Story claimed that Corbyn’s office refused to help pregnant MP facing no-confidence and deselection votes. Facts say otherwise
The PoliticsHome site claimed last night that pregnant Labour MP Ellie Reeves was facing a no-confidence vote and potential deselection by members of Lewisham West and Penge constituency party (CLP) for signing a letter against suspended MP Chris Williamson – and that she had approached party leader Jeremy Corbyn for help, but he had refused.
The Evening Standard was reportedly also planning to run a similar claim this lunchtime.
The claim Corbyn had ‘turned down’ Ms Reeves’ request for help is entirely untrue.
The SKWAWKBOX has been able to establish that Corbyn and his office not only liaised with Ms Reeves throughout, but that Corbyn’s team contacted the CLP chair to ask if he could talk to the member moving the motion.
As a result, the motion – never formally tabled anyway – has been withdrawn. Labour sources report that the chair was extremely helpful.
Ellie Reeves was contacted for comment and responded:
I was really pleased to receive a message from loto this morning saying the leader has stated he does not support the no confidence vote. This was the support I was hoping for when I contacted them about it on Monday.
Corbyn advocated in a similar manner on behalf of then-pregnant, then-Labour Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger when she faced motions of no confidence from angry members. Those motions were also withdrawn.
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We don’t have Newspapers any more. They should be called Liespapers.
My first reaction was sympathy on the grounds that pregnancy can be a really stressful time for a woman – but I think that might be a conditioned response 🙂
Second reaction was that pregnancy is no defence against benefit sanctions, prosecution, imprisonment, redundancy or sundry other massively bigger stresses that society doles out to less privileged people, women and men.
If her pregnancy is so tenuous that a no confidence vote would be too much for her she’s clearly in danger and should resign for the sake of the baby.
If she’s not in that much danger then she’s playing sick for sympathy like a child whining to skip school on maths test day and she deserves deselection on that basis alone.
We need to dump ALL our useless, whinging PLP pussies whatever their gender and pick more torybashers like Laura Pidcock for candidates.
The Guardian hasn’t caught up with the truth yet!
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/03/labour-mp-faces-deselection-threat-over-chris-williamson-criticism-ellie-reeves
As a swiss citizen i have to admit that this level of entitlement from MPs is abdolutly shocking and so sad. I mean, comon, is that democracy? Look at them, poor little priviledge sheeps, crying every time the people want to have a say about who represents them.
As far as I’m concerned signing Watson’s letter was equivalent to a request for deselection. I can’t see what being pregnant has to do with anything unless one believes the sexist trope that pregnant women are unable to act rationally. Reeves is part of the latest coup against the leadership and that should be basis enough for members to reasonably demand a trigger ballot.
I see that Jonathan Ashworth has defended her.
Now, If I remember correctly, he was on the Daily Politics show when they had that photoshopped poster of Corbyn and Osama bin Laden.
In the same edition, the BBC repeated that, by then discredited, misrepresentation of Corbyn’s views on ‘shoot to kill’. Do you remember where his answer to one question was presented as if it was an answer to a different question?
Now, here’s a funny thing: I don’t remember Ashworth defending Corbyn then (or at any other time, come to think of it).
I certainly hope that Corbyn does nothing to help save Ashworth from possible de-selection.
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2017/06/06/bbc-photoshops-corbyn-next-terrorist-broadcasts-image-right-election-image/
I am missing something here .?What’s wrong with deselecting a
Sly mp or any other because they are pregnant !She has not contributed at all in electing a Labour government,very much the opposite.Sorry but I am more worried regarding the vulnerable people and theNHS than the fate of one traitor.What about some Intervention from HQ in the fit up job on Chris Williamson and the destroying of chris and is family if this lot get away with trial by media and Watson’s treacherous fanatics.get him thrown out of parliament?
Nail on head, Joseph.
The left are appearing to be too shit scared to even challenge decisions against those that want to see the back of them.
Hiding behind a pregnancy is just the pits; but par for the(ir) course.
I agree that hiding behind pregnancy is the pits. It seems to me Ellie behaved in a way her CLP found totally unacceptable then cried – you can’t deselect me I’m pregnant. The MSM were the notified and took up and embellished the story. It would have developed into a full scale totally unjustified attack on the party and the leadership. They would have added misogyny to the list of smears against us.
We have got to use our heads here. The MSM and the Labour in Name Only MPs in the PLP are out to sink the party. We can’t allow ourselves the luxury of an appropriate response in every case.We have to look at the situation in the round and not play into the hands of these saboteurs.
Re “We can’t allow ourselves the luxury in every case …”That’s my gut feeling too Smartboy. It’s about weighing up what it will cost against the outcome. If I was going to risk more bad publicity for the LP (when is it ever not a risk) I’d rather be “bullying” Watson as the MSM will present it, than bullying a pregnant woman – better value for my money I reckon.
