# Chuka Umunna rules out serving in Corbyn's shadow cabinet



## editor (Sep 12, 2015)

I guess Corbyn is just too damn _Labour_ for the Blairite boy. 

Labour frontbenchers rule out serving in Corbyn's shadow cabinet


----------



## Tony_LeaS (Sep 12, 2015)

Fuck me at this rate the right side of Labour will end up splitting off and becoming something completely different.


----------



## littlebabyjesus (Sep 12, 2015)

> Lucy Powell MP, vice-chair of Labour’s last general election campaign, said she could also serve under Corbyn if the position was right and certain “conditions” were met.



They don't get it yet, clearly. You don't get to set 'conditions', Ms Powell. He has the backing of the majority of your party - if anything it's the other way around. 

They still think they're running things...


----------



## littlebabyjesus (Sep 12, 2015)

Tony_LeaS said:


> Fuck me at this rate the right side of Labour will end up splitting off and becoming something completely different.


Nobody will follow them, though.


----------



## JimW (Sep 12, 2015)

What a loss to the nation


----------



## littlebabyjesus (Sep 12, 2015)

Give them time. It's been quite traumatic for the poor dears. 

But but but, we run things. WE DO!!! Tony said so.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Sep 12, 2015)

> Chuka Umunna rules out serving in Corbyn's shadow cabinet


----------



## Gromit (Sep 12, 2015)

If the position was right? How far right?


----------



## Steel Icarus (Sep 12, 2015)




----------



## Quartz (Sep 12, 2015)

editor said:


> I guess Corbyn is just too damn _Labour_ for the Blairite boy.



I'm sure he'll triangulate his position soon enough. He's a politician, after all.


----------



## brixtonblade (Sep 12, 2015)

Does this mean Labor will campaign for "out" in the EU vote?  That'd make me sad.


----------



## kittyP (Sep 13, 2015)

littlebabyjesus said:


> Nobody will follow them, though.



Well they may but that doesn't mean that a split will be a bad thing for the rest.


----------



## littlebabyjesus (Sep 13, 2015)

kittyP said:


> Well they may but that doesn't mean that a split will be a bad thing for the rest.


A new party that can form an alliance with the lib-dems? Then maybe merge with them after a wee while... The demlibdemdems?


----------



## leanderman (Sep 13, 2015)

brixtonblade said:


> Does this mean Labor will campaign for "out" in the EU vote?  That'd make me sad.



I believe Corbyn has not backed 'in' but that does not mean he wants 'out'.


----------



## brixtonblade (Sep 13, 2015)

littlebabyjesus said:


> A new party that can form an alliance with the lib-dems? Then maybe merge with them after a wee while... The demlibdemdems?


SDLP

Oh... that's taken already


----------



## madolesance (Sep 13, 2015)

Labour/ SNP- a tricky proposition.


----------



## Tricky Skills (Sep 13, 2015)

Chuka's transformation from the left of centre Compass candidate to a Tory in all but name, is almost on par with the change within the Labour party itself over the past few weeks.

It seems incredible now that the Left of the Streatham CLP back in 2008 saw Chuka as the alternative against Steve Reed (_remember him?_)

Reed himself would no doubt feel more comfortable under Cameron than Corbyn, But boy - Chuka has now managed to position himself to the right of Reed.

I really wish the Progress lot in Lambeth would just do the decent thing and admit that they no longer hold Labour values and go it alone. The Cabinet has at least five Progress members.

Remember what Comrade Kinnock said about a "party within a party?"


----------



## farmerbarleymow (Sep 13, 2015)

littlebabyjesus said:


> They don't get it yet, clearly. You don't get to set 'conditions', Ms Powell. He has the backing of the majority of your party - if anything it's the other way around.
> 
> They still think they're running things...


And sadly she's my MP. I've met her and I wasn't impressed - she seemed out of her depth.


----------



## Belushi (Sep 13, 2015)

Chuka's refusing to go 

'Corbyn will have to sack me': Defiant Chuka Umunna refuses to resign


----------



## editor (Sep 13, 2015)

Belushi said:


> Chuka's refusing to go
> 
> 'Corbyn will have to sack me': Defiant Chuka Umunna refuses to resign


Reader comment: 





> This is the guy of a thousand u-turns, right? I think he hedges his bets at every step to try and get the best deal for himself out of a situation. Totally driven by self interest.


That's about right.


----------



## killer b (Sep 13, 2015)

Where does the stuff in the quote marks come from? I can't see anything about umuna making such a challenge (indeed, wasn't he hinting last week that he'd stay in the cabinet if asked?)


----------



## maomao (Sep 13, 2015)

He seems determined to make as big a prick out of himself as he possibly can. Running for leader. Not running for leader. Won't work with Corbyn. Let's all get behind Corbyn. I'm resigning. You're going to have to sack me. He's surely lost whatever credibility he ever had even with the cockwombles on the right of the party. Anyway, I hope Corbyn does sack the rancid fucking wankstain.


----------



## FiFi (Sep 13, 2015)

maomao said:


> He seems determined to make as big a prick out of himself as he possibly can. Running for leader. Not running for leader. Won't work with Corbyn. Let's all get behind Corbyn. I'm resigning. You're going to have to sack me. He's surely lost whatever credibility he ever had even with the cockwombles on the right of the party. Anyway, I hope Corbyn does sack the rancid fucking wankstain.


Now now,don't be coy,tell us what you really think.


----------



## killer b (Sep 13, 2015)

Where has he said he'll resign? In the story in the OP, it just says he's expected to.

A lot of what's going on ATM is just media stirring. No need to do their work for them.


----------



## Gromit (Sep 13, 2015)

I think he is just trying to squeeze out a few more hours of being able to claim shadow cabinet expenses.

Raiding the stationery cabinet etc.


----------



## andysays (Sep 13, 2015)

killer b said:


> Where has he said he'll resign? In the story in the OP, it just says he's expected to.
> 
> A lot of what's going on ATM is just media stirring. No need to do their work for them.



Agreed. I realise that for many of you he's your local MP, but can't quite see why you need to focus on him and his apparent craving for attention.

Maybe a better thread title in the Brixton forum would be something like


> Dramatic Labour Leadership result - no local MPs involved


----------



## CH1 (Sep 13, 2015)

Talking of which has anyone seen a copy of the commemorative Corbyn Morning Star?
None of the shops between Tesco Acre Lane and Co-op Loughborough Junction have it.
Maybe only circulated in Brighton for the Trade Union Congress?


----------



## red & green (Sep 13, 2015)

Belushi said:


> Chuka's refusing to go
> 
> 'Corbyn will have to sack me': Defiant Chuka Umunna refuses to resign



V worst type of politician  of the which party offers me greater career progression type  -
Sack him and good riddance


----------



## killer b (Sep 13, 2015)

I'd imagine if Umuna wants to stay in the shadow cabinet he probably can.


----------



## superfly101 (Sep 13, 2015)

killer b said:


> I'd imagine if Umuna wants to stay in the shadow cabinet he probably can.



