McCluskey targeted again: he’s right to apologise – but not for anti-Semitism
Unite union leader Len McCluskey has rightly apologised to Peter Mandelson for comments in a BBC Newsnight report – but claims that his words were anti-Semitic are wholly wrong.
Responding to disparaging comments from Mandelson about the Jeremy Corbyn era of the Labour Party, McCluskey had said that he should go away and “count his gold”.
As this had nothing to do with the matters under discussion – and seems intended as an insult – it is right that McCluskey has issued an apology:
Before this gets out of hand, let me say language is important and I apologise to Peter Mandelson and anyone else if mine has caused hurt. #newsnight @lewis_goodall @BBCNewsnight
— Len McCluskey (@LenMcCluskey) October 19, 2020
Sadly some people have chosen to interpret McCluskey’s words as an anti-Semitic trope:
Awful to see Len McCluskey using an antisemitic trope to refer to Peter Mandelson going to ‘count his gold’ on Newsnight tonight 🙅♀️
— Rebecca Filer (@RebeccaFiler) October 19, 2020
There’s just one problem with that interpretation – and it’s a big one:
Peter Mandelson is not Jewish.
He's not Jewish Len. If he was then your language would have been bloody dodgy, but he's not. pic.twitter.com/KpcFK4eQkx
— 𖤀𖦪ꚶꛘꛤꚳ𖤢ꛎꕷꛎꛘ𖢧 (@drunpleasant) October 19, 2020
Jewishness is handed down by female family members and Mandelson’s mother was a gentile. He isn’t Jewish.
And consider this: isn’t it strange that one person with Jewish ancestors is said to be Jewish (for the purpose of attacking someone else), while another person with Jewish ancestors was told repeatedly that she was not (for the purpose of attacking her), even though she did self-identify as such?
https://twitter.com/JewishCatMother/status/1318522661832712192
To me, this seems just another opportunistic lie, made to attack a person on the left wing of UK politics.
Then:
Mandelson – 'I'm not Jewish'
World: *Shrugs* OK then.Now:
Mandelson – 'I'm not Jewish'
World – 'You are if we say you are for this one particular left-bashing opportunity'.— simon maginn (@simonmaginn) October 20, 2020
Type “McCluskey” into the search box on Twitter and you’ll be able to make a list of the names and handles of a large number of fellow travellers who support this lie. Some of them are well-known so it is worth making that list.
And, as there is (clearly) still a strong campaign to disparage and discredit people on the left wing of politics, let’s see if the same names crop up to support the next lie.
Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.
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But why is he saying sorry this man he supposed to insult hadn’t they insulted Corbyn and stick and stones don’t break bones for crying out loud that man kept a very good pm out of office and he should hang is head in shame
Quite! He had nothing to apologise for, Mandelson is a snake.