I agree with this, I think https://twitter.com/LukePagarani/status/1276208753239613440

I think this whole thing is a gift to Starmer – he gets to look tough on antisemitism while sacking a shadow cabinet member he clearly didn't trust. Kicking the left, and being seen to do so, is a bonus.

I don't think the article RLB shared "contained an antisemitic conspiracy theory" and the way it's being reported like that, with the claim taken at face value, is depressing.

But at the same time, RLB, as a Labour frontbencher, should have known better than to share an interview that links US police brutality to Israel, no matter the context, and doing so shows poor political judgement.

She should have anticipated how RTing it would be taken by her opponents inside and outside the party. The fact that the condemnations are bad faith is neither here nor there. She should have seen them coming. If Starmer was looking for an excuse to sack her, RLB gave him one.

And the fact it’s plainly an overreaction is actually *helpful* to him. It just shows how "serious about antisemitism" he is, even though it’s not really about antisemitism at all, it's about pragmatism

And it gives fuel to the cranks who think the whole antisemitism crisis was confected to attack the left, which is terrible for actually dealing with left antisemitism. And that's ignoring Starmer's inaction over the leaked report, his silence over Reeves' support for Astor, etc.

If the SCG walks (which it should), Starmer has booted out more leftists who will now be tarred by the usual bad-faith actors as fellow-traveller antisemites. And if they don’t, he gets to maintain the facade of unity for a bit longer, until the next factional swing of the axe.

But it doesn’t half stick in the craw that Starmer sacks RLB after refusing to call for Cummings or Jenrick to be sacked. Theatrical left-punching in his own party combined with craven pusillanimity as leader of the opposition. It’s depressing to watch.