Chucka seen attending meeting earlier


----------



## ViolentPanda (Sep 13, 2015)

editor said:


> I guess Corbyn is just too damn _Labour_ for the Blairite boy.
> 
> Labour frontbenchers rule out serving in Corbyn's shadow cabinet



Personally, I'm grateful to Chuka and the other "won't serves" for marking out what pathetic right-wing shitheads they are.
You'd hope that your MP, who after all is supposed to represent constituent interests, would participate in something that might get his party into power (because fuck knows that continuing neoliberalism-lite hasn't worked). Nope, it's got to be on his terms, or he'll take his ball home.


----------



## Casually Red (Sep 13, 2015)

littlebabyjesus said:


> They don't get it yet, clearly. You don't get to set 'conditions', Ms Powell. He has the backing of the majority of your party - if anything it's the other way around.
> 
> They still think they're running things...



The total disconnect with reality and the complete inability to comprehend the red swarm have arrived in their hordes and annihilated them reminds  me of that Austrian chap in the bunker..

not fritzl , the other one .


----------



## Gromit (Sep 13, 2015)

We've had Labour
We've had New Labour.
We need Labour the Next Generation.

Keeping the old New Labour cronnies in cabinet ain't going to achieve that. They ain't the right sort.


----------



## ViolentPanda (Sep 13, 2015)

brixtonblade said:


> Does this mean Labor will campaign for "out" in the EU vote?  That'd make me sad.



From what Corbyn has been saying re: party democracy, I think he's likely to leave it to the membership to decide.


----------



## Casually Red (Sep 13, 2015)

brixtonblade said:


> Does this mean Labor will campaign for "out" in the EU vote?  That'd make me sad.



Why ?

Membership of it is pretty much a contract not to have socialism . They're a shower of new labour clone bastards running the show . It's a bloody awful institution .


----------



## brixtonblade (Sep 13, 2015)

Casually Red said:


> Why ?
> 
> Membership of it is pretty much a contract not to have socialism . They're a shower of new labour clone bastards running the show . It's a bloody awful institution .



Because left to our own devices the cunts we keep voting for will fuck everything up a lot quicker than if we're bound to some sort of "don't be a country full of venal arseholes" contract 

Plus, If farage wants out then I want in.


----------



## friendofdorothy (Sep 13, 2015)

Gromit said:


> We've had Labour
> We've had New Labour.
> We need Labour the Next Generation.
> 
> Keeping the old New Labour cronnies in cabinet ain't going to achieve that. They ain't the right sort.


No, they are the well right of center sort.


----------



## agricola (Sep 13, 2015)

ViolentPanda said:


> Personally, I'm grateful to Chuka and the other "won't serves" for marking out what pathetic right-wing shitheads they are.
> You'd hope that your MP, who after all is supposed to represent constituent interests, would participate in something that might get his party into power (because fuck knows that continuing neoliberalism-lite hasn't worked). Nope, it's got to be on his terms, or he'll take his ball home.



It has been said oft times elsewhere, but I really do hope that Corbyn ditches the PLP whip and makes them vote along the lines of their own beliefs.


----------



## Gramsci (Sep 13, 2015)

CH1 said:


> Talking of which has anyone seen a copy of the commemorative Corbyn Morning Star?
> None of the shops between Tesco Acre Lane and Co-op Loughborough Junction have it.
> Maybe only circulated in Brighton for the Trade Union Congress?



The newsagent in the underground station sell Morning Star.


----------



## Casually Red (Sep 13, 2015)

brixtonblade said:


> Because left to our own devices the cunts we keep voting for will fuck everything up a lot quicker than if we're bound to some sort of "don't be a country full of venal arseholes" contract
> 
> Plus, If farage wants out then I want in.



The Eu is run by the biggest venal arseholes going . Basically you're arguing against democracy and people having a say over who rules them .

And with respect that position as regards Farage just isn't logical . I'd have though the best way to obliterate him politically would be with a labour party committed to a referendum .


----------



## Jon-of-arc (Sep 13, 2015)

Have they changed the story linked to in the OP?  Because otherwise this thread makes no sense.

E2a editor


----------



## 8ball (Sep 13, 2015)

Tony_LeaS said:


> Fuck me at this rate the right side of Labour will end up splitting off and becoming something completely different.



I think both Labour and the Tories need to split to become viable parties.  They both have a chasm within their memberships.


----------



## magneze (Sep 13, 2015)

brixtonblade said:


> Plus, If farage wants out then I want in.


Makes no sense. Just vote the way you want. Farage & UKIP  are irrelevant as soon as the polls close in the EU referendum.


----------



## tim (Sep 13, 2015)

8ball said:


> I think both Labour and the Tories need to split to become viable parties.  They both have a chasm within their memberships.



Yes, that way we could finally break the mould of British politics.


----------



## brixtonblade (Sep 13, 2015)

Casually Red said:


> The Eu is run by the biggest venal arseholes going . Basically you're arguing against democracy and people having a say over who rules them .
> 
> And with respect that position as regards Farage just isn't logical . I'd have though the best way to obliterate him politically would be with a labour party committed to a referendum .


Nope  I'm voting for the continent to vote together


----------



## 8ball (Sep 13, 2015)

tim said:


> Yes, that way we could finally break the mould of British politics.



Splits have happened before, you say?  

Do you have a newsletter I can subscribe to?


----------



## ViolentPanda (Sep 13, 2015)

agricola said:


> It has been said oft times elsewhere, but I really do hope that Corbyn ditches the PLP whip and makes them vote along the lines of their own beliefs.



Wouldn't that require them to actually formulate their own beliefs, instead of swallowing the neoliberal line wholesale?
Poor fuckers wouldn't know what to do, would they?


----------



## ViolentPanda (Sep 13, 2015)

tim said:


> Yes, that way we could finally break the mould of British politics.



I remember the first time I saw that.
My reaction was "they look like someone has just dragged them out of a secondary school staffroom".
Wasn't impressed by them then, and they've done very little since to prove they've any political value.


----------



## tim (Sep 13, 2015)

8ball said:


> Splits have happened before, you say?
> 
> Do you have a newsletter I can subscribe to?




No just a demo you missed


----------



## JimW (Sep 13, 2015)

I think I might rule myself out of Corbyn's shadow cabinet too so I can feature in all the news bulletins.


----------



## CH1 (Sep 14, 2015)

Tessa Jowell is doing this right now on Sky News


----------



## twistedAM (Sep 14, 2015)

What's the odds on him getting reselected anyway? I'd wager Harrison is thinking about returning to  law and the bling lifestyle.


----------



## magneze (Sep 14, 2015)

CH1 said:


> Tessa Jowell is doing this right now on Sky News


Doing what?


----------



## Johnny Doe (Sep 14, 2015)

magneze said:


> Doing what?


Ruling herself out presumably.


----------



## magneze (Sep 14, 2015)

Harry Smiles said:


> Ruling herself out presumably.


Shadow cabinet is appointed isn't it? Bit late!


----------



## Monkeygrinder's Organ (Sep 14, 2015)

magneze said:


> Shadow cabinet is appointed isn't it? Bit late!



'I would like to announce that yeah, well, I never wanted to be in it anyway. So there!'


----------



## Johnny Doe (Sep 14, 2015)

magneze said:


> Shadow cabinet is appointed isn't it? Bit late!



Didn't look at dates/times of posts. Maybe she's been away and doesn't realise?


