Perspective…

 

If you’ve read my previous blogs you’ll know I’m a married mum of 3.

Here’s an update for those who may be interested. I just turned 38 and I left my employment of 15 years almost 2 years ago. My mum, who was my main child carer and my best friend was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer right after I quit my job and my heart broke on July 24th this year when she died. I was fortunate in that I was able to leave work and take care of my mum. I was one of her main carers, took her to all her hospital appointments and was with her when she took her final breath.

My husband failed all his gcse’s. Through hard work, dedication, sacrifices and evening courses, he now has a great job in the renewable energy field. He is away a lot and that is hard as a family to deal with but he is a brilliant partner, father and provider. We agreed that having 3 fairly young kids (the youngest being 8) it made sense for me to stay at home. He is away so often, we don’t have regular childcare and I am still deep in the grieving process … therefore, for us, it works for me to be a stay at home mum for now. He is a very private person but I want to share our situation. It will probably be similar to many across the country. I want to share why we are staunch Labour, No…staunch Corbyn, supporters.

On paper my husband earns great money. £75k plus bonus. We live in the north of England where houses are cheaper as is the cost of living…so I’m to believe. We only have one income. We don’t receive any child benefit as he earns over £60k. A portion of his wage and bonus is taxed at 40%. Yet with 3 growing kids and all the household bills we are always overdrawn come payday. I am by no means crying poverty! I am fully aware that we have a great life compared to so many. Are we in the top 5 of UK earners? I read that somewhere recently. We have a relatively small 4 bed house. Our cars are far from flash (a 7 seater “mum” Verso and a Skoda estate). We are SO much better off than many, many people… but we have no savings, no money left at the end of the month. Our gas, electric and water bills alone come to over £200 a month. Add on the council tax, mortgage, food and fuel bills and there’s not much left. We are better off than so many people. Worse off than many families and similar to lots of others.

 

We support a Corbyn led government.

We want those less fortunate to have the help they need. We want those in dire circumstances to get the health care they deserve. We want those kids growing up less fortunate than our own to have a great education system with the same opportunities. If my husband earns over £80k this year we don’t care that he will be taxed even more because it will be spent wisely under a Labour government. It will provide great education, a less strained NHS. It will go towards helping disabled people, mental health services and an abundance of other fantasic services.  It will provide safer, greener, better futures for our kids.

I have been disgusted by the selfishnesss I have witnessed during this election. The masses brainwashed into believing the mainstream media narrative which sets the working class against each other. Billionaires telling us that people on £12 an hour should be pissed off with the people earning £7 an hour. That immigrants and single parents are the reason that we are in the mess we are in. That because we are in Europe we are in the mess we are in. NO, No, no! We are in this mess because of almost 10 years of Tory austerity. They chose to increase national debt to record highs, they chose to slash our public sector workers, they chose to slash our security services, they chose to rob women of their pensions! They have had almost 10 years to sort these issues out and instead we have recored numbers of homelessness, record highs of child poverty, schools asking parents for donations as they are underfunded, NHS waitlists of the chart… and the lists continue.

 

Whatever government rules my family will be ok. But it’s not about me and my family. It’s about everyone else. Everyone deserves the chance to do well in life. Everyone should have the same opportunities.

I hope the country votes the right way. For a compassionate, humanitarian who brings hope. There is a real chance for a real change for the first time in a generation. Vote for the many, not the few.

GE2017… Where’s the compassion?

It’s been 10 days since the snap election was announced. Quite rightly, it’s dominating the news…in all its glorious partiality (but that is for another day!) Social media has been filled with information, true and fake news, and opinion. My Twitter and Facebook feeds have been filled with views on the General Election, about what this will mean for them and for the country. I’ve seen countless questions from people trying to educate themselves and learn more about what each government would mean for them. But my observations have shown me that there are too many people out there concerned about what it will mean for them. What about others in our society?

