Corbyn and the Spy claims

[Kaz]

Just to add, Raymond Malby anyone? Tory MP and Czech spy - strangely the Daily Mail haven't mentioned him

The Czechs had a No 1 dossier on Corbyn, No 4 is a spy! Corbyn does NOT need to prove himself innocent, the Czechs are doing that.

[Suff]

I recall the almost military campaign of the Labour press attacking Maggies government. Perhaps if they had put as much effort into Cyril Smith, Westminster might have been a better place. But they agreed with his politics in general.

Whilst I do think it is muck raking, I'm also aware that the only files which escaped the fall of the USSR, intact, are the files the Russians currently hold. So saying that the Czech security services have no record is not a defence. When the Communist regimes failed, the rioters broke in and destroyed documents That is on top of the documents destroyed by the regime themselves.

Simply refusing to engage with an accusation as fundamental as this is not an option. If he wanted to act like this, then he should have chosen a different career.

The security services of the UK, Germany and Russia have the evidence to clear or damn him. It is now his job to ask for that evidence to clear his name.

He won't unless he is forced to. That I know very well, because that is who he is and what his mission is.

The thing is that it leaves a doubt. I want that doubt removed because I don't want corrupt politicians to follow this precedent. No matter how much I want that doubt at the next election.

Corbyn has no idea what he is doing. If he does not clear his name, beyond a doubt, this spectre will follow him forever.

[Kaz]

Suff he HAS engaged with the accusation, he's demanding an apology and a donation to charity from Bradley, via his lawyers. Good enough?

[Kaz]

I've seen, on a news post online today, a photo of Boris meeting a Russian intelligence operative - doesn't Boris now need to clear his name? After all mud sticks, and he won't want that following him.

[Suff]

No Kaz. He has denied it and has said that because the Czechs say they have no record, that is it. . Nothing else. There is proof which can be brought to bear but he will not do it.

Smearing Boris because he met a spy working as a diplomat is not the same as a spy saying you were a paid informant of the USSR.

Those are totally different cases. We don't even know if Boris filled out a contact report. Senior government officials meet spies all the time, they fill out contact reports on the meetings.

Remember, I actually believe Corbyn is innocent. The point is that he now has to prove it. That is his job, nobody forced him to take it.

[Workingman]

I cannot get galvanised about any of this.

It is almost impossible to promote or defend a negative, especially when the accusation has offered no proof except to say his version is true... even though that has been challenged by the keeper of the archives.

When it comes to the file I suspect that there were many held on politicians from all parties. Did they create the files? No. Did they have control over what was in them? No. Did they know what level they had been classed as? No. Did they even know one existed? Probably not.

One thing does puzzle me, though. It is often said, claimed with confidence, that the Russians want to damage the EU, to split it apart, and that Brexit is a golden opportunity. If so why would they allow one of their 'allies' to be so damaged by allegations from 35 years ago that he could never win a general election and become PM. That is unless they feel the Mayhem team will do a much more thorough job.

[Kaz]

I think the Andrew Neil interview nailed it for me

[Suff]

Ah, well, I haven't seen that. But I did see the comments in the Independent about that.

Actually the "Tories" didn't bring this up, a newspaper did. The Tories, quite rightly, asked questions.

Then it says.

Mr Corbyn has refuted claims that he knowingly meeting with a Czech spy Jan Sarkocy during the Cold War

Well that's all right then isn't it. So did Philby...

There is a procedure for this. It is there for good reason. It is not being followed. The press and the media are tearing everyone apart and Corbyn is saying "Not me mate".

There will come a time when another "Philby", will use this situation to their advantage. Then everyone will remember why these processes were put in place and why they are supposed to be used.

Philby was officially cleared by Foreign Secretary Harold Macmillan, who told the House of Commons, "I have no reason to conclude that Mr. Philby has at any time betrayed the interests of his country, or to identify him with the so-called 'Third Man', if indeed there was one

If Corbyn wants to convince me that he has something to hide, he just needs to keep on doing what he is doing. I most certainly won't be the only one.

[Kaz]

Oh dear, are you seriously comparing this nonsense over Corbyn with Kim Philby?

[victor]

No smoke without fire ?

If as he says it's nothing why doesn't he want it proved?