Low branch turn-out allows Watson through
Tom Watson has survived tonight’s ‘trigger’ vote, with a very low turn-out voting to retain him as members unaligned with Watson stayed away.
A further five branches in his constituency have yet to vote, but locals report that a huge amount of persuasion and pressure has been applied by Watson and his supporters – perhaps partly explaining Watson’s recent relative invisibility – and it seems to have been effective in dissuading opponents from organising against him.
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What a bloody joke. I am fuming.
Dear God WT@*#£?!!F!
Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?
Thus proving that the “system ” is sh it . We need to somehow get mandatory re-selection or there will never be a truly Democratic Socialist Labour Party and Govt.
We await the onslaught of TWatson who will no doubt now be re-invigorated to destroy our Party with false AS and any other weapon he chooses to use .
Without knowing more of the details of why the CLP membership “stayed away” and wishing to give them the benefit of the doubt but I feel deeply disappointed at their performance tonight .
It will make things almost impossible I fear for JC and the top team to function should we win an election with this twat still in office
A further prediction , but I fear that Chris Williamson will loose his case ( conveniently ) and will be out , sorry to be so doom laden , but we just seem unable to get things done as a membership to rid the Party of those that would seek to do us harm with their Neoliberal tory lite actions .
And if Harman gets to sit in Bercows chair then I think JC and Labour is really fxxxed .
Has harman been touted? ‘kinell…Please make it stop! 😟
Bar her dullard of a husband** (More rodent than man anyway) I doubt ANY male MP’d be allowed to get a word in edgeways.
**And that’d only be to read back the shopping list or ask her what she wants for tea.
PS would she have to change her name to Harman-Kardon to avoid copyright issues?
(One for the tech afficionados, there)
Damn damn damn
mandatory re-selection necessary
accountability is necessary
being a candidate for labour is a privilege not a right for the chosen few!
WTF? There is no amount of pressure that would stop me or anyone I know from voting to get rid of him
I think the same, but maybe with a GE on the horizon they’ve been told to bite the bullet. I can’t think of any other explanation. That or there is genuine skulduggery going on.
Don’t forget, Watson is a Zionist and it’s much easier to get rid of anti-Zionists in the present Labour Party, than get rid of Zionists. In fact, the ‘management’ of the party will assist in getting rid of anti-Zionists, particularly if they are Jews who speak out against Israel’s brutality towards Palestinians.
“I think the same, but maybe with a GE on the horizon they’ve been told to bite the bullet.”
I reckon that’s a rational analysis – the Party organisation also will have backed Watson.
It’s also a reminder that what is written here isn’t the whole story of the Labour Party.
“Persuasion” might be OK or not, depending on whether anything was offered in return for voting for him or withheld for not doing so – but I can’t think of anything acceptable fitting the description of “pressure.”
I’m sure there’d have to be specifics rather than just general reports like “huge amount of persuasion and pressure” to challenge the result.
Reading the other comments – in this case the failure seems to be not getting the vote out. The system was there to be used.
If there’s been manipulation by officers to prevent members getting messages or denying ‘anti’s’ entry to the meeting that needs following up but if it’s just members’ unstated, generalised fear of being persecuted by Watson’s party machine that’s a hard thing to prove or quantify.
This sort of illustrates why I’m not a fan of local politics.
Can anyone imagine trusting the vote in a general election to be counted in the incumbent’s constituency office by his office staff?
That’s more or less what’s going on here.
I know voting by show of hands is popular in Labour – I’d hope a deselection vote would never be held that way but if it was we should insist it be re-run as a secret ballot if there was a sniff of bullying, as possibly implied by “pressure.”
Votes on anything where pressure could be a factor ought to be by secret ballot if they’re not.
And another thing – The Green Mile’s a good film but i think this is about the fourth night in a row it’s been on? I don’t pay my Freeview bill to watch the same damn film every night.
Can we add “fewer repeats” to the manifesto please?
