Joan Ryan and Gavin Shuker last week joined the lustreless – and recently rapidly-growing – list of right-wing Labour MPs to suffer defeat in no-confidence motions tabled by their constituency parties (CLPs).
Shuker has tried to shrug off the significance of the vote, but Ryan was clearly furious in her immediate response on social media and afterwards – and was seemingly no happier by tonight, as MPs reported that she was loudly unhappy during the weekly meeting of the ‘PLP’ (parliamentary Labour party).
Their moods may not have been helped by a Commons prankster who appears to have had a little fun at their expense by placing leaving- or moving-cards at what is alleged to have been their doors.
The pictures below were posted by the @ShitParliament Twitter account as ‘fan submissions’ – images sent by parliamentary insiders. Their exact locations claimed could not be verified, but appear to show authentic parliamentary carpets.
Ms Ryan’s was a ‘good luck’ message accompanied by a small train toy from a well-known children’s animation – a reference to the ‘deselection express‘:
The Cyprus reference is an homage to the rumour that, having once been a special representative to Cyprus under Gordon Brown, Ms Ryan might retire there at the end of her parliamentary career. The signatories are modelled on her angry tweet blaming ‘Trots Stalinists Communists’ [sic] in the aftermath of the Enfield North no-confidence vote.
Shuker’s, allegedly from his CLP, wished him ‘Good luck with the new career’ – and was accompanied by a different small toy from the series:
Both cards appear to be in the same handwriting. Both MPs have been contacted for comment.
SKWAWKBOX comment:
It seems spirits are high on the parliamentary left this week.
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Wait for the shock/horror headlines about this latest manifestation of the left’s bullying.
Well, it is. It’s the kind of snidery usually associated with the Right.
It makes us look bad. Jeremy Corbyn would never stoop to this level.
I agree, it leaves us wide open to criticism. Why give them the opportunity for the sake of a childish prank?
As predicted the ‘trains’ featured during today’s PMQs
Your work is amazing, and I’m sure you are going to go down in history as a latter day Thomas Paine! By the way, I can’t read what was written in the cards left outside the Blairites offices – I think its a problem with my monitor. Can you let me know, please?
Hiya Joan, good luck in Cyprus! Love Trots, Stalinists Commies and assorted hard-left. Choo choo! 😉
——
Good luck with the new career, but we won’t miss the homophobia 🙂
All aboard, Luv Luton CLP x
Try pressing Ctrl and + if you use Chrome, IE or Firefox browsers – that should expand it.
Hiya Joan
Good luck in Cyprus!
Love
Trots, Stalinists Commies and assorted Hard Left
Choo Choo 😉
Good Luck with the new career, but we won’t miss the homophobia 🙂
All aboard!
Luv,
Luton CLP x
I dunno…. It seems a bit petty and on the same continuum as the right wingers. I don’t endorse this.
I agree with Ella – snideness should be left to the right. This just gives the right amunition.
Ditto Ella’s and Kate’s comments – I think leaving this outside someone’s door is a bit trollish as well. What does it achieve? SB frequently offers world class, satirical comment – this isn’t it.
Not certain if these are a good idea. I’d like to be better than that!
The problem is that whatever the Left says or does, it will be twisted and used by the RW. We need to be whiter than white and offer as few targets as possible. They will still make stuff up and continue the attacks but as the saying goes:
First they ignore; then they ridicule; then they attack; then we win.
That we’re under attack shows that we’re winning.
I don’t say we shouldn’t take the piss out of them, but it needs to be funny, and it needs to be elegant, I don’t think this qualifies on either count.