The big issue in the UK elections (voting is on Thursday) is Brexit. The second issue in that election is Brexit. In fact, it's an election about Brexit. Still, there are at least two other issues that seem to be getting some attention. The first is the sorry state of Britain's national health service, the government-run plan that provides medical care to nearly all Brits. It's the UK's version of Medicare for All, and it is not doing well. After many decades in place, the national health service rations care by making people wait for that care. Need a hip replacement? No problem if you wait six months or more. Need cancer care? Again, no problem if you wait until the cancer has spread and your chances for survival are much lower. In any event, the healthcare issue is one that has helped the Labour Party close the gap a bit, while Labour is still far behind the Conservatives.
The second issue that has been getting attention is the bigotry of the Labour Party. This is mainly antisemitism. Labour's leader Jeremy Corbyn is well known for his hatred for Israel, his disdain for Jews and his support in the past of Islamic terror organizations. About 20 members of Parliament left the Labour Party in protest against the institutional antisemitism in Labour and with Corbyn in particular. For his part, Corbyn has claimed that antisemitism is not tolerated in Labour and violators are quickly expelled from the party.
Now, however, the Times of London has obtained the files of the Labour Party committee that deals with complaints of antisemitism and the reality is quite different from the one Corbyn describes. There are hundreds of complaints with most of them being something like a year and a half old. Labour has taken little action to deal with these complaints. Even when the party has acted, it has generally just issued warnings to the perpetrators. One Labour member who called for the murder of all Jews was told not to say that again. In other words, Corbyn's response to the issue of Labour antisemitism has been revealed as a lie.
With the election just five days away, there is speculation that this story will be the final nail in the coffin for Labour and a guarantor of a Tory victory. Let's hope so. Institutional bigotry should be unacceptable not just in the USA but also in the UK and other Western democracies.
The second issue that has been getting attention is the bigotry of the Labour Party. This is mainly antisemitism. Labour's leader Jeremy Corbyn is well known for his hatred for Israel, his disdain for Jews and his support in the past of Islamic terror organizations. About 20 members of Parliament left the Labour Party in protest against the institutional antisemitism in Labour and with Corbyn in particular. For his part, Corbyn has claimed that antisemitism is not tolerated in Labour and violators are quickly expelled from the party.
Now, however, the Times of London has obtained the files of the Labour Party committee that deals with complaints of antisemitism and the reality is quite different from the one Corbyn describes. There are hundreds of complaints with most of them being something like a year and a half old. Labour has taken little action to deal with these complaints. Even when the party has acted, it has generally just issued warnings to the perpetrators. One Labour member who called for the murder of all Jews was told not to say that again. In other words, Corbyn's response to the issue of Labour antisemitism has been revealed as a lie.
With the election just five days away, there is speculation that this story will be the final nail in the coffin for Labour and a guarantor of a Tory victory. Let's hope so. Institutional bigotry should be unacceptable not just in the USA but also in the UK and other Western democracies.
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