Lansman said to want Momentum national coordinator in prime spot in Labour’s list of European Parliament candidates for London
Labour figures have expressed concerns about the selection of the party’s candidates for the European Parliament elections that the UK will have to stage if a Brexit deal has not been agreed before 22 May.
Winning candidates are decided on a list basis, with parties listing their candidates in order and winners selected from the list in order, based on the number of votes won by each party, according to a proportional representation (PR) method.
In view of the short timetable, Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has decided that incumbents who wish to re-stand will automatically take the top positions on the list, with subsequent positions filled by other applicants. Labour’s lists for each area are being decided by a panel consisting of two NEC members and two members of the relevant regional board.
Around seventy-five percent of incumbents have indicated they wish to stand again. The process of selecting remaining candidates is expected to be completed by next Tuesday.
The selection panel for London consists of Momentum founder and NEC member Jon Lansman, NEC youth representative Lara McNeill, who was backed in the NEC election by Momentum, London board member and Momentum vice-chair Emine Ibrahim and a GMB union representative on the London Labour board.
Two male incumbents – Seb Dance and Claude Moraes – intend to stand again and would be allocated the first two places on Labour’s PR list. It’s likely that Labour will win four places, perhaps more. In spite of the short notice, the party has received around two hundred and fifty applications for the remaining list places.
Labour insiders report unease that Jon Lansman is pushing hard for Momentum’s national coordinator Laura Parker to be placed immediately after the two incumbents on the list – or even higher – in spite of a relative lack of experience compared to other applicants and a significant number of BAME applicants.
One highly-placed source told the SKWAWKBOX that Lansman is even arguing that Parker should take the first position, ahead of the two incumbents and contrary to the NEC’s selection policy for this election, on the grounds that they are both men. Some sources fear that Lansman may sew up the selection by offering the GMB representative the pick of the fourth slot to secure support for Parker.
Emine Ibrahim, in spite of her Momentum position, is reported to be resistant to the push but would be outnumbered if GMB supports it.
The SKWAWKBOX contacted Jon Lansman to ask for comment about the reported push and the conflict of interest in a Momentum-heavy panel selecting a senior Momentum employee for a highly-paid position. Mr Lansman did not deny the reports, but declined to comment except to say that it would not be unusual for a list of applicants to include people known to panellists.
Other regions also report large numbers of applications for their lists. The short time available means that most decisions will be made based on CVs, with a small number of interviews.
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It’s starting again isn’t it? Haven’t Labour learned, imposed candidates? For crying out loud, has nothing changed?
Stop putting your faith in a party that doesn’t care about you.
Sadly, the only solution I have is for us to make one. No established party cares about voters. Except on voting days.
European election candidates are ALWAYS imposed! One reason amongst many why so many people voted against staying in the anti democratic EU
I’m not voting for or canvassing for any candidate that doesn’t support UK leaving EU
Never a shortage of passengers for the gravy train.
Last gravy train to Brussels leaving plarform 1!
All aboard!!
Lansman? The words ‘as far as’ and ‘trust’ and ‘throw’ come to mind.
His assent to the ‘antisemitism’ crapology is all that needs to be noted.
In this case RH I tend to agree with your statement.
IMO Lansmans past performance WRT Jackie Walker , Pete Wilsman ,his double crossing at Conf over Mandatory reselection , and in general his utter reluctance to put himself and his self appointed committee up for democratic selection is deeply concerning and worrying.
Not that it makes any difference but I’ve long since cancelled my membership of Momentum .It started out very well , but when a few yrs ago Lansman and Co decided to have a coup over the Steering Committee that as far as I can remember were elected , then that finished it for me .
It is very simple to solve and it’s for Lansman to follow his own advice and democratise Momentum , as it stands now , he is nowt but a hypocrite.
As far as I could throw Eric Pickles ?
You could throw eric pickles?
You do know he’d only scoff them all 🙂
Something needs to be done about Momentum. Been saying so for years. Regards
Emine Ibrahim was the candidate for Carshalton and Wallington for the General Election. She’s experienced, impressive and knows her stuff. She is also resistant to the “reported push,” which shows integrity. Seb Dance and Claude Moraes are experienced and have done well. Where is the justification for the relatively inexperience Laura Parker taking precedence?
Anyone wanting to find out more about Laura Parker may find this article of interest
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/momentums-laura-parker-deeply-dispiriting-anti-semitism-row-not-our-greatest-moment_uk_5acf74a9e4b0d4931c8b028d
Well there’s at the very least one good thing, she doesn’t appear to be a member of either JLM or LFI and she has also been forthright in expressing her views about the anti-Semitism smears
“Laura Parker: Bullying, antisemitism, trolling? ‘It’s all mud‑slinging’
The head of the campaign group Momentum says that claims of bullying and antisemitism are a case of sour grapes. “
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bullying-antisemitism-trolling-its-all-mud-slinging-9fzt8pqjt
Lansman elected to NEC? When; where; how; why & by whom? “Lansman said to want……..” Too much power in the hands of unaccountable faceless idiots.
In January 2018, Lansman was elected to the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee. He was elected by the members along with Yasmine Dar and Rachel Garnham,
Thank you SteveH. I realise that this will sound naive, but who elects whom & when? Do they need to be proposed by constituencies or just chums? Who do they represent & who are they accountable to? Is this info. circulated e.g. online? How transparent?
I’ve been a member for many years……what do I know?
steve richards at 9:00 pm
As a member you should receive notification of, and information as to how to cast your vote (internet or postal) for the election of NEC members and party officers.
What you ask is far too complex to address in a comments section but all the rather byzantine rules are detailed in the party’s rule book which you can download here.
http://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-RULE-BOOK.pdf
You may also find this link useful
https://labour.org.uk/members/my-welfare/my-rights-and-responsibilities/
Sorry, but Lansman and Momentum serve only to discredit Labour and Corbyn now. They really need to disband and Labour needs to distance itself from Momentum.
Corbyn’s major advantage in the polls has been that he’s the antithesis of the typical pushy careerist politician – a man of principle and character, unswerving in his ambition for a fairer, more evolved society.
Taking a moral stance over decades while surrounded by mealy-mouthed, loud ‘pragmatists’ requires far more toughness than going along with the bullies.
They assume polite, kindly men will be easily dominated – but not much beats the fun of watching bullies wake up on the pavement.
If Labour’s bullies can be dumped discreetly that’d be great, but the next GE’s getting worryingly close. I hope the gloves come off soon.
More unease from Labour, erm, the army…
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17556314.scottish-labour-candidate-facing-questions-over-links-to-secretive-military-propaganda-unit/
John Lansman can go and do one. He thinks he speaks for the left but he doesnt.