Quitter MPs fail to hold onto Foreign Affairs Select Committee slots in needless Commons vote – with a paltry level of support from Labour MPs
Former Labour MPs Ian Austin and Mike Gapes suffered a self-inflicted humiliation today after losing a Commons vote on whether they could cling onto prestigious select committee places – with only a handful of Labour MPs supporting them.
The two MPs held the places because they had been allocated to the Labour Party, but they expected to be allowed to remain in them as ‘independents’.
Even though it should have been entirely a Labour decision which MPs sit on the committees in Labour seats, the matter went to a Commons vote – which the pair lost by 199 votes to 134.
However, the 134 votes for them to keep the places included only thirteen Labour MPs:
The thirteen had more than a whiff of ‘the usual suspects’ about it – and the paltry number suggests the two MPs retain scant sympathy among Labour ex-colleagues, if they ever had any in the first place.
SKWAWKBOX comment:
Unsurprisingly, Austin whined about the loss, blaming a Corbyn ‘plot’ – can you say ‘conspiracy theorist’, Ian? – and claiming he was being punished for ‘standing up to racism’. The idea that it might have been because of his personal failings and the frustration of Labour MPs at his sense of entitlement and eagerness to damage Labour long before he jumped ship.
Gapes said it was a ‘sad day for the independence of select committees’, although the select committees appeared to be untroubled.
So far, #IStandWithMikeGapes and #IStandWithIanAustin hashtags have not exactly taken off on social media:
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I’m more worried about an mp sitting on the defense select committee who’s protected by a foreign government. How can that be right?
Why, is Ruth Smeeth on the DSC by any chance?
Yep. Israel certainly needs someone to speak for their massive investments in this field.
A roll-call of ignominy & shame.
‘Impertialism on trial’ event live stream. https://twitter.com/RTUKnews/status/1108087692695228416
The absolute cheek of these two to resign from the party in the full glare of publicity and then whinge when they lose the positions they held due to the party. I have news for Ian , Mike and his band of Funny Tingers – you had all had better get used to it – come the General Election you’ll be out on your ears.
Apparently more than sixty Labour MPs failed to vote against them! Is this indicative of the REAL problem we have with the PLP?
Were Tom Watson and Ruth Smeeth amongst those that abstained?
It’s probably necessary to distinguish between those who simply didn’t vote (weren’t there//had other things to do/ saw it as a foregone conclusion) etc.) and those who were making a point.
David Lammy and Chris Bryant voted in both lobbies – both Ayes and Noes. I guess to indicate they were there and making a deliberate abstain. Wonder why Plaid Cymru voted no?
Is it finally dawning on them that at the next election they are toast? We’re are better off without them. If we could get rid of the rest on the list above that’d be great!!
Mike “Saudi” Gapes and Ian “Iraq” Austin.
That alone sums up why they need kicking out.
Heaven forfend that I should defend these two egregious ersatz Tories, but we need to remember the PLP of the 2000’s as a whole that allowed the Iraq invasion. There’s quite a few complicit nasties in that woodwork.
I see Jeremy is not being accused by the MSM of conducting a witchhunt. I really did LOL when I read it .Clearly they like Ian and his pal Mike from the Funny Tingers Group they have no sense of irony.
It wont be long before the cannibal stories begin. Cheers.