As the SKWAWKBOX reported last night, there was drama in Streatham as Labour members voted by 190 to 183 to switch to all-member meetings (AMM) instead of the previous ‘general committee’ structure, which left-wing members say was being used by supporters of local MP Chuka Umunna to retain control of the CLP (constituency Labour party).
Those right-wing supporters made every effort to prevent the change – including an interesting threat.
Although the debate was generally good-tempered, irate Umunna-ites had already accused those wanting to switch of ‘conspiring to deselect Chuka’ – but the recriminations escalated further.
Streatham members told the SKWAWKBOX that Mr Umunna’s supporters threatened that he would leave Labour and start his own party if AMM won. Umunna was present at the meeting.
The SKWAWKBOX contacted Chuka Umunna last night:
Streatham members report that opponents of all-member meetings openly threatened AMM supporters that Chuka would leave and start your own party if it won. Chuka was at the meeting.
The SKWAWKBOX’s questions to Chuka Umunna
– did you intervene and contradict these comments?
– have you told any members of your CLP that you would do this?
– do you have any intention of leaving Labour and/or forming a new party?
– are you against AMM and if so, why?
Thanks for your assistance.
At the time of publication, more than twelve hours later, no response had been received.
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They ‘threatened’ the party with umunna leaving?
Effing L.O.L.
How about GUARANTEEING it!?
Just hurry the f**k up and do the off, umunna. And take the rest of your garbage with ya.
“conspiring to deselect Chuka ” really !! the only conspiracy here ( in broad daylight ) is that of the Blairites to get rid of Corbyn and that’s been going on for nearly 3 years .
This is what democratising the party is all about and the Blairites don’t like it one bit ,,, well tough shit .
This is a socialist party and if they don’t like it or can’t control it their way anymore then they can piss off and quit ….. please ,,, pretty please nicely with sprinkles on top , just eff off and go .
Nice of Umunna’s supporters to give even more incentive to Streatham members to vote for AMN!
I would have asked if it was a threat or a promise .
I asked the same…But then I remembered that getting a promise fulfilled by an MP – especially one of umunna’s ‘calibre’ 🙁
Umunna has no future starting another party, bigger guns than he would have already done so if it was feasible. He’d be better served keeping his head down and running for Mayor when Khan steps down. He has no attraction beyond middle class Londoners.
Chuck ‘Um will start his own Fake Centrist Rap group – “Elite on the Street”…
I just wish Umunna would do just that, quicker he leaves Labour the better
Another Blairite MP, Rachel Reeves has backed the coup in Venezuela.
Time for her Leeds West CLP to start looking for a new candidate, perhaps.
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2019/01/29/chris-williamson-outmanoeuvres-five-regime-change-hawks-live-on-the-bbc/
Rachel Reeves once boasted to the media that if Labour won power she would punish the unemployed more than the Tories.
Inhumane psychopathy.
So this piece of news doesn’t surprise me. I am surprised however by the EU Parliament joining the US’s attempted Venezuela coup. All pretence of objectivity and diplomacy thrown to the wind.
Rachel Reeves once boasted to the media that if Labour won power she would punish the unemployed more than the Tories.
Yep – backed thoroughly by ‘the bold frank’.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/oct/29/frank-fields-welfare-contribution-plan
“Rachel’s got to say she’ll be tougher than the Tories on welfare. The trouble is the public don’t believe us”.
A right pair of shithouses that gave countenance to the toerag destruction rained down upon the poorest & weakest in order to garner a pitiful few faily heil & currant bun voters….And even that didn’t work.
Reeves has a habit of massively reducing a labour majority wherever she stands.
Anyone claiming to care about democracy in Venezuela who wants to replace the elected leader with someone unknown to most Venezuelans because the last election “was rigged” has such twisted logic, they shouldn’t be allowed near any public office in this country.
I wouldn’t say they have twisted logic… they have the logic of all imperialist minded people aligned with the most aggressive military forces on the planet, US NATO… what we say goes… or else.
Not logic, it’s ideology and ignoring and crushing the majority for the benefit of a greedy extreme Capitalist minority and supporting structures is their guiding principle.
That’s bringing modern ‘democracy, freedom and human rights’ western style… supporting the Trump regime has become cool in political circles in Europe it seems…
An article based on recent polling apparently by a pro business pollster in Venezuela.
https://grayzoneproject.com/2019/01/29/venezuelans-oppose-intervention-us-sanctions-poll/
If Venezuela’s equivalent of Speaker of the House can legitimately declare himself President, then so can Nancy Pelosi.
Trump, Bolton & Abrams (the new axis of evil) better be careful what they wish for…
John Laughland’s article on EU parliament vote to recognise Guaido as president of Venezuela. Laughland is a conservative academic btw. Interesting background to the vote.
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/450348-eu-parliament-venezuela-legal/
Is that the same socialist sister who has continuously voted to bomb her black and brown sisters? (Anti-Capitalist Socialist Strike Feminists).
Oh and a little birdie told me that RR after spending the legal limit of £10k in the campaign to be chosen for Leeds West as PPC (whilst her main working class female rival spent nil and also apparently alienated other working class women) RR won the selection by 4 votes!
This Right Wing politcal lightweight thus joins the Right Wing US Neo-Cons in their attempts to crush democratic socialist Venezuela; perhaps left wing democratic socialists in Labour should vote for left wing democratic socialists?
Oh and another little birdie told me when socialist activists were knocking on doors in Leeds West at the last GE they offered people a choice of posters – Vote RR Labour or Vote Labour and apparently the vast majority opted for the latter!
