Senior Labour body may block some MPs from standing again under Labour banner
Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) is examining a radical response to the threat that the party’s ‘trigger‘ process for allowing local members to decide whether to retain a sitting MP may be curtailed by the calling of a general election.
Under the party’s rules, even candidates duly selected by members must be endorsed by the NEC in order to be allowed to stand under the Labour banner.
And at their September meeting, NEC members will discuss the withdrawal of the NEC’s endorsement as Labour candidates from a number of right-wing MPs.
The criteria on which the names would be selected are not yet known – one member described the overall principle as ‘some of the worst offenders who persistently undermine the party, within the bounds of feasibility’ – and the NEC may yet vote not to pursue this course.
However, with a left majority among its members, the step is definitely a concrete possibility and would be a significant boost to the morale of grassroots activists if they are unable to complete the trigger process across the board because of a snap election.
The next NEC meeting is currently scheduled for 17 September, but may be brought forward if a general election is called. Rumours this week that the party had already canned the trigger process were false – but with an election imminent, Labour members who wish to make their own decision about who represents them need to pursue their local officers to arrange rapid trigger meetings.
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It’s vital to get rid of the useless dinosaur MPs, they will vote with the Tories if Labour win the next election.
We all know its too late now,and it always was when conference decisions reverted back to the status quo!.This year better not be a repeat performance of awfull decissions that the membership will not stomach…..Lansmans momentum approved candidates…..? What happened there?…I am sure most member are getting weary of this shit show?….I certainly am!
Are you suggesting that our self selected golden boy might be acting in his own best interests? Perish the thought he’s just an altruistic teddy bear. I trust hi…..m. Best wishes.
Labour First are suggesting that the cut-off point for people wishing to express their desire to be adopted as Labour candidates is 1700h tomorrow 6th September.
https://labour.org.uk/activist-hub/governance-and-legal-hub/selections/
Jennie Formby emailed members to that effect on Wednesday.
I didn’t get that, did it get sent to Welsh members?
Sorry Florence, I don’t know that.
Not sure I trust the NEC to endorse the right people. With Lansman on the NEC and the recent shenanigans around Chris Williams I am worried.
I share your reservations. The NEC/NCC doesn’t have a great record of judgment and impartiality on several fronts – on Chris Williamson and sundry other non-MP victims in particular and the whole antisemitism issue in general. Then there’s the on-going damage of the Hallam non-selection etc.
Many of us didn’t hang on through the parachuting of the Blair years to see it continuation (or reverse-parachuting!) now.
On the other hand ….
How have we reached this low point?(Scratches head) There must be an answer but it’s all too devious for me. Ah well, its back to bingo at the day centre for me. No, sorry it’s been closed down. Let’s put this right, the working classes will be under more severe attack when we have to rectify the recession. Pip Pip.
Please tell Emily Thornberry this! She has just been a disaster of QT saying that she would back remain straight, not a good deal with the EU. She wants Jeremy to lose the GE?
Sarah
Policy will be Labour brino v No Brexit after a GE,
Party members will be given freedom to campaign as they see fit,
Cindy
If it was TWatson on the hit list how would you feel, this sounds to good to be true
Thornberry has been endorsed by her CLP. End of.
Unless Chris Williamson’s disciplinary is held immediately there is a danger he will be ruled out as a candidate by default, or is that the plan? Thornberry on QT was ridiculous. She’ll negotiate the best possible deal with the EU then when its put to a peoples’ vote urge everyone to vote against it.
The time these so-called ‘cases’ take to be resolved is flagrantly factional when the evidence so clearly shows the accused’s innocence.
In Chris’ situation the complaint would have been dismissed and the complainant ejected with a steel toecap inside an hour by anyone with half a clue what a clue looks like.
Shockingly there’s nobody on the NEC or NCC who fits that description – they’re clearly all drunk, congenitally stupid, rendered stupid by prescription medication or in some Mandelvellian ex-grandee’s pocket.
Sadly in Labour’s case the wheels of justice grind hardly at all.
Would anyone bet against every defrocked Tory being reinstated the moment the election’s called – or against Labour’s suspendistas being left dangling?
I agree with you. It relies on who is on the NEC the power could be abused.
I would be delighted if Phillips was replaced as a candidate for the next GE. Her performance yesterday was yet again another absolute disgrace. Rather than laying in to the worst Tory PM in memory she chose to have a go at Labour’s front bench. I am sure that there are hundreds of far better and more loyal candidates than her who would serve as very good Labour MPs.
A bit late getting a Comment in here, but all I can say to this is I’ll believe it when I see it.