Apparently 14 ( fourteen FFS ) people voted . Friends, employees and relatives . What was it , a meeting in his house !!
“I know voting by show of hands is popular in Labour – I’d hope a deselection vote would never be held that way but if it was we should insist it be re-run as a secret ballot if there was a sniff of bullying, as possibly implied by “pressure.””
Using a show of hands is pressure… the pressure to conform to the group is an underestimated mechanism that affects some even perhaps more than enough to skew the result and for people to vote contrary to their independent opinion. I agree with much of your comments in this series of yours.
I know secret paper ballots are time consuming and open to interference but a show of hands is at best and indication. I’m not a fan of electronic voting on important issues either… who knows how they can be covertly manipulated.
Did they know it was a trigger meeting, were they informed beforehand?
Absolute joke, I never supported the stitch up from last September, the incumbent and their anti-democratic officers hold sway – probably most of the CLP membership had no idea that a Trigger Ballot was on the agenda.
If, the Party cannot accept Open Selection then its composition remains as it is today, which means a majority of the PLP opposed to Corbyn – so, just think, if Labour win a GE under JC they can then turn around and dump him and dump any Manifesto they were elected to uphold – that ain’t democracy, its tyranny.
The incumbent, if not a complete twat to everyone, has a massive advantage. “Holding sway” over some easily impressed name dropper types might take as little as a handshake or an acknowledgement in the street from their MP, agent, CLP chair etc.
Exactly – and that’s before you get to any actual conspiracy.
It would be interesting to get more detail about what has happened.
Where the right have spent masses of energy keeping a cabal going, members post Corbyn tend not to become active as who has the time and energy to sit through hours of business and procedure. It takes many committed individuals to create change with a precursor to that change being effected once a CLP becomes “All member meetings” as opposed to “Delegate meetings” which deter members being engaged as they don’t have a vote.
The CLP that leaves Watson in charge will forever leave a bad smell….
How did the vote of Neil Coyle go? If he wins too then it looks like the change of rules has been useless.
Coyle stays, can’t understand what’s happening.
One wonders if, like Watson, Coyle is also a Zionist?
What’s happening Teresa is exactly what most of those pushing Open Selection knew would happen, namely underhand skullduggery from Rightists opposed to change and democracy within the Labour Party, which is why, honest mandatory re-selection via OMOV was always the route to go.
I really don’t care now how people wish to spin it, but the fact remains we’ve had four years to try and change the Party via democratic means and have failed. Further, how anyone really believes Corbyn can deliver a radical, transformative government with at least 100 vipers within the PLP is delusional and the intent of the traitors is quite clear, namely, stop a Corbyn government, or depose Corbyn once he secures a national mandate which these scum can never deliver.
Just look at Tom Watson for gods sake, absolutely vomit inducing stuff.
FFS what are they thinking! It’s only the membership that can get rid of the RW wreckers that still masquerade as Socialist MPs.
TWatson has to go!
Just for the record (re the press coverage of events last week):
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/floppy-johnson-and-corbyn-the-dangerous-chicken-a-british-media-view-of-brexit-1.4008779
The Sun Says – ie their balanced and impartial account of events last week (forgive me if I post it in full):
FOR two years Labour has goaded the Tories into calling an election. Now, incredibly, the wretched, snivelling coward Corbyn runs away from one.
Every day he and his arrogant Marxist mob sneered “Bring it on!” Until the moment they were finally offered the chance to stand before the electorate.
Corbyn and his greasy sidekick Keir Starmer have concocted wafer-thin excuses for this monstrous U-turn. The public won’t buy them.
Boris Johnson has reluctantly accepted that voters must now decide whether to go ahead with Brexit, deal or No Deal, on October 31.
Or whether Labour and treacherous ex-Tories should be able to enforce an aimless further delay, condemning an exhausted public to more bitter division and costly uncertainty.
