UK Labour candidate pulls out of election over 'Shylock' remarks

[T_i_B]

To think that Clacton had a Labour MP from 1997 to 2005. Even leaving aside that fact that this candidate is not in any way local, what on earth are Labour thinking?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/08/gideon-bull-labour-candidate-pulls-out-of-election-over-shylock-remarks

A Labour parliamentary candidate has withdrawn from standing in the general election following accusations that he used the insulting term “Shylock” at a meeting where a Jewish councillor was present.

Gideon Bull, a councillor from the London borough of Haringey, was supposed to be the party’s parliamentary candidate in the Essex seaside town of Clacton in December. He has withdrawn from standing for the seat after referring to the Shakespearean Jewish moneylender at a meeting in July that included a Jewish Labour councillor. He denies any intention to insult but has apologised for making the remark.

Labour is investigating a complaint from Bull’s fellow councillor, the deputy council leader, Zena Brabazon.

The alleged antisemitic incident occurred at a meeting of cabinet members in July at which plans for the redevelopment of council-owned land in south Tottenham, known as the Red House scheme, were discussed.

[OnDoutside]

1. My only surprise is that he waited until now. As clear a racist comment

as it could be.

[T_i_B]

5. This looks like a past misdemeanour

All the same, the lack of checking up on their candidates from Labour is worrying and brings to mind the whole Jared O'Mara fiasco from the constituency where I grew up!

[OnDoutside]

6. Perhaps, but for someone to say something like that suggests they've said more than it in the past

too, and I agree the background checks seem inadequate to have allowed him to get this far.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. WTF is going on with Labour?!

It has become almost a daily occurrence with them, in regards to anti-Semitism. That POS Corbyn says "Jews have nothing to fear from Labour", but I think he is a goddamned lying sack of shit. This is the future of the democratic party if safeties are put into place.

[crazytown]

3. "This is the future of the democratic party if safeties are put into place."

I think you meant "This is the future of the democratic party if safeties are NOT put into place".

[still_one]

4. This has always been a problem with the far left and far right here, regardless of party

identification.

[LeftishBrit]

7. I think it's the future of the Republican party, even more

Some of the things Trump's supporters have said are terrifying.

There is an increasing problem with antisemitism in British (and probably everywhere's) politics recently, which goes along with an increase in populism and reduced respect for representative democracy. The referendum caused a lot of creatures to crawl out from under rocks. It's more noticeable with Labour because Labour used not to have the problem to any great extent, and it's got much worse recently. But the UKIP and Brexit parties are even more of a danger IMO because they are *pure* populism, and in 2015 a poll showed that *fifty per cent* of UKIP supporters would not vote for a Jew to become Prime Minister.

Misogyny is also an increasing problem in British politics, including parts of the Labour party.

I am voting LibDem as the lesser of the evils at the moment.