Jess Phillips has strenuously denied the allegation made against her by some parliamentary colleagues.
According to a number of BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) female Labour MPs, in dramatic events today Jess Phillips, the chair of the Women’s PLP (parliamentary Labour Party), has lost the confidence of many of her colleagues, who have blamed her for the leak to the Daily Mail of highly sensitive information involving allegations of domestic abuse against a male Labour MP.
One female MP told the SKWAWKBOX she and a number of her colleagues were convinced Ms Phillips was the source of the leak and added:
She’s lost the majority of BAME MPs because of her lack of support. All from the women’s PLP WhatsApp group. Many women are very unhappy with her leadership and attitude.
Asked whether the anger over the leak was linked to the recent, groundless attacks on Jeremy Corbyn over an alleged increase in antisemitism – according to the data of a hostile campaign organisation, antisemitism among Labour supporters has fallen sharply under Corbyn’s leadership – the source went on:
There has been no due process followed. These women want a witch-hunt. It’s unprofessional and dangerous.
Several other MPs expressed outrage about the leak because it may put the accused MP’s potentially-vulnerable wife at risk, especially as the information was passed to one of the most hateful right-wing rags.
A number of women MPs are believed to have quit the women’s PLP WhatsApp group in disgust – which was reported in error by some mainstream sources as them resigning from the PLP.
Ms Phillips has been criticised for alleged ‘white feminism’ and a perceived lack of support for black women among her colleagues, such as Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, who during the first half of last year received more online abuse than all Tory and SNP women MPs combined. Phillips also came under fire for her obvious delight when impressionist Jan Ravens mimicked Abbott during an episode of Robert Peston’s Sunday morning TV show.
Phillips also received flak when she was the only Labour MP to attend a private party thrown by S*n and Times owner Rupert Murdoch, at which she rubbed shoulders with the likes of the Mail’s Paul Dacre and various Tory MPs.
Whoever is responsible for the leak – and Ms Phillips has emphatically denied responsibility – it’s impossible to imagine it as anything other than a reckless attempt to damage Jeremy Corbyn in the middle of the cynical antisemitism storm.
There is a recklessness at the heart of the way in which the safety of our Jewish citizens and the integrity of the fight against genuine antisemitism have been put at risk for the sake of manufactured outrage.
Whoever the source of the leak turns out to be, that recklessness is mirrored in the cynical, callous way in which a vulnerable woman has been placed in possible danger – and the trust of women MPs shattered – by the leaking of information that was discussed confidentially among colleagues for apparent political motives.
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I’m no fan of Jess Phillips, Steve, but this is basically a content-free smear that devalues the excellent work you do. I’d urge you to retract this entire post until or unless you can produce something substantive. Please. It’s hard to defend the otherwise excellent quality of your journalism when you post something like this.
You’re entitled to your opinion, of course, but you’ve missed the point of the article. It doesn’t claim JP was the source of the leak, it just reports on the fact some of her colleagues do – and on the wider context of their loss of confidence, which is entirely factual. The fact of the chair of the WPLP losing confidence of many (or most, as MPs are reporting) BAME women MPs is newsworthy – the rest is background and caveatted
It’s also worth noting that Phillips was at the forefront of the smears against Marc Wadsworth. She even took part in the notorious all-white PLP march to the disciplinary hearing.
I think the public have had enough of slippery, untrustworthy politicians who claim the high moral ground but who in fact have no principles whatsoever and who falsely use issues to benefit themselves.
There is a name for this type of politician. They are called Blairites.
They are racist apartheid supporters who accuse others of racism.
They bully and attack women yet accuse others of misogyny.
They support headchopping regimes which murder gay people yet accuse others of being homophobic.
There is no place in the Labour Party for these hypocrites. Whilst we are dealing with anti-Semitism we must also kick out the racist pro-apartheid Blairites.
It’s taken those members of the Women’s PLP who have resigned and/or expressed concerns a surprisingly long time to catch up. Better late than never.
Could there be a more damning statement than:
‘These women want a witch-hunt. It’s unprofessional and dangerous.’