Labour isn’t as scared of No Deal as it is of a ballot-box reckoning. Mainly for its MPs in Leave marginals, faced now with campaigning for Remain. Labour no longer respects the 17.4million Brexit voters it has betrayed. But they have to face them in the end. Why not now?
If Corbyn truly believed he was a shoo-in for No10 he would bite Boris’s hand off for the chance to snatch the keys. But his ratings are at historic lows.
He feebly tries to claim the PM wants “to avoid scrutiny”. But Boris is literally inviting it from voters. Corbyn is chicken.
Labour knows its Brexit “policy” — “we’ll negotiate a new deal, then campaign against it” — is comically ridiculous. It knows it is grievously wounded by its anti-Jewish racism, its ruinous economic policies, its fondness for tyrants and terrorists and its idolising of collapsed Latin American dictatorships.
It fears Boris’s Brexit-backing Tories, no matter how weak they now appear.
Corbyn was always an unpleasant dimwit and a liar. Turns out he is a bottler too.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9858895/jeremy-corbyn-chicken-no-deal-boris-johnson-crunch-vote/#comments
Goebbels would have been very impressed!
In the abhorrent Sun Says piece above it says that ‘Labour isn’t as scared of No Deal as it is of a ballot-box reckoning’, but they omit to mention the fact that Boris Johnson isn’t trusted to not change the date of an election etc, and know that the vast majority of their readers will not be aware that that is why Labour abstained from voting in favour of having a general election in October. But whilst the polls in the week or two PRIOR to the Sun Says piece generally had the Tories around 10 points ahead of Labour, the Sun is well aware of course that when May called a snap election in 2017, the Tories were TWENTY points ahead of Labour AND Jeremy and the LP voted FOR a general election (thus attaining the two-thirds majority required).
And ignoring the recent absurd yougov poll, the last few polls have the Tories just 3 or 4 points ahead of Labour, and the most recent poll (at the time of writing) has the Tories just ONE point ahead of Labour. Could it be there are some chickens coming home to roost!:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_United_Kingdom_general_election
PS And if the polls continue to give the Tories just a few points lead in the coming weeks and months, I wonder if BJ will be so keen to call a GE then!
That said BJ (and his backers) called for a GE knowing full well that Jeremy and the LP WOULDN’T vote for it, and that of course is the reason why he/they did it, so that THEY and their fascist media chums could then vilify and attack JC for not voting for one. In other words, he/they DID so knowing that there was no chance whatsoever that there WOULD be a GE (that he/they could potentially lose).
PS I’m hoping that this will appear just under my 6.12am post…….
We know as Labour party members we have a long and more difficult fight to democratize the Labour party…..the Watson result shows it.On other news the worlds most powerful warmonger john BOLTON has been kicked out of the Whitehouse…..Lets hope this gives Venezuela some breathing space to deal with the right wing traitors.Unlike us they are sorting out their right wing…..and closing down the CIA money link…
My wish is that at this years conference we do not give way or stand aside with anymore right wing manipulation.Also beware!The Israeli lobby will stage violent protests supported by Watson and the usual suspects…..And protect Corbyn….He needs 24hr security incase he has an accident……you know how it works?
I just came across the following headline of an article (posted on May 13th) on the Sky News website, which is a perfect example of corrupt ‘journalism’. The headline goes as follows:
Julian Assange’s lawyer attacks Sweden for reopening rape investigation
But when you then read the article you discover that his lawyer did no such thing! I remember some months back when Tom Watson was trying to interfere in Labour’s disciplinary process and Jennie Formby wrote him a stern letter about it, and I just happened to be watching a bit of Sky News the next morning (which I rarely do) to see what THEY were saying about it, and yes, they had it as ‘Jennie Formby attacks Tom Watson’ etc, etc. But I assume they must have had a lot of complaints about the use of the word ‘attacks’, because when I happened to check back an hour or two later they were now saying that she has ‘criticised’ Tom Watson etc. But in the meantime of course, tens of thousands – probably MORE – will only have heard the ‘attacks’ line. It’s not news/journalism of course, just black propaganda!
https://news.sky.com/story/julian-assanges-lawyer-attacks-sweden-for-reopening-rape-investigation-11719039
Afterthought: And note that they don’t have it as Julian’s lawyer attacks Swedish prosecutor, but that he attacks ‘SWEDEN’!