----------



## CH1 (Sep 14, 2015)

magneze said:


> Doing what?


Dame Tessa was doing the same as JimW was thinking of doing (ruling
herself out of a Corbyn cabinet) - in the course of allegedly reviewing the papers on Sky News.


----------



## 299 old timer (Sep 14, 2015)

If freeloader Chuka doesn't like the democratic process that brought Corbyn to leadership then he can phuka right off, form his own party with his rebel right-wingers, or join the tories


----------



## editor (Sep 30, 2015)

The Tory boy fled the national conference before Corbyn's first speech as party leader. 
That's the kind of loyalty you get from Chuka!

Big name Labour MPs 'escape before Corbyn speech'


----------



## shifting gears (Sep 30, 2015)

Chuk off and die


----------



## Greebo (Sep 30, 2015)

shifting gears said:


> Chuk off and die


Thanks - that made my day.


----------



## uk benzo (Sep 30, 2015)

editor said:


> The Tory boy fled the national conference before Corbyn's first speech as party leader.
> That's the kind of loyalty you get from Chuka!
> 
> Big name Labour MPs 'escape before Corbyn speech'




Fucking scum!


----------



## littlebabyjesus (Sep 30, 2015)

I'm still having to google half of these 'big names'.


----------



## ViolentPanda (Sep 30, 2015)

editor said:


> The Tory boy fled the national conference before Corbyn's first speech as party leader.
> That's the kind of loyalty you get from Chuka!
> 
> Big name Labour MPs 'escape before Corbyn speech'



Didn't expect anything different from him and the other no-marks who believe they're setting up a Blairite insurgency for 2020. Bunch of wankers who'd stab their granny in the back for pence.


----------



## ViolentPanda (Sep 30, 2015)

littlebabyjesus said:


> I'm still having to google half of these 'big names'.



Umunna does have a decent head on his shoulders, but everything gets subsumed by his ambition. He's oscillated for the last 5 years between the left and the right of the party, laying down markers in each wing (not the actions of someone who has any ideological commitments), and has eventually chosen to throw in with the Progressite right of the party. As for the likes of Hunt and Creagh (and Leslie, Kendall and dozens of others), they're not "big names",except insofar as the media has peddled them as such, so as to imply an active anti-Corbyn insurgency by MPs with intellectual heft - to which I say "fat chance, they're all political lightweights, regardless of their academic and/or professional credentials.

The problem with the Blairist presidentialism of the last 20 years is you end up with "yes-persons" and _apparatchiks_ rather than politicians.


----------



## Monkeygrinder's Organ (Sep 30, 2015)

littlebabyjesus said:


> I'm still having to google half of these 'big names'.



Most of them seem to have been members of the shadow cabinet over the last few months (apparently - I mean I don't remember noticing them doing it). Essentially placeholders whose only achievement was to do absolutely fuck all in a particularly conspicuous manner.


----------



## Badgers (Feb 1, 2019)

Seems the man who could not run for leadership might be going it alone then?

Umunna supporters: “he’ll leave and start own party if CLP votes AMM”. No denial.


----------



## TruXta (Feb 1, 2019)

Jesus what a cunt


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Feb 1, 2019)




----------



## Miss-Shelf (Feb 1, 2019)

Puddy_Tat said:


> View attachment 160623


----------



## co-op (Feb 1, 2019)

Badgers said:


> Seems the man who could not run for leadership might be going it alone then?
> 
> Umunna supporters: “he’ll leave and start own party if CLP votes AMM”. No denial.



He's slowly mutating into Robert Kilroy-Silk.


----------



## CH1 (Feb 1, 2019)

co-op said:


> He's slowly mutating into Robert Kilroy-Silk.


I've met Chukka and I've been on Kilroy (the Kray edition). There is no comparison I assure you!


----------



## Monkeygrinder's Organ (Feb 3, 2019)

I hope he goes for it. I want to see his face when he discovers what his personal vote actually is. That said I doubt he's actually quite stupid enough to think he can win against an official Labour candidate.


----------



## CH1 (Feb 3, 2019)

Badgers said:


> Seems the man who could not run for leadership might be going it alone then?
> Umunna supporters: “he’ll leave and start own party if CLP votes AMM”. No denial.


The funny thing about this report is Squawkbox have funded Chuka constituency events in the past.
Maybe Chuka and Sqawkbox were musing on the constituency vote and this is what Sqawked out? Mind you, Stephen Bush in the New Statesman has also issued cautionary analysis on the issue.

"The SKWAWKBOX has become one the most influential of the ‘new left media’, attacked and copied in roughly equal measure by mainstream media and journalists"  - claims the Skwawkbox website.


----------



## JuanTwoThree (Feb 3, 2019)

I invoke the curse of Roy, Shirley, Bill and David: Split from Labour, pact with Liberals, join Liberals, get betrayed by Liberals, fade into ignominy, become a joke.


----------



## Winot (Feb 4, 2019)

CH1 said:


> I've met Chukka and I've been on Kilroy (the Kray edition). There is no comparison I assure you!



“Senator, I served with Kilroy-Silk. I knew Kilroy-Silk. Kilroy-Silk was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Kilroy-Silk”.


----------



## Pickman's model (Feb 4, 2019)

CH1 said:


> I've met Chukka and I've been on Kilroy (the Kray edition). There is no comparison I assure you!


((((CH1))))


----------



## CH1 (Feb 4, 2019)

Winot said:


> “Senator, I served with Kilroy-Silk. I knew Kilroy-Silk. Kilroy-Silk was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Kilroy-Silk”.


I haven't had the joy of Chuka sitting next to me rubbing my thigh and ramming a microphone under the nose of someone on my other side.

Even if you discount Kilroy's neo Jerry Springer tendencies - my recollection was that Kilroy left Labour and joined UKIP.
To add to the confusion Kilroy then split from UKIP forming another anti EU party called VERITAS. All this whilst a serving MEP.

How is any of this anything like Chuka?

I know people have axes to grind - but really!


----------



## CH1 (Feb 4, 2019)

Pickman's model said:


> ((((CH1))))


Can you clarify please?
(((Echoes))): beating the far-right, two triple-brackets at a time


----------



## TruXta (Feb 4, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Can you clarify please?
> (((Echoes))): beating the far-right, two triple-brackets at a time


It's nothing to do with the silly article you linked to. Parentheses have been used as a symbol for giving people hugs (on here at least) for yonks, so while far right plonkers might have appropriated it for their own uses, that's by the by.


----------



## Pickman's model (Feb 4, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Can you clarify please?
> (((Echoes))): beating the far-right, two triple-brackets at a time


i'm sorry, i made the mistake of thinking you were familiar with urban ways of showing sympathy


----------



## MickiQ (Feb 4, 2019)

Monkeygrinder's Organ said:


> I hope he goes for it. I want to see his face when he discovers what his personal vote actually is. That said I doubt he's actually quite stupid enough to think he can win against an official Labour candidate.