Many of the comments I’ve seen have said Labour will allow mass immigration and there’ll be no jobs left. Others have said they’ll be taxed more under a Labour government and be worse off. I’ve seen questions asking if their mortgage will go up under Labour. There have been the typical comments about not wanting to pay for others welfare because they’re “too lazy to work.” Many of the comments and questions have been valid and I do understand the concerns people have. But what has struck me the most is the lack of compassion and the outright selfishness of many people. I follow like-minded people on Twitter so the comments I see are from compassionate people who even though they might be doing well understand that there are countless others who aren’t. They want a fair country for all regardless of their status in society. I want to address those people who are thinking of themselves and their immediate family.

Let me be clear, I absolutely understand that our first priority must be making sure we are housed, fed and clothed and I’m not suggesting that we give everything away to ensure others fare better. What I’m asking is how much do we really need?

My husband has a good job and he is on a decent salary. I work part time and earn a fraction of what he does. He pays 40% tax plus his National Insurance on top. He earns just enough to mean we don’t qualify for child benefit for our children. On paper, between us, we have a great income. Factor in a house, bills and 3 children, there’s never much left after pay day. I’m not complaining. I’m just outlining my situation. Under a Labour government we might be worse off. Whilst we have our jobs we will probably fare the same under any government. We both work in the private sector for companies that provide pensions, life cover, private healthcare for us and our children. We are very fortunate. So, he pays 40% tax, as do many people. And we don’t receive any child benefit payments. We don’t live a flash life. Our house is modest and my car is basic and a few years old. Halfway through the month I’m usually into my overdraft to buy the weekly shop. However, there’s food on the table, clothes on our backs and the bills are paid. We have it far easier than so many people out there.

Under a Labour government we might be a bit worse off. I don’t know. And I don’t care. My husband’s 40% tax plus NI will be going towards helping others have a better life. That’s what I care about. I’m outraged that we work hard and contribute a high percentage of our salaries to a Conservative government which takes money from disabled people. Which has plunged the country into the worst poverty in decades, which cuts funding from education under the pretence of setting up better schools, which has decimated our NHS to the point where nurses are having to go to foodbanks because they can’t survive on their wages. A government which is selling off our public assets to the highest bidder at such an alarming rate whilst charging us more to get the train or bus into work. A government that wants to frack our land for profit instead of investing in clean energy. A cruel Tory government that puts profit before people yet has almost tripled national debt. I hate that I’m paying for this government to rape our land, demoralise our public sector workers, punish our vulnerable in society whilst giving huge tax breaks to billionaire CEOs.

I grew up in the eighties to a young, single mum who had to go back to work full time in a factory where she worked long hours for poor pay. She never received a penny from my dad. We lived with my grandparents and my auntie and uncles. It was cramped! I was one of just a few kids on free school dinners and I hated it. I never went on the school trip to France. I told my mum I didn’t want to go and I suspect she was beyond relieved that she didn’t have to try and find the money for that. And if I had’ve gone I know she would’ve turned to the Provvy (The Provident for those who aren’t from Merseyside!) woman she’d used in the past who would charge interest at an extortionate rate. When we moved out of my grandparents house when I was 9 I watched her go around Kwik Save with a calculator adding up the shopping in case she didn’t have enough money in her purse. I know what it’s like to grow up without money and I know the shame it can bring. Even back then we were better off than many. And I was loved. That’s the main thing. But I often wonder what would’ve happened if we hadn’t had family. How would my mum have coped without a family? How could she have worked? Who would’ve looked after me? When I hear complaining about people on benefits they have an image in their head of a lazy, uneducated person. There are people who defraud the system but they are a miniscule number (although mainstream media won’t tell you that!) The vast majority are desperate to be out of their situation. Many on benefits are working but are not earning enough to live. That is shocking!

