critical.
So I don’t see any reason suddenly to back Corbyn 100 per cent now.
Andrew Coates
May 24, 2024 at 4:34 pm
The only people that can back him are his constitutents whom he has represented for decades, so he’s obviously been doing something right. These responses are just unhinged
whophd2ea33c35bc
May 24, 2024 at 5:38 pm
No it didn’t His resposne was accurate and correct. He was thrown out because the leadership, in wanting an excuse to do so, said he had downplayed antisemitism in his response. He said that while the situation had been exaggerated (it was), any instance thereof was one too many. That isn’t ‘peevish’. Your attitude is ridiculous. He didn’t have to be scapegoated tarred and feathered; following the election he stood down. Starmer even called him a friend, with what apeared to be a tactful and honourable response upon taking over. That went out the window along with almost everything Starmer has since promised. Corbyn is certainly not perfect, but has every right to stand if that’s what his constituents want, and if they don’t they can freely choose whichever starmerite has been parachuted in to replace him.
whophd2ea33c35bc
May 24, 2024 at 5:38 pm
CVorbyn, though politically illiterate, is a grown up and experienced career politician: he surely knows that saysing “any instance [of antisemitism] was one too many” is pure evasion and inevitably seen as confirmation of his weakness/ignorance on the matter. He largely brought this fiasco on himself. Now, his decision to stand as an independent is an act of sheer personal vanity. He has no understanding, or interest in, the working class as a whole or – indeed – what class politics is about.
Jim Denham
May 24, 2024 at 8:37 pm
In what way is he politically illiterate?
Im sure he does know that what he says will be taken in bad faith by a largely bad faith media ecosphere. How on earth is it evasion to state that? As I said he didn’t say that antisemitism never existed, nor did he downplay it. Is he not to tell the truth? He said that it was exaggerated. That is true, just as it is true that one case is too many.
To argue that he bought it on himself is itself peevish. It also ignores the reality of the conditions he faced from the executive and its intransigence. In fact, after Jenny Formby was in post, he was able to get things moving further. As a consequence he was accused of interfering. This is clear evidence of bad faith.
Antisemitism is vile and should be challenged, but that is no excuse for avoiding the truth. Corbyn is far from perfect, just as is Starmer. But to argue he has no interest in working class politics? That’s a deeply unserious comment
whophd2ea33c35bc
May 25, 2024 at 1:23 pm
Some of your comment is true and believe me I know a bit about Islington North where I was born.
But he can certainly be peevish. I speak not just for what people have told me but from direct experience. He went from claiming my dad was his co-op insurance agent to saying he did not know me, after I criticised his appearance on Iran’s Press TV
Andrew Coates
May 25, 2024 at 5:14 pm
Being peevish isn’t the same as being politically illiterate. No disrespect but this is just a pretty inocuous anecdoate that doesn’t really help. Perhaps he didn’t remember who you were, if indeed he knew you at all.
I’d be pretty peevish if I’d been subject to half the shit he had to put up with just while he was leader. Given all that I think he has the patience of a saint and could easily forgive a little peevishness.
whophd2ea33c35bc
May 25, 2024 at 5:46 pm
This was a couple of years before he was leader.
I, as somebody who grew up in North London, know a lot about Corbyn.
I disliked the cult then and now.
Andrew Coates
May 25, 2024 at 6:50 pm
The man is politically illiterate: He dennded, during his period of leadeship, upon the much more well-read Stalinists Andrew Murray and Seamas Milne, to advise him: this was the cause of his grievous errous around Brexit and antisemitism. And – I have to say – once Putin invaded Ukraine, I thought: “Thank the bejeevers Corbyn’s not leading the opposition”.
Jim Denham
May 25, 2024 at 7:43 pm
You just have to watch him when he is challenged in an interview, ‘peevish’ is being kind. Self-righteous narcissist would be closer to the mark.
davedraycott
May 25, 2024 at 7:39 pm
Thanks Andrew: I’ve just posted another comment that has disappeared. Please do the honours!
Best
Jim
Jim Denham
May 24, 2024 at 8:42 pm
Your comment connects with reality at no point. Corbyn made his comment that allegations of anti-semitism were overblown and politically motivated. The whip was withdrawn and he was told if he withdrew the remarks and apologised he could be re-instated. He refused to do so and so we have this situation.Let’s be clear when most voters cast their vote it is for the Labour Party not the candidate though some MP’s build a personal following which Corbyn will have done but let’s also be clear Corbyn is a smug, self-righteous intellectually limited narcissist who has spent the past 40 years treating politics as a hobby this nobody owes everything to the Labour Party.
davedraycott
May 24, 2024 at 11:08 pm
“Treating politics as a hobby”
Translates as
But but but he’s not a careerist greasy pole climber!