If you look at the election results for Streatham you can see that the Labour vote was declining slowly under Keith Hill but has been growing steadily since Chuka has been their candidate whilst Tory, LD and Green vote share has
been falling. I would lay a bet that the proportion of people voting for Chuka rather than Labour is fairly high. If he run as an independent or SDP 2.0 then I think there is a good chance he could win and he might very well think so too. It is however an unknown though like me he must just think this, he has no way of actually knowing without letting the masses have their say and the man can sit on the fence for Britain. Unless he thinks he is going to be deselected I doubt he will risk it.


----------



## Monkeygrinder's Organ (Feb 4, 2019)

MickiQ said:


> If you look at the election results for Streatham you can see that the Labour vote was declining slowly under Keith Hill but has been growing steadily since Chuka has been their candidate whilst Tory, LD and Green vote share has
> been falling. I would lay a bet that the proportion of people voting for Chuka rather than Labour is fairly high. If he run as an independent or SDP 2.0 then I think there is a good chance he could win and he might very well think so too. It is however an unknown though like me he must just think this, he has no way of actually knowing without letting the masses have their say and the man can sit on the fence for Britain. Unless he thinks he is going to be deselected I doubt he will risk it.



I'd take that bet no problem. The background to those increased majorities is that Labour has done similarly in most comparable seats across London - I don't think he's outperformed that pattern particularly. I'd say that's a sign of the increased strength of the party vote making it even harder for an individual to win off their personal vote, not a sign that he'd perform well as a Chuka Party candidate.


----------



## co-op (Feb 4, 2019)

MickiQ said:


> If you look at the election results for Streatham you can see that the Labour vote was declining slowly under Keith Hill but has been growing steadily since Chuka has been their candidate whilst Tory, LD and Green vote share has
> been falling.* I would lay a bet that the proportion of people voting for Chuka rather than Labour is fairly high. If he run as an independent or SDP 2.0 then I think there is a good chance he could win and he might very well think so too. *It is however an unknown though like me he must just think this, he has no way of actually knowing without letting the masses have their say and the man can sit on the fence for Britain. Unless he thinks he is going to be deselected I doubt he will risk it.



This is laughably wrong.


----------



## co-op (Feb 4, 2019)

CH1 said:


> How is any of this anything like Chuka?



It was a throwaway comment based on the headline that CU is thinking of starting his own party - the comparison was with RKS whose Veritas party was just a vanity project and who also was a politically-vapid, intensely ambitious pretty boy with good teeth who slowly, steadily, disappeared into political obscurity as he slowly, steadily, shrunk the size of the pond he swam in, in order to keep feeling like a big fish.


----------



## MickiQ (Feb 4, 2019)

Monkeygrinder's Organ said:


> I'd take that bet no problem. The background to those increased majorities is that Labour has done similarly in most comparable seats across London - I don't think he's outperformed that pattern particularly. I'd say that's a sign of the increased strength of the party vote making it even harder for an individual to win off their personal vote, not a sign that he'd perform well as a Chuka Party candidate.


You might very well be right maybe Chuka worries about that possibility as well, we're both essentially offering an analysis based on limited facts and of course the only way we going to know is if Chuka puts his money where his mouth is.


co-op said:


> This is laughably wrong.


You are entitled to disagree with me but offer an opinion as to why you think so.
"This is laughably wrong" is a meaningless statement.


----------



## CH1 (Feb 4, 2019)

For what it's worth the precedents for retaining a seat on switching are not good for Chuka.

The direct comparison would be Bruce Douglas-Mann in Mitcham and Morden - who uniquely resigned seeking re-election on the SDP ticket having defected from Labour in 1982. He lost to the rather spiky Angela Rumbold (Tory).

This was an unfortunate mistake for Mr Douglas-Mann, as he had not accounted for the Falklands factor (which even had a slight effect on the 1982 Lambeth Council elections - producing a hung council here, when it might be assumed Ted Knight could have got a majority on the back of pre-Falklands Thatcher unpopularity).

If Chuka did jump I guess he would have to present it as an anti-Brexit move. Obviously under those particular circumstances he might scrape home.


----------



## co-op (Feb 6, 2019)

MickiQ said:


> You are entitled to disagree with me but offer an opinion as to why you think so.
> "This is laughably wrong" is a meaningless statement.



Fair enough - but isn't it mostly obvious? 

Firstly we know that almost no MPs ever, anywhere, have been able to win elections as independents. The tiny number who've managed it have usually won on the basis of anomalous situations - eg Martin Bell in Tatton in 1997. Many a crazy-egoed fool has tried, all have been swept into oblivion. Not even close.

Secondly the general political direction of travel for Labour voters (actual and potential) over the past 10 years has been steadily to the left, e.g. Ed Miliband's nervous little shuffle to the left brought Labour 1m extra votes in 2015, Corbyn's confident step to the left brought Labour 3.5m more votes on top of that in 2017. CU has clearly and very publicly identified himself with the utterly discredited Blairite old guard and is thus magnificently out of step with where his voters are.

Thirdly he's loudly and publicly slagged off Corbyn and undermined him at every opportunity and is now actively hated by the huge majority of his own CLP and the large majority of the Labour electorate in Streatham.

Fourthly, as a long-time Lambeth resident (now ex) I don't see any sign at all that CU has any local following. He has not worked the patch. He's not particularly well-liked. He doesn't seem to have much sympathy or much in common with the majority of people locally. He comes across as a posh boy interested in his own personal advancement. He only won the Labour candidacy because the local CLP staged a mini-revolt against Steve Reed's pre-organised coronation - and frankly if you can't beat Steve Reed in a popularity competition you really need to find another job.


----------



## killer b (Feb 6, 2019)

co-op said:


> now actively hated by the huge majority of his own CLP


Is this true? if we take the recent vote on All Member Meetings as an indication, it's pretty evenly split.


----------



## co-op (Feb 6, 2019)

killer b said:


> Is this true? if we take the recent vote on All Member Meetings as an indication, it's pretty evenly split.



You had to actually turn up to vote so I'd expect the apparatchiks to be able to get their people out whereas it's much harder to get the new members who aren't engaged to come along. 373 votes were cast at the vote, I'd guess there will be more like 2 or 3000 members all told. Really, if you want to engage them, I'd do it by online voting as for the NEC etc.


----------



## killer b (Feb 6, 2019)

The new members who aren't engaged's hatred doesn't count for shit if they won't turn up and vote though.


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 6, 2019)

New members who joined after Corbyn became leader haven't been welcomed by Lambeth Labour. Ive heard from people who rejoined after Corbyn ( lapsed membership after Iraq. The final straw).

As Tricky Skills found the New Labour old guard scrutinise whose joining.

Ive heard in Chuka seat its been hard for new members to get issues discussed. The old guard still control apparatus.

So not surprising if New people don't turn up. They aren't welcome in Lambeth Labour.

New Labour / Progress are a highly successful tightly run group within the Labour party.

Corbyn has faced hostility from the start. Its not Corbyn personally its what he represents. Not all the people I know who joined after Corbyn are enthusiastic supporters of him. They saw it was Labour party hopefully returning to its roots as left of centre party.

New Labour are on a different planet to the new inclux of young people and ex Labour party members rejoining.

The New Labour strategy is to be unwelcoming to new members and try in any way to get rid of Corbyn. Anti Semitism for example. The cheek of it when the New Labour administration won't take seriously accusations of institutional racism in Lambeth Council related to how black employees are treated.


