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JEREMY CORBYN IS today fending off attacks from the British press after claims he failed to directly condemn the IRA’s bombing campaign during a TV interview yesterday.
A number of UK front pages carry the story with The Daily Telegraph’s splash headline reading: “Corbyn engulfed in IRA furore”. The Daily Mail’s headline reads: “Corbyn’s kick in teeth for IRA victims”.
While it is no surprise that the pro-Tory newspapers would use Sophy Ridge’s Sky News interview to attack Corbyn, it comes at a delicate time in the UK elections as the Labour party experienced a significant jump in the polls.
Despite all the outrage, Corbyn did in fact condemn the IRA. On Sky News yesterday, he said: ”I condemn all the bombing by both the loyalists and the IRA.” He also defended his close relationship with Gerry Adams and members of Sinn Féín during the 80s.
His apparent refusal to single out the actions of the IRA has sparked outrage among members of the British public.
“I wanted to bring about peace in Northern Ireland. You have to talk to people with whom you don’t agree. And I did.”
In the 1980s Britain was looking for a military solution in Ireland. It clearly was never going to work. Ask anyone in the British Army at that time.
“Therefore you have to seek a peace process. You condemn the violence of those that laid bombs that killed large numbers of innocent people and I do.”
Ridge continued to probe Corbyn over his apparent refusal to condemn the IRA outright.
He added: “There were loyalist bombs as well, which you haven’t mentioned. I condemn all the bombing by both the loyalists and the IRA.
“I don’t know quite the point you’re trying to make here. Those of us that wanted peace in Ireland worked very hard for it; that Labour government in 1997 worked very effectively to achieve that. It was the Thatcher government that, after the collapse of Sunningdale, went very much in the direction of a military solution which clearly didn’t work.”
You can watch the full video here.
The news comes as Theresa May’s Conservatives lost some of their substantial lead over the opposition Labour party, after both sides published their manifestos for the 8 June election.
The governing centre-right party is still on course for a comfortable victory, but no longer enjoys the 20-point lead that provoked talk of a landslide at the start of the campaign.
Newspaper commentators warned of a backlash against May’s proposed plan to address the rising cost of social care for the elderly, which could see higher bills for many people.
“Tory wobble as cuts for elderly slash May’s lead,” headlined the Sunday Times, as a YouGov poll found the party’s lead halved in a week.
The online survey put the Tories down five points at 44% and Labour up four points at 35 points, the closest gap since last year.
YouGov found 40% of voters opposed the social care plan, and 35% supported it.
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He did condemn it. Just didn’t separate death into colours..
@KEV: Well said.
@KEV: spot on Kev
@KEV: Corbyn is being attacked on a few fronts at the moment so even though he condemned all rather than singling out – it’s singling out that is being demanded of him.
This should be reason for praise IMO.
Corbyn’s also being hit up with accusations of working with holocaust deniers – being pushed on twitter quite a lot yesterday but not sure if there is anything to it or not.
@Tony Canning: Labour were up by roughly the same amount the Tories were down in polls the other day. Let’s be clear Corbyn gave a politicians answer in the very best way possible. I say that even though I think in general he’s a clown
this all perfectly illustrates how evil corbyn is. i can imaging him jumping up and down with joy as jean mcconville and jerry mccabe were murdered by the vile subhuman provos
@booby sandwiches: obvious troll is obvious
@booby sandwiches: …..You need to quickly post up a similar condemnation of the other two “subhuman” combatants…..the British military and all the brands of loyalism…otherwise the forum sees you as just another bitter unrelenting belligerent.
@booby sandwiches: Now how did I know, you would be trolling this article.
@KEV: Exactly, nothing but a media biased witch hunt! I hope the good people of Britain can see through this for their own sakes.
@Just Me: any more homophobic slur todays you piece of filth?
@booby sandwiches: It’s ok. It’s safe to go out again, the chalk has been wiped out. Idiot.
So he did directly condemn them. Was it just that he condemned others too they didn’t like?
@Bilbo Baggins: Good point.
@Bilbo Baggins: Spot on, the Tory newspapers and media seem to be conveniently forgetting that….funny that.
corbyn needs locking up, he also supports Hamas and ISIS
@booby sandwiches: if you have evidence of this you need to present it to the police right away
@booby sandwiches: You definitely need to be locked up in a mental asylum.
