The launch of Labour’s new Kemptown candidate Chris Ward’s campaign was interrupted this afternoon by anti-Israel demonstrators.
About a dozen protesters attended the meeting at St George’s Church in Kemptown Village.
As one speaker, Caroline O’Reilly, harangued Mr Ward and senior Labour politician Chris Bryant, others clapped and clicked their fingers in approval.
After about five minutes, Mr Ward, Mr Bryant and other party members left the church.
Before the interruption, Mr Ward introduced himself to members, many of whom were meeting him for the first time since he was selected last week by the national party.
His selection came after the previous Brighton Kemptown MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, was suspended after a “serious” allegation was made against him, meaning he could not stand at this election.
Mr Ward told members he had grown up in Brighton, that his parents still live in Peacehaven and that he is a Brighton and Hove Albion season ticket holder.
He said: “I know it’s been a very difficult week for the CLP [Constituency Labour Party] and there’s a lot of disappointed and emotions are running high.
“I think it’s important to acknowledge that.
“Lloyd and his staff have helped a huge amount of people.
“There’s a real chance in this election to keep the city red – that’s what I want us to focus on.”
Mrs O’Reilly, a member of Brighton and Hove Palestine Solidarity Campaign, then interrupted to ask: “How do you think we feel at the moment? This is not democracy. you have been parachuted in here.
“I feel you are very much on the right wing of the party. Why are you wearing red? Keir Starmer on the television wasn’t wearing a red tie.
“I don’t think you realise the depth of unhappiness that it’s caused. Lloyd was elected by us. You have not been elected by us.
“From what my research says, you are not the person who will represent my interests and those of my children and grandchilden, and …”
Chris Bryant then tried to speak, telling her “no more ands”.
Mrs O’Reilly shouted back: “Don’t tell me no more ands. I’m just as entitled to my opinion.
“What about Gaza? Sixteen thousand children are dead. How can you stand here and say you represent us when all those children are dead?”
Mr Bryant said: “There’s only one Labour party and there’s only one party that can take the Tories on and win a majority in four weeks’ time. If we divide in the way you are suggesting, we won’t be able to do that.”
Another protester then got up and started swearing, at which point Mr Bryant said: “Everyone who wants to secure a Labour victory, I suggest we leave now.”
As he, Mr Ward and other Labour members left, one shouted after them: “F***ing disgrace!”
As they walked down the street, the protesters shouted after them: “Ceasefire now!”
Some of the demonstrators said they were current Labour party members or had been members.
Outside the church, Mrs O’Reilly said she was going to campaign for the Green Party and tell voters that Labour is the lesser of two evils but is still evil.
She also said that Sir Keir Starmer was “in cahoots” with the Israel lobby and shared a false conspiracy theory about his supposed links to the Israeli government.
A handful of members, including Lord Bassam of Brighton and new Queen’s Park councillor Milla Gauge, went with Mr Ward and Mr Bryant to Madeira Drive where the campaign launch picture was belatedly taken.
Plans to take it outside St George’s Church had already been scuppered as the Sussex Peasant organic food market was pitched up there.
Other members, including Whitehawk and Marina councillor David McGregor and Woodingdean councillor Jacob Allen, stayed at the church to talk to the protesters.
In 2013, Caroline O’Reilly and her husband Edmond, who was also at this afternoon’s meeting, successfully lobbied Southern Water to remove the water meter from their home in Arundel Street, Kemptown, on the basis that it was manufactured by an Israeli company.
<b>Editor’s note: This story was corrected on 8 June to remove the claim that some of the protesters were Green Party members.</b>
Good. This guy is a complete disgrace and his campaign should be interrupted at every opportunity.
Nope.
That is not how democracy works, that’s how dictatorships work. Maybe just maybe you should respect the fact that other people are allowed to have different opinions than yourself. Don’t like it, move to china
I agree with Steve. Speak, debate, deliberate, be passionate about your opinion, but respectful of others. The second someone starts just shouting and swearing, they lose all credibility.
