Articles with the Tag heckling

Reactions to Labour’s treatment of the heckler

Autoritarianism, Nu Labour
Published on

The BBC have, as is their wont, been collecting responses to the treatment of that 82 year old heckler at Jack Straw’s speech at the Labour Conference. Some interesting points were made and much of the usual know-nothing rightwing blather was absent. Sure, there are some confused souls who think political speeches are like sermons and it’s impolite to heckle, but the overwhelming majority is both angry and scared at the treatment of this man, especially his subsequent arrest under the prevention of terrorism act.

The following response I thought hit the nail on the head:

The key issue here is that laws promoted as defending us from murderous fanatics are already being used to suppress anti-Government opinion. To look at this issue as being about anything else – the quality of stewarding, the rights and wrongs of heckling etc – is to dangerously miss the point.
Chandra, England

All in all, even with the swift almost-apology issued by Tony Blair, it seems Labour has shot itself firmly in the foot with this incident, awaking a lot of people to the dangers of this government which preaches a lot about democracy and respect, but does not practise either.

Handling criticism with dignity: the Labour way

Autoritarianism, Nu Labour, War on Iraq
Published on

At the Labour conference today, an eighty-two year old man was dragged from the conference, his conference card taken away and arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, all for heckling Jack “boots” Straw during his speech on Iraq. Another man underwent the same treatment after protesting this spectacle:

security thugs removed an 82 year old man after he heckled Straw

Jack Straw was heckled today as he told the Labour party conference Britain was in Iraq “for one reason only: to help the elected Iraqi government build a secure, democratic and stable nation”.

A delegate, who was 82 years old and has been a Labour party member for 60 years, was bundled out by security guards after he shouted, “That’s a lie,” during the foreign secretary’s keynote conference address.

The outburst came during one of the few mentions of Iraq in the conference hall this week.

A second delegate was expelled for complaining at the treatment of the first heckler.

Fascistic, petty and arrogant this action was, it is also an unmistakable symptom of Labour’s weakinging grasp on reality and power. A confident party does not need to be this heavy handed. As unpleasant as it was for the persons involved –the main victim actually came to the UK from nazi Germany in 1937– I can’t help but gloat over this…