Corbyns Inertia

I'm sorry I don't know how to do links but this is from BBC news in December 2011

"Files just released by the National Archives show Margaret Thatcher took part in negotiations with the IRA during the 1981 Hunger Strikes, BBC investigative journalist Peter Taylor has said.

The contacts took place through an MI6 officer and a secret back-channel to the IRA code-named Soon.

Soon was Londonderry businessman Brendan Duddy.

Mr Taylor said Mrs Thatcher altered by hand one statement sent to the IRA.

"When I read these documents I was astonished," he said.

"I think that they are revelatory and of genuine historical importance because they give lie to all sorts of assumptions that were made incorrectly about the Hunger Strikes and the relationship between the government and the IRA.

"These documents spell it out large that Mrs Thatcher was involved in negotiations with the IRA."

I'm not saying this was a bad thing for her to do, it was a sensible thing to do, in order to try and work towards peace. It is just to illustrate that talks like these are a good thing.

He wasn’t the Foreign Secretary, just a humble back bencher!
You may expect a Minister to sometimes have to meet an ‘unsavoury’ character but MP’s do not have to seek out these groups.
He is the original Wolfie Smith, ‘Up the revoloution’ and liked anything to do with groups wanting to overthrow the
State, or upset the status quo.

Who is holding up the Tory government now?
DUP? A subversive murderous group?

Most politicians meet up with those sort of groups behind the scenes, how else is peace ever to be found if we don't negotiate.

Who said Corbyn had killed anyone?The man says he is a pacifist,but he was very friendly with those who did kill people ( and addressed a meeting as a friend of Hamas.)
He had no need to meet, talk or anything else with either the IRA or Hamas or any other subversive murderous group.
He chose to.

Ah yes, South Africa police , must be true. I so remember when a young black SA curate who I cared deeply for was arrested for throwing his body over a child the police were utinating on, he tripped on a step in Pretoria prison, the fall to the ground caused his organs to be severely damaged and he died, it was in the police statisics too.

Some people thought that Labour lost seats in Scotland because Ed Milliband was too left wing. That turned out not to be the case as they gained seats at the last election.

I am very sure that Jeremy Corbyn has never killed anyone or the Daily Mail might have mentioned it in their 14 page hatchet job before the last election.

I don't think anyone said he had a choice Jura. I would support him all the way but that would make me a defender of a terrorist wouldn't it. I was just trying to explain that one persons terrorist may be another's freedom fighter and, of course, they may eventually end up leading their country. Along the way the two sides do have to talk to one another though.

Some of you should really spend time studying the history of South Africa (do go back to the Boer wars- and see how many the British killed, including concentration camps) - what political choice did Mandela and the ANC have? Please, pray tell. You have no idea how blacks and coloureds suffered - and they had no re-dress, no political voice, no vote, no nothing.

And what do you expect Palestinians to do now?

Asking those questions does not equate to 'cozying up to terrorists' - at all.

Did Mandela kill the innocent people of SA?

Yes. At 42-year-old Mandela helped found the paramilitary arm of the ANC, called Umkhonto we Sizwe or "Spear of the Nation" They were Freedom Fighters to many and terrorists to the state.

I do hope you are not accusing Corbyn of being a terrorist now. This is all totally over the top. Please do not accuse any GN members of being apologists for anyone when obviously don't know your history and giving you the facts makes no one that.

Do you mean did he killl personally? I don't know
The military wing ofANC certainly did Annie and Mandela founded it.
South African police statistics indicate that, in the period 1976 to 1986, approximately 130 people were killed by guerrillas. Of these, about thirty were members of various security forces and one hundred were civilians. Of the civilians, 40 were white and 60 black. In turn, around 11+ ANC members were killed in cross-border raids by the SADF.

Did Mandela kill the innocent people of SA? Do tell what the 21 killed and over 100 injured in the Birmingham pubs did that they deserved being blown up? Corbyn attended tributes to Bobby Sands , he died before the Brighton bombs . It was not any input from Corbyn that brought about the Good Friday agreement

Corbyn did cosy up to terrorists and more than once.

You have the logic problem again Lemon. What does 'cosy up' mean. You want Corbyn to been seen as doing something we should not respect - hence "cosy-up" and your terrorists are people who, at that point in time, where the bad guys to us. To some they were they would have been 'freedom fighters' and to all they were people we would eventually do business with.

So, what are you saying? It seems to me it boils down to "Corbyn met with people we were enemies with at the time but with whom we had to find a way forward". We could add Annie's bit too which would make it. ""Corbyn met with people we were enemies with at the time but with whom we had to find a way forward in a place I would rather he hadn't"

I'm afraid you are not making Bogyman Corbyn happen for me.

Corbyn had no powers at all, a humble back bencher who gravitated to any group who were rebellious and especially those who kicked against ‘the State’ that’s what he was all about ( and McDonnell and Abbott) he may ( or may not) have matured in his outlook since then.

I'll defend that and you can call me all the names you want. But while you are doing it think about all the other 'terrorists' now accepted as freedom fighters and legitimate politicians- the Israeli government had it's origins in the Irgun and lehi, Neson Mandela and the ANC. Terrorism won't stop because someone condemns it. Talking may bring about a compromise and a peaceful solution.

You didn’t read my post properly GG
Corbyn did cosy up to terrorists and more than once.
Anyone who excuses that must be defending it.
The IRA and Hamas being two of them.

lemon- just for good measure- you have been ignoring - any fact, any fact based opinion, any sensible questions - and just throw in silly extremely biased soundbites.

I am not defensive Lemons. I know that would suit you but I am not. Nor am I a 'Corbyn supporter'. However, I am very interested in what he is offering from the Labour Party.

I certainly do object to your accusation to anyone one on here being an apologist for terrorists or that anyone has backed a single person who is.

Ok, labour lost the 1983 election because the voter feared the far left, fact because I was told by voters in counties in England and Wales , voters feared the power of the unions .

Militants were expelled but Corbyn run a campaign to have them reinstated , fact his flyer was shown on C4 news.

Corbyn invited IRA leaders to Westminster weeks after the Brighton bombing, he could have had his so called peace talks some where else not where there were people grieving, this is not what a man of principle does , he didn't feel pain did he

I am with you on the ‘ignore’ bit.....both jura and dj so do you think we can from now on....please
I will certainly give it a go, with great pleasure!

There is much defensive chat around Corbyn, in fact he spends his life being protected by his minders.
The fact is, we remember the Corbyn from the back benches years ago, the ‘loony left’ Corbyn, who hasn’t changed one iota.

Agreed, jura. Better row away from that one.

At this stage, there are a couple of posters where the only sensible option is 'ignore'. Sad, but true.

....and sadly your personal posts are also oar for the course, which means you have nothing much else to say.

Make your mind up, lemon. One minute we're being told off for attacking you; then you tell us we're defensive.
Really, it just means that you don't have any political views to give us.
Never mind. It's par for the course.