No !The Labour Party is removing all candidates who might possibly be left of Starmer’s pseudo Toryism … therd was no discussion allowed yesterday : it was basically “ if you don’t like this candidate then leave” And the point was made that Starmer had PROMISED local branch democracy should replace NEC directives and then did , as usual , a u turn . So you can witter on about bad language Al you like but really you want to gag everyone and stop all debate polite or not .. And people feel very angry and stabbed in the back by the Party hierarchy
That’s right! Chris was selected after vigorous debate and was then chosen by Labour members to be the candidate. Oh wait…
Nonsense. Respectability politics and politeness get you nowhere. They should have their lies challenged. They aren’t going to give everyone permission to air their grievances; you have to shout them.
Well you could say that unilaterally replacing a local candidate because he believes that Palestine should be free is also undemocratic
The whole point is Starmer’s Labour is expelling & silencing all voices that aren’t his and crushed local party democracy by denying. is the right tj choose our own candidates . That’s not how democracy works
Or to Gaza
A photo shoot in front of Labour-failed Madeira Terraces does not impress, but rather emphasises everything that is wrong with Labour. Doesn’t give a damn about us.
Never trust New Labour
Or to Gaza
Excellent. Chris Ward has no right to be standing for Brighton Kemptown. Not a single member of the Labour Party selected him. He was chosen because he is a crony of Keir Starmer. This will be the first time in more than 50 years that I won’t be voting for Labour in a General Election. I voted for Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Neil Kinnock and Tony Blair despite disagreeing with his politics.
Keir Starmer is not only on the right of British politics he is dishonest. He tore up his 10 pledges that he made to get elected as leader as soon as he was elected. Nothing he says can be trusted. He promised that local parties would elect their candidates but instead parachuted someone in who is a lobbyist for the gambling industry and fossil fuels.
I shall be voting for the Workers Party candidate because their position on Gaza and genocide is unequivocal. Over 16,000 children have been murdered by Israel. Every singe one of Gaza’s hospitals have been attacked and many, like the main one Al Shifa utterly destroyed. Doctors have been executed and mass graves have been found surrounding them. Babies have been left to die besides the incubators whilst wild animals have eaten them.
Israel’s behaviour recalls the behaviour of the Nazis towards the Jews during the Holocaust. It is indefensible by any civilised human being.
And Hamas is any better ?
Hamas may not be everyone’s cup of tea but they were the elected government of the Palestinians and instead of dealing with them Israel first instigated a coup to instal Fateh and when that failed instituted a 17 year old siege of Gaza. Hamas is a conservative Islamist group. It is not ISIS. It has never attacked anyone outside Palestine/Israel.
Put it another way. What would you do if a foreign country came to occupy your land. Would you accept them? Yes Hamas are called terrorists. The Nazis called the French Resistance, the Polish Home Army etc. terrorists. It tells you nothing.
Yesterday there was Jerusalem Day and there was a pogrom against Palestinians. Thousand of settlers chanting ‘Death to the Arabs’ ‘May your villages burn’ and other ditties.
Don’t take my word for it this is the story in Israel’s liberal Ha’aretz
Israel Police Detain Palestinian Photographer Who Was Attacked by Jewish Youths During Jerusalem Flag March https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-06-06/ty-article/.premium/police-detain-palestinian-photographer-who-was-attacked-by-jewish-youths-at-jlem-march/0000018f-eec9-de64-a98f-eeffbd320000
I realise that the automatic response of Zionists to genocide in Gaza is to cry ‘what about Hamas’ but what about Hamas? It was Israel who helped create them to undermine secular Palestinian nationalism. Just google ‘Israel created Hamas’ e.g.
How Israel Helped to Spawn Hamas, https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123275572295011847
or
How Israel helped create Hamas
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/07/30/how-israel-helped-create-hamas/
It is an open secret that Netanyahu was supporting Hamas to help stave off a Palestinian state. So that is my response to your reflex question.
My question would be more simple. What would you do if someone came to your door and asked you to leave because they and their family want to live there because their ancestors lived in the region 2,000 years ago. Would you go? If you resist you would also be called a terrorist. That sums up what is happening today, not only in Gaza but the West Bank and East Jerusalem too
So Lucy. You can say this “Hamas may not be everyone’s cup of tea but they were the elected government of the Palestinians” but also feel it’s totally fine to interfere with a candidates attempt to meet, get to know and listen to the voters in the wars that he is trying to be elected to. Spot any double standards there or are we too busy only caring about the things you care about whilst simultaneously deeming any one else’s cares or concerns irrelevant as they aren’t yours so you don’t care and nobody else has any right to take part in the democratic process if it isn’t exactly what you say and want.
