Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones, has announced his decision not to participate in marches against antisemitism amidst a Labour rebellion over calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Telegraph has more.
Darren Jones, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said he would not attend any demonstrations in the weeks to come, as he represents constituents “who have different concerns and different opinions about this issue”.
He said all peaceful protests should be allowed to go ahead, but repeatedly dodged questions on whether he would join Sunday’s march himself.
Asked directly whether he would attend the demonstration in London, led by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, he said: “I’ve not gone to any marches in the last few weeks and I don’t intend on going [on] any marches in the future weeks, because I represent constituents who have different concerns and different opinions about this issue.
“It’s my job to represent all of them. That’s why I am not going on any marches.”
But he said “of course” he would stand “in solidarity” with his constituents against antisemitism. …
It comes in the wake of a major shadow cabinet split over the crisis in the Middle East, which saw Sir Keir Starmer suffer the biggest rebellion of his leadership to date.
Eight Labour frontbenchers defied their leader over a vote for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on November 15th, exposing damaging rifts at the top of the party.
Sir Keir has backed humanitarian pauses in the conflict but refused to demand a ceasefire, despite pressure from within Labour ranks to change tack.
Mr. Jones said he didn’t know if any Labour MPs would be attending Sunday’s march, but noted that shadow minister Peter Kyle would be in London.
Pressed on whether that meant his colleagues would be permitted to take part, he said: “I’ve not had any guidance from the Labour Party about the demo today or the demo yesterday, in fact, so I’m not sure what it is that you’re referring to.” …
Laura Trott, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, also declined to say whether she would attend Sunday’s march, stressing she was “focused” on her ministerial duties.
Worth reading in full.
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Well done young man, and congratulations on your clearly well developed critical analysis skills and ability to ignore the herd mentality.
Hear, hear.
Great article with valuable insight. I hope people like Jack – when they have the power – react decisively against the manipulation, indoctrination and propaganda of the past few years that has so systemically insulted their intelligence, trashed their dignity and ruined their opportunities.
There is more wisdom coming from this young man than the combined forces of our government. An excellent piece of writing – hopefully we will have more to give us a youthful perspective on life in Britain.
I know two other groups of people who were never in lockdown:
In late spring 2020, a fairly large group of travellers camped at Hills Meadow car park Reading. I used to walk past this site once per day during the only spare time activity still allowed to me, namely, talking long, solitary walks in the night. These people were socialising around open fires every night as if there was no so-called pandemic and nobody cared about that, most certainly not the police (who was as certainly aware of it).
Reading’s class of professional beggars, addicts and general loiterers. These, to, continued to live their lives unchanged, including outdoor socialising in large groups (more than six people) and without social distancing. And they – of course – also continued to chat everyone up for spare change despite social contact to strangers was absolutely verboten to stop the spread. The police also didn’t mind this.
NB: My theory why the members of these two groups of people just continued to live their lives is that everyone knew the rules were bullshit and trying to get these people to live according to them would have been a waste of time, anyway.
Yes, outsiders certainly showed the rules were bullshit. I can think of the Amish in America and Hassidic Jews of New York as well. I used to think of the Amish as eccentric. I now think they might have a point.
There was a cartoon a year or do back in which an Amish man was asked why none of his community had had CoVid – because we don’t have TVs was his reply.
Many of us have/had similar habits to these groups: Standers In The Park (ours always finished our stint with a mass hug); protesters and other rebels – once we found each other and hooked-up.
Often unjabbed, I’m not aware of any that suffered any harms as a result of their/our bloody-mindedness.
Whereas my obedient, sanitary acquaintances…
I hope Jack reads these comments. It’s a 10/10 from me!👍😀 You’re spot on in your assessment of the entire debacle and I couldn’t agree more.
Cracking article. Jack, you’re a genuine credit to independent thinking and common sense and it sounds like you have very good nose for nonsense. Just make sure you turn that into a contagion and give it to everyone you know!
And don’t panic, I went to an unimaginably crap school when I was 14 and the only 3 things I can remember is that magnesium is pretty cool when it burns, Everton fans eat toffee and that you can make a model of a medieval battering ram out of a bog roll tube. I now run a highly successful business. Not in bog paper I hasten to add..
Jack Watson for prime minister.
He’s too smart to be a politician. Politics is the sump for losers and failures.
You have learned the hardest lesson of all Jack, when the chips are down you are on your own. Find a partner that has exactly that mindset, and then refuse to comply with the people who cannot be trusted. I knew this when I was your age but it took me another 35 years to properly understand. You have a headstart, use it
I feel better about the world knowing there are young men like Jack Watson.
Rock on.
Jack, very well done. I hope you’ll be writing for a very long time to come, and that I get to read much more of your work.
.
A young man who can so logically and critically assess the idiocies of the Covid restrictions and identify the hypocrisy of the evil people who imposed them on us is not going to suffer long-term personal adverse effects.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Mr Watson is a very strong adolescent and is going to be a very strong adult. It’s a tragedy there aren’t many more like him.
I’m going to start writing this guy’s name on ballot papers instead of voting for the wastes of space that are already printed on hem.
This is a brilliant piece for a 14 year old!, maybe a little too advanced?
Just a few lines in it don’t sound very 14ish.
Sorry, but healthy scepticism is why I read this outlet
Totally agree with it all btw
Well done young man, you are a credit to your country.
His thought on the climate pandemic would be interesting to read, whether his ideas about it were affected by the CoVid lunacy experience.
The future of the world is bright with kids like Jack. Well done for not being a sheep or asleep like the morons who rule this country and the idiots who follow the herd mentality. There’s hope yet.
Well-said