Anyway, here’s some REAL journalism (albeit from May 2017) by Craig Murray if you haven’t read it before, although the Great News he refers to initially has since been turned on its head. And DO read Julian’s written statement (if you haven’t done so before) which it links to in the article:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/05/no-rape-charges-julian-assange-sweden-espionage-charges-julian-assange-usa/
I’m not surprised.. Watson is the epitomy of the current LP and the party deserves him, after all it voted for him.
Maria…..We were deliberetly mislead and lied to…..The last time I voted was for conference organizer,I telephoned the candidates that had a telephone and asked….What do you think of Corbyn…only one gave me the right answer.I was one of the clowns that voted for watson….Never again will I believe any of them…..!And I am sure that games were played last night by Watson….if not maybe I and a few hundred thousand members are in the wrong party?……Watson cheated and was paid to do it by the Israeli lobby!
I don’t buy your accusation against Watson and think you should be careful making such claims.
Watson is behaving in ways that get the results he wants like most LP MPs have been doing for years in state and corporate media and in Parliament. All MPs are influenced by overt and covert lobbying (in or outside the party) and the promise of future gains whether personal or ideological.
Maria , your defence of TWatson is imo misplaced there are many multiple cases of his utter deceitfulness not least the lie to all the membership of support for Corbyn in order to get elected .His backers are well documented including his connections with the Israeli lobby LFOI and of course Mr Max Moseley. I can’t be bothered to list all the other actions he has taken that have undermined Corbyn and damaged Labour there are too many but the issue is one of trust and integrity and TWatson has neither .
Contrast with Corbyn ,who has more than his fair share of lobbyists and pressures, however, unlike TWatson , he is honest and cannot be bought , I hope you understand the difference .
It’s that f.ing razor again. Bloody Occam. – the curse of conspiracies. He cuts their throats.
Watson doesn’t have to be *paid* by the Israel lobby to do what he does.
“Maria , your defence of TWatson is imo misplaced…”
ROFL… is that really how you interpret my comment? Oh dear, just goes to show my point… always the fault of someone else not LP and it’s MPs and structures.
Maria: I think just about everyone on the left who voted for him has long since realised how devious and deceitful and duplicitous he is, and that he used those very ‘qualities’ to dupe and deceive and mislead them. The point being that had they known then what they know now, they wouldn’t have voted for him of course, so I think it’s unfair and misplaced to say they deserve him.
Maria , it is difficult to interpret your point in much any other way .
“I don’t buy your accusation against Watson and think you should be careful making such claims.” .
Well the fact is that Twatson is a supporter of LFOI and has accepted a large donation from Max Moseley , thus these are facts and not the fault of anyone other than watson.
Perhaps you could elucidate how you see the structures changing to suit your requirements , I am of an open mind and genuinely interested .
If you look at my subsequent post below it is implicit there ,that I do indeed criticise the Party , that allows just 2 individuals to block the wishes of so many of the CLPs at Conference for mandatory reselection .
My point is that you appear to normalise the behaviour of watson and other destructive MPs in the party with the statement
“Watson is behaving in ways that get the results he wants like most LP MPs have been doing for years in state and corporate media and in Parliament. ”
This is the very problem that so many voters and citizens have with the majority of our MPs ,, that are not trustworthy . Corbyn is , and that is the difference, and the standard that we should be pushing all our MPs in Labour to adopt .Thus my disappointment with watsons CLPs vote last night.
Perhaps we can agree on that ?
“Maria , it is difficult to interpret your point in much any other way .”
Erm, I am not 100% sure what constitutes slander, defamation etc. but making such overt accusations can be dangerous and should be avoided. Am I not allowed to offer words of caution to people who are angry?