----------



## BusLanes (Feb 18, 2019)

And now he's quit Labour


----------



## snowy_again (Feb 18, 2019)

He was speaking at a unusually high number of voluntary sector events in the last month - somehow shoehorned into any particular agenda - and was practicing his 15 min pitch.


----------



## Pickman's model (Feb 18, 2019)

BusLanes said:


> And now he's quit Labour


sales of my tiny violins have never been so rapid


----------



## Twattor (Feb 21, 2019)

Pickman's model said:


> sales of my tiny violins have never been so rapid


And I'm overjoyed to find a politician with integrity who represents his constituency. He keeps my vote


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 22, 2019)

What integrity?

He got the seat on basis be was to the left of Steve Reed.

Since being elected be has moved to the right.


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 22, 2019)

Some of my posts from the politics boards Chuka thread:


	Chuka unlike Kate Hoey does not stand up to Lambeth Council on behalf of constituents. He has never really opposed the Council "regeneration" scheme for Cressingham Gardens ( a well loved Council Estate).

	Hoey has a lot of personal support, despite her being Brexit supporter, due to taking on the New Labour run Lambeth Council.

	Chuka was originally seen as a poster boy for post Blairite Labour. Being member of Compass and opposing Iraq War.

	Iraq led a lot of Labour party members to not renew membership.

	He gradually moved to the right once elected. So never criticises Lambeth Council.

	He was a rising star destined for higher things then Corbyn got elected. I remember one of my local Cllrs telling me how wonderful be was.

	He has been having problems with his local constituency membership with the influx after Corbyn. ( old Labour returning and young people). recently argument about procedure of who has say in local constituency party. He did have a firm hold on the constituency party but this was under threat.

	Friend said the New Labour lot ( young work in communications) would sit on one side of room at local party meetings and the old Labour plus young new members would sit on other side.

	So I wouldn't say he is as popular as he was.

	If he did stand in by election I reckon my friend and others in the local party would be all out canvassing for the official Labour candidate.


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 22, 2019)

Umunna supporters: “he’ll leave and start own party if CLP votes AMM”. No denial.



> As the SKWAWKBOX reported last night, there was drama in Streatham as Labour members voted by 190 to 183 to switch to all-member meetings (AMM) instead of the previous ‘general committee’ structure, which left-wing members say was being used by supporters of local MP Chuka Umunna to retain control of the CLP (constituency Labour party).
> 
> Those right-wing supporters made every effort to prevent the change – including an interesting threat.
> 
> ...


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 22, 2019)

Chuka on Radio four. 

  Roughly what he said

	Both main parties are broken. British people deserve better

	Three main issues:

	1 Stay in EU

	2 Moral Dilemma of staying in party which if in power would have national security run by Corbyn

	3 Culture of party. Visceral hatred of people with other views/ anti-Semitism

	. Beyond Corbyn. About Broken politics. Tory and Labour. Tory party has been UKIPised.

	Inviting anyone. Would include Tories.

	Broken politics. Existing parties the problem.

	People feel politically homeless. Alternative movement to the establishment.


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 22, 2019)

mistake. double post.


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 22, 2019)

Those of us in Lambeth will remember Steve as the Blairite leader of Lambeth Council. He was genuine believer of the Third Way and set up the "Cooperative Council" idea.

	When the Streatham constituency came up he tried to get chosen for the seat.

	It appeared to be his for the taking as successful leader of the Council. The local party went for Chuka. Then seen as left alternative to a Blairite Steve Reed. Local party membership were becoming tired of Blairism.

	Understandably Reed wasn't happy.




> Back in 2009, Reed, as leader of Lambeth Council, had expected to be selected as the prospective Labour candidate for his then home constituency of Streatham. But Umunna came along with a more radical, left-wing prospectus than his Blairite rival, and won over local party members who had tired of the party’s dalliance with neo-liberalism.



	And:




> This time, Reed – himself a People’s Vote supporter – was having no truck with the undermining of the party.
> 
> On Twitter, Reed wrote, “I’m watching the seven MPs quitting the party on TV and I’m more convinced than ever that Labour, the greatest force for social change this country’s ever known, can lead Britain forward if we now come together as a party to shape the future.”



	Reed unlke Chuka is Labour and will stay Labour. He worked his way up the hard way through local politics. Not as charismatic as Chuka but a hard worker for the party.

	Croydon Labour MP Reed is quick to reject Umunna’s splitters

Croydon Labour MP Reed is quick to reject Umunna’s splitters


----------



## CH1 (Feb 22, 2019)

I come to bury Chuka, not to praise him...

But I must say I quite like the idea of a Parliament of splitters. Part of the problem with politics with the likes of Corbyn and May leading the teams is that with effective whipping common sense goes out the window.

I am very drawn to the Green idea of "no whips" - though I guess many may say "No whips no progress!".

I sincerely hope that Vince Cable, Caroline Lucas and their parties don't get drawn into this moral maelstrom. Somebody has to retain some principles!


----------



## 8ball (Feb 22, 2019)

CH1 said:


> I am very drawn to the Green idea of "no whips" - though I guess many may say "No whips no progress!".



Very George Washington.



CH1 said:


> I sincerely hope that Vince Cable, Caroline Lucas and their parties don't get drawn into this moral maelstrom. Somebody has to retain some principles!





Are you here all week?


----------



## CH1 (Feb 22, 2019)

8ball said:


> Are you here all week?


As one Liberal patriarch was reputed to have said "Wait and see!"


----------



## BusLanes (Feb 23, 2019)

I'll be interested to see what happens in Streatham if Labour picks a Corbyn friendly candidate and how the Greens cope with that.

The Greens being in my experience more the standard bearers for the left in Lambeth anyway and so if that is an accurate assessment, do they lose activists or supporters to a pro Corbyn CLP/candidate?

I know other Green and indeed Lib Dems parties did lose activists that way back when Corbyn was elected.


----------



## CH1 (Feb 23, 2019)

According to Twitter there is an extended interview with Chuka plus vox pops from his constituents tomorrow on Sky News


----------



## lang rabbie (Feb 23, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> What integrity?
> 
> He got the seat on basis be was to the left of Steve Reed.
> 
> Since being elected be has moved to the right.



Not sure if it was a left-right thing for many Labour Party members.  Several councillors admitted to me that having the leader of the Council as the PPC would be a sitting duck in what was then a Lib Dem target seat.  Chuka did not have to defend everything that Lambeth had done in recent years.


----------



## CH1 (Feb 23, 2019)

This 2017 General Election leaflet is interesting. Not sure who the Lambeth Labour spin doctor is these days - or maybe Chuka wrote it himself.

In any case I guess he may have felt queasy fighting an election sticking out stuff he doesn't really believe in (given his recent actions).

From memory Helen Hayes' election leaflet was similar - but she did not vote for Article 50 - so her hands are cleaner than Chuka's in terms of being a Remainer.


----------



## CH1 (Feb 23, 2019)

I've found (on the internet) 2 bits of Helen Hayes 2017 election leaflets.
As you will see there is absolutely nothing about her real views about Brexit here - unless she is in the habit of lying to packed anti-Brexit meeting in Dulwich & West Norwood.

