Anti-Semitism debate Javid opens anti-Semitism debate by remarking to Corbyn "I thank the leader of the opposition for attending this debate. It won’t perhaps be the most comfortable three hours of debate that he has sat in on, but he makes the most of it and his effort is appreciated for attending. There has, frankly, been a deeply worrying lack of leadership and moral clarity on this issue from him. Being here to listen to what is being said by his concerned colleagues and others is an important step in showing the community that this issue is being taken seriously and I sincerely hope that he takes the opportunity to once and for all clarify his position on anti-Semitism." (Corbyn left part way through the debate which may undermine any goodwill he gets for turning up.) Gwynne makes clear anyone who thinks there isn't a problem on the left isn't living in the real world and anyone saying there isn't a problem in Labour is not speaking for party, refuses to say Livingstone should be expelled but case needs to be hurried . Abbott closed up for Labour, thanking the powerful speeches and saying she considers fighting anti-Semitism as fighting racism and raises concerns of her local Jewish community who feel targeted though initial failure to give way to Alex Sobel (who has been told in past "“Why is this Jewish Zio-Nazi speaking in the English parliament?”) earnt ill-will as did failure to condemn abuse aimed at Sobel, admits party has been too slow on the matter and MP's had every right to join the anti-Semitism demonstration, hints she isn't 100% of Tory MP's motives on this debate, calling Corbyn an anti-semite doesn't help, social media companies need to do more. Rudd says Commons has delivered a strong message to Corbyn that action must be taken
Three standing ovations: Luiciana Berger given a sustained standing ovation by Commons as she spoke of the abuse she had got starting at the age of 19 and admits she worries her mental health may not be able to hold out, speaks of the corrosive and common place anti-Semitism is her own party and that she has been threatened with deselection for speaking up about the mural, been called an operative of Israel and a Judas, calls for Livingstone to be expelled. Finishes with the words of the Chief Rabbi ‘An assault upon Jews is an assault upon difference and a world that has no room for difference has no room for humanity itself’. Ruth Smeeth also given an ovation, reading out abuse she has received
, joining an anti-Semitism protest against her own party was heartbreaking as is seeing it being downplayed in some quarters and that for every comment like the above she gets, she gets another 10 dismissing it or claiming she is weaponnizing the issue but says Jewish MP's will not back down "I stand here today to say that we will not be bullied out of political engagement, we are going nowhere and we stand and will keep fighting until the evils of anti-Semitism have been removed from our society.". Dame Hodge applauded as she warns she has never been so nervous to be a Jew, it feels like her party has given permission for anti-Semitism to go unchallenged and made her an outsider. All three had family members killed in Holocaust
Mann says his wife "was sent by a Labour Marxist antisemite a dead bird through the post" and threatened with rape in a separate incident (as has been his daughter), his son opening the door to a bomb squad, Jewish MP's being targetted, he is being stopped by fellow Jews saying they are scared even of going to a Labour party meeting with him and of wider society, anti-Semitism is constant and there is a big bunch of pro Corbyn excusers. Ian Austin lays into Corbyn's record on the issue, Hoard gives gentle advice to Gwynne the need to axe Livingstone, Percy says he was called Israeli scum and person said it was inspired by Corbyn
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PMQ's Tories set it up so her backbench question was on Windrush which allowed May to offer an apology to the victims, they are here legally British and set out why all this happened, was heavily heckled and might have been wise for more time on apology, less on explaining. Would Corbyn's likely planned strategy be spiked? Corbyn raised a case he brought u last week that has become a big scandal and which he argues May brushed off, May denies brushing it off and Home Office have been in contact, plus solved the case while NHS should never have stopped major treatment+case was not a Windrush one. Corbyn doesn't adress this but goes onto destroying of landing cards and did May sign it off, May says actually that was done in 2009 under Labour. Normally such a trumping moment causes understandable glee but very stupid of Tory MP's to cheer that moment. Corbyn says May created hostile environment plus her 2014 immigration bill then stands to go on landing cards... quickly changes to May's past comments about not blaming officials. May points out she didn't blame officials, says she merely said the decision was before her time in Home Office but doesn't address the rest. Corbyn then tries to say "no it was in 2010" then quotes Rudd's Monday comment on Home Office, asks who is to blame for such attitudes. May calls it a great department, Rudd has been swift to respond to issue (few would agree), says it was right for her to clamp down on illegal immigration as even Labour government of time admitted was needed but Widnrus generation were legal and shouldn't be caught up. Corbyn says this isn't about illegal immigration but her hostile environment (like Go Home fans) hurting the innocent, presses on confusion on if anybody has been wrongly deported and what is to be done if there has been. May says government unaware of anybody being deported but government will reach out to help the Windrush generation sort things out, is a difference between Windrush generation and illegal immigrants. Corbyn says the first case Mr Thompson says he still hasn't been told when he will get urgent treatment, asks about government record keeping and been months since issue first came up with Jamaica PM saying some can't return, his stumbling summary says shameful episode that is May's fault due to her pandering to fears, unrealistic immigration targets and hostile environment, Windrush generation have been vital to country yet hit painfully hard, she leads a heartless, callous and incompetent government. May says Windrush helped build this country, they are British and that is why they working to help, decisions in 1971 led to problems, says if she is callous why did she create the race disparity audit while she won't take it from a man who allowed anti-Semitism to run rampant.
