Corbyn under pressure to be open about Iron Curtain spy contacts

Cliff

This is a story that has been bubbling under for a week now. The BBC has ignored it, (not a good sign) but the story is moving on. Corbyn should to come clean and explain what he was doing in his early days talking eastern block contacts. The meeting themselves have not been denied, and considering he was a a very junior MP but he was hardly likely to know anything of value anyway. But just remember all our great spies who defected, were recruited, when they were young and the KGB just hoped as they progressed into more important and strategic jobs they would be useful.

Corbyn needs to be open and authorize the release of Cold War files kept on him by the Stasi.

It should then blow over, Mr Corbyn......

Corbyn's 'patriotism' questioned amid mounting pressure to release files on meetings with Communist spy

Toko Black

I'm no fan of Corbyn, but this does seem like utter nonsense.
He met a Czech spy posing as a diplomat - he confirmed this as does the Czech secret service archives, which also confirms that Corbyn was not an informant etc and that the allegations that started all this have come from the ex Czech spy who also claims that he organised Live Aid.

There may well be Stazi records (which are completely unrelated to these accusations and story - story relates Czech republic archives not the East Germans or Russians) on many MP's and public figures in the UK and around the world.
We don't know what those records might contain or what truths, errors or falsehoods, so releasing them would potentially be a mine field.
Unless all the UK's politicians who have Stazi records, including the Tories are also willing and open to have their records opened to public scrutiny, I would suggest that it's incredibly unfair and unjust to demand such an action on Corbyn alone.

IronGiant

Since when was the game of Politics fair or just...

Toko Black

heh, it isn't, but that doesn't stop us as observers and commentators pointing out when the politicians are playing silly beggars, nor when the media or public fall for or push that sort of silly nonsense, aiding and abetting the shenanigans

Enki

You've not been listening to R5 Live or daily politics.

Actually do think all MP meetings which I'm sure there are many, some good some they would rather not have and these meetings  should be openly listed documented and easily obtained by all. For some reason there will be lots of opposition to such openness no more so than our current government!
Anyway, rich news paper owners go on smear war over Corbyn who wants to fairly tax them for a fairer society. Worked well last time with IRA smears, hopefully this one does the trick and gets him over the line to become PM.
And what secrets would he have to sell to anyone being an lowly opposition MP and all, his fornications with Diane Abbot maybe?

tapzilla2k

Corbyn issues Libel threat, Tory MP deletes tweet -
Tory MP deletes tweet accusing Jeremy Corbyn of 'selling British secrets'

If said Tory MP had any solid evidence for his libellous tweet, he would have been wiser to have aired it in the commons where he'd be protected by Parliamentary Privilege. Seems like a classic smear campaign to distract from some other scandal that might well be brewing in the background that's unrelated to Corbyn. Or a Tory Leadership Challenge is incoming, making the possibility of an election in 2018 more likely. Thus seeds of doubt about Corbyn are being sown ahead of time.

IronGiant

You had me agreeing with you, until you turned it into a typical Enki rant

Sonic67

A bloke is known by the company he keeps.

With Comrade Corbyn it's communist spies, IRA terrorists, hamas, hezbollah, jihadists. One of Lenin's "useful idiots."

The next John Le Carre, the film opens with an old Czech spy taking a long drag on a cheap cigarette outside a cafe in a dirty back street in Eastern Europe.

He exhales slowly. "Corbyn. There's a name I haven't heard in a long time. He was with a stupid girlfriend, Abbott, I think he said. Wanted to give us all the UK's secrets. We had to ditch him. He was too communist for us."

Even The Guardian is having a go.

The worst view to take on Corbyn’s Czech connection is: ‘Who cares?’ | Matthew d’Ancona

Sarkocy has now told the Sunday Telegraph that he and his KGB counterparts ran a cell of at least 15 senior Labour figures during the 80s. Thus far, he has named John McDonnell and Ken Livingstone, both of whom emphatically reject the allegations of espionage.

                                                                                 

I am reminded of Michael Foot. Took money from the KGB, it was denied, turned out to be true. So next line was, "So what?" Same with CND. Took money from Russia, denied, turned out to be true. Then it was "so what?"

I'd love to know who's tasked with DVing Corbyn.

Enki

Would the same principle apply to all MPs or future leaders because your Foot recollection has reminded of Rees Mogg connections with Traditional Britain Group?

Cliff

The BBC only mentioned it yesterday?- probably because a story is a story and other news organizations had been reporting it for some days now.- whether true or not... 'think Trump and Russians throwing the election?'.
Our public broadcaster has a duty to report--- after all, we all pay for the service no matter which side of the political fence we are on!

Of course it is very unlikely Corbyn had any secrets, but the fact that he was making friends with agencies that reported to the KGB certainly puts his judgement into question. If he accepted payments that is a different ball game, but I doubt he was important enough!

This is so true..