Labour’s social media war continues. Last night The Sprout posted another round at The Standard in the battle – Two little Pagis squeal and squeak. Ironies abound.

The Paganis are just the latest target for Standard frustration. I think I used to soak up a lot of that anger. Attacking the messenger, often viciously, was normal there, and was actively promoted and supported by blog moderators.

Josie Pagani raised the wrath of The Standard because she criticised them on her Facebook page, this seems to have disappeared from there but it has been covered elsehere, most repeated here - Josie Pagani on Labour’s welfare issues – but here Standard comments are at Keeping Stock: Josie Pagani responds…

There’s been a bit of comment about me on the Standard blog. I’m not going to reply there because the people who make the most defamatory comments do it anonymously, like the KKK putting on their white hoods. At least on Facebook, they have to identify themselves.

And I don’t like the way the Standard deals out lifetime bans to anyone who disagrees with them.

I’m also astonished at the sexism. Commenters repeatedly conflate my views with my husband’s, which will come as a surprise to anyone who has ever met us. One sexist thug reads chicken entrails from my husband’s tweets to get an insight into my views, another calls me a silly bitch, and despite calling themselves a progressive blog, no one objects.

I’m not complaining about it – merely pointing out the hypocrisy and compromised morality of my critics.

I was permanently banned from The Standard this week not for disagreeing with them – they disagreed with me when I pointing out the hypocrisy and compromised morality there.

And John Pagani was quoted in a Listener article on David Farrar complimenting the rival Kiwiblog.

Then again, as left-leaning political-consultant-turned-commentator John Pagani notes, Farrar’s apparently easygoing tone might be among his greatest advantages. “He has a more reasonable tone than, say, the left blog the Standard, whose idea of political is embittered and angry and it’s therefore hard to read,” says Pagani.

The Sprout commented on this:

Now that’s tragic and moronic, but hardly surprising.

I don’t know if The Sprout meant it this way but no, it’s not a surprising comparison of the two blogs. The Sprout continues:

It also helps shed light on the inspiration for the otherwise unfathomable, bizzarely kamikaze PR ‘strategy’ of Labour under Shearer. In one of the best blog posts I’ve read for some time, Tumeke gives a superb account of just why Pagani really needs to go if Labour doesn’t want to lose the few remaining activists it has left.

Bradbury on Tumeke is more supportive of The Standard:

I have a love-hate relationship with The Standard (but then again, who don’t I have a love-hate relationship with?), while their pro-Labour cheerleading is sometimes tiresome, they are still without a doubt one of the largest and most influential left wing blogs in NZ, which begs the question – what the fuck does John and Josie Pagani think they’re doing publicly burning The Standard?

Bradbury is right, The Standard is one of the largest left wing blogs, but I don’t know how influential, it would not be surprising if many don’t take them very seriously.

Why would John and Josie Pagani publicly burn The Standard? Possibly that The Standard keeps publicly shunning and burning Labour and it’s leader, David Shearer, has something to do with it. And that The Standard attacks anyone who dares criticise them.

And in a huge irony – The Standard burns Farrar and Kiwiblog is often referred to as “the sewer” and they continually tried to burn me until they gave in and banned me – David Farrar and I (and now Pagani and Pagani) have been made enemies but have been significantly more supportive and complimentary of some mainstream Labour and of David Shearer than by a supposedly pro-Labour Standard.

I’ve seen a smouldering at The Standard over the last couple of years grow angrier, especially since last year’s election. The burning has become inflamed. And they keep blaming everyone but themselves.

Keeping Stock sums up:

So we commend Josie Pagani for telling it like it is with regard to The Standard. We don’t agree with her politics, but she doesn’t deserve the treatment she has been on the receiving end of. And one day, lprent and his mates at The Standard will realise the harm that they are doing to the cause of the Left, and to that of the Labour Party in particular; preferably not before the 2017 election though!

This is the comment I made on The Standard that got me permanently banned:

If you want to be narrow minded and nasty don’t try and pretend to yourselves you ‘re a flagship for the broad left.

Much of the active comment here would not appeal to most potential Labour or Green voters. Nor would the behaviour.

Negative attack politics seems to be the core activity, in posts and comments. I just happen to attract some of it, but it’s far more pervasive than that. If that’s how you want to be then fair enough, but it doesn’t seem to satisfy many of you, this place oozes discontent and bitterness.

You’ll attract better if you act better. If that’s what you want.

That suggests that they want to remain a bitter, angry bunch who attack anyone they choose to label as different. I doesn’t bother me, but the Paganis are supposed to be supporting the same party.

Things don’t look good in Labour. I’ve said this before – the different camps seem to have only one tent, and they are ripping it to shreds.

Note: “The Standard” keeps making it clear they are not a single entity, they are several authors and many commenters. But The Standard culture is often seen as a common pox on the left, and the festering seems to be getting worse. But don’t tell them or you’ll be next on their worst enemies list.