We defend Eddie Dempsey against these slanderous accusations. Of course, Socialist Fight has big political difference with Eddie and Stalinism in general and we are not slow to fight these out.

But Eddie recognised the unprincipled attacks on us by Labour Against the Witchhunt and came to defend us in 6 January 2018 when we were witchhunted and expelled. Political differences must be fought out in earnest and we reject the methods of Jim Denham, the Guido Fawkes of the Labour movement.

Owen Jones, Ash Sarkar and the AWL’s Pete Radcliff have their own poisonous anti-Communist motives for attacking Eddie Dempsey and should not be indulged. This is connected with their support for the racist witchhunt in Labour against supporters of Palestine liberation and anti-Zionists. On this question, on their support for the purge of Chris Williamson and other leftists, they are just as much scabbing as Galloway is with his support for Johnson’s coup.

Eddie Dempsey (in his own words)

25 August 2018 · 

I was invited to London Young Labour Summer 18 event to present my unions (dissenting) position on the EU and Brexit today. I was then last night and this morning libelled as an antisemite for retweeting Michael Rosen, George Galloway and comparing the treatment of Margaret Hodge with that of Marc Wandsworth.

The Blairite panellist who was supposed to be opposing me pulled out ‘no platforming’ me as an antisemite. I have consistently opposed antisemitism including being part of a mobilisation to physically defend the Jewish community in North London when a Jewish community event was violently attacked in Mansfield park a few years ago. I stand by my comments that there is antisemitism on the left that is being cynically used as part of a wider smear campaign against Corbyn and his allies in the media and elsewhere which has painted him as everything from an IRA volunteer to a Czech spy. My trade union officially recognises that as such in our national policy in the case of Marc Wandsworth which I defend.

I was met on the way in by two activists who asked me to leave. I debated them politely, told them I disagreed with them and I thought they were wrong and then took part in the panel which went very well with good debate.

The atmosphere leaving was warm and friendly with many introducing themselves and thanking me for my contribution. Now I am being hounded on twitter by people I don’t know and have never met. The culture of smear shutting down debate must be opposed. I congratulate LYL for not giving way to those elements. Corbyn is being attacked because he stands against the criminal occupation of Palestine and for peace. I will not apologise for my views or my unions national policy.