Don’t mistake my intention in writing this blog. I do not want to come across as holier than thou (I’m far from it) or to be seen as preaching from my soap box. I’m so grateful to be surrounded by (both in my personal life and in my social media life) really decent, compassionate people who do want a better world for us all. I’m addressing those who aren’t thinking outside of their little bubbles and seeing what a Labour government can do for everyone. I’ve felt so angry, upset and disheartened by the terribly selfish comments I’ve come across since this GE was announced and I needed to vent. I’m not analytically minded. I write as I would speak and I write about my observations.

I’d be happy to give even more tax if it meant it was getting spent wisely. If it was helping those less fortunate have better lives. If it was making our NHS brilliant. If it was going towards looking after our elderly. If it was making state education great for all. Imagine how the country would thrive with happier, cared for people.

It’s not about me or you. It’s about US.

A Heartfelt Response To A Very Hypocritical Request.

Today I discovered that Wallasey CLP is due to have its suspension lifted in May. After being banned last summer nobody within Wallasey has been arrested, charged or held accountable for any of the allegations they faced from Angela Eagle and team. People who hold key positions such as chair, secretary etc will lose their positions and those posts will be up for re-election. I heard this news from social media, not my local or regional Labour party, which is in bad taste and shows the lack of courtesy towards members.

I have so many questions.

1. Why has it taken so long to come to this decision?

2. Why are the positions up for re-election if those who hold the posts were democratically elected and haven’t been found of any wrong-doings?

3. Are you trying to ensure the positions will be filled with Angela’s supporters (which have depleted massively in light of these events)?

4. Why haven’t questions been directed at Angela Eagle and team for making these unfounded accusations and are they to face no action?

I received an email from the Labour Team asking me to go door knocking with Angela at the weekend. They outlined the atrocities we face due to our Tory government and would I help campaign? I, like so many of my fellow constituents, feel torn between fighting the huge and unjust war with the Tories – battling to restore some social justice back to our society and despising Angela Eagle! How can I smile and put on a united front with a woman whom I cannot respect? It’s bad enough that she voted for the Iraq war and voted against an enquiry into it and that she abstained on the Welfare bill…..She already loses my vote for those reasons. But to play happy Labour families with the person who has made vile, UNFOUNDED accusations against members of my community….I just can’t stomach it. She, of all people, should understand how we feel since she felt she could no longer work with and support Jeremy Corbyn (and he hadn’t accused her of throwing bricks through his office, homophobic insults and misogyny!)

Some people can play the game – maybe that’s why so many politicians are Machiavellian by nature – but some of us can’t. The fire in my belly will not allow me to pretend that I agree with her. To walk along side her is like agreeing with her, condoning all she has put us through. And I will not do it.

Here is my reply to the Labour Team email.

“I would love to get out campaigning but I will not stand beside Angela Eagle whilst my CLP has been suspended based on unfounded and frankly, outrageous accusations made by her and her team. I have also learned today (not from my regional Labour party, which would be in far better taste, but from media reports) that the fairly elected key positions within Wallasey CLP are to be up for re-election. Why? The votes cast were democratic, not one person has been found guilty of any of the heinous accusations thrown at them, so what’s the reason behind another election?

Wallasey CLP continues to be punished with no evidence against them yet Angela Eagle, who has thrown these baseless and vile accusations at her constituents faces no consequences at all. Where’s the democracy there? There is none!

To ask the people of Wallasey (an overwhelming amount who feel just as I do) to stand side by side with the woman who has accused them of terrible things is naive and to be honest, very disrespectful. There was an influx of new members because Jeremy Corbyn inspired us. Imagine our CLP wasn’t banned and hadn’t had such allegations thrown at them….Imagine how many would be out campaigning? FAR more than are out campaigning in the current circumstances.

It’s such a shame that we can’t all stand united to fight the Tories at this terrible time. It’s such a shame that Angela (and team) suddenly felt the need to accuse her constituents of such awful actions at a time we asked her to stand by our democratically elected leader but HOW can we be expected to unite with a woman who has thrown such allegations at us, allowed the media to portray us in such a shocking light, undefended, and hasn’t addressed any of these unfounded accusations with us? I  know I speak for many when I say that I can’t.