Selections can be extremely close.
In 1969, Kinnock tied 75-75 and then won 76-74.
I think Stephen Kinnock won by one vote.
Thatcher in Finchley may not have been the real winner at all due to possible vote switching.
Rachel Reeves is pure scum, for all the reasons laid out above.
Joy, Joy, Oh Joy.
Mind you, he won’t want to lead his new party, will he?
So he has take someone with him …
I’m sure we could suggest some possible ambitious ex-Labour-supporting folk?
I nominate Ruth Smeeth.
No, he’s a very modest and self-effacing man, not at all the kind to put himself forward or bang his own drum.
The scurrilous suggestion that he tried to promote himself as “The British Obama” may just as easily have been the work of a genuine admirer at his ex-employer’s office.
I can find no proof whatever of his having begged, bribed, bludgeoned or blackmailed anyone into fabricating that laughable fiction on his behalf.
I’m sure he’s far too clever to put his future in the hands of a witness to such a thing anyway – when such knowledge could be used at any time to humiliate him into withdrawing from some future leadership bid.
I am still waiting, not holding my breath btw, for this new “extreme centre” party to emerge… will they ever have the courage of their neoliberal, warmongering convictions to officially form it? LP might take a hit but it desperately needs cleansing of many of the old ‘new Labour’ MP guard so the sooner they decide to rock off to political oblivion or banking/corporate free lunches the better.
I completely agree. There are plenty of political organisations masquerading as NGOs, Charities and think tanks for them to join. Though it looks like there will be stiff competition from all those currently enjoying a paid ride on the EU gravy train.
Yep , golden parachute ,revolving doors and all that , right up their street , its what they do !
I’m getting a bit worried about RH guys. They are usually trolling away plastering the comments section with centrist comments but they seem to have gone very quiet recently.
Hope they’re okay. Maybe they just left and joined the Liberal Democrats?
Don’t worry TOO much, IA.
They’ll most likely be back with their ‘sardonic wit’ and ‘pearls of wisdom’ once they’ve finished gnawing the furniture into matchsticks (again) .
I know, it’s spooky – none of the usual suspect tiresome Trolls posting on this one ! (though I’ve always suspected it is just ONE troll with lots of different computers – or maybe they are ALL Chuka Umunna himself – who has form for adopting dodgy personas on social media – allegedly ). Simply too depressed to type ? Things are just not going well for the Mandelson/Blairite fifth column . Apparently the PV plotters have reacted to their recent amendment defeat by turning inwards in mutual recrimination and confusion. Such snowflakes.
Perhaps Mandy’s given them a holiday…
Perfect opportunity for Chukka to form “The Corporate Party”. In fact to help him, here are some policies.
* Privatise the NHS, army, police and Highways Agency to G4S.
* Free movement and extraditon treaties with Saudi Arabia.
* Adopt the Euro.
* Resurrect the TTIP.
* Support Uber and revoke black cabbies licences.
* Hand Network Rail over to the Chinese government.
* War with Iran.
* Supercasinos throughout Blackpool and Skegness.
* Tax breaks for loved national institutions such as MK Dons FC and Scientology.
Sounds like current LibDem policy.
Only one war?
I’m sure they can do better than that.
The arms industry needs more than that.
Have been in my local pub this morning.I live in one of the most deprived areas in England,normally find the comments of the regulars depressing but today,almost to a man, people angry about May offering money to poor areas in return for MPs supporting her Brexit deal. Typical comment was how can they find the money now when all they have done is close everything for years. Think she has really misjudged public opinion this time.
The money was always available in the form of public investment. Oh, hang on, we’d have to leave the EU before we set up a public investment bank. In the mean time deprived areas will have to make do with things like new civic gardens paid for by us but donated by the EU along with a little plaque.
Any Labour MP who accepts such a deal from May allows the Tories to degrade them and they permit public funds that should have always been used for the benefit of their constituents to be totally abused. I should imagine that despite what May says the whole thing is unlawful anyway.
“May offering money to poor areas in return for MPs supporting her”
It’s known as the DUPlicitous strategy. But note the MPs who gave it a bit of credibility; and the ones that voted with the Tories, or abstained on the Cooper motion in order to progress the Tory right’s agenda.
Chukkup isn’t the only villain on the patch.
Troll’s up .
Of course he isn’t.
But what’s your point?
Having equally duplicitous friends does not excuse him, does it?
Another smear campaign in The Guardian tomorrow. They’re also saying Angela Smith, Chris Leslie & Luciana Berger are going to leave and setup their own party. I hope so!
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/02/rebel-labour-mps-set-to-quit-party-and-form-centre-group
Labour party should happily permit – even encourage – berger to leave.
That will dispel any myth she would spread by claiming she’d been ‘hounded out’ of the party.
On behalf of Chuka – though without his knowledge, understanding or permission – I’d like to apologise for his wimping out on the new, doomed, centrist party. Again.
According to David Attenborough (in my imagination) the new doomed party is vying with the dodo and the fabled unicorn in the extinction stakes, and centrists everywhere are leaving no stone unturned in the search for someone, anyone, even Nigel Farage, who would be prepared to offer courage, leadership, and, hopefully, a pint or two, to get the party back from the brink.
In fairness, one insider ruled out Nige, on the basis that “This will be a wine-based party, not beer, even if it’s imported, canned craft ale”
The bookies are no no longer taking bets on the new party’s chances of taking on Labour, citing equine flu as the final nail in the coffin, but are hopeful of firm footing for the Grand National.
A nation mourns.
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