13 Conflict contagion: the UK
13 Conflict contagion: the UK
FIRST DRAFT (15 pages), 19 March 2024
1 Introduction
2 History: additional points
3 UK opinion, October 2023
4 Antisemitism and Islamophobia
5 A coinciding: Armistice Day, the Palestine march and the government reshuffle
6 The House of Commons and the prince, 22 February 2024
7 Highland – Palestine, Saturday 24 February 2024
8 The Rochdale by-election, Thursday 29 February 2024
9 A new official definition of extremism
Appendix The headlines between the Rochdale by-election and Gove’s statement on extremism
1 Introduction
The UK has played a crucial role in the history of Israel and Palestine – as discussed in Section 8. Might one even say that it was contagion from antisemitism in Europe and World War I that brought conflict to Palestine, and Israel into existence? Section 5 has discussed the voting at the UN - with the UK located towards the pro-Israel end of the dimension. Section 6 has noted how opinion in the UK in every social grouping expressed a mixture of sympathy with Israel, sympathy with Palestine and sympathy with both sides. Section 6 also looked at opinion in Israel where the self is viewed more favourably than the other, exemplified by the different opinions held by Jews and Arabs in Israel.
Now in this section we look more closely at how the conflict has been reflected in events in the UK. I have latched on to just a few of the events. First we repeat the account of opinion in the UK back in October 2023. Next we look at how the conflict led almost immediately to spikes in both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in the UK. Armistice Day occurs on 11th November each year and last year it coincided with a pro-Palestine march and a government reshuffle, with Suella Braverman at the centre of it all. February 2024 saw the heir to the throne venture comment and also a chaotic attempt in the House of Commons to pass a resolution. On a personal note a visit to family in Scotland led to an encounter with Highland-Palestine in the High Street in Inverness. Then there was George Galloway’s Rochdale by-election win: “this is for Gaza”. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak found this alarming, leading the way to Michael Gove’s statement today about a new definition of extremism (Thursday 15 March 2024).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68556914
2 History: additional points
Recently I have come across the following points which add to the discussion in Section 8 History.
The promised land
Melting Point. Family, Memory and the Search for a Promised Land. Rachel Cockerell. Wildfire. 2024.
“The promised land of … Texas? A forgotten Zionist experiment. This innovatory mix of history and memoir recounts the Jewish search for a homeland.” Adam LeBor. The Times, Saturday Review, February 17, 2024: 12.]
“Balfour’s intent [1917]
Sir,
Trinity College Cambridge might have been expected to condemn rather than regret the serious damage done to its portrait of Arthur Balfour, a formidable Tory intellectual who was a conscientious chancellor of Cambridge university for 11 years (“Portrait of Balfour ripped and deface by pro-Palestinian group,” Mar 9). The 1917 Balfour Declaration did not begin “the ethnic cleansing of Palestine”, as the vandals assert. Its author envisaged no more than “a small notch in what are now Arab territories being given to a people who for hundreds of years have been separated from them”. He hoped for “sympathetic good will on the part of Jew and Arab” to develop their common home.
Lord Lexden, Conservative Party historian”
The Times, March 12, 2024: 26.
Gaitskill attacks Eden’s military action in Suez, 1956
Just by chance I caught the BBC4 account of BBC history where it discussed the role of the BBC during the collusion between UK, France and Israel to intervene in Egypt over Nasser’s nationalisation of the Suez Canal in 1956.
BBC4 programme: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001x1tq
An alternative extended account is given in the following (Hungary is discussed first then Suez):
https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/100-voices/coldwar/uprisings
Within this there is a link to the blistering attack on Eden made by Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell, describing the large-scale invasion of Egypt as “an act of aggression”, a “criminal folly” and calling on the Prime Minister to resign. See the broadcast by Gaitskill lower down in the same link:
https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/100-voices/coldwar/uprisings
3 UK opinion, October 2023
[a repeat of part of 6 National opinion]
… one-sided and two-sided sympathy
[taken from 5.3 UK opinion, October 2023 in 6 National opinion in:
Israel and Palestine: self and other, positive and negative; 2023]
Three weeks in. In the UK, there is one-sided sympathy and there is two-sided sympathy. Some sympathise more with Israel; some sympathise more with Palestine; some sympathise with both equally; and some don’t know. On the one hand, there is about the same 25% for each of the four options. On the other hand, the two-sided sympathy percentage is almost as much as the combined total of the two groups displaying one-sided sympathy. The percentage greater sympathy for Israel is almost equal to the percentage greater sympathy for Palestine.