Signed by a disillusioned, despondent  member.

Suspended Wallasey CLP Charade

Tuesday December 6th 2016 Wirral TUC held a meeting to discuss suspended Wallasey CLP and other issues. This meeting was a follow on from the Wallasey Town Hall meeting in August which was in response to the suspension.

The meeting started at 7:30pm with a great turn out. Paul Davies, suspended Labour party member, opened proceedings by giving an update of what had actually happened during the meeting in October where the NEC Disputes Panel decided to uphold Wallasey CLP ban. He and other party members have put together a 102 page dossier challenging the claims against himself and others within Wallasey CLP. A hand-out of the NEC Dispute Panel’s findings was given out to all attending….So let’s dissect it!

Below is a section from the opening paragraph.

“Some members remain fearful of repercussions if they speak out on these matters. For that reason this report is anonymised. All respondents were helpful and spoke honestly to the investigation.”

Already the tone of the report has been set. Labour rules state that complainants can remain anonymous. It’s there in the rule book so it’s a given that anonymity is to be expected. By adding that some members are “fearful” thus requiring anonymity suggests that it’s not usual practice to keep names confidential but on this occasion it is required. They are intimating that members of Wallasey CLP behaved in a threatening manner. Yet it’s worth noting that absolutely no evidence (specific names, dates, times) was provided to prove this to be the case.

“All respondents….. spoke honestly to the investigation.”

Did they? How do they know this? How can they possibly prove conclusively that everybody was honest?

Local Party Environment

“It appears that meetings in Wallasey have been increasingly adversarial and challenging for some time.”

What’s strange about this sentence is that if that were the case why was none of it recorded? Very accurate minutes are taken at every meeting yet not one minute documents any “adversarial” behaviour or comments. “Challenging for some time” Well…how long is some time? This would suggest prior to the influx of new members, which contradicts the complaint.

“…substantial increase in membership in Wallasey. A small number of these new members began attending CLP meetings , and it quickly became clear that their approach to meetings was at odds with pre-existing members.”

Again….No examples, names or dates have been cited.

“These clashes raised tensions and some members stopped attending meetings, citing a hostile atmosphere. The investigation found that meetings have become hostile and sometimes aggressive.”

Again…No examples, names or dates have been cited.

With new membership comes new personalities, new ideas, new motions. These are not bad things. Fresh ideas and interactions is what the party needs. Could it be that some pre-existing members felt put out that newcomers had dared to have ideas of their own and motions to raise?

AGM

“The CLP holds most meetings as ALL-MEMBER Meetings, but the AGM is a delegate body….It became apparent that there were more people present than were delegated.”

No information went out to members that this is the procedure for the AGM. Why would new members know this if they hadn’t been told?

“Some reported that tensions were raised and the atmosphere was febrile and increasingly frightening.”

This sentence gives rise to the idea that new members who weren’t delegates attended deliberately to cause trouble. Could it be that the communication in relation to the AGM was poor and both delegates and non-delegates were frustrated? The language used in the report lets us believe it was aggressive but there are no specifics. And where are the comments from the overwhelming majority who feel this wasn’t the case. Where is the… “However, the vast majority of attendees believe the meeting was absolutely fine”?

During the AGM a motion or proposal was decided (it is apparently unclear to the Disputes Panel) that the CLP would formally send Angela Eagle a letter as the day prior it had been announced that she would be running against Jeremy Corbyn in the bid for leadership.

“This letter contributed to the raised tensions that then followed.”

Up until the AGM Wallasey CLP had supported Jeremy for leader and Angela for deputy so why would this change? A respectful letter went to Angela asking her to respect what her constituents want and to support Jeremy as our democratically elected leader. Why should that contribute to raised tensions? Why shouldn’t the members of the CLP write to their MP asking her to continue to back Jeremy?