Israel is an integral part of the so called western centric bloc(k) ie. those who support the continued exploitation, aggression and vicious coercion to adopt ‘western values and culture’ against the non compliant world to benefit the western bloc(k). Watson is a supporter of this ideology and actions along with most LP MPs. Supporting Israel is integral to supporting modern western imperialism/colonialism in my view so I am not surprised so many British/UK MPs are closely allied with pro Israel individuals and entities, Britain/UK has centuries of imperial/colonial culture, indoctrination and experience and exceptionalism in various forms can be found across the political spectrum.
Watson schemed against Blair IIRC so LP knows what he is like and how he schemes behind the scenes with parties/persons with the same agenda, most within and closely associated with the party.
Perhaps structures was the wrong word or I didn’t qualify enough… undemocratic structures that are coopted by factions whose interest is not democracy or change to benefit the majority but more of the same.
I am not a member of LP and with MPs such as Watson and a slew of others I see little changing. Members have little real say and that isn’t changing much, in fact the MP who has campaigned the hardest for democracy in the party has been suspended and remains suspended… many who question Israeli policy have been chucked out. Lecture me all you like but LP is pro Israel despite what opinion of it and imperialism many members might hold.
Maria , you can offer all the caution and words you wish but to state facts as I have is not slander or liable
Now I did think , in the tone of your comments, that you are not a Labour Party member , perhaps you were , that does imo colour your comments somewhat , but nevertheless your comments do bear merit.
Keep in mind that you may feel that the LP is pro the Govt of Israel ( I certainly think Corbyn is not ) and that does not mean I am either .As for other members then I’d not tar then all with the same brush , just because they are LP members.
However I do agree with your statement
“Members have little real say and that isn’t changing much, in fact the MP who has campaigned the hardest for democracy in the party has been suspended and remains suspended… many who question Israeli policy have been chucked out”
And to that end I supported and continue to support Chris and other members such as Mark and Jackie whole heartedly.
My initial point still stands that Twatsons behaviour is not to be ” normalised or excused ” because it is what MPs do . It is to us who are members to continue to push them to change and I repeat my disappointment at watsons CLP for not doing so .
It will take effort and time but one has to be inside the tent to hope to effect change or perhaps you feel that a new alternative DS LP is the way forward ?
“Keep in mind that you may feel that the LP is pro the Govt of Israel ( I certainly think Corbyn is not ) and that does not mean I am either .As for other members then I’d not tar then all with the same brush , just because they are LP members.”
I was not tarring all LP members with the same brush just the party stance and majority of MPs and a proportion of members. To quote myself:-
“LP is pro Israel despite what opinion of it and imperialism many members might hold.”
Who knows what Corbyn believes anymore. I don’t believe he supports this Israeli Gov either but who knows these days, he keeps out of the fray on the most contentious issues. This is a democratic stance no doubt but LP isn’t democratic, MPs and executives along with other operators are calling the shots, not the members or constituents which many LP MPs (including Watson) are working against on the issue of Brexit for eg. I have no wish to discuss Brexit just giving an obvious example.
So all MPs who receive funding from ‘vested interests’ are working for those interests. Watson is far from alone if that is what you are saying and I do agree with that premise but they still work according to their own ideology and self interests. Stating that Watson is paid by the Israel lobby and giving examples is a world away from what was written by Joseph quote “Watson cheated and was paid to do it by the Israeli lobby!”
I am sure he and most MPs receive funding from many vested interests but in the end they all have the same end goal… nothing must change in any sphere (especially in foreign policy) just continue the march to increased oppression, silencing of dissenters and vicious and parasitic policies that continues the flow of wealth to vested interests and individuals out of the hands of the majority domestically and overseas.
Maria, before seeing your comment warning Joseph against accusing TW of being paid by Israel I’d intended to make the same point.
I think maybe some misconstrued your comment as defending the despicable Quisling.
