News

Leftie Barker romps Wavertree selection

Paula Barker, left, at a Knowsley for Corbyn event

Longstanding Corbyn supporter and union activist Paula Barker has strolled home in the selection of Labour’s candidate to replace defector Luciana Berger as the party’s candidate for Liverpool Wavertree.

Barker, from just over the border in neighbouring Knowsley, won 191 votes at today’s ballot, with Kat Summer and Liz Grey gaining 24 and 7 respectively.

Congratulations to Ms Barker and to Wavertree on the selection of a genuine left representative.

The SKWAWKBOX needs your support. This blog is provided free of charge but depends on the generosity of its readers to be viable. If you can afford to, please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal or here for a monthly donation via GoCardless. Thanks for your solidarity so this blog can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about.

If you wish to reblog this post for non-commercial use, you are welcome to do so – see here for more.

16 comments

  1. It is an absolute disgrace that a constituency like Wavertree should elect a Labour MP by a massive majority and end up with a Lib Dem MP. This is something we need to address once we are in government. If MPs resign from their party but lack the integrity to stand down to enable a by election then we need a mechanism whereby this becomes automatic.However this is for another day.
    Today I am just absolutely delighted Paula has been selected and wish her every success at the next election.

    1. Well we can’t do anything now because people like Luciana Berger were elected by the whole constituency and cannot be outed unless there is a by-election/general election . At the moment it is really left to the MPs themselves to behave with honour and integrity and resign if they change party mid term. If they don’t they can stay on in Westminister until the next general election.
      What I am suggesting is that parliament introduces legislation whereby if a person is elected for any party and then resigns/is sacked from that party there should be a by election so that people can either re-elect the sitting MP as an Independent or whatever new party to which they have defected to or vote for the PPC representing the party they support.
      Right now we are in the absurd position of having LIVERPOOL constituencies represented by Lib Dems and others. This is totally undemocratic and needs to be addressed. As I said I hope it will be once we are in government.

      1. Smartboy, I happen to agree but Brexiters think voting more than once for the same thing is an imposition on their busy lives so they won’t buy it.
        They’ll demand their deceased MP be embalmed in his seat and not dare to defy their democratic decision.

      2. The hard fact, if you think about it, is that trying to legislate clearly for honorable behaviour would be almost impossible in practise.

  2. Theres a thin line between the principled stand on getting No Deal off the table before you vote for a GE and waiting for the EU to extend until 31st January
    Our performance today has damaged us, if I cannot see WTF we are asking for, then we are in trouble,
    Read first paragraph again, it’s not either or it’s one follows the other,
    We are asking the electorate to follow us on a journey, taking out No Deal in GE, then taking out No Brexit in 2nd referendum
    Keep it clear and simple
    3 line whip on GE after EU confirm extension, sack any MP who defies whip, including our Dennis
    I’m sure he wont mind acting as bait to catch Blairites

    1. ” then taking out No Brexit in 2nd referendum”

      Would immediately be seen for what it is : a hypocritical con to narrow choice to Tory alternatives. A gift to the LibDems.

      1. The vast majority just want to get out with the best deal possible,
        Nobody wants No Deal or No Brexit
        Labour brino only Brexit that honours 2016 result 52/48
        Every other solution ignores half the country
        Show me the numbers

      2. Ask a binary question don’t expect a nuanced answer.
        At 52/48 ‘half’ the country is going to be disappointed.

        We’re constantly told “The vast majority just want to (insert your preference here).”
        They’re all wrong.
        The vast majority want to travel back in time and strangle the idiot Cameron.

      3. Pulled pork
        Cameron,
        Do we know who was riding shotgun ?
        Oh the delights of a public school education
        Only compensating factor is no matter how much money you have, you cannot buy class

      4. ” the best deal possible”

        … which is, as it happens, what we have already. Anything else is bowing to a Tory con benefitting the plutocrats.

        Simple.

  3. Leave or remain the first duty of any Labour mp must be a Labour government…somtimes in the case of a national emergency Labour mps must ensure that a Labour government is the only priority to save the country from a rampent global capitalist unelected regime The 3 line wip must be used to enforce discipline and the Labour mps know it.!

  4. I’d have thought there’d have been enough LW candidates from within the constituency to have become the local MP (Not candidate as it’s something like the 14th safest seat in the country IIRC)

    Still, a win’s a win (It’s a convincing one at that!) and berger’s soon to be history; the good people of Wavertree can have PROPER representation from a ‘local’ once more…that’s the main thing.

    Best wishes and congrats to Paula. Give them toerags hell !!

Leave a Reply to SmartboyCancel reply

Discover more from SKWAWKBOX

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading