‘Thuggish’ quitter MP Ian Austin gets impressively roasted by former colleagues – but can’t resist making threat
Comment
Quitter Ian Austin has been called ‘thuggish’ for his behaviour in the House of Commons and toward Labour employees and is considered by many to be among the least likeable of MPs – he has even launched what Michael Rosen called a ‘full frontal assault’ on the Jewish author when Rosen was a guest assisting a parliamentary committee.
So it was little surprise when Austin, who considers Margaret Thatcher a hero, used a speech that was supposed to be on whether the government will obey the rule of law – to instead launch yet another dreary attack on Labour’s leadership.
But Austin – who routinely inflicts himself on his former colleagues by insisting on sitting on the Labour benches in spite of having no standing with the party – might not have reckoned with the intensity of dislike and outrage directed at him as he droned on from colleagues across the Labour benches.
And most impressively by Heywood and Middleton MP Liz McInnes, who was seated directly behind him and spent his speech bravely telling him what a disgrace he is and asking him why he doesn’t go and sit ‘over there’ – among the Tories:
McInnes was admirably assisted by numerous colleagues, who challenged Austin why he doesn’t give Dudley voters their say in a by-election and told him to cross the floor.
But the ‘thuggish’ MP couldn’t resist adding a threat to his droning, turning to point at Ms McInnes and vowing, “I’ll tell the Hon Lady this, I’m going to make absolutely certain that she’s going to have to answer to her voters“.
It was a bullying but empty threat, as blowhard MPs in Dudley have no say over what Heywood and Middleton voters do – but Liz McInnes deserves applause for her courage in telling it to Austin like it is.
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