Table “Which side in the Israel-Palestine conflict do you sympathize with more?”
More sympathy for Israel 19% (25%) (d=-6%)
Both equally 32% (25%) (d=+7%)
More sympathy for Palestine 18% (25%) (d=-7%)
(Don’t know) 30% (25%) (d=+5%)
(October 25-26, 2023)
https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/Internal_IsraelPalestine_231026_W.pdf
The respondents gave their social background. This enables us to identify twenty groups. The group responses are summarised in the Table below and given in full in the next again table.
Table “Which side in the Israel-Palestine conflict do you sympathize with more?”
More sympathy for Israel (across groups: 5%-36%; aged 18-24, 5%; Cons, 36%) 19%
Both equally (across groups: 20%-45%; aged 18-24, 20%; LibDem, 45%) 32%
More sympathy for Palestine (across groups: 6-37; aged 18-24, 37; Cons, 6) 18%
(Don’t know) (across groups: 22-40; London, 22; Wales, 40) 30%
In seventeen of the groups two-sided sympathy is greater than either of the one-sided sympathies. The three exceptions are: amongst Conservatives and Leavers sympathy with Israel is (just) greater than two-sided sympathy; and amongst 18-24 year olds, sympathy with Palestine is much greater than two-sided sympathy.
Consider now the net percentage, the difference between Israel sympathy and Palestine sympathy. It is possible for this net percentage to vary between the extremes of -100% and +100%. In the whole sample (All) the net percentage is 1%, almost zero. Across the twenty groups the net percentage is not at all extreme: it varies between -32% (young 18-24 year olds) and +30% (Conservatives). So there is no social group that is overwhelmingly ‘for’ one of the sides as opposed to ‘for’ the other side.
In eleven groups the net percentage is between -8% and +8%; in three further groups it is between -11% and +10%; in four further groups it is between -22% and +24%; and in two further groups it is between -32% and +30%. So most groups are fairly equally balanced between those ‘for’ Israel and those ‘for’ Palestine.
LibDems (45%) and Remainers (40%) have the highest two-sided sympathy – the young 18-24 year olds (20%), and to a lesser extent Scotland (27%) have the least two-sided sympathy.
Wales and the young 18-24 year olds have the most ‘don’t knows’, but other groups also have high ‘don’t knows’. Over 65 year olds, men and Londoners have least ‘don’t knows’.
Even for the two groups at opposite ends of the table below, there is a modicum of overlap: there is a 6.8% chance of a random Conservative and a random young 18-24 year old agreeing that they have sympathy for both Israel and Palestine.
The columns in the table
.(i) the groups
.(ii) net percentage, Israel sympathy minus Palestine sympathy, (iii) - (iv)
.(iii) Israel sympathy percentage
.(iv) sympathy for both
.(v) Palestine sympathy percentage
.(vi) don’t know
Table Percentage sympathy for Israel, for Palestine, and for both; net for Israel
The groups are ordered by decreasing net percentage
. net symp symp symp
. Is-Pa Israel both Palest don’t know
Cons 30 36 34 6 24
Leave 24 33 30 9 28
65+ 23 34 37 11 18*
50-64 10 23 36 13 28
South- 8 24 32 16 28
C2DE 8 21 32 13 34
Midlds 8 20 32 12 36
Male 5 25 32 20 22
Scot 3 23 *27 20 29
Engl 1 19 33 18 29
All 1 19 32 18 30
Wales 1 12 37 11 40*
North -2 17 33 19 31
Female -2 14 33 16 37
ABC1 -4 18 33 22 27
25-49 -8 13 31 21 36
Remn -11 13 40* 24 23
LibD -12 10 45* 22 23
Londn -21 12 33 33 22
Lab -22 8 36 30 27
18-24 -32 5 *20 37 38*
4 Antisemitism and Islamophobia in the UK
“Jewish children fearful … Muslim women abused …”
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The Times, March 2, 2024: 7.