Eric
May 25, 2024 at 9:26 am
It translates as achieving nothing in Parliament because he is too busy taking a pose. Not an ounce of pragmatism in his entire body. Corbyn doesn’t ask himself what can we achieve what is the best way forward he asks the question, how do I look?
davedraycott
May 25, 2024 at 7:42 pm
I think North Islington is about to disagree with you quite profoundly.
Eric
May 26, 2024 at 10:04 am
Never take the voters for granted it’s stupid and it’s arrogant but then again that’s what I’d expected from the Cult of Saint Jeremy the Blessed.
davedraycott
May 26, 2024 at 12:32 pm
I think you are missing the point completely. Maxing out parliamentary effectiveness and forming alliances is a weird thing to be concerned about. Tbe important thing is parliamentary shenanigans. Nobody thinks this.You have to be steeped in Labour ideology to think this way. One of Kinnocks (I forget which) was saying something similar. “He doesn’t stand a chance, the only thing he’s concerned about is being a good constituency MP – ridiculous.” I don’t think you understand how strange you are.
Eric
May 26, 2024 at 1:54 pm
The claim that he rejected the EHRC reports is simplistically presented. He has problems with it and expressed this. He didn’t say there was no antisemitism and in fact was obstructed in trying to deal with this. The problems that existed were both structural, not his fault alone, and were exploited for gain. It is very clear from what is currently happening now that antisemitism is weaponised. No one, least of all Corbyn, is saying that it doesn’t exist.
But the key issue now is that he resigned as leader. Further attacks are just mealy mouthed and politically motivated by Starmer in trying to appease Israeli state activists for fear of being labelled antisemitic by his politically opponents. Corbyn is no threat to him, he is a popular constituency MP likely to defeat any labour challenge. Starmer has made this problem and created a mess that didn’t need to exist. Calling him a narcissist or self righteous is just a self report.
And I see nothing to help the working class deal with the reality of what starmer’s labour will bring if it wins the election. Just hope that the unions have the power and the will to push the labour leadership? Sure, good luck.
whophd2ea33c35bc
May 25, 2024 at 1:24 pm
The working class of Islington North deserve an MP who will fight for their interests against the new authoritarian one party state. Good luck to him, I hope he wipes the floor with them.
Eric
May 24, 2024 at 8:37 pm
The working class of Islaington (and everywhere else) deserves a Labour government – not a peevish, preening egotist who gives Putin the benefit of the doubt and doesn’t “get” antisemitism.
Jim Denham
May 24, 2024 at 10:30 pm
Corbyn’s flaws are miniscule compared to the typical Labourite. Do you think the Iraq war was in the interests of the working class as a whole? The genocide in Gaza? Oh but but but but Corbyn equivocated on Ukraine.
The truth is you will support Labour candidates everywhere because your sect wants to recruit Labour supporters. Can you just br honest about it?
Eric
May 25, 2024 at 8:13 am
“your sect wants to recruit Labour supporters” aka “the working class.”
Jim Denham
May 26, 2024 at 9:49 am
Unless you’re from *Coventry*.
Eric
May 28, 2024 at 9:14 am
Jim your macho socialist worker style debating style is what puts people off the left particularly women and young people.
confused leftist
May 25, 2024 at 11:47 am
’Macho?’ That’s the best stick you can come up with to beat him with😂A whiff of ineffectual desperation drifts through the air. I’ll tell you what puts women and young people (well yeah, make that everybody) off the left it’s the two faced duplicitous nature of some lefties like you.
davedraycott
May 26, 2024 at 2:55 am
Give your head a wobble you need therapy not debate.
davedraycott
May 24, 2024 at 11:14 pm
Ableism isn’t a good look comrade
whophd2ea33c35bc
May 25, 2024 at 1:24 pm
Dipstick which stone did you crawl out from under? Crawl back.
davedraycott
May 25, 2024 at 7:44 pm
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/05/24/private-health-boss-labour-against-jeremy-corbyn/
Eric
May 25, 2024 at 10:47 am
Since Jeremy Corbyn has decided to stand, I hope he retains his seat, if only for the pleasure of witnessing the annoyance of all the people who will be annoyed by it. But at this stage in his political career, I’m not sure that being an independent MP will add much to his campaigning effectiveness.
Francis
May 25, 2024 at 9:16 pm
It’s about his ego not his campaigning effectiveness.
davedraycott
May 26, 2024 at 2:48 am
Can you thinkm of a single prominent politician whose activity isn’t motivated, at least in part, by ego? It sort of goes with the role.
Francis
May 26, 2024 at 10:51 am
An ego is a requirement in politics indeed we all have egos but most of us are not narcissists consumed by our ego. Corbyn is.
davedraycott
May 27, 2024 at 12:26 pm