 

Allegations of homophobia

“The investigation has found that some members have truthfully claimed that homophobic instances occurred during the AGM.”

“Truthfully”… How do they determine that members were truthful? By saying some members were truthful can only mean that the many others who have passionately refuted this are lying, surely? Angela never attended this meeting. Nobody raised a complaint during the meeting. It could be said that people felt uncomfortable raising the issue during the meeting and it’s their right to complain after the event. Which is true. But it’s worth remembering that members of the CLP are homosexual or have close relationships with people who are so any homophobic insults would almost certainly be addressed. The Wallasey chair, Kathy Runswick has a gay daughter, would she allow such hateful slurs go unchecked during the meeting? Would the chair and other councillors allow the meeting to continue with such hate being bandied around? Highly unlikely indeed!

“The allegations are not that the CLP is institutionally homophobic or that members were aware of homophobia but took no action, but are specific to individuals.”

Even IF a couple of people made homophobic comments (which is questionable since no names have been given) why suspend 1400 members? Another really important question is why hasn’t Angela reported this to the police? If she fears for her safety,  which she has said very vocally to the media, then why not go to the police and allow them to investigate. The people of Wallasey CLP would absolutely want any homophobic behaviour addressed properly and for the person(s) to be held accountable.

 

Campaign against Angela Eagle

“It is highly likely that the brick thrown through the window of Angela Eagle’s office was related to her leadership challenge.”

How have they concluded that a Jeremy Corbyn supporter threw the alleged brick? They have found the CLP guilty of this WITHOUT any evidence! Despite cctv in the area, nobody has been apprehended for this crime. Why not?

“The office of Angela Eagle has endured a significant amount of abuse, including abusive and intimidating phone calls….Many hundreds of abusive, homophobic and frightening messages that have been sent by Labour members to Angela Eagle.”

If this is the case then surely they must have captured some phone numbers, email addresses, twitter handles? Yet still she hasn’t asked the police to investigate and therefore nobody has been held accountable.

“The office received a death threat for Angela Eagle, for which a man has been arrested.”

The man who did this was a Glaswegian with no affiliation to either Wallasey or the Labour Party so what has that to do with Wallasey CLP?

The report finishes with these closing sentences…

“This report should not be used to exacerbate problems. Claims and counter-claims will not improve the environment, and we will not act on unsubstantiated allegations.”

Yes, you read that correctly. The Disputes Panel “will not act on unsubstantiated allegations.”

Just….WOW! Wallasey CLP has been suspended based on unsubstantiated allegations. The hypocrisy is sickening. It is one rule for them, another for the rest of us. The report is riddled with sweeping generalisations based on a few nameless people’s accusations and feelings. It is not backed up with any examples or evidence. It is actually a very embarrassing, amateur report when you really look at it.

The whole ruling is outrageously unjust. It is indicative of the lack of democracy within the party.

Angela Eagle Vs Wallasey CLP

Labour NEC upholds suspension of Wallasey CLP in view of Ms Eagle’s allegations of “bullying” and “homophobia”.

Today (Wednesday October 19th) it was announced that the NEC would be upholding the suspension of Wallasey CLP with a view to revisit this decision in spring 2017.

Ms Eagle welcomed the decision and said she’d received support and sympathy from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The investigation concluded that the claims of a brick being thrown through the window of Angela’s Liscard office was “very likely”to be due to her leadership challenge rather than a random passer-by. Three things to consider here…

1) It never went through her office window. Surely somebody who wanted to threaten her would ensure the brick went through the correct window?

2) There is no evidence to suggest a CLP member has done this.

3) There is no cctv footage and no arrests have been made.

Big assumptions have been made there.

 

The report also states that Ms Eagle received death threats and that an arrest had been made. Angela herself tweeted this news earlier today.