Tell Mama. Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks, since October 7
Antisemitic Incidents 2023 [UK]
“Blurring the line between criticism and bigotry fuels hatred of Muslims and Jews. Racists often dismiss the charge of prejudice as an attempt to prevent debate.”
Kenan Malik. The Observer, March 3, 2024: 50.
“Islamophobia and antisemitism are not the same. Prejudice against Muslims is deplorable but it’s not bigotry to call out the Islamist threat to Jews. … Muslims are amongst the principal victims of Islamist fanatics.”
Melanie Phillips. The Times, February 27, 2024: 7.
Tell Mama. Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks, since October 7
“Anti-Muslim hate has tripled since attacks by Hamas.”
The Times, February 23, 2024: 8.
“Tell Mama has documented 2,010 Islamophobic incidents between 7 October and 7 February – a steep rise from the 600 it recorded for the same period the year previously.”
https://tellmamauk.org/press-section/
Anti-Muslim hate … a decade
https://tellmamauk.org/a-decade-of-anti-muslim-hate/
Antisemitic Incidents 2023 [UK]
“Worst antisemitism for 40 years since atrocities. Jewish community records 150% rise in incidents. Labour urged to act on candidates.” 15, 1
CST. Community Security Trust. Protecting our Jewish Community https://cst.org.uk/data/file/9/f/Antisemitic_Incidents_Report_2023.1707834969.pdf
The cover of the report had a photograph of a sticker on a wall – it was a rough hand-drawn flag of Palestine, the middle white band containing the scrawl “Jews are the scum of the earth”. The next page had a photo of a lady in black in a crowd holding a placard with writing, “STOP DOING WHAT HITLER DID TO YOU”.
The period 2008-2023
A chart shows the number of incidents, month by month in the period 2008-2023 (page 5).
In the period 2008-2013 the monthly figure was about 50 incidents. The single exception was one month 2008/2009 with about 300 incidents … the next month was over 100 and the next again month was back to around 50, staying around this level until 2014.
A similar spike occurred in 2014, with 300, 200 and 100 in consecutive months. This time however the level did not return to previous levels but in 2915 were just below 100. Then in the period 2016-2020, the general levels around 150 … and indeed in the period 2021-2023 …
… however there was another spike of over 600 in 2021 which went back to the general level …
… and then finally in October 2023. A spike reaching 1300 or so, with 900 then 400 in November and December.
Thus over the period 2008-2023, the general levels have risen from around 50 to around 150 and the four spikes have risen from 250 (twice) to 600 to 1300.
Incident categories
Of the 4103 incidents, 3328 were abusive behaviour, 305 threats, 266 assault, 182 damage and destruction, 22 literature and 0 extreme violence.
Abuse
Of the 3328 abusive incidents, 1372 were spoken, 1137 written, 408 graffiti …
Assault
Of the 266 cases of Assault reported, exactly half – 133 incidents – occurred across just five boroughs: Barnet (56) and Hackney (41) in Greater London, Bury (17) and Salford (13) in Greater Manchester, and Gateshead (6) in Northumbria – areas where Jews are most sizeable, established and visible.
Online incidents
Of the 4103 incidents, 1282 occurred online (31%): 704 on X, 146 on Instagram, 106 on Facebook, 17 on TikTok, 10 on YouTube and 6 on Snapchat.
Content
1774 Israel/Palestine-related; 955 Hitler/Nazis/swastikas; 319 conspiracy theories
Victim types
960 public, 497 Jewish organisations, 408 visibly Jewish, 325 school-related, 204 synagogue-related, 182 university-related, 153 at home, 143 public figures, 23 at work.
