Is there any chance that Sir Keir Starmer will relax a bit now that he’s had two by-election victories – and would have had a hat-trick this Thursday, if the party hadn’t mucked up its selection process in Rochdale?
Could he maybe stop preaching about how he has reformed Labour by ridding it of antisemitism within its ranks, real and imagined. And could he also allow people to be critical of the murderous regime in Israel without having to face accusations of hatred of Jews?
Listen to the words of a Palestinian doctor who fled with his family from Khan Yunis, only to face bombardment in Rafah: ‘This is not war. It is an endless bloodbath, yet as the world watches the unfolding genocide, no action is being taken to prevent it.’
Listen to the words of a Palestinian doctor who fled with his family from Khan Yunis, only to face bombardment in Rafah: “This is not war. It is an endless bloodbath, yet as the world watches the unfolding genocide, no action is being taken to prevent it. We fear that these warnings by Israel are laying the groundwork for what is to come. They are getting people around the world used to the idea that Rafah is becoming a target – so it won’t come as a shock when we are killed.”
If that doesn’t provoke a reaction, then maybe you could also think about six-year-old Hind Rajab, who desperately phoned for help as an IDF tank fired on the family car, killing all her family.
She died too, as did the two Red Crescent ambulance men who rushed to her aid. There was little global reaction. We are already getting used to Palestinian deaths.
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Alexei Navalny was a buccaneering and brave opponent of Vladimir Putin. His death was sad, but ultimately not surprising, given how the Russian dictator has dealt with anyone he regards as a threat.
Navalny had already survived an attempt by Russian agents to poison him, and ignored pleas not to return to his country where he was jailed yet again, this time in an Arctic penal colony, serving a 19-year sentence on trumped-up charges.
He was not perfect, and in his past had voiced racist comments about Russia’s ethnic minorities. But he was fearless in his challenge to Putin, who he rightly portrayed as a mob boss, in charge of a country that had become a mafia state.
His last work as a documentary film-maker before his imprisonment was “Putin’s Palace”, which exposed the greed and corruption behind the Russian’ dictator’s hold on power. It has already received 129 million views on his YouTube channel.
Navalny’s sudden death is the latest in a long list of those who have opposed the Russian leader. Poisoned by plutonium, killed in mysterious air crashes or shot through the head, like political rival Boris Nemtsov and the journalist, Anna Poliatova.
Isn’t it a pity that fool, Carlson Tucker, didn’t find time in his breathtakingly craven interview with Putin to ask him why he ruthlessly silenced his opposition?
There is an excellent Storyville on Navalny on the BBC iPlayer that’s worth watching to see why this charismatic leader is such a loss to his country.
Next month there’ll be a so-called “election” when the downtrodden Russian people will somehow vote in their millions for Putin, since nobody else will be allowed to oppose him.
Let’s hope his admirer, Donald Trump, doesn’t enjoy similar success in November.
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Mario Cuomo once said that in politics, you campaign in poetry and govern in prose. Maybe that’s why it’s all become so dull up on the hill, now that they’re down to the business of arguing about how to finance Norn Iron.
But just when you thought it was all getting a bit meh comes the thrilling news that loyalist paramilitaries have given the thumbs up to Sir Jeffrey’s deal, and that Johnny Adair, that other well-known political sage, has also given it his imprimatur.
It’s always encouraging when drug dealers and paramilitary thugs give their backing to political developments.
Rejoice.