Again, worth noting that this man, Steven King was neither from Wallasey, a member of Wallasey CLP or had any intention of ever visiting Wallasey, so although unacceptable of him to do this, how are his actions anything to do with Wallasey CLP? They aren’t. Angela tweeting this today when the suspension verdict was given could be seen as attempting to misconstrue events within her constituency. It is claimed she has received hundreds of death threats…but why has nobody from Wallasey been held accountable for any of these?

The report claims there has been a substantial increase of membership in Wallasey and that a “small number” of people who had started attending meetings had an “approach (which) was at odds with pre-existing members” and that people became hostile at meetings.

Firstly, the influx in membership was, for the majority of people, down to the fact that they supported Jeremy Corbyn and wanted to support him as leader.

Secondly, many Wallaseyans have voiced concerns over the direction the town is taking and want to become more involved and active within the community.

Thirdly, “at odds with pre-existing members”. What exactly does this mean? Were pre-existing members annoyed that the old ways were being challenged? Have they taken offence to differing opinion? Of new people coming in suggesting changes? This is very generic.

Paul Davies, co-vice chair of suspended Wallasey CLP has refuted all Angela’s claims of threats and homophobia, and has even offered to undergo a lie detector test himself. Jason Hubble of Lie Detectors UK has offered to test Ms Eagle for free. She, however dismissed the offer stating such tests were “only extensively used in Britain on the Jeremy Kyle show” and are not “considered reliable evidence.”

As somebody who attended a Town Hall meeting post CLP ban I can vouch that every person in that room was respectful of Angela. Even in the face of her unfounded allegations nobody was aggressive or insulting in any way. (She has endured far worse thrown at her in the jester’s court that is PMQs). Angela was invited to the meeting but declined to attend. However, somebody from her office emailed a speaker to say that Angela found the evenings meeting to be “bullying and intimidation”. The meeting was held to discuss recent events, clear up any confusion and for constituents to try and find a way forward.

There is no hard evidence for any of Angela’s allegations in relation to Wallasey CLP. Nobody has been arrested for homophobia, bullying, harassment or brick throwing in the area. Yet Wallasey CLP have been held to account. Mainstream media is reporting allegations as fact. Ms Eagle has used her power to her advantage whilst her constituents been left defamed, powerless, voiceless, unheard and disenfranchised. Maybe come spring 2017 this ban will be lifted…and hopefully a vote of no confidence in Ms Eagle by Wallasey CLP will follow.

 

 

 

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The day Corbyn won…again

Today, Jeremy Corbyn won the leadership election again. I’d like to think those within the party who oppose him will now accept what the majority of members want. After the failed coup, missing ballots, unnecessary purges to stop eligible members being able to vote, is it possible to unite? Some of those MPs who supported Owen Smith are now calling for unity but it was the very same MPs who caused this divide. Can we trust them or will they continue to plot? Jeremy Corbyn is being as graceful as ever. He’s thanked his supporters and has said he’ll welcome back those MPs who turned against him. However, is it possible for these people to ever be loyal to him and respect the decision of the members?

What is clear, today more than ever, is the cavernous divide between what people believe is in the best interest of the party and the country. Social media has been swamped with overwhelming support for Jeremy but there’s also bitterness and hatred coming from many people. Scaremongering is rife

Those on the right have spat out their dummies and declared Corbyn and his supporters as “extremists”

I, like many, believe the Labour Party has been rightwing for so long that anybody who holds any socialist values is deemed “extreme”. The party hasn’t represented those it claims to in decades. My membership card states “democratic socialist party”. Recent actions haven’t demonstrated that’s the party I’m a member of. Underhand coups, missing ballots, ridiculous and probably illegal purges, suspensions of CLPs based on unfounded allegations of Smith supporting MPs doesn’t scream socialist to me…let alone democratic.

Below is a facebook response to a comment made by a person claiming the labour party was dead and that the current Conservative government (being led by a PM the nation hasn’t even voted in) as a “good government”.