Offender types
male 1674, female 441, mixed group 55; 1707 adult, 369 minor, 10 mixed group
Incident reporters
Police 1177, victimes1154, witnesses 925, CST staff 387, friend/relative/support 273, security guard 63, group of hate crime charities 57, CST volunteers 54
5 A coinciding: Armistice Day, the Palestine march and the government reshuffle
Saturday, Sunday, Monday [November 11, 12, 13, 2023]
Armistice Day and the associated Remembrance Sunday …
… two world wars; local remembrances of global war
Britannia: the dominant conception of the British national self
Remembrance of “democratic freedoms”
… UK Conservatives: the dominant party
… conceptions of the Conservative party self – in political space
… the cabinet reshuffle: from Cameron 2010 to Cameron 2023
Suella Braverman’s letter: a conception of the self and other
The Palestine march: conceptions of the self and other
Saturday, Sunday, Monday
On Sunday 12th November, Suella Braverman laid a wreath of remembrance at the Cenotaph. The previous day what she had condemned as a “hate march” had taken place. Then on Monday she was sacked from her job as Home Secretary. Thus Braverman was at the centre of three events with quite independent trajectories which just happened to coincide at that point in time.
Armistice Day and the associated Remembrance Sunday …
The most solemn time in the British year is Armistice Day and the associated Remembrance Sunday. On 11th November 1918 the armistice marking the end of the First World War was signed. Now, in 2023:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Armistice-Day
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Remembrance-Sunday
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-service-of-remembrance-sunday-12-november-2023
https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance
[At the time the phrases ‘European war’, ‘World war’ and ‘Great war’ were used.]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I
… two world wars; local remembrances of global war
In 2014 and in 2015 I wrote pieces about the two world wars. The year 2014 was the centenary of the start of World War I and the year 2015 was the seventieth anniversary of the end of World War II. The two paragraphs below are extracts and the full extract is given in the following link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dt9G_bv5Ue5-WfaaD0PVpgSL3rutbe4s/view
2014. “In many conflicts there are positive perceptions of self and of ‘our values’ and negative perceptions of the other and of ‘their values’. These perceptions
are regularly reinforced, for example in anniversaries of historical events:
1914, the start of the First World War; 1815, the Battle of Waterloo; 1314,
the Battle of Bannockburn; and so on. In some cases, the possession of
arms itself is a celebrated part of nationalism. The two world wars were
global events but they were locally experienced and are locally –
differentially - remembered.”
2015. “As the preceding section illustrates, in 2015 we looked back to 1915 and
the First World War. And we also looked back to 1945 and the Second
World War. But 1915 and 1945 are just two years in what is the
continuous process of world history. …
The world towards the end of 1945 was in an unprecedented situation.
The armies of just three countries – USA, UK and Soviet Union - were
present in and supervising the political governing of ‘most of the world’.
Now, seventy years on, each of the three countries can look back to 1945
and see that their country was in control of a large amount of territory
whereas in 2015 they have only their own homeland – in Russia’s case
very much reduced. They have experienced a large loss. Seventy years ago
they were ‘great’ but now they are not. In some quarters there is an
aspiration to return to their days of greatness. There is a desire to make
themselves ‘great again’. This can be popular within each state but can be
seen as threatening to others.”
27 Low, Valentine. “How troops sang Peace on earth, then next day went off to kill”. The Times, Monday December 21, 2015: 26-27.
28 Burt, 2016, op. cit. Chapter 8, 134-147.
29 Brzezinski, Zbigniew. Strategic Vision: America and the Crisis of Global Power. New York: Basic Books, 2013, p. 10.
Britannia: the dominant conception of the British national self
“The most solemn time in the British year is Armistice Day and the associated Remembrance Sunday.” The two days are particularly important for the dominant conception of the British national self – what might be referred to as “Britannia”.
Britannia: Three Prime Ministers and a Queen
See: 1 Introduction and Overviews of the Chapters
Remembrance of “democratic freedoms”
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/rp13-14/
https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/RP13-14/RP13-14.pdf
Without wishing to be disrespectful, the phrase “democratic freedoms” prompted the following reflections.
