Keir Starmer: why hasn’t he met Martin Forde KC? What Forde Report measures is Labour implementing, and how? And why is he being so tight-lipped about all this?
Labour leader Keir Starmer is facing more pressure to act on the recommendations of the Forde Report after its author, Martin Forde KC, revealed he had not been contacted since it was published in July last year.
People are drawing awkward conclusions, like this:
Funny how Jeremy Corbyn lost the whip for acknowledging a racism report.
While Keir Starmer has faced absolutely nothing for ignoring one. @UKLabour
— Daniel Grigg (@Daniel_Grigg) March 18, 2023
Labour seems to be saying that it is acting on the report. Here’s the vice-chair of the NEC equalities committee:
On Wednesday, the working group unanimously signed off the actions to reset party culture to make it more inclusive and break the barriers members from minority communities face.
In terms of racism and complaints, in the 24 months Forde took to finalise his report, 2/
— Abdi Duale (@AbdiDuale_) March 17, 2023
That does not mean we do not take other forms of racism equally as serious! We do.
It’s frustrating when Labour MPs choose to use this platform to belittle the enormous amount of work that has been done to make our party more inclusive and more importantly electable again.
— Abdi Duale (@AbdiDuale_) March 17, 2023
This is the same person’s response to calls for a meeting between Mr Forde and Labour:
We are literally implementing his recommendations, what is there to meet about? https://t.co/QZODGQFJpy
— Abdi Duale (@AbdiDuale_) March 17, 2023
It’s not a convincing response because the NEC’s decisions seem liable to be overruled by the party leader whenever he feels like it:
It means nothing and do you know why? Because the NEC decided Mr Corbyn should be reinstated, only for Starmer to override that and withdraw the whip. Nothing you say matters one little jot when the hierarchy in your party doesn't respect the NEC. https://t.co/knhUIJbuai
— Sharon (@K4rmaRules) March 18, 2023
Of course the answer is that Mr Forde requested a meeting, in order to ensure that his recommendations were understood and any further action would be appropriate.
Compounding this, though, is the fact that Labour’s Forde working group asked to meet with him and were rebuffed:
Interesting. I know for a fact Forde is very happy to meet with you all and has been asking for dates.
— Dawn Butler MP✊🏾💙 (@DawnButlerBrent) March 17, 2023
Alongside this, there’s the fact that mainstream media journalists who practically camped on Jeremy Corbyn’s doorstep to ask him about anti-Semitism suddenly found that they didn’t have time to knock on Keir Starmer’s front door over this:
Forde Report & Starmer's arrogant & dismissive attitude towards it is an important story
ARE any mainstream media outlets covering it properly?
Given their central role in disseminating lies & smears against Corbyn & supporters @BBCNews & @guardian should now report the truth https://t.co/oiJftwtLI1
— Tom London (@TomLondon6) March 18, 2023
Funny how journalists had time to doorstep Jeremy Corbyn ever day, but not time to write a single tweet about Martin Forde.@UKLabour @Keir_Starmer
— Daniel Grigg (@Daniel_Grigg) March 18, 2023
Apparently journalists were too busy to engage with Martin Forde after his report on Labour racism came out.
Remind how 'too busy' you all were to cover the issue of racism in the Labour Party when it could be used as a stick to beat the former Labour leader with? https://t.co/ErSnEGgEHT
— Damien Willey 🟢 🔴 (@KernowDamo) March 18, 2023
Then there’s the question of the BBC’s attempt to gag Mr Forde by demanding that he “amend” a critical section of his report:
THe most shocking part is where the BBC ask Forde to rewrite his report so that it matched what was said on Panorama. This needs to be investigated. Someone needs to be fired.
— Antrim Coast Tom Save the Planet for the Children (@tommy_ciao) March 18, 2023
BBC's Ware Panorama, 'Is Labour Antisemitic?' is now being challenged, not by 'cranks', but by Martin Forde KC.
He calls it 'infamous'.
We need a public enquiry into BBC and their activities.#ItWasAScam https://t.co/SM0DmTqxCj— simon maginn (@simonmaginn) March 18, 2023
And now other organisations are being brought into the debate, like the Muslim Council of Britain:
2) The finding of @PREVENTwatchUK 's Independent Peoples Review of Prevent, especially discussing ways to end prevent.
3) The Anti-Palestinian racism prevailant throughout the @UKLabour party machinery including Keirs own speech at LFI's conference https://t.co/8TLVbVZIFT 2/2
— Mizan Campaigner (@MizanCampaigner) March 18, 2023
Who else will get involved?
Personally, This Writer would like to see representations from Black Lives Matter, if only to see what that group has to say about him describing that organisations as a “moment” and cynically taking the knee as a photo opportunity.
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