But I think the evidence is clear to see. I’m glad to think that some MPs have had enough, even if it’s rather late in the day.
When you are a torie you should not be in the Labour Party,because you have absolutely no experience of actually working, Jess Philips should try a proper job,and I personally believe she would be sacked not long after,because she is a numpty. The House of Commons is the only place on this planet that would allow her to speak onbehalf of anyone. She is a nonentity. IMHO.
Jess Philips should try a proper job,and I personally believe she would be sacked not long after,because she is a numpty.
Nope – She’s not even THAT clever.
It’s curious no one comments on the disrespect of her fake working-class accent. She went to a selective grammar school. Don’t know what the fees were then but currently they’re £13,000 a year. Presumably her dad could afford them as he was Deputy CEO of the NHS confederation and also South Birmingham Mental Health Trust.
She got her first political position as a Councilor while still studying for a p/t postgrad qualification and has the gall to suggest Corbyn has never experienced real life. See
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jess_Phillips
Bernie 11/06/2019 at 10:25 pm
Where did you get the idea that Grammar School pupils talk posh. Also I think you will find that you’ve made a mistake with regards to the fees. It was a Grammar School within the state system.
Well, I never!
JP, not backing BAME like she should!
Plus the TRUTH about her attending a private party, for LABOURS ARCH VILLAIN, RUPERT MURDOCH, TORY BLAIR’S BESTEST BUDDY EVER?
Are the birds coming home to roost?
Not before time I add.
Phillips isn’t Labour. Never was and never will be. She’s courted Tories from day one. Time for he to go. A horrible vile history of it’s all about me! me! me! She’s a #Tory in all but name. And what a coincidence that the Daily Fail got the leak…. Kidding no one there are no coincidences in politics. Particularly when it involves this individual.
Why anyone wants to go to a scum party that hacked into a little girls phone when she was raped and murdered left in a ditch is beyond belief but we all no all racists support murdoc dont we JP
The kamikaze MP squad strikes again ,
Ok so what’s to do about it , is there any further follow up investigation to get to the root of it , has any official complaint been made re Phillips alleged conduct and actions over this .
Is it the case that her general demeanour and methods of operating within the WPLP has alienated many?
What was it she told Diane Abbott ,,, oh yes ” to FUCK OFF” I think was the choice phrase she used to a fellow woman MP and what else oohh yes ” I’LL STAB CORBYN IN THE FRONT AS WELL AS THE BACK ” .
Does anyone in her CLP really think she has the right calibre of emotional maturity and the mature measured personality , essential to be a trustworthy effective Labour MP ?
I just wonder how much more evidence of her behaviour is needed before her CLP WAKES UP and takes action.
Perhaps another session on the couch cosying up to her best mate Jacob Reece Mogg with a mug of coffee might do it .
I ( and I would guess many 1000’s of our membership ) would urge her CLP to take a long look at how she has performed in helping to get a Labour Gvt elected , her personal hatred of Corbyn is severely affecting that opportunity.
They surely, as a CLP , would want a Labour Govt in power to deliver it’s fantastic manifesto for our people?
Whether or not she is involved in this latest shockingly irresponsible act of dangerous hatred is to some extent mute , as Phillips actions so far are a damaging distraction to achieving that Govt ….. but then that is all part of the ” get Corbyn no matter the cost” plan .
Don’t worry jess, you’ve still got (some) mates…
https://im-01.gifer.com/DFla.gif
🙂
I don’t know about this and I don’t like Jess Philipps. But if some MP has been provenly beating his ex-wife he should be named and better the left do it than the Daily Mail.
Too simplistic. The concerns of the WPLP centred on possible risk to the woman and her kids if the situation is mishandled. These things are rarely as simple as ‘name and shame’ – and this one has more than its share of complexities.
Some make a big thing about their working class roots but I often find empty vessels make the largest sound!
