Media and centrists focusing on supposed ‘Momentum’ action, with some even claiming ‘it was Momentum wot done it’
The horrified reaction of the Establishment to the thought of Labour abolishing its deputy leader position would be funny if it wasn’t so predictably nonsensical – can anyone say who the deputy leader of the Tory party is, if it even has one?
That misleading reaction has centred around the framing of the NEC’s decision to vote today on whether to abolish the position as a ‘Momentum’ manoeuvre – and a tweet by right-wing Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy typifies:
Momentum may not be affiliated to Labour, but Momentum founder Jon Lansman was elected by Labour members as one of the left ‘slate’ of candidates for the National Executive Committee (NEC).
That slate that has a far more current mandate than Tom Watson, who has outraged Labour members so routinely that he must be well aware that he would be humiliated if he stood again for election as deputy. Consequently he has avoided ‘testing his mandate’, in spite of mass campaigns for him to do so or step down, with a stubbornness that has some Labour insiders referring to him as ‘Barnacle’.
Much of the corporate media has gone further, with the BBC, Sky News and others characterising yesterday’s decision as a move entirely by Momentum. But Labour’s NEC voted overwhelmingly to put the abolition to today’s vote, including many members who are not associated with the group.
Those who did so included several front-bench MPs who have to try to work alongside – or in spite of – Watson’s grandstanding and disregard for collective responsibility. That fact is telling – and speaks to the unity and consistent message that the party will need going into the coming general election.
Tom Watson is the biggest obstacle to that unity and to consistent message. The decision of the NEC – if it is confirmed today – to quarantine him from any claim to speak on behalf of the party is not only justified but essential.
Any media or MPs who say otherwise are not speaking in the best interests of the party or of the country that desperately needs a Labour government.
Poll: is the NEC move to abolish the deputy leader position the right one? Have your say here.
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The sooner we have open selection the better. End off!
Shit what is Corbyn doing saving Twatson neck !!!
Showing leadership by heading off an ill-thouught-out shit-show – but ‘saving Watson’ wasn’t what he did.
Fuck it I give up on the whole shit show going to turn in my membership and abstain at the next GE as we have fuck all chance of winning with twatson stirring shit anway, even if by some miracle we win all the wrecked are in siting to make sure nothing changes.
It’s all a massive waste of time and energy since Corbyn seems to have all the spine of a jelly and we can see who is running the party and it ain’t him us or the left.
Don’t do that, it’s what they would want. I’m as angry as you at the snake and his anti Labour antics. I’m disabled, have OAP parent, children and grandchildren and we have all suffered terribly by austerity.
Think about this; Jeremy has played the long game in a lot of hard decisions (such as Brexit) and it’s turned out to be the right way. He’s played a blinder, they said again and again!
Give Jeremys way a go, think long term. Watson knows this is his official red card and a review on the post of Deputy Leader is on its way. I’m hoping it will turn out to be a shared post by the likes of Laura Pidcock (Laura, if you’re reading this, I’m not giving up hope for you to take up this position ! )
Will C: “I give up on the whole shit show going to turn in my membership and abstain at the next GE…”
That’s how Opponents like Watson win. Don’t let him succeed.
FWIW – I, like millions of others, sadly voted for TW as DL in 2015. He seemed like the most left-leaning candidate available. I thought he was a good choice. Instead, he’s an acute embarrassment to me personally. A bad choice and I CANNOT let him cause me or my people more harm.
Don’t give up brother
No deputy for the Tories! Yes quite!! Look at their behaviour, May’s, Cameron’s etc. I left the Labour Party because of all the local egocentrics fighting for power and putting my life at risk. Members of my local T.U.C. were no better than the Tory run D.W.P. telling me to my face that my life doesn’t count. Just the one and not the many eh, democrats? We should not have a N.H.S. look at what those in power do to us when we survive! If we survive. Those campaigning against the prorogue of parliament claiming it was undemocratic: where were those whinging Middle class employed brats when 100,000 s of weak, vulnerable, impaired were legally murdered by May’s Tory government democratically elected and those murdered denied that which the law awarded them! WE HAVE NO DEMOCRACY!!! We are all OWNED by an indulgent monarchy! WE HAVE NO LAW!!! – No deputy, because the other side (which single other side?) hasn’t got one is the beginning of chaos if we are not there already! Like Watson all of you with the only strong opinion you hold being – only I count. Get on with it I will not sponser it. By the way I am apparently a Lefty and no I did not like or support Watson.
Wendy You have every right to be angry and this calm calculated sit back and wait for a new Jerusalem and we will all stand together with brother watson and all the rest of our treacherous PLP and NEC doesn’t cut it ….IT didn’t stop raining today in the mekong delta,but at breakfast I saw the sun 🌞 briefly appear….but the sun 🌞 disappeared and I now realise that it was all an illusion and its dark now and still raining…. Regards comrades
“Momentum founder Jon Lansman was elected by Labour members as one of the left ‘slate’ of candidates for the National Executive Committee (NEC).”
All of which essentially applies to Watson.
… as does Lansman’s role as a snake in the grass with a habit of throwing good socialists under the bus with the assistance of the Israel lobby.
RH…you are nail on the head with this one,Wouldn’t it be nice to have just some input from the governance of the Labour party,other than some faction lobbying for their interests instead of the broad mass of our Labour party members….not surprised at the result or was it a fudge that will see the end of the Corbyn experiment.. .and its normal service will be resumed
Should have had a review in first place.
2 deputies one male and one female? MPs? Why not 1 or 2 rank and file members?
Let’s get on with selling Labour’s brilliant policies like The Green Deal and workers rights, £10 p h living wage, free public transport on buses for U25s plus defending the free pensioners concessionary pass, etc.
And a Public vote on Labour’s Better Btexit Deal with emain option.
Just remember millions are depending on us!
LAB4HOPE!
https://skwawkbox.org/2019/09/21/corbyn-reprieves-watson-as-red-card-becomes-yellow/
I give up. Pity Corbyn didn’t do the same for Chris Williamson. Better to protect your enemies it seems. He’s lost my vote. Twat.
That’s unfair on Corbyn – the Chris Williamson stitch-up was, by definition, beyond his capacity to intervene, and at the heart of NEC/NCC malfunctioning.
Should have had review in first place.
Nobody would like to see the back of Watson more then me but as I have posted previously the run up to an election isn’t the time.
In relation to Stella Creasy’s tweet we’ll take no lessons on Labour Party democracy from her or any of the others in the PLP who demonstrated their contempt for democracy so openly and arrogantly in 2016 .