The First World War. Many of those who fought and died did so defending a country which had democracy for perhaps less than a third of the adult population …
The Second World War. Many of those who fought and died did so defending an empire without freedom, not a commonwealth …
After the Second World War. Many of those who fought and died did so defending an empire against the independence of nations …
1910, 1918
In the 1910 election, the electorate was 7.7 million. In the 1918 election the electorate was 21.4 million.
The Representation of the People Act in 1918 extended the franchise in parliamentary elections, also known as the right to vote, to men aged over 21, whether or not they owned property, and to women aged over 30 who resided in the constituency whilst occupying land or premises with a rateable value above £5, or whose husbands did.
“As a result of the Act, the male electorate was extended by 5.2 million[2] to 12.9 million.[5] The female electorate was 8.5 million.”
[In 1884 the proportion of adults (namely over 21) registered to vote was 28%.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_1910_United_Kingdom_general_election
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representation_of_the_People_Act_1918
5 million
It was the first general election to be held after enactment of the Representation of the People Act 1918. It was thus the first election in which women over the age of 30 (with some property qualifications), and all men over the age of 21, could vote. Previously, all women and many poor men had been excluded from voting.
… UK Conservatives: the dominant party
One political party is particularly associated with Britannia and that is the Conservative party. Over the post-war period the Conservatives have been the dominant party:
W3 First party: the trajectory for the UK Conservative Party, 1945-2023
… conceptions of the Conservative party self – in political space
The party has different conceptions of itself. These different conceptions correspond to different points in political space. Two important dimensions are the left-right dimension and the Brexit Leave-Remain dimension – with the latter being of particular importance over the past decade. Conservative politicians differ in their attitude to Brexit and an indicator of their preference to have remained in the EU is their Remain score – this is measured by the Remain preferences of the party members who support them. The following Remain scores are based on a survey during the election for party leader in the Summer of 2022. We have assumed that David Cameron would have a high Remain score.
. candidate A 100% of supporters voted Remain in 2016
[David Cameron high]
Jeremy Hunt 55
Rishi Sunak 34
Liz Truss 10
Suella Braverman 3
. candidate Z 0% of supporters voted Remain in 2016
See 5 Johnson to Truss in ten weeks; social choice
… the cabinet reshuffle: from Cameron 2010 to Cameron 2023
In 2010, Cameron was prime minister and Jeremy Hunt was culture minister.
In 2022, neither was in Liz Truss’ first cabinet. However after the economic crisis Jeremy Hunt was brought in.
Now, in November 2023, David Cameron returns as foreign secretary.
In 2010, neither Sunak, nor Truss nor Braverman were in cabinet.
In 2022, Sunak and Braverman were in Liz Truss’ cabinet.
1n 2022, Truss resigned as prime minister.
Now, in November 2023, neither Truss nor Braverman are in Sunak’s cabinet
Thus over the period of thirteen years, there has been first a swing away from high Remain score people to low Remain score people; and then a swing back from low Remain score people to high Remain score people.
Suella Braverman’s letter: a conception of the self and other
[I have still to write this section.]
The Palestine march: conceptions of the self and other
In London the police drew a line separating the Cenotaph from the march. Police arrested protesters against the march and also arrested some who were on the march.
“Is it a ‘hate march’?”
“Yes, we all hate Suella Braverman.”
Armistice Day took place five weeks after the Hamas attack on Israel from Gaza. Although widely condemned, the Hamas attack had been greeted positively from certain quarters. However the response by Israel, attacking Gaza, had also drawn wide condemnation. Overall there was one-sided and two-sided sympathy with Israel and Palestine; and there was one-sided and two-sided condemnation of Hamas and Israel.
The Palestine march in London on Armistice Day was the fifth weekend of pro-Palestine marches. There was a diversity of views about the marches, both amongst the marchers themselves and amongst commentators. One view was that it was a peaceful march calling for peace in Gaza – a ceasefire. The opposite view was that it was a ‘hate march’, anti-Israel and anti-Jew.
