“Local party members should select their candidates for every election.”
Keir Starmer in 2020
By Ben Hayes, Islington North CLP member & Labour Outlook
Figures from across the labour movement responded to the London Regional Labour Party’s announcement of a timetable for candidate selection in Islington North (less than a month long and with the regional office, rather than the constituency party, deciding the shortlist of candidates) by demanding the democratic rights of local members are respected and highlighting the hypocritical nature of the current approach from the national leadership.
A statement from Officers of Islington North CLP highlighted Keir Starmer’s previous comments that “Local party members should select their candidates for every election” whilst running to be Leader, and called for all party members to be eligible for selection (which would include incumbent MP and Labour member Jeremy Corbyn):
Numerous other MPs echoed the call for a democratic choice by local members, including MP for Hayes & Harlington and former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell:
Cynon Valley’s Beth Winter also emphasised the call for a transparent and fair selection process.
And MP for Birkenhead Mick Whitley highlighted the absurdity of a situation whereby MPs from the right of the Conservative Party are welcomed into the PLP whilst a former Labour leader is excluded:
This was also pointed out by Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana in an interview with The Today Podcast: “Jeremy and Diane (Abbott), both of them have devoted their life to the labour movement, have represented the Labour Party for decades, worked day-in, day-out to improve the lives of ordinary working class people. When they are not allowed back into the Labour Party but others like Natalie Elphicke are, that message is incredibly concerning.”
Chair of Momentum Kate Dove joined those calling for Islington North Labour Party members to have the final say, rather than a “Westminster clique”
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