A first rough draft of history: Chris Williamson MP in Brighton and Hove
Published
by
Richard Kuper
JVL Introduction
A must-read account of the orchestrated, malevolent and thuggish campaign to stop Chris Williamson speaking in Brighton is carefully documented here by Greg Hadfield organiser of the meeting.
Note: If you would prefer, you can read a shorter summary of this 7,000-word blogpost here.
This article was originally published by Medium on Sun 11 Aug 2019. Read the original here.
A first rough draft of history: Chris Williamson MP in Brighton and Hove
As a journalist for more than 30 years, nobody knows better than me that all I can provide here is — as Philip Graham, the great Washington Post publisher once said — “a first rough draft of history that will never be completed about a world we can never really understand”.
What I can promise, however, is this article is a forensic, dispassionate, and well-evidenced account of the background to the recent controversial visit of Chris Williamson MP, the socialist MP for Derby North.
What it does not do is discuss why Mr Williamson was recently suspended — then unsuspended, then suspended again — by the Labour Party.
Disciplinary processes within the party are confidential and anyone who has gone through the process and maintained their membership throughout— as I have — should be regarded as innocent until proven otherwise. Cases are not judged in the court of mob rule — even when the “mob” comprises high-profile Labour MPs.
Importantly, Mr Williamson faces no accusation or sanction from his parliamentary colleagues — as even his worst and most vocal colleagues concede.
I am certain this will not be the final draft of what happened in a shameful two weeks in the history of politics in Brighton and Hove. The next chapter should be about action by Sussex Police.
Loading article text…
I did not realise how Stalinist anti Corbyn members have become. I cannot see how the chasm between the two wings of our party can ever be bridged. People like Kyle will surely have to go. Automatic reselection must be implemented ASAP.
We thought we were living in a free country we were wrong.
I have just made a small donation to the Chris Williams crowd fund. I would contribute more but I am an 80 year old pensioner with limited resources. I urge readers to help. Our democracy is in serious danger.
I feel both sadness and anger on reading the account of the lead up to the meeting, admiration at the determination and courage of those who support our right of free speech and the democracy our politicians purport to support, while some do their utmost to undermine by their actions. I too have contributed to the fund to assert Chris Williams rights in the Law courts. It saddens me that a Political Party that I support has become so insecure in it’s beliefs that it excludes people on unfounded, unsubstantiated accusations that fly in the face of all evidence. The only way to oppose this creeping menace of fear is to take the whole sorry mess through the courts. I have no doubt that I shall be called on again to contribute financially and will do so willingly. I am reminded of the phrase the only thing necessary for evil to reign is that a good man does nothing.
I worry that misguided, uninformed people are creating the conditions for real pursuers of evil deeds to wreak havoc in this country and start a storm of racist hate and violence that will damage everyone.
Very well told. And heartening that a strong stand was made.