The trigger hasn’t been cancelled and can’t be blocked. Members have a right under the rules, if they can win a trigger vote in one in three branches.
A vote of no confidence has no force under Labour’s rules. This has been pulled.
Like
The raddled state of the media is a major issue. Ironically, there are two relevant articles in the Groan today that buck the trend – one by Monbiot detailng the plutocrat press campaign against land reform (actually an issue which duscussion on the left tends to neglect), and one by Chakrabarrty focussing on the gentle treatment of the Big Buffoon and the *unt in suddenly contradicting ten years of central Tory policy about ‘No Magic Money Tree’.
Both these articles underline the way in which the media serves particular interests.
Also point out is the fact that (anti) social media provides no effective counterbalance in its creation of a multitude of narratives operating in silos. There are good counter-narratives and information out there, and, like others, I try to point people in their direction – but amongst a welter of information drivel, it’s not easy for individuals to find the gold dust.
This site illustrates part of the problem – the converted arguing amongst themselves and focusing on scratching and complaining about the sores inflicted by the propaganda rather than finding a remedy.
I confess, I have no easy answers to countering the massive propaganda imbalance that this story illustrates – although I think that Labour could do better in terms of rebuttal …
… but, there again that presupposes not shooting itself in the foot, as has been the case over the ‘antisemitism’ scam.
This appeasement has to stop! If a CLP wants to move a no-confidence motion, they should be allowed, indeed encouraged to do so. Any MP or PPC should welcome the chance to demonstrate they have thesupport of their CLP, and if they don’t they should go, just resign.
Ps sorry about the misspelling ,full stops commers and punctuation,old man crappy computer and maybe self medication?
I am more concerned with content than I am with spelling and punctuation Joseph.Any deficiencies with either in your posts does not stop your meaning coming across loud and clear; more power to your typing fingers.
Thanks for the support I sometimes wonder why I do not get much criticism for my typing,but thankyou john ,and thankyou all for your patiance !…….
None of this makes sense.
What is Skwawkie NOT telling us?
A concerted effort in Derby North to deselect Chris Williamson by unions and local branches is fine, but a single member having an opinion in Lewisham is outrageous? Consistency is not the anti-Corbyn brigade ‘s strong point.
This MP thoroughly deserves to be deselected. No doubt the the ‘potential’ proposer was overjoyed to be told that the very thought of a challenge had triggered LOTO staff to have a friendly word with the chair: “So she’s part of the right-wing Watson coup, but she is pregnant! What more of a reason does a gentleman need?” Is this another one of the suggestions from the Democracy Review?
Ellie Reeves MP signs a letter advocating action against Chris Williamson MP but when a LP member offers a motion to criticise her she bleats to loto for help and then the member is put under pressure (?) to withdraw the motion. So being pregnant didn’t stop her being politically active against CW and signing the letter but she wants it used as mitigation to prevent similar actions against her ? Is she perchance a Blairite with this patent double standard ?
” being pregnant didn’t stop her being politically active against CW and signing the letter ”
Good point.
Some will use anything as cover behind which to commit all sorts of excrescence – as we well know from people like Hodge suddenly becoming aware of their Jewish ancestry.
Problem is that both pregnancy and Jewishness are also characterstics of those that are real victims. (Note the excess of Jewish LP members subjected to slander by the fakers).
Big like RH
Only yesterday Skwawk revealed the right was co-ordinating ways to prevent deselection. Looks like getting pregnant and crying to LOTO is their master plan. Tough on Watson.
As if Chris isn’t suffering big time from this. It seems lynching and coups are fine as long its not by the left
A year before the GE I attended the first National Momentum Conference in Birmingham (before the top down bourgeois socialists got control) and I argued (as Tony Benn had done in Chesterfield in 1983) that our best and perhaps ONLY HOPE was to get Jeremy out there direct to the people, the rest is history!
But Labour just failed to get over the line because I would argue 100 or so Labour MPs had spent the year before slagging off the Leader in public.
Most of the culprits I would suggest recently signed the open letter re CW (with perhaps the addition of a few newer political lightweights) AND THEY PUT THIS INDIVIDUAL CASE INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN!
But I understand the GS of Labour sent a letter the other month saying members should not discuss individual cases but it seems members who happen to be MPs or Peers think they are above such rulings?
As some may be working out their victim narratives as we speak some of us do remember the verbal and mental domestic violence in the past against the Labour Leader from some Labour MPs.
Think it’s time to reel the politcal hypocrites in and to demand the NEC disciplines the 118.
Left wing democratic socialists should stand by left wing democratic socialists.
