Luciana's first three days as a candidate haven't been happy ones.
Day 1: Roger Phillips show taken over by angry Labour voters who don't want an MP from London imposed upon them. Jane Kennedy forced to call in to defend Luciana's selection, admitting that she is a careerist politician and "highly ambitious for herself."
And spare a thought for poor Wendy, described as local mediocrity by a Wavertree Labour activist who phoned in to defend Luciana. And as a "Dismal Chump" by regular Labour poster Ronnie de Ramper.
Peter Kilfoyle questioned her "outspoken views on Israel" and branded her "a student politician" - online readers fill comments section with more angry views.
Day 3. Joe Anderson forced to come to her defense in the Echo, suggesting Peter Kilfoyle was "past his sell by date". I can't see Peter letting you get away with that one Joe. Yet more Labour members join in to attack Kilfoyle, as Labour threaten to tear themselves apart. Oh yes this battle is going to run and run.
Meanwhile I found this from MPACUK - the UK's leading Muslim Civil Liberties group, who take a similar line to Kilfoyle.
Shocker as Labour Zionist Stands in Large Muslim Area
How many Muslims in Camden will vote blindly for the Labour Party this year? How many Muslims in Camden will vote for innocent Muslims in Palestine to be massacred? How many Muslims in Camden will vote for Israel to get away with whatever they please? Hopefully the answer to all three questions is none.
Luciana Berger is a well-known Zionist who has supported the cause of Israel for many years and is currently the director of Labour Friends of Israel. Moreover, on her website Ms Berger has, as one of her "favourite sites" the Neo-Cons at "Harry's Place", which currently has an article running saying "the Quran is a problem"
Imagine my surprise when I established that Ms Berger is the Labour Party candidate for next year's local elections in the London Borough of Camden, where she is standing in St Pancras and Sommers Town ward. According to the 2001 census the ward has a Muslim population of 22.9%. The Jewish population is 0.8%. What on earth was the Camden CLP thinking when it selected her and where were the Muslim members of that branch on the night of her selection?
Interestingly, the Camden Labour Party fails to mention the word Israel on their website when promoting Luciana Berger. Guess what they say? "Luciana is Director of an organisation concerned with Middle East Policy".
Let's hope all the Muslim organisations, community centres and Mosques in Camden have a healthy debate about the merits of being represented by the likes of "ambitious" Luciana Berger.
Will they won't now get a chance to vote against Luciana, but what will local groups such as the very active branch of the Stop The War coalition going to have to say?
The row shows no sign of dying down.
Dude the Dog is away, chasing sticks.
1 comment:
MPACUK are NOT primarily a “Civil Liberties” group and are by no means “leading” anything – whatever they choose to describe themselves as. Both Peter Kilfoyle and MPACUK have very dubious views about Israel and I’m not at all surprised that they agree with each other. I am, however, surprised that a Lib Dem would choose to align themselves with an organisation that went out of their way to congratulate known civil rights abuser Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on his re-election http://www.mpacuk.org/content/view/5752/102/. I bet the supporters of the opposition now languishing in Iranian jails are not as thrilled as MPACUK are.
This posting also seems quite happy to take it on MPACUK’s word that Luciana Berger supports “innocent Muslims in Palestine to be massacred” on the basis of her directorship of Labour Friends of Israel. It only takes a cursory look at LFI’s website to discover they are “friends of both an Israel, secure and at peace with her neighbours, and of a viable and democratic Palestine” and “not uncritical” of Israel.
Perhaps Sally The Sheepdog should check her sources before posting up other peoples misrepresentative garbage. If she wants a mainstream, liberal Muslim organisation to turn to try http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/
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