Labour appears to have two leaders now
The thrust of the MSM certainly seems to have shifted in that direction.
The S*n piece Allan posted was the most shocking example I’ve seen of hate speech from a journalist.
One could reasonably argue such speech incites violence against a public figure.
Raising Watson is meant to diminish Corbyn – it’d be nice to hope the British public would see such vitriol for what it is but I’m not sure they’re much smarter than trees, to quote the lovely Philomena Cunk.
David…I have many friends and family living in Brighton I have lived there for a time in the 90s.The people are good and different being a Labour city now sorouded by a sea of blue literally and politically.My wife being a Brighton Jewish girl says that Corbyn must be careful for is own safety and members should be as well Peter Kyle and JLM under the stewardship of former hove mp ivor caplin have made an hostile environment for the leader and socialist Labour party members….Personally I would review the whole idea of having conference in Brighton after the reception Chris Williamson got and the suspected trouble I am expecting from so called moderates in Brighton.Incitement has been used by the people I have mentioned and hatred is the weapon of choice….very sad but true!
I refuse to read anything from the S(c)um , so didn’t look at that post on two counts . I’ve better things to do with my time .
Thanks Maria regarding my welfare!In my former life before retirement l was in a successful PLC that I founded.I have funded trips to the high court in the Strand,and dealt with lawyers barristers and Qcs and am well versed in the laws of libel and slander.Despite having a poor education,I am able to look after myself.If Tom Watson or anyone else wishes to bring me to acount they are welcome?but a trip round the mekong delta might be further than Tom Watson would like to hike….although I can probably offer him a bowl of rice for is trouble,thats if malaria or Dengue fever don’t get him first.I am an international member of the Labour party and pay double the subscription.I have served as a Labour councillor and I think that entitles me to voice my disgust regarding Watson and is dirty tricks and deals to subvert my Labour party and the membership,so again Maria thanks but I am old enough and wise enough to not want your advice!
Glad to hear you don’t need the likes of me being concerned for you. I wont forget that in future.
Maria….if you were giving me genuine advice for my welfare then I apologise,but to me it sounded like criticism of my realistic assessment of Tom and motivation which is greed and corruption and his bankrolling by the Israeli lobby..Obviously I am pleased that you agree with me…..Thankyou but I must get to bed now…old man etc. Hot and sticky here even with the fans..and course the mosquitos
Joseph, you probably have more litigation experience than me – I’m only 3 for 3 – but we both know there have been moves to hold social media sites responsible for content.
It wouldn’t be people like us commenting on SKWAWKBOX’s blog that the parasites want to harass into silence, but the blog itself.
Joseph, I was genuinely concerned about the wording you used. I bow to your legal knowledge and wont do so again when to me wording sounds a bit too close to the legal defamation/slander bone.
”locals report that a huge amount of persuasion and pressure has been applied by Watson and his supporters – perhaps partly explaining Watson’s recent relative invisibility – and it seems to have been effective in dissuading opponents from organising against him.”
Well in that case you’ve got to blame the spineless bastards that didn’t turn out to oppose him.
They had ONE job ffs. One.
What sort of ‘pressure’ were these people put under? ‘If you have me deselected I’ll getcha?’
Once he’s gone he’s f-all. A nonentity. Immaterial. All they had to do was rally against the fat twunt.
Sorry, but no. This sort of indolence and timidity is yet another reason people get the party they deserve. Nice one for lumbering the nation with the mother of all gobshites….And I include the current PM in that.
There will be in history two incidents I feel where we on the “Left” lost our dream of a DS Govt under Corbyn
1.The 2018 Conf where John Lansman and Len McCluskey destroyed the chance of the membership having Mandatory Reselection voted through by their pulling support for it ( cowards ) .
2. Last night with TWatsons CLP membership unable to resist so called pressure ( short of being murdered that would not stop me voting against someone ).
The die is now cast leaving in place a ring leader to orchestrate the removal of JC and our Leadership should we be lucky enough to win an election .