How very progressive, reasonable and fair of you. After all it’s not your fault there were people who turned up for different reasons. YOUR thing is the only thing. Hopefully the rest of the voters in the ward will learn to think, do and say the things you demand of them sooner rather than later.
May I suggest you issue an edict to all candidates in all wards detailing exactly what topics and stances YOU authorise for discussion at such events and perhaps hand out ‘compliance and approved speech’ flyers to the electorate at each one. lest any members of the public have the affront to attend a hustings or candidate meeting & raise questions about what said person might do about XYZ local issues & how they’d fight for the city and it’s residents if elected to a seat in Brighton and Hove in the UK Parliamentary Elections when a conflict half way around the world is the thing you demand everyone talks about & only that because if the world doesn’t do what you demand then you’ve already given yourself the right to close down public debate for any candidate or resident thinking they have any rights or say.
Let me be amongst the first to slow clap your openness, reasonableness and complete absence of any form of self importance and/or God complex.
👏
How do you think Hamas would treat LRM ?
You sound deranged. I am not mad keen on the new candidate myself, but your ramblings don’t inspire confidence in your lot either.
We’re not pro Hamas, we’re pro the thousands of innocent civilians Israel is slaughtering. You might get the idea if people were trying to bomb you and your family because the guy who lives down the street was a terrorist.
We just had words in Capel Avenue. Is ‘and Hamas is any better’ really the best you can do? Definitely made my mind up now …
Lucy, the Green Party’s stance on Gaza is also unequivocal, and accompanied by appropriate prioritisation in respect of the environment, the economy and human rights issues. 💚
Didn’t see you protesting when we pulled out of Afghanistan and handed it back to the Taliban, where thousands of people are now having their lives destroyed or when Russia invaded Ukraine.
That’s cool I guess because there isn’t Jews involved?
So glad labour started kicking the left wing Nazis out of their party, can finally vote for them again.
Perhaps that’s because we, that is the CIA together with the Pakistan secret service ISI created the Taliban. Just as the Americans created Al Qaeda as Hilary Clinton freely admitted and after the invasion of Iraq we gave birth to ISIS too. No Jews there just more western imperialism.
And if we hadn’t broken our word to Gorbachov at the time of German reunification in 1991 and not expanded NATO up to the borders of Russia and then mounted a coup against the democratically elected President of Ukraine Yanukovich in 2014 we wouldn’t have the Ukraine war either. John Pilger predicted this war back then because, as Victoria Nuland, the US Assistant Secretary of State, boasted, we (i.e. the Americans) funded the Maiden coup to the tune of $5 billion.
What you see is blowback from all the West’s military adventures and yet we keep repeating the same mistakes whilst at the same time we have no money for things like the NHS.
Calm down dear
Lucy the green, spouting total tosh. Your hysterical ranting just proves 1 thing, madness. If you cared in the slightest bit, you’d be an aid worker. Instead it’s the usual champagne socialist way of mad ranting on social media and occasional traffic disturbance protests that literally no-one cares about, Pathetic.
I give you Richard Holden.
Imposed on a constituency on Wednesday over the objections of local members so much so councillors and general party members said they will be campaigning for party candidates in neighbouring seats and they were threatened with expulsion from the party unless they toed the line. The previous MP said they wouldn’t stand last Autumn yet the party left it to the last minute to fill the seat.
I’m sure you’d deprecate this as well. Or will your view be tempered by the fact that Holden is a crony of Sunak.
All parties have to do this. It’s not ideal but it is what it is.
Great !
Oh really? So where are the concentration camps with the millions of of victims who were either gassed as soon as they arrived, or burnt alive, used for medical experiments, tortured, beaten or worked to death, or electrocuted at the surrounding fences? And that was not a result of the Nazis being murdered by Jewish terrorists, or being bombarded by rockets on a daily basis. And it was certainly not due to atrocities similar to those committed by Hamas on October 7th. Or maybe you think that doesn’t count. Did you join in the rejoicing at the shootings, beheading, tortures, rapes, mutilations and taking of hostages? You are probably still upset at the rescue of Israeli hostages last week.
