Blogspot: In defence of Ken Livingstone.
BY: Scott Nelson.
“KEN Livingstone has been suspended by the Labour Party in April 2016 over his comments about Hitler and Zionism. Ken quoted a historical fact and has done absolutely nothing wrong but is being persecuted by the Israel Lobby and New Labour relics.
Labour’s decision to suspend Ken for a further 12 months is not only disgraceful but it proves that the Israel Lobby and Blairites are in complete control of the Labour Party and are controlling people’s lives.
Ken has been accused of anti-semitism but he has done nothing to warrant such an accusation. Anti-semitism has been weaponised by the Israel Lobby and pro-Israel supporters and is being used as a tool to shut down critics of Israel, pro-Palestine supporters and innocent people like Ken by smearing them with false claims of antisemitism.
I was targeted by the Israel Lobby, Blairites and pro-Israel supporters in 2015 after I posted a series of tweets condemning Israel’s human rights abuses against Palestinians. I also made reference to Tesco and M&S having Jewish blood based on their heritage, as both companies were founded by Jews. There was absolutely no malice in my tweets about Tesco and M&S but they were deliberately blown out of proportion.
My tweets were posted in 2014 but were dug up by the Israel Lobby and Blairites in 2015 and presented to the Labour Party and even my employer. That is how toxic the Israel Lobby is; it will stoop to any level to vilify and falsely accuse a person of antisemitism. The Israel Lobby uses anti-semitism to destroy people’s lives, but their hate campaign against me backfired and I kept my job after my employer ruled that my tweets were not anti-semitic. Labour, on the otherhand, decided that my tweets were anti-semitic and decided to exclude me for a period of two years. I can rejoin the party later this year if I so wish.
Last year, when George Galloway had glitter thrown in his face as he delivered a speech, the Israel Lobby took to social media and celebrated. It was a disgusting display on their part.
Ken is experiencing the exact same treatment as me: there was no malice in his comments but they have been blown out of proportion. If a person is to be vilified and hounded by the Israel Lobby for quoting a historical fact then freedom of speech does not exist. The Israel Lobby is controlling freedom of speech and people’s lives when it comes to criticisms of Israel and historical fact.
Ken does not hate Jews and nor do I. In fact, like Ken, I have campaigned against racism and inequality and I will continue to do so. I do think, however, that Holocaust denial should be illegal. Anyone who questions or mocks the Holocaust and puts forward their conspiracy theories ought to be thoroughly ashamed. I believe the Holocaust happened but conspiracy theorists have never provided any concrete evidence to back up their ludicrous claims.
I was bitterly disappointed with Jeremy Corbyn’s response to Labour’s ruling, he has effectively thrown Ken, a loyal ally, to the wolves. Ken should not have to apologise for quoting a historical fact and nor should he be silenced by the Israel Lobby, Blairites and by people who found his comments to be offensive.
Labour MPs have lined up to attack Ken one by one, MPs like Wes Streeting who never had a problem when Ken campaigned for him and helped get him elected in 2015. Wes is a hypocrite and two-faced.
I stand in solidarity with Ken Livingstone and I will continue to defend him because he has done absolutely nothing wrong, but the people who are vilifying and attacking him for quoting a historical fact are wrong.
Anti-semitism used to apply to people who hated Jews, but these days it also applies to critics of Israel, pro-Palestine and pro-Jeremy Corbyn supporters and people like Ken for quoting a historical fact.
birds of a feather flock together.