But many of us behind JC 100% are working class too and perhaps unlike some have read Leftie books – from Marx (Capital Vol.1) to Luxemburg (Paul Froich’s biography of her) to Paulo Freire (Cultural Action for Freedom, Pedagogy of the Oppressed), and the likes of Ralph Milband (The State in a Capitalist Society) and more plus currently Red Pepper, New Internationalist, and the brilliant New Left Review.
Perhaps some of the non-Left should read these too but please only after they have faded away; only the stars will ride the storm.
I had a dream that we selected then elected 350 Left Wing Democratic Socialists as Labour MPs behind JC and these were representative: Male, Female, Black, White, LGBT and Disabled. Solidarity!
Comrade Bazza. I can only agree with you and I look forward to the day that I get a Labour Councillor and a Labour MP who I can vote for without feeling mightily sick! At the moment our selected candidate only mention in their ‘CV’s only mention either their Queens Commision in the Army and their position as HR manager in various ‘Blue Chip companies’! No mention of their commitment to Socialist policies nor concrete Socialist solutions just their ‘look at me and vote for me because I will not upset the Tory applecart which we’re more than ready to climb onto and work in the same way they do! I can only say if constituency Labour Parties continue to select such obvious Right Wing arses then one’s dream will forever be just that, ‘dreams!’
Tony, I’ve often wondered , ‘how did they even get to the interview never mind selection and MP status’? Baffling?
As Jess Phillips often points out, “there’s no smoke without fire”. so I tend to trust that the lack of confidence is well founded; it would tally with Phillips’ usual behaviour.
As far as the party are concerned, I think the members ought to consider calling for a thorough investigation into Progress in general, and into the actions and statements, historical and otherwise, coming from it’s PLP members. There seems to be a continuous flow of comment and actions which bring the Labour Party into disrepute on a very public stage. This potential damage to election campaigns seems to be deliberate, and is clearly contrary to party rules.
I am an optimist Ha! Ha! For a change I read the Sunday Times the other week (was worse than The Obsérver) but their was an interesting snippet.
A Right Wing Labour MP was quoted as saying if a Corbyn Govt. was elected his like should sit as an ‘Independent’ Group (crumbs for working people Neo-Libs) in Parliament but all I ask is these ‘Great Men and Women of History’ share this with the Labour members in the selection meeting who will be selecting a LABOUR MP and working their butts off for a LABOUR MP.
They need to be HONEST before rather than after the event and perhaps this is a question we should all ask of candidates and their reply should be minuted and we should request this so they can be sued later for a possible breach of trust!
But I agree members need to take the power and select left wing democratic socialist stars!
Birds of a feather flock together, you can always tell someone by the company they keep.
Need we say more about the group that may be planning a new party, and hoping for MSM support like the old SDP did.
The Labour Party really need to take action against the racist bullying from the right of the party. No-one feels safe to voice their disgust at the actions of the Israeli government against the Palestinian people, lest they be labelled AS. Each and every Labour MP should be vocally and publicly condemning Israel for what they did, but there is just silence. Why?
No-one is calling out the fact that, if there were genuine concerns about AS within the party, they should have followed due process and an internal enquiry, rather than launch attacks on public platforms like Twitter and write articles for right-wing rags like The Times. The fact that this whole thing was dragged into the public arena at the very first opportunity, and the same old names added their vitriol to the whole mess, makes not only me, but many others, feel there is an agenda here.
And that agenda does not involve trying to get a Labour Government in power. Labour will not be fit to govern until this vile racist bullying, from the RIGHT of the party, is stamped out completely. Who is taking steps to do this? If nothing is done, there may be a good few members heading for the door.
She better mind herself,because Murdoch will chew her up and spit her out when she is of no use to him.
Richard Dennis
A lot of them believe that their treachery will bring fame and fortune. Well if appearing in reality, game shows, quizzes is found at the end of that rainbow measures one’s success then they will be sadly disappointed. They’ve done their bit so it’s time for the elbow. Half of these shadow jobs are pointless but they will accept anything as a gold medal. It ain’t worth a bean and you know that the AS that held you all-in check is a sickly beast and it weakens daily. Who do you trust?