West Derby MP puts the record straight to correct relentless right-wing disinformation and smears
Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne has faced rigging, corruption, rule breaches and intimidation in the Labour right’s determination to remove him so his seat can be filled with a right-wing Starmeroid – and alongside that, a relentless smear campaign.
Small wonder, since Byrne is the MP of the Year, respected across the city and the right faces little prospect of ousting him in a fair fight, so it appears to have no intention of conducting one.
So Byrne has this evening issued a ‘mythbusting’ statement to correct some of the main – and frankly moronic – smears that right-wingers have been circulating about him in the hope of fooling gullible party members in the constituency:
For those using screen-readers, the full statement – which highlights distortions and outright untruths Byrne says are being spread about him by opponents’ campaigns, reads:
Mythbusters
Sometimes during a campaign, facts get lost. Several West Derby members have made me aware of what they consider to be, at best, ‘odd’ conversations with representatives of other candidates over recent weeks.
In order to ensure there are no misunderstandings and that all West Derby members have access to the facts, I have put together this simple mythbuster to clarify a few points:
- I voted Remain in the EU ref, not Brexit (as members inform me, they have been told by other campaigns). I also 100% respected the outcome of the vote.
- My office was not closed for my first year in the role as MP. I set up a highly visible and accessible, brand new MP’s office in Tuebrook, one of the poorest wards in our constituency. Within the first few months of the role, I, like everyone, was subject to Covid-19 rules which I followed. My office was open 8am – 6pm durinq the pandemic but subject to the same lockdown and social distancing rules as everyone else.
Myself and my team worked non-stop during the pandemic and supported West Derby constituents in so many different ways. I sadly had to close the office to the public again earlier this year as a security precaution, due to frightening death threats made against myself, team and family by a far-right extremist posing outside the office. This does not mean myself and my team are not working, we are, all day, every day, for the people of West Derby.
- As the MP for West Derby I am responsible for many things, all of which I take very seriously. Councillors have primary jurisdiction over local council issues such as traffic, potholes, dog muck and street lighting. Within West Derby, each ward has three local councillors who I support and encourage to carry out their roles fully.*
- I am not obsessed with foodbanks. I am however committed to ending the need for foodbanks, and I make no apology for that. Please look at my work on the Right To Food campaign to see how I am challenging the need for the very existence of foodbanks: www.ianbyrne.org/righttofood
Thank you for your time.
Ian Byrne, MP Liverpool West Derby
*Please see separate statement issued 13. 11.2022 regarding intimidation
In stark contrast to Byrne’s standing, rival and party staffer Anthony Lavelle faces unanswered allegations of bullying and hate speech toward a young disabled woman, which Labour has ignored.
That the Labour right is resorting to such dishonesty on so many fronts – and that right-wingers have attacked him for being too focused on defeating poverty – exposes the intellectual and moral bankruptcy of right-wing politics.
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