@Just Me: i think internments would be the best place for dangerous animals like you. you could rub dung on the walls and everything, perhaps even a hunger strike it would all be very amusing :)
Mainstream media pushing an agenda. He clearly did condemn it and he also stated that he believed in engagement through the peace process which is what actually ended up happening anyway. Totally sick of this makey-up outrage.
@booby sandwiches: I despair seeing working class brits turning to the Torys even after the bedroom tax & welfare cuts even to the most disabled. Foodbanks is their only future if Tory get their evil way.
@abcyz: anoyone but evil terrorist supports like labour and SF
”I condemn all the bombing by both the loyalists and the IRA.”
It’s right there.
@Richard Sweeney: did he condemn the murder of innocent people by the British army, the englanders don’t like hearing that their brave soldiers, were cowardly murderers.
@joe o hare: he’s condemned the use of British military under thatcher post sungingdale
A bit ridiculous this. Condemned both sides involved in the troubles clearly and rightly did not want to hone in on one side of who were involved.
@Robert Grant: Both side?? There was 3 side for most of the conflict. Don’t forget the British Army and their merry band of thugs were the biggest group of Terrorists. That’s of course when they were in conclusion with the loyalist.
@mickmc: he condemned them too Mick, that’s what they really don’t like.
@mickmc: The IRA detonated over 16000 explosives devices and carry out 70 percent of terrorism in NI . I don’t remember the British army going back to England killing their own like the IRA did . http://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/the-freedom-of-belfast-would-be-fitting-tribute-to-courage-of-321-eod-35431877.html
@Sean O Brien: The British army have plenty of blood on their hands too like the IRA during the troubles.
@Dave Murray: I doubt very much you would know what a act of murder was . There is a difference between a soldier operating on the ground that is put in a position where he has to make a choice of taking a life for whatever reason . Terrorists on the other hand pick their victims and plan their attacks before deliberately setting out to murder a person or people .
@Sean O Brien: what about the dublin and monaghan bombings??? Bombs planted by the uk government…
@Robbie Moles: the IRA carried out largest numbers of attacks against the Irish republic . They bomb the Dublin Belfast railing line 16 times in six months . 2 Brit bomb disposal officers where seriously injure dealing with IEDs left by the IRA in south Armagh . Thanks to the Brits and the Irish defence force large numbers of people from both sides of the border where not kill by republican terrorists .
@Robbie Moles: if you have any evidence of that surely you should bring it to the police?
@Sean O Brien: The IRA were certainly an effective army. The English would have been glad to hand back the north to the Irish at anytime, but the unionists had to be bet into submission, the unionists surrendered when they signed the good Friday agreement, and here we stand at the beginning of a united Ireland.
@booby sandwiches: didn’t the f.g government along with their friends in the uvf and britshit government dispose of all the evidence.
@joe o hare: so affective that they surrendered in absolute shame? its wasnt an army it was a pedophile gang
@booby sandwiches: That’s what happens when you don’t take your meds, delusional thoughts enter your half a brain.
@joe o hare: was that while the IRA vermin were busy raping children?
provo and pedophile are the exact same thing
I saw the interview and the sky news lady lacked any journalistic integrity. She was merely fishing for a particular slant on his answer so she could draw a particular interpretation.
In fairness though, I have had the same attacks here anytime I say I unreservedly condemn child abuse within the Catholic Church. If I say, let’s not condemn all the clergy. Many are very good people, I get labelled an apologist.
We must be able to have truthful analysis of every situation.
@Tom Burke: Just a gentle reminder that it’s not all about you : “This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, STAY ON TOPIC. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.”
Stop trolling.Thanks.
@Tom Burke: Sophie Ridge is a brilliant journalist, she was looking for a direct answer from a politician though, as rare as hens teeth!
@Gus Sheridan: It’s not a court of law, he’s not obliged to answer in the manner Rupert Murdoch would like just because she framed the question a certain way.
“When did you stop beating your wife?”
@Gus Sheridan: and she got a direct answer….he condemned all the unnecessary violence! I think you’re confusing not giving a direct answer with him not giving her the answer written down on her script
@Brendan Farrell: And it is a script make no mistake. She’s no journalist, more a kind of actor I guess.
@Tom Burke: so your company comparison, lets look at it. Corbyn condemned everyone involved. You sought to redeem those indirectly involved. Clearly different.
we have gotten a true insight into how evil corbyn is, he needs locking up
@Shane Gleeson: you should withdraw that comment Shane. Gus may be ex British military and there may be lots of evidence to suggest that a majority of these are wife beaters, but you have shown no proof that gus is.