I imagine these things are written by apparatchiks under orders from the Labour Party centrally. Helen Hayes' letter seems to reflect her views in a carefully worded way. It does NOT stray into promising to fight to REMAIN.

Makes you weep when you think if we had an Irish STV system you could actually have Remain Labour and Brexit Labour standing in the same constituency in a truly fair election.

Also makes you wonder that the Irish government are apparently confident of passing emergency laws to deal with our hard Brexit in about 3 weeks.

It will take our parliament another 3 years, the way they are going.


----------



## BusLanes (Feb 23, 2019)

I understand from Labour friends that their leaflets and materials usually need to be centrally approved.


----------



## tim (Feb 23, 2019)

BusLanes said:


> And now he's quit Labour



Labour quit him, didn't it?


----------



## Twattor (Feb 23, 2019)

Give me a centrist politician and I'll vote for them. Better than Führer Corbyn's Blackshirts or the right wing equivalent.


----------



## CH1 (Feb 23, 2019)

Twattor said:


> Give me a centrist politician and I'll vote for them. Better than Führer Corbyn's Blackshirts or the right wing equivalent.


Momentum activist MP Chris Williamson (Derby North) has been to Streatham campaigning with Momentum to get rid of Chuka several times over the last six months. Looks like they've got their way.


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 23, 2019)

Twattor said:


> Give me a centrist politician and I'll vote for them. Better than Führer Corbyn's Blackshirts or the right wing equivalent.



You are equating Corbyn supporters with Fascists?


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 23, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Momentum activist MP Chris Williamson (Derby North) has been to Streatham campaigning with Momentum to get rid of Chuka several times over the last six months. Looks like they've got their way.



What happened was that with Corbyn being elected ( twice) as leader the new influx of Old Labour rejoining and new young people found Chuka having a problem.

Already posted this but the argument about party members having a way in his constituency Labour party was causing him headaches. 

The party machine was still controlled by right wing Labour.


----------



## butchersapron (Feb 23, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Momentum activist MP Chris Williamson (Derby North) has been to Streatham campaigning with Momentum to get rid of Chuka several times over the last six months. Looks like they've got their way.


Do you know something we don't? The MP hasn't changed at all have they?


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 23, 2019)

Well I got lot of likes for this post on the politics boards.



As I said previously I live in Lambeth. Coldharbour Ward. Counts as one of the most deprived 20% in the country.

Chuka is New Labour as is the Labour Council.

Whilst in Lambeth most people oppose Brexit that does not mean people support New Labour.

Chuka is on the right of the party. He opposed Corbyn from the start. Before the anti semitism became an issue.

From his early days he has moved to the right. That is why his independent group can have Tories in it.

Setting aside Corbyn what he disagrees with is class politics.

As my fellow Lambeth resident Brixton Hatter pointed out the long queues at foodbanks in his constituency are something he didn't bring up when announcing the Independent group.

The fact that he is quite happy at having Tories in his Independent group says something.

London is increasingly becoming more divided between the haves and have nots.

I don't see Chuka taking an interest in that.


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 23, 2019)

So Chuka is decent "centrist" politician unlike those nasty lefties who taken over the Labour party.

Like in his Indendent Group he now has Tories who are unapologetic about inflicting austerity on ordinary people.

Very centrist that.


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 23, 2019)

I do find the politics boards a lot to handle but at times I find Brixton boards depressing.


----------



## CH1 (Feb 23, 2019)

butchersapron said:


> Do you know something we don't? The MP hasn't changed at all have they?


It's only a matter of time (as Derek and Clive used to say).

Now he has left the Labour Party he is very unlikely to be re-elected. Unless there is a sudden explosion of Gang of Seven mania - which is possible, but not so likely I would have thought. Where are the aspirants to challenge in by-elections (eg Shirley Wiliams, Roy Jenkins etc).

It just doesn't stack up as a bandwagon ready to roll - and I've seen some bandwagons in my time from 1972 onwards.

My prediction (after two Marston Pedigrees) is that if Mrs May manages to force Brexit through on 29th March (or later if there is a delay) then she'll call an election leaving others to sort out the mess. And Chuka will be out.

If on the other hand there is a People Vote because of some sort of Tory revolt and a change of policy by Labour, then Chuka may have everything to play for.


----------



## butchersapron (Feb 24, 2019)

CH1 said:


> It's only a matter of time (as Derek and Clive used to say).
> 
> Now he has left the Labour Party he is very unlikely to be re-elected. Unless there is a sudden explosion of Gang of Seven mania - which is possible, but not so likely I would have thought. Where are the aspirants to challenge in by-elections (eg Shirley Wiliams, Roy Jenkins etc).
> 
> ...


Surely in that particular seat labour switching to opposing brexit would seal his fate. His hopes of re-election hinge on labour continuing to insist on their manifesto commitment that the democratic will expressed in the referendum must be respected and so brexit must happen.


----------



## CH1 (Feb 24, 2019)

butchersapron said:


> Surely in that particular seat labour switching to opposing brexit would seal his fate. His hopes of re-election hinge on labour continuing to insist on their manifesto commitment that the democratic will expressed in the referendum must be respected and so brexit must happen.


As in Labour would field a Chuka 2 and the electorate would prefer Chuka 1?
Or are you suggesting he would then re-apply for his job as Labour candidate?


----------



## butchersapron (Feb 24, 2019)

I'm suggesting that labour changing tack and opposing brexit would tie labour voters into them in that seat, fatally undercutting any remain vote focused on umunna. His only hope of re-election is labour not doing that thereby allowing him to symbolise remain even for people who don't like him. You seemed to suggest his best chance of re-election was labour doing precisely what would ensure he was no longer required as that remain symbol.


----------



## redsquirrel (Feb 24, 2019)

CH1 said:


> I come to bury Chuka, not to praise him...
> 
> But I must say I quite like the idea of a Parliament of splitters. Part of the problem with politics with the likes of Corbyn and May leading the teams is that with effective whipping common sense goes out the window.


What the hell does whipping have to do with May and Corbyn? Whipping goes back far longer than them and was certainly far more tightly enforced in the recent past than it is at the moment when MPs of both parties have been willing to vote against whips.



CH1 said:


> I sincerely hope that Vince Cable, Caroline Lucas and their parties don't get drawn into this moral maelstrom. Somebody has to retain some principles!


Yes Vince Cable that champion of the 2010 coalition. No whipping there. 

Incidentally when the Green council employed scab labour in Brighton was that vote whipped or not?


----------



## CH1 (Feb 24, 2019)

redsquirrel said:


> Blah blah blah


You illustrate why the Labour Party is cracking up.


----------



## BusLanes (Feb 25, 2019)

Chuka will fail to win if he doesn't retain or build a local organisation.

Since Lambeth Labour remains the way it is I would think the local councillors won't defect like some have in Barnet or Bexley


----------



## CH1 (Feb 25, 2019)

BusLanes said:


> Chuka will fail to win if he doesn't retain or build a local organisation.
> 
> Since Lambeth Labour remains the way it is I would think the local councillors won't defect like some have in Barnet or Bexley


Suggest you watch Newsnight tonight.
butchersapron above may prove to be correct.


