A piece of late news: last Sunday, Tony Lloyd MP led a delegation to meet with Hamas leaders in Gaza. A Labour Party spokesman said yesterday:
“Labour supports UK policy not to speak to Hamas. MPs’ visits arranged privately are a matter for them to comment on as individuals.”
But Tony Lloyd is not any old backbencher: he is not Jeremy Corbyn or Richard Burden. It is much more shocking, in that he is the Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party, and as such he really should know better. It is irrelevant that the parliamentary chair of the Lib Dems was there as well; they don’t matter. The Tories showed a great deal more common sense, on this occasion, and were not. What next, a member of the Shadow Cabinet to show “solidarity”, perhaps?
What the hell did you think you could achieve, Tony, apart from conferring legitimacy on a terrorist organisation, even talking to whom is against the policy of all three main parties?
You can find out more about the terrorists he actually spoke to here, but rest assured they are not agreeable people.
I’m sorry if this sounds angry, but I am. I repeat, this foolish dalliance with terrorists and extremists will one day do for this party.
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UPDATE 04 Aug 2011:
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UPDATE 04 Aug 2011:
I
couldn’t resist adding this video of leading Hamas official Yunis Al Astal (h/t: Harry’s Place). In which he accuses Jews – note, not Israelis, Jews – of most of the crimes of the earth including, bizarrely, swine flu. I think the prosecution rests here on the fundamental racism of Hamas.
Hamas, terrorsts. Mossad terrorists. With the Mid East nobody can win. The enemy has to be talked to (I did so with some of the smarter loyalists in the early 1990s.) The fact that 3 of my pals are dead due to them did not make it easier. I just read some Al Quida stuff and whilst I agree with targetting Whitehall, Westminster, New Scotland Yard it was de trop to go on about "the Jews". Build a wall, you stay on one side, them on the others.
What was he doing?
Reinforcing the stereotype that Labour always takes the "left" sides in international conflicts (with republicans in N Ireland, and with Arabs in Middle East).
An unfair view given the efforts of the right of the Labour party, but one widely held (thanks to people like Tony Lloyd).
@Ciaran: you agree with "targetting Whitehall, Westminster, New Scotland Yard" – how so?
@Kernow: can't argue with that. It's stupid, any sensible person wants a negotiated 2 state solution. But there's no point talking to terrorists unless you (a) are a heavyweight negotiator and (b) refuse to talk further unless they sign up to non-violence. Lloyd is not in either category.
Put them into the stratosphere, we are fed up of living on our knees. I saw the realisation of what the UK had become when I spent a day sitting in at a magistrates court. Many laws yet little justice. Distasteful, perhaps? Necessary definitely.
Read your article about Pseudo-democracy on Labourlist. Just wanted to say, Great Article. You make an excellent point.
Thought I'd say it here rather than there because that comment thread was taken up by so much rubbish.
Thanks, Stephen, appreciated. Yes, I'm afraid there are a few "usual suspects" on LabourList who like the sound of their own voices. There are a lot of decent sensible people, though, and a huge majority who read but don't comment (which is why I keep posting there!)
The usual weasel words from Tony Lloyd as he claims that he (and the other useful idiots) with him were merely "consulting" with Hamas.
Apparently the idiot doesn't realize that sitting down with a man who is on record making antisemitic comments who belongs to an organization whose founding charter calls for the extermination of the Jews while wearing one of their scarfs looks a bit more like an endorsement that mere "consultation".
Either Tony Lloyd is a useful idiot or a plain antisemite – come to think of it probably both.
Rob,
Not exactly Labour's fine day eh?
@CrescentJoy the sad truth of it is, I actually *don't* believe he is an anti-semite. I think he genuinely thinks he's helping the cause of peace, and that's what makes this so depressing. How can someone be so downright daft?
@ModernityBlog: Finest hour, not. Btw I just checked out yr blog and thought it very good. I have added it to the blogroll.