“Yes….The tories driving our deficit to £1.7trillion whilst preaching austerity has really helped the country. What’s the best part of “good government”…cutting welfare for disabled people? Privatising our public services to the highest bidder? Selling arms to Saudi Arabia to kill Yeminis? Screwing over our junior doctors? Championing grammar schools instead of funding a good state education for ALL? 

Corbyn will have to borrow to re-invest but his mandate and his policies are absolutely achievable. He will renationalise, he will protect our NHS, he will protect our most vulnerable, he will ensure tax avoiders are held accountable. He will create a fairer, equal society for all.

It’s scary how many people aren’t aware of the corrupt and probably illegal purgings from the rightwingers of the labour party. It’s scary how the media moguls of MSM propagandise in the hope that politically uneducated/apathetic voters believe what they’re told. Billionaire media moguls that have only their own interests at heart. If the Establishment is so anti-Corbyn people should be asking why. It’s not because he’s a threat to our society, it’s because he’s a threat to the elitists that control the masses. 

I’ve seen Corbyn speak live several times unedited. He’s a brilliant, passionate, genuine humanitarian who can outline his policies and how we can get there. People are quick to say he’s “unelectable” without even knowing what he’s about, without educating themselves away from the biased slander MSM offers. 

I’m a Labour and Momentum member. Not a “trotskyite entryist” as they’d have the nation believe. But a decent person who wants a decent, fair society for all.”

Now is the time for us to take down this disgusting, self-serving tory government. The PLP needs to realise that the majority of members back Corbyn and respect that. They should unite and fight the real people who are decimating our country. If they can’t do that should they really be representing us as MPs? Only time will tell.

An email to Angela Eagle

Angela Eagle and her office have alleged that Wallasey CLP have been bullying her. She has accused her constituents of homophobia, misogyny, intimidation and throwing a brick through her office window. As a result Wallasey CLP have been suspended by the Labour Party.

It’s important to remember that these unfounded accusations (to whom nobody has been held accountable) came after Wallasey CLP pledged support to Jeremy Corbyn as leader. Coincidence??

After slandering her constituents, deeming local meetings as “intimidation”… Meetings that she didn’t bother to show up to. As someone who attended I can vouch that there was no bullying and all remained respectful to Angela even in the face of her false accusations. So imagine my surprise after all recent events she emails me asking for me to support Owen Smith as the next Labour leader. Below is my reply to which  I still haven’t received a response.

Angela

You have served the Wallasey constituents for 24 years…unchallenged. As soon as the suspension for Wallasey CLP is lifted your position will be challenged. Not because you called for Jeremy’s resignation but because you and your office have defamed the people of Wallasey. You have accused us of homophobia, bullying and intimidation. Not to mention a brick through your office window and threats of violence. You cannot prove any of these heinous accusations because they aren’t true. The press and public only hear one side and it’s outrageously unfair and undemocratic that we can’t be heard. Wallasey CLP have always supported you as MP but I think you know that you have lost any confidence or respect we may have for you.

 

Please don’t ask me to endorse Owen. I will never support someone as fickle, changeable and right wing as him. I will support the man who can’t be bought. The man with honesty, integrity, humanity and the policies that will work (Funny that Owen tried to oust him yet seems to be copying his policies). I support the man who has reached out to the working class and has changed apathy to politics to engagement. I support the man who represents the 99%. I support Jeremy.

When Tom Watson called us “Trotskyite entryists”

You would think the Labour Party would be pleased that so many new members have flocked to join the party. Surely so many new and returning members feel inspired to engage and be heard by the party  they support. That they’d be welcomed with open arms…. but no, many haven’t been welcomed. There’s been suspicion that these thousands upon thousands of new members are “militant” hard left infiltrators set out to ruin the party. Seems extreme doesn’t it? How about people feeling inspired by Jeremy Corbyn? Believing his politics for a fairer society can come to fruition?