Most of the issues the Party is now suffering could have been resolved via Open Selection & OMOV – that was denied us one year ago, despite a large, coordinated grassroots effort to democratise the Party – to be honest, I’m still smarting from the imposition of the IHRA (All of it) and the OS stitch-up.
Really hope so and John Mann beware, you’re a prime candidate for this? Couldn’t believe what I was hearing from him yesterday absolutely shocking comments. Jeremy Corbyn has played a major part in the Tories demise and this wretch is calling for him to resign.
I agree that Mann is a litmus test. If he is endorsed after his continual Tory-supporting comments and actions, the process is a farce.
Well, if true it will demonstrate beyond doubt that democracy truly is moribund within the party – unless it’s to elect NEC members.
So much for steve h being terrified that no 2nd ref would piss off 70% of ordinary members… Like I always said – It was never their decision anyway. It’s already pissed off hundreds of thousands of would-be labour voters in marginals up & down the nation, though.
This will (or should if there’s any go in it) ‘piss off’ far more than his 70%. Those it doesn’t don’t belong in any party professing to be democratic.
And as Christopher Rogers rightly says above, nor was was that IHRA business and the open selection ‘putsch’. Both – along with the 2nd ref/remain option – were a result of being steamrollered through without a general accord.
HOLD THE PHONE…
I’VE READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THE THREAD ENTIRELY WRONG.
THOUGHT IT SAID: ‘HAVE THREATENED THE PARTY’S TRIGGER PROCESS’
MY BAD….FIRE AWAY, I DESERVE IT.
I no longer expect justice or any form of lodjical behaviour from a thoroughly descredited NEC and NCC…..How sad is that?
You are not alone. How a character such as Mann can carry on betraying not only the Party but the millions who find each day a struggle with impunity is beyond me. This is the time to take the gloves off and slipping a horseshoe into it. It’s becoming more complicated now that we have Her Madge’s disloyal opposition to add to the loyal opposition, tingers and helium heads everywhere. Let’s have it! Regards
Not a good idea. The NEC under Blair could have done this to Corbyn and co.
Better to delay the election until CLPs have chosen whether or not to replace their MP.
And goodness me, some of them do need to be challenged such as the members of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee who helped Trump and Bolton to destroy the INF missile treaty.
The 5 Labour members who supported Trump and Bolton are:
Madeleine Moon (Bridgend)
Ruth Smeeth (Stoke North)
John Spellar (Warley)
Graham Jones (Hyndburn)
Phil Wilson (Sedgefield)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/what-facts-how-politics-trumped-intel-in-nuke-treaty-pullout/
Well done for drawing attention to this Tony.
Tony – I don’t know about the feasibility of holding off until CLPs can complete the selection process, but contrary to some popular wisdom, there is really no need to rush to a general election from a Labour point of view if the object is to win rather than posture.
Johnson is – despite this week – still surfing a tide of early bullshit, and there are plenty of duggies around who will swallow it. Labour needs to focus on preparation and laying traps for the King of Bullshit and Bluster whilst he slowly loses his lustre and more of the truth cuts through.
I agree.
A successful Labour government is more important than a Labour government. I think a later election would be more likely to deliver that outcome.
Would be better if the rank and file did this with trigger ballots and more open selections so we do this as the Pet Shop Boys song ‘Go West’ goes TOGETHER!
But not against this just in case the grassroots revolution hasn’t the time to democratically pick left wing democratic socialists who back JC 100%!
If we can get JC in, brothers and sisters we could live through more exciting times than Labour’s victory in 1945.
But my greatest fear is the dream will be sold out by 30-40 Right Wing Labour MPs .
Time to select 350 Left Wing Democratic Socialist PPCs, let democracy take its course.
“And history will record: we did it together!”
Solidarity!
I know we are doing positive electioneering,so.I’m F……g drowning under all this Tory bull….t…….is that positive enough?
Diana Johnson has become the first Labour MP in this round of trigger ballots to be facing a full selection process, after local members in four (out of ten) branches of Kingston upon Hull North Constituency Labour Party voted for one.
https://labourlist.org/2019/09/diana-johnson-becomes-first-labour-mp-to-be-triggered/
Interesting to see there is a low key save Johnson murmur within the MSM. Why? I had never heard of her before this.
Surely if you’d never heard of her before this then you are not really qualified to pass judgement either way. The full membership of her CLP (the one’s best qualified to decide) will get the opportunity to vote on this soon.
And where, pray, have I?
Ah, I’ve just seen she’s a member of LFI. As for the rest of the ST story I do not believe it.
I’ve yet to see any promised signs that the left now controls the NEC. The witch-hunt continues just the same.