The video is now available of this discussion in Liverpool in the furthest fringes of the Labour Party Conference. While the session lacked any adversarial spark, it was a deep dive and I believe very informative. I am here with Stella Assange, Iain Munro, Deepa Driver and Ogmundur Jonasson. Ogmundur’s experience as an Icelandic minister dealing with the FBI is particularly interesting as an example of the lawlessness with which the USA has pursued its vendetta against Assange.
You can find videos of other Future of the Left discussions here, I also feature in a couple of others. The discussion on Ukraine was beset by first morning technical difficulties and the video is not there as I post – it may return.
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In this exposure, this laying open of authentic facts, we observe the sheer brutality, the barbarism and cruelty of state power.
This control and dominance is shameful and scandalous and we all must find a way, an intention to retaliate against this naked injustice, this abuse of power.
“we observe the sheer brutality, the barbarism and cruelty of state power.”
Plus ca change, for, as Kipling put it, in “Plain Tales from the Hills”, “the first glimpse of the naked machinery of the Great Indian Government, stripped of its casings, and lacquer, and paint, and guard-rails, impresses even the most stupid man.”
Julian’s persecution mocks the platitudes about Western values emitted on the main stage of that conference. Those rightwing authoritarians who have purged all decent people from the Labour Party are the biggest obstacle to progressive change in Britain, including protecting whistleblowers. The reason being, they are represented to the public by li
the media as the embodiment of progressive change.
Starmer’s personal role in persecuting Julian is well known and he has filled his shadow cabinet with like-minded individuals. For example his shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson, wrote in reply to a Corbyn tweet which included Wikileaks footage of US forces killing journalists:
“Assange is not the victim in all this. Those who run from justice should face the consequences. This is about the rule of law.”
She is the prize the country’s educators can look forward to if Starmer’s Labour gain power.
Starmer almost certainly will gain power, for the same reason Blair did in 1997 – i.e. they could put up nearly anyone as Labour leader and they’d get in by virtue of not being the Tories. The economy is crashing (it was always just a matter of time). All Labour have to do is point and say “Look! They’ve destroyed the economy!”.
He’ll be just as bad, with his fawning support of Israel and Nato, plus his espousal of infinite economic growth and other such nonsense.
Voting is now totally redundant. As the persecution of JA underlines, there is no democracy anymore. (A democracy – government by the people – would not prosecute a journalist for exposing crimes.) There’s only the corporate-MIC. They rule now, and there’s nothing you can do about it except wait until it eventually destroys itself. Shame it’ll take so many people down with it, but that’s life.
Nothing new here. ‘We’ know what has happened and who is responsible. The problem is that the masses believe the lies because the MSM prevents the real facts entering the public domain. The establishment and their minions are thus able to carry out their abuses with no repercussions or pushback.
I cannot see anything changing unless the real truth gets into the public domain (MSM). That is the real problem.
I think the main lesson for British people is this.
The British “justice” system is a cynical sham. If there is any political dimension to a case, there is no significant difference between the show trials of the former Soviet Union, or China in the Mao years, and trials in London before a British judge.
I think it’s a serious mistake to present the Assange case as a cause of “the Left” (unless of course your goal is to promote the political left rather than the cause of fairness, the rule of law, and real journalism).
It is a simple fact that honest people of all political persuasions are shocked at the lengths to which the American and British governments will go to hide the truth, and bury the most serious crimes. David Davis is an example of a Tory MP who has spoken out in Parliament for Julian’s case. Anyone who believes that replacing David Davis by a Starmer nominee would advance the cause of fairness and justice is spectacularly deluded.
Townsman,
Could not agree more.
Well stated.
Anyone who believes that a Starmer nominee is “of the left” is also spectacularly deluded.
Keir Starmer will win power via the sweetist words in the English language…by default.
My grandad would be a more fitting representation of true Labour values and more capable of upholding the office of Prime Minister, and he’s dead.
It was so nice to see Russel Brand and Corbyn and so many other High ranking Labour MPs.
I regained trust in British politics even though there were not that many Conservatives or SNP.
Seeing so many prominent ” Journalist” was fantastic. Numbers are not important but number of
prominent figures and coveridge is what counts!
Thanks guys for doing your best in my name
IMO, the problem is that people still think that the established parties: labour and the SNP are the answer to the issues with democracy and independence !
What is needed is a new outlook, a new politics, totally removed from the past. Until Corbyn, Salmond, et al realise this we are destined to keep going around in circles getting nowhere.
My “like” was the 11th on the youtube.
I watched the entire impressive video but was disappointed that Australia didn’t get a mention – not at all uncommon in forums of this type. As Julian is an Australian citizen, Australia should be at the forefront of all such discussions, especially as successive governments have not lifted a finger for him. When we had a change of government last May, I emailed my brand new MP (member of the governing party) and (gritting my teeth) congratulated him on his win and asked about Julian. After some months without a reply, I emailed again and included several links with information about Julian’s ill health and prison conditions. Still no response. That is how much they care about Julian and how much they care about their constituents’ views. Still, I continue to hope that if enough people email their MPs it might just tip the balance. So any Australians who haven’t yet tried this avenue, please give it a go. It can’t hurt and just might help.
I think that snail-mail letters are much more likely to be read than emails. It’s just too easy to send emails – an MP probably receives hundreds every day. At best, some lowly staff member scans them; the MP doesn’t have time.
Living in France I am sometimes, I at first wrote “often” but thinking about it that is alas not the case, about the legal aspects which allow Julian Assange to be kept in prison without trial, people ask why Habeas Corpus, which they they have heard about even abroad, does not apply. I haven’t been able to answer and it has often crossed my mind too, so can anyone explain this in simple terms? Sorry to be so ignorant.
Secondly, is the book mentioned in the video worth buying? If so what was the exact title and author.
Thanks in advance.
Is it still possible for somebody in Julian Assange’s position to stand for parliament like Bobby Sands? Maybe in Keir Starmer’s constituency.
I love you, Iceland! Way to go! Would that other state administrators were as moral and ethical as you. Did you suffer any sanctions for not bending to the will of the USA?
Sorry to comment so late.
This was a wonderful panel – I’m so impressed with everyone there.
Imagine if this was a BBC Question Time panel!!
The Assange case reality is also apparent to some in the US. This is journalist Whitney Webb.
https://rwmalonemd.substack.com/p/journalism-in-crisis-the-war-on-dissent
“While such a scenario may seem fantastical to some, one need look no further than the case of Julian Assange, who is currently being treated as a terrorist for publishing factual information that was inconvenient to powerful factions that manage the American empire.”
I have the same views as my namesake on the pandemic and its treatments.