6 The House of Commons and the Prince, 22 February 2024
In the House of Commons the SNP put forward a motion calling for a ceasefire – which the Conservatives would oppose. This prompted Labour to offer an amendment which the Speaker controversially allowed to be put – except that the procedure was challenged whereupon chaos ensued. Separately, the heir to the throne offered his opinion about the situation in Gaza.
The Times:
22 “Chaos in the Commons as ministers round on ‘biased’ Speaker.” 1
22 “Public backing for William over Gaza conflict comment.” 5
22 “Speaker defied advice and order was no more.” 6-7
22 “Commons burnt as it plays with ceasefire.” 6-7
22 “Conflicting calls for solution to a complex war.” 23/4
22 “Political prince. The Prince of Wales made a serious error of judgment in intervening in the debate surrounding Israel’s campaign in Gaza. Monarchy and contentious issues do not mix.” Editorial. 25.
7 Highland – Palestine, Saturday 24 February 2024
Last Saturday, visiting family up in Inverness, I found myself on the High Street, in conversation with a complete stranger, discussing the distinction between ‘genocide’ and ‘military urban devastation’ (4 War). Just outside the Town House were perhaps about thirty people, some draped in Palestine flags. The lady gave me a leaflet and explained they were from Highland–Palestine, “a network of people across the Highlands who support the Palestinian’s people’s struggle for human rights and self-determination.”
The leaflet was folded in six panels, densely packed with information. An account of the history of the conflict was given citing the dates: 19C, 1917, 1920, 1948, 1949, 1967, 2000, 2023 and 2024. The numbers of people involved in different ways was given on 28 occasions. Within the text it mentioned the South African application to the International Court of Justice and the 1948 General Council.
Photo: https://highland-palestine.com/ .
8 The Rochdale by-election, Thursday 29 February 2024
An analysis of the election results is given in:
W14 Rochdale: an Israel-Palestine UK by-election
The Labour Party had selected their candidate. It then emerged he had put forward “an October 7 conspiracy theory”. Labour disowned him. But the ballot papers could not be altered.
The Times, February 2024:
12 “Candidate in antisemitism row backed by Starmer.” 1
13 “Hours after backing him, Labour cuts ties with candidate in Gaza row.” 1
13 “Starmer’s choice. Labour’s candidate in Rochdale by-election has been disowned for peddling an October 7 conspiracy theory. The antisemitism of the Corbyn era must be purged.” 25. Editorial.
14 “Labour in crisis after a second suspension. Antisemitism row claims another candidate. Party staff ‘in tears’ over inquiry into leak.” 1
16 “Spectre of Galloway is back to haunt Starmer. Labour’s embarrassment over its Rochdale by-election candidate, Azhar Ali, will have delighted the maverick outcast…. Here is a man who retains his power to shock and awe Labour … the idea of fighting on made cabinet members look very silly…” 25
20 “Labour is being held to ransom over Gaza. There is a co-ordinated strategy by Muslim groups to pressurise election candidates to conform. Starmer was wriggling when he called for ‘a ceasefire that lasts’.” 22
“Galloway prepares for comeback as honourable member for Gaza. Rochdale’s frontrunner is vowing to return ‘like a tornado’ after tapping into Muslim anger.”
The Times, February 24, 2024: 8.
And after the result:
“This is for Gaza” says George Galloway.
George Galloway only won because Labour did not stand, party claims
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-68402672
“Save Britain from mob rule, Sunak tells police. PM orders end to ‘intimidatory’ Gaza protests.” The Times, February 29, 2024: 1.
And after the result, outside 10 Downing Street:
“Prime Minister labels George Galloway’s Rochdale win ‘beyond alarming’.”
Bolton News, March 1, 2024:
9 A new official definition of extremism
“Michael Gove, the communities secretary, is preparing a new official definition of extremism “expected to cover those whose actions “undermine” British institutions or values.”
The Times, March 11, 2024: 1.
Over the past fortnight, in the fourteen days between the Rochdale by-election and Gove’s statement on extremism, there have been headlines about “extremism” on nine days. See Appendix.