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 25, 2019)

Saw this on Streatham Labour Twitter


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 25, 2019)

Understandably Labour party members who campaigned to get Chuka elected are upset.


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 26, 2019)

Lambeth Labour Group response:


----------



## Gramsci (Feb 26, 2019)




----------



## Gramsci (Feb 26, 2019)

I found the Lambeth Labour Group statement rather anodyne.

Reads to me that that they agree with everything Chuka says but don't think he should have left the party.

Chuka never did criticise Lambeth. Over Cressingham gardens, long standing accusations of institutional racism within Lambeth Council or the particularly nasty way Cllr Rachel was bullied and hounded out of the Labour Group for the temerity of mildly criticizing the leadership of Labour Council.

Considering Chuka has been on TV going on about the culture of Labour party and racism when it came to a New Labour Council on his patch he stayed silent.

Chuka disagrement with Corbyn was from the start. Chuka view is that what he calls populists of the right and left have taken over mainstream politics and the centre ( read Blairite/ Third Way slightly updated) politics need reasserting.

Now he has left the Labour party I would like to know in more detail what actual policies be has on issues like housing. Rather than keep going on about how terrible Corbyn is.

I don't think he has much to offer except a Third Way type politics.

He was at one point looking at Macron. Now Macron is having serious problems. So centrist politics in France simply arent up to it.


----------



## Gramsci (Mar 5, 2019)

Chuka is now claiming that he withdrew from the Labour party leadership election as he was told working class Labour voters would not vote for a Black leader of party. 

Bit of an insult really. 

He says the Blair years, which he apparently is comfortable with, were an aberration, with the party reverting to type. 

That politics allegiences have changed to ones based on things like age, qualification.

IMO what he is saying is that he rejects class. Whatever one thinks of Corbyn Class is back. 

I do find this smearing of Labour party as inherently racist objectionable. He has extended it from anti semitism to working class Labour voters being racist.

I was reminded of this article about Chuka when I heard a Labour MP on radio saying that the "anti capitalists" who had joined Labour party were anti semitic. I had to check this and its what she said. To be anti capitalists you had to anti semitic. 

So those in and now like Chuka out of the Labour party are saying that Labour party is inherently racist now its taken a left turn. 

I find this infuriating. 

Here is Chuka on why the Labour party is racist. 

Chuka Umunna: I never felt totally comfortable in the Labour party

The I've been a Labour party member for forty years. Now its been taken over by anti capitalists. Anti capitalism equals anti semitism:

Corbyn critic claims anti-capitalism is also anti-Semitism


----------



## two sheds (Mar 5, 2019)

Isn't that last claim a bit errrm antisemitic by painting Jewish people as (rich) capitalists?


----------



## Gramsci (Mar 5, 2019)

two sheds said:


> Isn't that last claim a bit errrm antisemitic by painting Jewish people as (rich) capitalists?



I heard her on the radio in morning saying that. It was the Radio four Today programme. I couldn't believe my ears. The interviewer was taken aback and asked her to clarify.

It shows how far the right of the Labour party will go. I think she said it sincerely. She does actually believe that "hard left"/ anti capitalists are inherently anti semitic due to opposing capitalism.

It parallels Chuka claim now that working class is racist. I notice in guardian article this was not challenged.

Its getting like McCarthyism now.

The truth about Seumas Milne, Jeremy Corbyn and the new McCarthyism

This article by the veteran journalist Hearst takes apart allegations by ex senior MI6 head that Corbyn main advisor is a security risk. Which fits in with one of the reasons Chuka gives for his leaving Labour party- under present leadership national security is not ensured if get into power.


----------



## CH1 (Mar 6, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> Its getting like McCarthyism now.
> 
> The truth about Seumas Milne, Jeremy Corbyn and the new McCarthyism
> 
> This article by the veteran journalist Hearst takes apart allegations by ex senior MI6 head that Corbyn main advisor is a security risk. Which fits in with one of the reasons Chuka gives for his leaving Labour party- under present leadership national security is not ensured if get into power.


Don't take this personally! I saw your quote and thought it was something quite different - but obviously not. My memory was of this New Statesman article from 2016 which is very damning. (of Seamus Milne particulalry - and nothing to do with Chuka)
The thin controller

PS I got a crappy little DAB+ radio from Lidl today. I thought they had Sputnik available? All I can get is Adventist Radio, 3 verions of Premier Christian Radio and all the usual BBC/LBC/Talk Radio stuff? Where is my agitprop?


----------



## Gramsci (Mar 7, 2019)

CH1 said:


> PS I got a crappy little DAB+ radio from Lidl today. I thought they had Sputnik available? All I can get is Adventist Radio, 3 verions of Premier Christian Radio and all the usual BBC/LBC/Talk Radio stuff? Where is my agitprop?



Sputnik is no longer on DAB. Not sure why. You can still be the radio version of Sputnik on internet. A pity We I used to listen to it at night.

Sputnik International

Or download app from Playstore if you have Android.


----------



## cuppa tee (Mar 13, 2019)

Chukka in the telegraph......

Bring back National Service for 16-year-olds, says Chuka Umunna


----------



## Pickman's model (Mar 13, 2019)

cuppa tee said:


> Chukka in the telegraph......
> 
> Bring back National Service for 16-year-olds, says Chuka Umunna


afaik there never was national service for 16 year-aulds, people went when they were 18 or 21 or something.


----------



## cuppa tee (Mar 13, 2019)

Pickman's model said:


> afaik there never was national service for 16 year-aulds, people went when they were 18 or 21 or something.



Maybe they* are thinking along the lines of 'powder monkeys'

*The telegraph


----------



## killer b (Mar 13, 2019)

There was talk yesterday of how they were expecting to find the long forgotten corpses of Victorian chimney sweeps up chimneys in the palace of Westminster during the upcoming refurbishments - I thought that was just a slightly macabre historical news stub, but maybe it was actually TIG putting out some policy feelers...


----------



## Pickman's model (Mar 13, 2019)

killer b said:


> There was talk yesterday of how they were expecting to find the long forgotten corpses of Victorian chimney sweeps up chimneys in the palace of Westminster during the upcoming refurbishments - I thought that was just a slightly macabre historical news stub, but maybe it was actually TIG putting out some policy feelers...


----------



## cuppa tee (Mar 13, 2019)

The idea of modern day powder monkeys in the Palace of Westminster conjures up some unpleasant imagery

Cocaine in the Commons: Parliament embarrassed by drug revelation


----------



## BusLanes (Mar 16, 2019)

Anyone get doornocked today by Owen Jones and his group? They met on Streatham Common for a rally before door knocking


----------



## CH1 (Mar 16, 2019)

BusLanes said:


> Anyone get doornocked today by Owen Jones and his group? They met on Streatham Common for a rally before door knocking


What for - Labour for Thornton or the Peoples Vote? And are these compatible?


----------



## BusLanes (Mar 16, 2019)

CH1 said:


> What for - Labour for Thornton or the Peoples Vote? And are these compatible?



No he was in town with some other Momentum types to campaign for a by election to get rid of Chuka.  Unrelated to either Thornton or People's Vote


----------



## Gramsci (Mar 16, 2019)

BusLanes said:


> No he was in town with some other Momentum types to campaign for a by election to get rid of Chuka.  Unrelated to either Thornton or People's Vote



A lot of the new members in Chuka area are Corbyn supporters.