When Tom Watson spoke to The Guardian regarding his views on new members I was outraged then saddened that so many of us new members are being viewed in this way. Here is the article and my response to him. To which I have not had a reply.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/09/trotskyists-young-labour-members-jeremy-corbyn-tom-watson

I read the Guardian article today with a heavy heart. I struggle to understand why this nastiness in relation to Corbyn supporters is being bandied around. I’m a very ordinary 34 year old mum of 3. I was brought up in a Labour household in the 80’s. I never knew why we supported Labour, just that we hated Thatcher and what she’d done to the working class. I was the first in the family to go to uni (although I dropped out after 9 months because earning money so I could party seemed more appealing!) I settled down fairly early and had a family. I voted Labour but can’t really tell you why. I have seen my area decline massively. I’ve seen food banks become normal for people, sure start centres close and mental health services being cut right back… But Labour champion stopping such cuts don’t they? That’s what I’ve always thought.

About 16 months ago I watched a man unknown to me give a heart felt, honest speech that spoke to my heart. I believed he spoke for me and millions of others. That man was Jeremy Corbyn. Could a politician really be so genuine? I’m far from politically educated so I began doing research. I began reading about the ‘left and right’ of the party. I read about how Labour was founded. I read about the good it had done. I delved further into the depths of Tony Blair’s government and his beliefs and what happened to our country and other countries under him. I researched more into the history of Thatcher and what impact she had on our nation. I tried to look at it from the perspective of others who thrived under her leadership rather than just the destruction her government caused to my family (and thousands of others) during her reign. I read all of Tony Benn’s diaries and they currently retain pride of place on my bookshelf.

I had heard of Trotsky but never really knew too much about him. Over the last 12 months I have heard lefties be referred to as trotskys and so I researched as much as I could about Leon Trotsky, Stalin, Lenin et al.

I have a growing interest in politics. I am far from an expert and don’t claim to be. I am fairly naive in my approach to the current circumstances within the Labour Party….I want us to just unite so that we can fight the tories. I’m a mum with 3 young kids. I have no higher education qualifications. All I have is a Business Administration level 3 NVQ that I obtained in my current, part time job.

I watched Jeremy’s leadership debates last year and was blown away by him. He spoke to me. For me. And for hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of others. I had always voted labour but I never really knew why. To be honest, it was becoming hard to differentiate between Labour and Conservative. Until Jeremy came along. I joined the Labour Party because of him. He gave me hope that things would change. That the establishment could be overthrown. That the little people could be heard. I joined the Labour Party because of him.

In the 14 months I have been a member I have seen him speak publicly several times. I have seen my MP Angela Eagle speak and I have attended local meetings. I can’t speak for every person within the party I can only make assumptions based on my experiences. I have not encountered one person who has been aggressive, bigoted, misogynistic. The people I have met along my newfound political journey have mostly been disillusioned, apathetic electorates who feel inspired by Jeremy’s words and mandate. They are not cultist Trotskys. Instead, the fire in their bellies has been stoked. There is a passion for change. And he brings that hope for a change, a better change for the vast majority of the UK. We are disappointed by the lack of encouragement from other MPs within the Labour Party and frustrated that 84% of MSM in relation to him is negative. What you have is not a mass of thugs causing trouble but a mass of normal, caring people who want a change. So many people have felt oppressed by previous governments. We now feel empowered to rise up and challenge the status quo. To say that we won’t tolerate our public services being privatised, our vital NHS services being mismanaged, our most vulnerable being demonised, our mainstream media spouting what it’s billionaire moguls want us to see and hear.

Tom…we are no longer powerless. We will challenge the corrupt actions of our MPs that are there to serve their constituents, not themselves. We will question wrongdoings. We will use social media to be our voice. Momentum is building towards a positive change for ordinary people. Ordinary people…not “Trots”, “dogs”, “cultists”.

I wish you would support us”