Bazza very informative and spot on.By discussion and argument we can and do learn from these sites.Your veiws like many on here are always informative and help in the foot slogging campaigning in all sorts of ways.The reason I mention this is because some have questioned the point of the comments we make!and the repitition of singing from the same hymsheet.I am now elderly and even I can learn a few new tricks despite a life time of campaigning and political involvement abroad and the UK.So to everyone reading this ,information and knowledge are vital for all of us to help to elect the first socialist government in history of the Labour party.And the traitors have never been socialist and never will be,but be sure of this none of us are wasting time in commenting on here!…..thanks to all on here and squawky!
The Evening Standard:
Row over ‘bullying’ of pregnant Labour MP Ellie Reeves rocks party
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/row-over-bullying-of-pregnant-labour-mp-ellie-reeves-rocks-party-a4181316.html
After what happened with Luciana Berger and the negative media coverage, you would have thought they – whoever they are – would know better. But then maybe that’s the point – ie WHO was it, a JC supporter or a JC enemy.
Truly sickening behavior there by Watson and Harman. No surprise though. Quite happy to bully Williamson.
Harman now poses as the defender of pregnant women/women with children. But some of us have longer memories:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/politics-labour-revolt-threatened-over-cut-in-lone-parent-benefit-1295262.html
Nice one Tony that’s one middle liberal skewered.
Just need to get the rest of the Right Wing mob who are ganging up to bully and vilify a decent Socialist in Chris Williamson – it must be hell now for Chris and his family being labelled racist.
In my view he would make a fine Deputy Leader.
Oh and was it grotesque Watson who labelled a seriously ill Tory former Minister as “being close to evil’ and who perhaps died feeling his reputation was in ruins but the Political Creep Watson had to apologise to the Commons after said now deceased Tory was exonerated.
These are the Right Wing Barbarians you are up against.
The want their cosy club back, to have enjoyable careers whilst only needing to toss the odd crumb to working people and securing cushy consultancies on tetirement but history has passed the ‘Great Men and Women of History’ (without an original idea in the heads) by and their mediocrity will herald in The Strange Death of Right Wing Labour in Scotland, England and Wales.
“Only the stars will ride the storm.”
Tony’s link – like
Bazza’s comment like
Quite frankly allan its a case of hobsons choice and I personally see no problem of deselection of an mp because she is damaging the Labour party and brings the whole party into disrepute.Pregnancy does not come into it ,no one is trying to pinch her job because she is pregnant!We fight back or perish,… …SIMPLE!
Agreed Joseph, but it would never-the-less be interesting to know who submitted the motion, and WHO contacted the media about it as well.
I wonder what was said to the mover of the motion to get them to withdraw it. ‘Oh she’s pregnant, that looks bad, bla bla’ So pregnancy gives immunity for MPs who support activities that are damaging to the fight against austerity and the party. She was able to take the actions she did while pregnant, she should therefor expect to be held to account. So many pregnant women are suffering from cuts under this government, while Blairites sat on their hands when it came to votes in parliament re the cuts, and they’ll carry on doing so.
It has just occurred to me that it could be a ‘false flag’ operation deliberately designed to produce a hostile story. It is possible.
Your comment hits the nail squarely; Once you move into Blair’s Labour you are more worried about the optics and how it looks to the Daily Fail/Excresence demographic (a.k.a ‘The Middle Ground’ (No Irony Intended )) than the fact that thousands of individuals without a democratic voice are being shafted while needing Socialist Democratic Labour to fight for their needs, and the party continues to bury it’s head in byzantine internal conflict.
If you treated pregnant women as though they were sick and infirmed they would rightly be furious, so why is it suddenly acceptable for an MP to hide behind this when being confronted with her odious signing of the in support of Watson’s attack on Chris Williamson?
Letter
Hah!!! They are quick to condemn him when they wrongly accuse him of interfering in disciplinary cases. I am shocked – that means that MPs can avoid democracy by intimidating their leader and get anyone they do not want thrown out inspite of having been through a fair disciplinary hearing. Are we doomed to see another vote of no confidnce in Corbyn then?
We need more like you carlene……..plain common sense approach to a disruptive arrogant mp who needs to find a welcome in the tory party!
As Skawky has pointed out:
1. “The trigger hasn’t been cancelled and can’t be blocked…”
2. “A vote of no confidence has no force under Labour’s rules…”
Let’s hope the CLP branches will go straight for deselection without the ‘nicety’ of no confidence motion.
A lot of good points have been made about the hypocrisy of pregnancy being cited as a defence of venality.
But, all that said, and given the bias of the campaign in the media, I would again make the point that the Party has to do much better in countering the flying shit.
Part of the problem is the lack of will to do other than roll over in the face of the assault – but something could be achieved if those speaking on behalf of the Party were better equipped to go on the attack than starting evry response with ‘Sooorreeee …”.
Well RH we are most definitely in agreement on a professional dealing with the media and a properly run rebuttal system.What a difference a day makes,so the song says!
Ellie Reeves MP is the wife of John Cryer MP (Chair of the PLP) and sister to Rachel Reeves MP….