Sometimes when everybody and their mother knows the opposition has to go on a subject, it is difficult as any PM and team prep very hard. Corbyn's opening two shots were skewered below the waterline by May and never recovered (by time he discovered about Mr Thompson still having problems it was too late), he could still have built case on wider issues around Home Office or how long it had taken for government to respond, or that an apology isn't going to bring back finances and jobs. He started to do that somewhat near end but he also allowed May to point that there is a difference between Windrush and measures he is complaining about which is about illegal immigration. It was a good session for May, she had scuppered Corbyn's advance, managed to make arguments against some of the more common attacks on her record and the "actually was 2009" moment will create confusion. Yorkshire Post's Arj Singh "Corbyn has missed an open goal, turned around, run the length of the pitch and put it in his own net" and press in disbelief May managed to win that
Blackford goes on "rape clause" and wonders if May agrees with McVey on if to provides double assurance, May gets a calm, kindly tone as she sets out defence of the idea and how it can be used to help rape victims, Blackford says that wasn't what McVey was saying. Cites rape crises and other charities complaints about forcing people to disclose their suffering before they are ready, May says they have taken every care to be as sensitive as possible and consulted extensively
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-Lords demand government explore possibility of a customs union y a majority of 123 in front of the watching Starmer. Lord Kerr had carefully worded it to be fairly soft but 24 rebels and the sheer scale of the majority will be awkward for May's government
-Suspended Cambridge Analytica head Alexander Nix refusing to appear before Culture Committee due to current investigation, culture committee indicate they may issue a formal summons
-May apologises to 12 Caribbean heads and promises none of the Windrush generation will be deported. May and Rudd's allies seem to be blaming the other one for the problem while Home Office destroyed their landing cards (which was widely thought to be in 2010 under May, now thoughts are in 2009 by Border Force), Labour are calling for Rudd to go
-Government reviewing it's long term emissions target
-Carwyn Jones cleared by independent inquiry of misleading Assembly over sacking Sergent
-Abbott blames
Tories for Windrush scandal. May's attitude in Home Office is under a lot of scrutiny right now
-May apologises for UK leaving colony's anti-homosexuality legislation (Boris has promised to raise this as well) and wants them to work on cyber security
-Caroline Noakes office shut down but now reopened after package of suspicious (but thankfully harmless) substance
-Home Affairs Select Committee summon Rudd over Windrush
-Macron says he wants UK close after Brexit but no cherry picking
-Smeeth working with police to help identity those giving her abuse on social media
-Inflation hits a year low of 2.5% which is leading to some wondering if the Bank of England will keep rates steady rather then the previously expected hike
-Ofcom launches seven investigations into Russia Today, says it's impartiality has deteriorated since events in Salisbury and it seems like "audience tweets" for Salmond were fake
-Former MP for Gow Byron Davies given apology and damages when it turned out that, during the election that cost him the seat, Labour activist was telling people Davies was under investigation for electoral fraud. Davies was not and Tories wondering if Remainers are going to show the same "concern" for electoral fairness over this
-Hunt under formal investigation by parliamentary authorities for that expenses error
-Sturgeon thinks Brexit talks between UK parliaments is days from ending one way or another
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-Cleverly did dreadful job on Tuesday's DP about Windrush scandal, Ian Lavery ditto on anti-Semitism today
-Dugdale says Labour needs to do better at accepting internal criticism is not disloyal
-Anna Turley
wants a ban on energy drinks for U16's-Steve Reed backs
proposed Seni's law on mental health-Tulip Saddiq on
anti-Semitism and how Jews have helped her-Lord Hague says war act impracticable
-Coffey welcomes Costa Cofee's recycling cups announcement
-Steve Baker doubts Lords themselves could block Brexit deal
-Kristine Hair says SNP's Brexit bill is attempt to engineer a second referendum
-Lord Patten on our trade strategy "“I don’t think that blithering on about Global Britain or pretending we havent been Global Britain for years, or repeating the Road to Mandalay whenever one is travelling, is going to make a difference to our trading opportunities, we wont do better than CU”"
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-Kuessenberg on Windrush
Home Office incompetence, attitudes of 2010 and policy to blame,
-Professor Tanja Bueltmann
Windrush has worried EU citizens-Bush says
Windrush scandal goes beyond Noakes or Rudd and
executive has too much power-George Eaton on
Brexiteers Commonwealth myth-James Ball on
complex Cambridge Anaylitica story-Katya Adler
EU relaxed about next stage of Brexit talks-Paul Rentuers backs
Syria strikes and says Corbyn's history on intervention vs his Syria stance is hypocritical-Richard Angell
suggests Corbyn's team use social media to address anti-Semitism among his fans-Dr Graham Gudgin
blames Dublin for Irish border issue
“You, are a rebellious son who abandoned his father. You are a cruel brigand who murdered his lord. How can Heaven and Earth put up with you for long? And unless you die soon, how can you face the sight of men?”