“Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of becoming a “poster-boy” for anti-semitism as more than 15 of his MPs joined a Jewish protest against his leadership. The Labour MPs said that they wanted to “drain the cesspit” of anti-semitism within their party as they joined an extraordinary 600-strong protest organised by Jewish leaders in Parliament Square. They said that the protest and Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to tackle anti-semitism was a “stain on the conscience” of the Labour Party as they accused him of making “mealy-mouthed” statements. The Jewish Labour Movement, which includes MPs, officials, and peers, accused Mr Corbyn of allowing anti-semitism in the party to go “unnoticed and unchallenged”. The unprecedented protest was organised by the Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies under the banner “enough is enough”.” – Daily Telegraph
>Today: ToryDiary: Sketch: Corbyn spurns Labour’s Jewish members, who demonstrate their sense of utter betrayal
“It’s not unusual for a community to come together outside Parliament to raise awareness of injustices around the world. But it’s a sad day when British Jews feel they have to come to Westminster to make a stand against prejudices they are facing here in 21st century Britain. As the Secretary of State responsible for protecting faiths and promoting integration, I thought it was important to attend – not to get on a podium, but to listen to their concerns about the creeping normalisation of anti-Semitism in parts of our politics. Sometimes ‘isms’ get thrown around liberally, so let’s be clear on exactly what we’re talking about here. There is a specific definition for anti-Semitism established by International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, and the UK was the first country to formally adopt it.” – Daily Telegraph
Editorial:
“In a speech to mark the year to go until Brexit, the backbencher will call for the country to come together to embrace the economic opportunities of independence from Brussels. “With one year to go before the technical date of departure, this is the challenge to the decreasing number of remainders who model themselves on Mr Hiroo Onoda, the Japanese soldier who finally surrendered in 1974 having previously refused to believe that the Second World War had ended,” he will say at an event in central London hosted by the pressure group Leave Means Leave on Tuesday. “There is a world of opportunity ahead of us. Economically, leaving the European Union by getting rid of unfair, anti-competitive tariffs and by controlling our borders will help the least well off in society the most.” – Daily Express
Comment:
>Today: Audio: The Moggcast. On Catholicism. “I’ve never had any doubts. I know that’s an unusual thing to say…I try to say the Rosary every day.”
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Comment:
“Never before have so many countries come together to expel Russian diplomats. By last night, the total stood at more than 20 nations collectively deciding to remove more than 100 Kremlin officials. In the process these allies of Britain have consciously placed themselves at risk of retaliation. Their principled stand in the aftermath of the use of a nerve agent in Salisbury on March 4 may well carry a price, perhaps in the form of some of their own diplomats being removed from Moscow, so I am deeply grateful to all the nations who have resolved to act. And I believe that yesterday’s events could become a turning point. Do not underestimate the effect of these measures on Russia’s networks of espionage.” – The Times
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Editorial:
>Yesterday:
“MPs and peers have told universities that they cannot be “safe spaces” but must allow unpopular and controversial views to be heard on campuses. Safe space policies are often an expression of intolerance of groups that proffer legal opinions ranging from the pro-life lobby to humanists, MPs said. The findings by the parliamentary joint committee on human rights will add to pressure on universities to take action against students who try to prevent certain figures from speaking. The committee, which is chaired by Harriet Harman, the former deputy leader of the Labour Party, heard evidence from students, university authorities and others over several weeks.” – The Times
Comment:
“A hard hitting report by the Public Accounts Committee has said that the health service is in a “perilous state” despite getting an extra £1.8 billion for social care in last year’s Budget. It comes after health secretary Jeremy Hunt floated the idea of hiking National Insurance contributions to bring in an extra £4 billion a year for health and social care spending. But the problems of controlling cash flow in the NHS was highlighted at a hearing of the committee yesterday when NHS chief executive Simon Stevens and finance director Paul Baumann admitted that they were having to try to reclaim money off GPs for failing to provide the service they were paid to do.” – Daily Express
Comment:
>Today: Steve Moore in Comment: Whatever happened to the Big Society? 1) It could have worked had spending been cut Canada-Style