Appendix The headlines between the Rochdale by-election and Gove’s statement on extremism
February 29
The Thursday morning of the Rochdale by-election.
“Save Britain from mob rule, Sunak tells police. PM orders end to ‘intimidatory’ Gaza protests.” The Times, February 29, 2024: 1.
“This is for Gaza” says George Galloway.
George Galloway only won because Labour did not stand, party claims
BBC “LIVE. March 1, 2024:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-68402672
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics
March 1
The Friday after the Thursday Rochdale by-election.
And after the result, outside 10 Downing Street:
“Prime Minister labels George Galloway’s Rochdale win ‘beyond alarming’.”
Bolton News, March 1, 2024:
TheTimes:
[Mob rule. Cartoon] 23
“ ‘Mob rule’ threat to democracy in Britain.” 24
March 2
“Banish this hatred from our streets, implores PM. Extremists have spread poison since Hamas attacks, he says after Galloway’s ‘alarming’ by-election win….” 1-2
“Tough talk is a swipe at Starmer.” 2
“Labour joins Sunak’s call for protest crackdown.” 6
“I fear for may safety, says MP.” 6
“Prime minister’s speech in full.” 6-7.
“Demonstrations reveal trend for bullying tactics.” 7
“Starmer told to harden stance on Gaza after Galloway wins.” 8-9
“The great disruptor storms back into the public arena. Unlike Nigel Farage, Rochdale’s new MP keeps proving he is a popular populist.” 8-9
“Weaknesses in main parties were exposed.” 9
“Rochdale is grim for both Sunak and Starmer. By-election shows how adrift the Tories are while raising questions about Labour leader’s instinct and sense of purpose.” 23
[Galloway cartoon.] 25
“Rochdale rebellion.” 26
“Wake-up call. Rishi Sunak’s call for tolerance between communities and intolerance of extremism is a timely intervention. Disagreement over Gaza must not poison public debate.” 27
March 3
The Observer:
2 “Sadiq Khan attacks Sunak over failure to challenge Tory MP’s Islamophobia. London mayor calls for prime minister to be tougher on his party while Galloway victory adds to pressure on nervous Labour MPs.”
8-9 “Legal observer, 71, says police deliberately knocked her down at march for ceasefire.”
43 “The mob rule that Rishi Sunak fears most lies in the ranks of his own party.”
50 “Blurring the line between criticism and bigotry fuels hatred of Muslims and Jews.”
March 4
“Definition of ‘extremism’ will be widened.” 1
“Who will help blighted towns like Rochdale? Once proud and wealthy community saw its economic problems ignored last week thanks to the George Galloway circus. Things are so bad even the pound shops advertise money off. The fedora fool vowed to move Primark into the centre of town.” 21
“Tackling extremism and the right to protest.” 24
“Fighting for survival. The Israeli prime minister’s future depends on the support of hardliners. … The world’s eyes are on the continuing carnage in Gaza …” Editorial 25
March 5
1-2 “Tories divided over new definition of extremism. Trans rights critics and traditional Christians could be caught up in crackdown on Islamism.”
3 “Royal Court play to explore Roald Dahl’s antisemitism.”
6-7 “The silence is deafening as Rochdale’s one-man band reels in his disrepute.”
7 “Israel’s actions like Holocaust, Galloway claims.”
9 “Hijacker who hailed Hamas fighters will give UK talk.” … “Palestinian ‘had plastic surgery to hide identity’.”
23 “Whisper it but Starmer is having a good war. Labour’s stance may have cost the party some Muslim support but the leader is dodging traps set by both left and right.” Hugo Rifkind.
24 “The changing face and fortune of Rochdale.”
25 “The Galloway. The new MP for Rochdale will inevitably be a divisive presence on the back benches. Politicians who value social cohesion must ensure that his remains a lone voice.”
28 “Hamas was ‘probably using rape as a weapon’.”