My only hope now is that a genuine honest Labour MP challenges him for DL , but with someone brave enough such as Chris Williamson already neutralised by TWatson that is very unlikely.
”My only hope now is that a genuine honest Labour MP challenges him for DL , but with someone brave enough such as Chris Williamson already neutralised by TWatson that is very unlikely.”
Williamson’d lose because of the ‘influence’ of certain factions, one (or perhaps more) of which fatboy slime belongs to.
TBH, bar Laura Pidcock – who’s too inexperienced for all this sort of shizz; and it’d be unfair to put it on her so soon – I doubt there’s anyone I’d trust anyway. I couldn’t think of anyone else off-the-cuff.
Then there was the news this morning saying cabinet members agree with watson (Yes that’s the oleaginous starmer and thornberry, be in no fucking doubt about it whatsoever) further undermining Corbyn.
But some wholeheartedly agree with that unholy trinity – yet they’ll come on here and complain about watson not being made to contest his seat…
And then wonder why I lose me rag.
I agree with your sentiments Toffee but at present the options now for getting rid of this little shit are small.
It’s not just watson the party needs shot of.
It’s the utter fuckwits what have encouraged him, also. They’re alright braying and calling for his head; they conveniently forget (But I haven’t and nor should anyone else) that it was their bleating over the party’s stance on brexit what gave him licence to act the twunt, then – and even more so, now.
You all seen ian austin with his ‘I’m here because my constituents voted for me to come here’ arrogance, the other day.
Fatboy slime’s gonna learn and take heart from that; safe in the knowledge that even if austin IS punted, it’s highly doubtful fatboy will be, now.
(For clarity)
**Austin’s punted from his seat – NOT the party.
BREAKING NEWS
Scottish High Court rules prorogation of parliament unlawfull
In a written ruling, the judges stated that the prime minister’s advice to the Queen to close the doors of Westminster until 14 October “was motivated by the improper purpose of stymieing parliament and that it, and what has followed from it, is unlawful.”
They said that the “true reason” for the prorogation was “to stymie parliamentary scrutiny of the executive, which was a central pillar of the good governance principle enshrined in the constitution”.
Standing back, there are probably a number of things going on here.
The assumption that Watson is seen in his constituency in the same way as here is a big assumption. There is often a local loyalty to a sitting MP. On top of that you can add central pressure to not ditch the Deputy Leader ahead of a general election.
Then there is the nature of the constituency. I don’t know it personally, but it has all the markers of a ‘conservative’ Labour seat – probably with a well-established old Labour hierarchy. The ‘left behind’ areas – such as much of the Birmingjham area are definitely *not* usuallly typified by radical socialism overall. The combination of a right-wing MP ‘Remain’ MP and a majority ‘Leave’ vote is consistent with this.It is mythology that ‘Leave’ voting constituencies are essentially radical.
Combine that with the influence of the propaganda press – which is a massively important drip feed – and it’s not all that surprising that Watson’s history hasn’t cut through.
It’s easy to find quite strong anti-Corbyn feeling in such constituencies, repeating common propaganda press lines.
All in all – perhaps an unsurprising result. The victory of Corbyn in leadership elections led to some misapprehensions about a changing Labour Party. There’s a way to go yet.
Yerse, and maybe a fair few of them that joined the LP and voted for him were Tories, as many Tory blogs were ‘half jokingly’ encouraging their readers to do at the time (and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Telegraph and the Times just happened to mention the fact – ie that it was mentioned by one or two of their columnists that right-wing blogs were ‘half-jokingly doing that) , the sentiment being that with Corbyn at the helm, Labour wouldn’t stand a chance of winning a GE and forming a government.
The trigger system makes it difficult for members to have a say unless they organise it all themselves and effectively become the enemies of the sitting MP. Things will never change much without a proper democratic endorsement process.
How difficult would it be to change the title of the role from Deputy Leader to something more meaningful?