@Dave O Keeffe: didn’t actually.
Try reading what I actually said
@Francis Mc Carthy: of course it’s not all about me, only some of it.
It’s a relevant point I make though.
@Tom Burke: no, no, no, Tom, you seek to only hold the perpetrators responsible, I blame anybody that knew of, had suspicion of or even heard of any crime responsible. That’s the difference. It’s funny how you use the they’re only human defense for God’s representatives
British Media are completely poisonous. Their focus on creating a class divide is really bad for the country.
@Ben Coughlan: An Pobhlocht would be british media, i concur on that front
Seems like a very rational opinion he stated! Anyway does anyone believe the U.K. has democracy with the huge political interests in the media?
The gutter press and the nasty party are out to get Corbyn, as the Conservatives are losing the poll battle against Labour since publishing their badly thought out manifesto.
@Chris Kirk:
Corbyn, McDonnell and Seamus Milne have all called Ireland “a pariah state” for having low corporation tax and want Ireland to be forced to raise it to 27% where they want the UK corporation to be.
Be careful what you wish for.
I think the media campaign against this guy is sickening. If someone like him took charge of our own labour party they would get a lot credibility back
@Dave O’Hanlon: he supports all terrorism, that is blatantly obvious
@booby sandwiches: Corbyn will only condemn the IRA’s actions while at the same time condemning those of the loyalists.
His refusal to condemn the IRA in isolation is spun as the title says, a refusal to directly condemn the IRA. And this is supposed to imply that he supports terrorism.
But for those who think their way past this first implication, there is also a second one: that Corbyn, by refusing to side with the loyalists, is a traitor.
The UK press are a shambles. Owned for the most part by a handful of very wealthy old men, they really only care about pushing the agenda they are ordered to push.
@Peter Mc Hugh: bit like our own media then.
I live in Birmingham and every time I go out for a few drinks someone, normally a “hard man” notices my accent and starts a discussion about the IRA, they typically get quite annoyed when I claim all sides including the loyalists committed disgusting acts. Something about “loyalists defended our country” is their argument.
@Aaron O’Leary: yeah there’s a deep seated self interest there in england that leaves no room for any Irish dimension.
Are the tories worried about the latest gap in the polls looks like corbyn may not be the walk over they expected.
Murdoch and the manky mainstream UK media are up to their usual dirty rag work. Corbyn puts the mirror up to the ugly establishment and it don’t like it.
The British Empire operates with different clothing these days and will continue to do so out of the EU.
The man has the patience of a saint. The English media have already made up their minds and so too , it would seem , have the British people. “I don’t like the Tories but anyone but Corbyn” The big British turkeys for Christmas bake off, dancing with the stars election special. Isn’t national sovereignty great?
The pro-tory Media will do anything to try get May her landslide election
@Nigel O’Neill: yeah the BBC even kind of dismisses JC. It’s surprising they should just examine the issues..they can’t even replace JP on newsnight…
Nasty insular country believing their media’s lies unconditionally. Very much becoming the North Korea of the west.
Big money manipulatung our great concept of democracy to better their own ends.
Its the idiots that read, listen and vote acordingly have the most to lose. And like in the US are about to get royaly screwed. Good lyck to them.
The fools that get their opinions from newspapers will lap it up and then complain when the tories put cuts on everything.
Hi Garrett, did you read the article you’ve put your name to? If so do you maybe some issue understanding English? Can’t think of any other reason to come to the same conclusion that you did.
The Ira are a response to British misrule of Ireland..why should Jer. Corbyn criticise them..bring Irish nationalism in from the cold and run this island as one then we can talk equally and be on truly once and for all friendly terms with UK…
What some British media want is for JC to side without reservation with the UK army against the IRA. Clearly he doesn’t want to do this and prefers to condemn all those engaged in violence – particularly civilian bombing. He argues the need to talk to one’s enemies in order to thrash out a peace deal. So far, so good but there’s something missing and it mires him in suspicion. You see, the problem which unites decent people was not just the conflict/war but that it was waged by targeting civilians – it was waged by the commission of war crimes. In many conflicts good people may have to talk to or negotiate with war criminals and their supporters in order to achieve peace. He could say this. He chooses not to.
But he has and he supports peace all the way, is this black propaganda by the Tories???
Corbyn knew exactly what the question was, and he knew exactly what the damage his response – rightly or wrongly – would elicit from the media.
It’s almost like he’s trying to lose the election.
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