Do I think that she is anti-Semitic? No.
Do I think that the article she re-tweeted was anti-Semitic? No.
Do I think that Maxine Peake, based on the article is anti-Semitic? No.
Do I think that the views expressed by Maxine Peake in the article were wrong? Yes, but only about how the technique that killed George Floyd was taught by Israeli police.
Was the Independent wrong to publish it? No.
Should Rebecca Long-Bailey have been sacked because of the article? Sadly, and reluctantly yes, even though she has clarified why she did this and how this was not endorsing the entire article.
The issue of Israel and Labour has surfaced again. Rebecca Long-Bailey retweeted an article by Maxine Peake in the Independent. Sadly, part of it linked the killing of George Floyd to Israel. Allegations of Labour members being anti-Semitic have been weaponised, but the reason that this has happened has been because of the question of Israel and the inaction taken over the way that Jewish MP's have been abused, and driven out of the party if they have supported the right of Israel to exist. Some would argue it is because they did not show Jeremy Corbyn loyalty when he was leader of the party, but my view of this is that Corbyn could only expect the same loyalty as leader that he had shown to other Labour leaders, and that members of the party should have accepted that. Inaction before the publication of a report on antisemitism would be inexcusable.
Sadly, Islamophobia is more acceptable in the country, and while the Conservatives have taken some action on members who have been Islamophobic, they as a party have gotten away with a lot more intolerance than Labour have. But Labour are not meant to be intolerant, while I expect prejudice to exist within the Conservatives. Labour are meant to take the high ground on this.
The problem with Israel is that the situation there is not black and white. I do not consider the state of Israel to be apartheid, but the way it governs the occupied territories is akin to that. I did not consider Israel to be racist, but changes to language laws have made me doubt that. However, Christians in Israel have more rights than they have in Gaza (though Christians face more issues in the Occupied Territories from Israel than other Palestinians), and LGBTQ+ rights are better in Israel than in the Palestinian territories along with the rights of women.
But going back to that article, it was wrong about how Israel taught the police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd the technique. And retweeting the article would be used to harm Labour if no action was taken.
So it was right to sack Rebecca Long-Bailey, but I think that it will be right to allow her back into the Shadow Cabinet at a later date as well.