March 6
“Met chief defends protest policing.” 5
“Minister settles over false Hamas claim.” 5
“Palestinians campaigners pull out of Khaled talk.” 5
“Intellectual disgrace” 22
“Discord over new definition of extremism.” 24
“Israel investigating claims that soldiers humiliated prisoners.” 27
“Biden’s plea to Hamas.” 27
March 7
“Peer pays out after slur about mascot.” 11
“Muslim preacher investigated by police for ‘anti-Israel hate speech’.” 11
“Diplomats exempt from new definition of extremism.” 11
“Marching rights.” 26
March 8
“Netanyahu’s fury at Sunak’s talks with moderate rival.” 15
“Extremism defined.” 24
“Delayed reaction. UN confirmation of sexual violence against women on October 7 is shamefully late.” 25
March 9
“Cameron urges Israel to open port for Gaza aid.” 2
“First minister criticised over Gaza aid.” 4
“Portrait of Balfour ripped and defaced by pro-Palestine group.” 6
“May joins the exodus with parting shot at parliament.” 11
“Politics has grown polarised … we need to show respect.” 11
“rising population.” 26
“Isolating extremists. A more forceful approach to suppressing antisemitic agitation is overdue.” 27
“drab politics.” 29
“no wonder UK is so divided – we’re too diverse.
In a 2004 seminal essay greeted with uproar by the liberal left, David Goodheart warned of the tension between mass migration and a healthy society with common values. Twenty years on he would go even further, … an increasingly individualistic future in which we don’t know our neighbours and society is a collection of networks of kin and friends is not appealing” 30-1
“Man may face jail for Hamas tweets.” 32
“Biden turns on Trump’s ‘ancient ideas of hate, anger and revenge’.” 38-9
March 10
The Observer:
“Revealed: legal fears over new Gove definition of ‘extremism’. Leaked documents show controversial plan. Individuals [and groups] face ban from official contracts.” 1, 7
6 “Attack survivors warn MPs: ‘stop equating Muslims with terrorists’.”
6-7 “For extremists trying to tear democracy asunder this was pretty peaceful.”
41 “London a no-go zone for Jews? Such harmful rhetoric just doesn’t reflect my experience.”
48 “Zionist? Anti-Zionist?”
March 11
1, 6 “ … Warning over anti-blasphemy links.”
6-7 “Extremist group behind mobs in Pakistan spread ideas to UK.”
6 “Five protesters arrested at pro-Palestinian march.”
6 “Gove’s ‘hate tsar’ quits with parting shot at government.”
7 “Demonstrations area mostly peaceful, says official advisor.”
26 “Jewish no-go areas.”
March 12
1, 7 “Johnson to join election campaign in red wall. Tories hope ex-PM can win over 2019 voters.”
8 “£10m Tory donor denies racism in tirade about MP.”
6-7 “Nervous Tories round on Sunak as Anderson defects to Reform.”
6-7 “Odysseus of Ashfield appears a little lost.”
17 “We can learn to be happy – but must keep practising.”
19 “Neo-Nazi with knife plotted to take lawyer hostage, court told.”
23 “Death of local papers threatens democracy. In much of Britain, regional news is hollowed out or close to extinction but it is vital in holding politicians to account.” William Hague.
24 “Traditional values aren’t so easily crushed. In both Portugal and Ireland the public has given an out-of-touch ruling class a bloody nose. … The liberal consensus is defeated if it crosses that red line in the sand.” Melanie Phillips. 24.
26 “Balfour’s intent.” Lord Lexden.
27 “Loose cannon. Lee Anderson was always a risky recipient of political patronage. The Tories should beware of polarising figures whose behaviour risks alienating mainstream opinion.”
30 “Woman sent to prison over Navalny photo.” 30.
30 “Keeping old pro-democracy paper could lead to jail.” 30.
31 “Populist party makes big gains as Portugal swings to the right.” 31.
“No regrets? Outcry drowns out Olympics’ Piaf tribute.” 31.
“Puccini racial warnings ‘are pandering to the Wokerati’.” 31.
March 13
“Donor was racist and wrong about Abbott, says Sunak.” 6
“Unit to advise on extremism.” 6
“Vital democratic role of local newspapers.” Letters. 24
THE END