” In 2013, Caroline O’Reilly and her husband Edmond, who was also at this afternoon’s meeting, successfully lobbied Southern Water to remove the water meter from their home in Arundel Street, Kemptown, on the basis it was manufactured by an Israeli company.”
I don’t know what this has do with anything but without local journalists none of this would have been reported and we’d be left with the division social media
Well, the anti-Israel demonstrators, are probably all of course part of the momentum rent-a-mob.
That said Lloyd has proven himself to be a good MP for this area and I have to question Starmer’s reasoning. I also think that Lloyd would not agree with this demo.
Looking at all the pictures I cannot believe any more that 30 people overall were involved in all this (on either side)
I think we can gauge the level of voter apathy that may feature in this general election.
Good to see Labour as divided as the Tories. Once in government they’ll be equally incompetent, if not more so. You can select as many pro Palestinian candidates as you like. The Israeli government will pay no attention whatsoever and will continue until they consider Hamas has been utterly destroyed. All this posturing on the left is just so much hot air and completely futile.
Personally I see a disconnect from local party with NEC. I’d be interested to see how that particular relationship develops over the next several years.
Always funny – or just weird – to see people on social media, or in news stories like this, assuming their views somehow represent the electorate.
We totally need to find a way to bring peace back Palestine and perhaps to get rid of Netanyahu, but before then we need to get food and medical aid into the Gaza strip. I note that it was David Cameron who recently said we should keep selling arms to Israel, and he’s certainly not a Labour party member or election candidate.
But the UK election result, and the election of a new MP in Kemp Town, will not be decided on this – so you might be better to set up a situation where you can talk to Chris Ward, or the other candidates, once he or they become your local MP.
Well done to Caroline Reilly, being principled, for getting her water meter removed, just because it was manufactured in Israel.
But it must be difficult for you when going shopping for food, or indeed when using any supermarket for your household needs.
My own household needs are driven by the fact I can’t afford to eat properly, or to heat my own flat right now. And that’s what I will be voting on.
The whiff of Jew hate permeates Kemptown and beyond. Hamas were elected but then failed to have any more elections. They had slaughtered any and all opposition. That’s the world that Lucy and Caroline support. If they are both so principled ( water meters ) then ditch your phones lovelies, they are full of Israeli tech.
The whiff is the hate of women and children killers, the hate of with holding food and money to the point of starvation. The hate of people being detained and tortured with with out charge and hate of land being stollen. The hate of doctors and journalists being targeted and killed and the hate of people using anti semitism to permeates this horror we are seeing.
There is also a definite whiff in the comments of a dislike to women with opinions
One should always question Hamas shills and those who are daft enough to swallow their propaganda. Finish the job IDF 😊🇮🇱
Hardly propaganda when we’re all watching a genocide being livestreamed. You literally just supported the completion of a genocidal campaign. Maybe ask yourself who is being propagandised here.
They came after us and now they are crying. No one in the Middle East is losing sleep or shedding tears.
Like the way that women are treated in some Middle East countries.
Hating a genocide isn’t hating Jews. Being against the actions of a government isn’t hating Jews. Equating Jews with Israel is antisemitic. Treating Jews as a monolith is antisemitic. Falsely calling things antisemitic and cheapening the accusation when the very real evil of antisemitism is on the rise, is antisemitic. There are few things are antisemitic as Israel genocide apologists.
And Hamas are not bent on genocide? They and their supporters are all out to eradicate Israel and all Jews. If that ain’t genocide, I don’t know what is.
People who turned up to protest are famous for interrupting, bullying and disrupting anything THEY THINK might have any connection to one country and one country only. This is a racist behaviour as they don’t focus on any other problems, atrocities or violation of human-rights anywhere else in the world. Such pure hate and racism shouldn’t be tolerated. I am sick to see this sort of division and hate in the town which praises itself for being tolerant and welcoming. Rather than having respectful dialogue, they encourage hate and shouting at each other. Nobody goes and protests the candidate they’ve chosen to promote as unlike PSC we show respect to other people’s choices and opinions even though I disagree and actually worry by what they say and what they promote. It’s hugely disturbing to see such behaviour in the West where I always thought democracy, tolerance of opinions and respect for other people prevails. It reminds me bullying into silence and dictatorship. Something we all should stand against as only 30% of the world’s population can live in democracy. Others are bullied into silence.
