In the votes on Philip Hammond’s budget last week, the Establishment media chose to focus on twenty ‘moderate’ MPs whose decision to vote against a planned rise in tax thresholds was a slap in the face for some of the UK’s lowest earners – but was used by the media to undermine the Labour leadership.
But four Labour MPs also failed to support a Labour amendment to increase taxes for the top five percent of earners, instead choosing to abstain.
The four MPs were not, according to parliamentary sources, involved in ‘pairing’ – an agreement not to vote in order cancel out an unavoidably-absent MP voting the other way – and have not responded to a SKWAWKBOX enquiry whether there was any other reason for the abstention:
- Chris Leslie
- Angela Smith
- Gavin Shuker
- Ann Coffey
A fifth MP did respond to explain that she was absent helping a constituent who was being illegally evicted, that she had voted ‘with the whip’ on the other votes and would also have done so on the amendment if able to attend.
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Last of the Bleurrrh-ite dinosaurs. Why dont they just leave as they are totally out of sybc with labour values.
The clue is in the name “Labour”
If you have any truck with capitalism’s bullshit “trickle-down theory” you don’t belong here – we don’t want the crumbs from their tables.
If crossing the floor could ever cross your mind you don’t belong here.
If you think centrist policies will ever make the 1% pay their share you don’t belong here – and you’re a fucking idiot.
If you think you won that election on your own merits you don’t belong here.
If you’re working on some nice cushy directorships for later you don’t belong here.
If you make a point of claiming every possible expense you don’t belong here – you belong with the Tories in jail.
Coffey was PPS to Tony Blair and a leading figure in the coup against Corbyn. Interestingly enough, the article below makes clear that they did not expect to force him out the first time.
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2016/06/jeremy-corbyn-faces-no-confidence-motion-and-leadership-challenge