Replying to Lucy Graham very disturbing one sided story.
death to America and Death to Israel is chanted in many countries in the Middle East. Atrocities are happening there and people are dying in millions while we keep quiet. Your obsession about the only Jewish country is hugely disturbing and actually strengthens the propaganda which is spread in the Middle East by oppressive regimes and Islamic Republic of Iran and it’s proxies which keep millions people captive and murder whoever goes against them. I could like you add links but anyone who understand anything about the Middle East and people suffering there because of terror groups like ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and Islamic Republic of Iran and other extremists understand the danger most people live in.
As a person coming from a country which was under occupation for decades. Thousand killed, put in prison, displaced we fought for our freedom peacefully without murdering over 1k innocent people in one day. If you consider Israel where nearly 2 million Israeli Arabs (Palestinians) live in peace with Israelis and hold high positions in Knesset, universities, hospitals as an apartheid and excuse suicide bombings, violent Intifadas (my friend’s cousin was killed in a suicide-bombing at the age of 16) and knife attacks on civilians as self-defence you need to think twice. If you don’t know how to fight peacefully look at other countries which got noble price for peacefully regaining their freedom. I also recommend looking at Iranian struggle agains gender apartheid and occupation in their country and the way they try to fight oppression, dictatorship and get independence.
As for Hamas nobody created it. It is affiliated with Muslim Brotherhood which is feared in many countries in the Middle East. An example here is Egypt where they got into power in the 70s and Egypt struggled to regained more peaceful power. If you understood the situation in the Middle East and treat people from the Middle East as equal and not inferior you would understand that they like everyone of us don’t want oppressive regimes that murders them if they dare protest. You would understand they are held hostage by their own governments, dictatorship and cruel regimes. To whitewash Hamas who murder their own people and silence any sort of opposition is extremely dangerous both for the Middle East and West. This goes against democracy which only 30% of the whole world’s population can enjoy. If you wanted to help Palestinians and wasn’t obsessed with hate for Israel and Israelis you would listen to peace activists who look for dialogue not for Hamas propaganda. If interested in finding peace between Palestinians and Israelis I can share links to people who actually advocate for peace and not like Hamas for destruction of Israel (please refer to Hamas Charter from 1988 where they call for establishing Caliphate in the whole region from the River to the Sea) It’s not what people who hope for peace want and this is not what you would like to live under.
Well said Magda 😊🙏
Absolutely right. Many thanks for such a clear and truthful description of the situation, Magda, but it is useless to argue with the bigotted rentamob with its tiresome cunning stunts like this one.
VOTE CONSERVATIVE – YOU KNOW IT’S THE ONLY CHOICE……
I think these jump on any protest bandwagon protesters should be given time to be interviewed to see if they understand what they are protesting about. I think a lot of these protesters are just against the State. Certainly the ones i know don’t mind being kept by the State on benefits. Give then the airtime to say what they are protesting about as most don’t know be it Gaza, climate change, Trans rights etc. One good example is when a climate change protest ended opposite me at Hove Lawns they left loads of rubbish behind.
You’d soon find they know a lot about what they’re protesting about. But thanks for making it clear you’re pro genocide, don’t give a damn about climate change, and oppose queer rights. Typical gammon stereotype.
Well if you read it carefully, instead of jumping to conclusions about the writer, you will see that nowhere is he criticising the causes but the behaviour of those aggressive louts who just shout out loud, instead of engaging in a sensible conversation.
More anti semetism
More weaponing the accusation and cheapening it. More equating Jews with the state of Israel. More treating Jews as a monolith. Yes, indeed, your comment is more antisemitism.
I’d like to know what the so-called conspiracy theory was. Because there *is* an Israel lobby, just as there is a Saudi lobby and pretty much a lobby for every country. That’s not a conspiracy theory. We know pro-Israel millionaires have funded Keir; that is not a conspiracy theory. We know his ties to LFI, which is not a conspiracy theory. If they did state a conspiracy theory, that’s bad, but I’m curious as to whether it was one or if the journalist just assumed it sounded like one.
Labour is going to win this GE. Locally, this fossil fuel lobbyist and warmonger is not going to be worse than a Tory. If anything, a Tory here might mean Labour needs more support from left wing parties. There is no lesser of these 2 evils. Not this year. Vote with your conscience.