Chuka for all his complaining about the Labour party never asked himself why he couldn't increase the membership.

To be accurate Chuka got elected as Labour party MP. On back of door knocking by ordinary party members. 

Momentum didn't get rid of Chuka. He left the Labour party.


----------



## BusLanes (Mar 17, 2019)

Oh I assume most new members anywhere in Labour are Corbyn supporters. Whatever else I think of him, that was an impressive achievement that hasn't been matched by any other UK party (although you could argue SNP?)


----------



## CH1 (Mar 17, 2019)

BusLanes said:


> Oh I assume most new members anywhere in Labour are Corbyn supporters. Whatever else I think of him, that was an impressive achievement that hasn't been matched by any other UK party (although you could argue SNP?)


How about the SDP? And those by-election victories in the early 1980s?


----------



## JuanTwoThree (Mar 17, 2019)

The thread title does seem to get truer. It is increasingly safe to say:

*Chuka Umunna rules out serving in Corbyn's shadow cabinet*


----------



## Pickman's model (Mar 17, 2019)

Looking forward to the next election when chuka will rule out a career in parliament


----------



## DJWrongspeed (Mar 17, 2019)

Pickman's model said:


> Looking forward to the next election when chuka will rule out a career in parliament


Indeed , what's he going to do. Doesn't sound like there's much love from the local party were he ever to return to Labour. Even if he stood as a LibDem he still wouldn't gain the votes in the Streatham constituency that is dominated by Labour.


----------



## BusLanes (Mar 17, 2019)

DJWrongspeed said:


> Indeed , what's he going to do. Doesn't sound like there's much love from the local party were he ever to return to Labour. Even if he stood as a LibDem he still wouldn't gain the votes in the Streatham constituency that is dominated by Labour.



Oh Chuka is going to struggle if just because I doubt he has a local organisation of any sort and that takes ages to build. He would have to hope that both his name is enough and that Labour's brand become toxic (or more so, depending on POV) before next election.

I think the Tories have a new candidate as I met their ex candidate in Battersea where she is now running. The Greens, well, I assume Bartley? The LDs have one in place.

That being said, the area has flipped back and forth over the decades (so far as I can tell) and maybe Labour's run of success is peaking? If Streatham Labour are having these internal ructions and the Greens/LDs are bouncing about, then who knows what may happen if there are more by elections (in addition to Thorndon).


----------



## CH1 (Mar 29, 2019)

Looks like Chuka now has an official party designation
_*Change UK - The Independent Group*_
Part of the UK that this application applies to: All of Great Britain
Proposed name: Change UK - The Independent Group
Proposed descriptions: The Change UK candidate
Proposed emblem:


This was listed today on the Electoral Commission website as a "Notice received"

I am not sufficiently an EC Anorak to say, but I assume there may be a period for objections (to the logo for example) after which they become fully official.

Clearly not in time for the Thornton Lambeth council by-election, but even if a General election were called today looks like Chuka and Anna will be in a position to stand.


----------



## BusLanes (Mar 29, 2019)

I would imagine Chuka would avoid doing anything in Thornton if just to not embarrass his former supporters in Labour


----------



## Pickman's model (Mar 29, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Looks like Chuka now has an official party designation
> _*Change UK - The Independent Group*_
> Part of the UK that this application applies to: All of Great Britain
> Proposed name: Change UK - The Independent Group
> ...








there is only one tig


----------



## Supine (Mar 29, 2019)

They aren't splashing on hiring a graphic designer then. It's almost like they're doing this on the cheap


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 4, 2019)

Chuka leaves Change UK

Personal Statement on my departure from Change UK | Chuka Umunna

He is finished. Now saying he is staying as Independent MP in Streatham.

I feel sorry for all the ordinary Labour party members who went out canvassing for him last General Election. 

I really hope next General Election he loses his seat.


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 13, 2019)

He has joined LDs.


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 13, 2019)

The LDs the party helped the Tories with austerity.


----------



## BusLanes (Jun 13, 2019)

I literally met someone in April in Streatham who's still angry at that fucking note from Labour's Treasury minister "there's no money left". We ended up talking about it for 20 minutes, which i'll not get back.


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 13, 2019)

From the politics boards:


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 13, 2019)

So Chuka is joining the party who supported the Tory party in imposing "austerity" on this country.


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 13, 2019)

So what is the LDs politics now apart from being Remain party?


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 13, 2019)

The only thing that comes to mind is LD saying they support Green Capitalism.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Jun 13, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> So what is the LDs politics now apart from being Remain party?



same as usual.  do / say anything for the chance of power.

including working with the tories and new-UKIP on bolton council

bunch of cunts


----------



## souljacker (Jun 13, 2019)

Lol Chuka. What a dick.


----------



## CH1 (Jun 14, 2019)

Puddy_Tat said:


> same as usual.  do / say anything for the chance of power.
> 
> including working with the tories and new-UKIP on bolton council
> 
> bunch of cunts


Have you actually read the Manchester Evening News article you posted there? - and more to the point have you appreciated that the ambience in Manchester and its satellite towns. Total Labour dominance for 40 years in the case of Bolton and more like 100 years in the case of the City of Manchester.

If non Labour members were not allowed on Scrutiny Committees in Bolton, I'm not surprised that voters and councillors were pissed off with the Labour group.

I find it bizarre if people on Urban 75 will support the People's Audit in Lambeth and yet oppose transparency in Bolton.

Final point - in Lambeth there was joint three party control of Lambeth Council business from 1994-1998.
One imagines this option would have been available in Bolton if Labour were minded to compromise.


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 15, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Have you actually read the Manchester Evening News article you posted there? - and more to the point have you appreciated that the ambience in Manchester and its satellite towns. Total Labour dominance for 40 years in the case of Bolton and more like 100 years in the case of the City of Manchester.
> 
> If non Labour members were not allowed on Scrutiny Committees in Bolton, I'm not surprised that voters and councillors were pissed off with the Labour group.
> 
> ...



I take your point.

On the politics boards someone posted that Chuka is more like the Orange book liberals who copied the "Third Way". So wondered how long it would be before Liberal Chuka pissed off grass roots/ pavement politics Liberals.

Chuka is a posh boy who couldn't stand the influx of the unwashed into his local Labour party. He is prime example of posh boy establishment politics. Which of course is "diverse" as long as Class isn't mentioned.

Despite his pronouncements that politics is broken he is part of the problem. Top down "centre" ground critique. What he wants is going back to the "centre" politics of New Labour/ Cameron Tories.

Politics is broken. What Chuka doesn't get is that return to the "centre" ground isn't going to satisfy voters.

Change UK failed not because of the ineptitude of Chuka etc but because voters aren't interested in so called centre ground.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Jun 15, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Have you actually read the Manchester Evening News article you posted there? - and more to the point have you appreciated that the ambience in Manchester and its satellite towns. Total Labour dominance for 40 years in the case of Bolton and more like 100 years in the case of the City of Manchester.
> 
> If non Labour members were not allowed on Scrutiny Committees in Bolton, I'm not surprised that voters and councillors were pissed off with the Labour group.
> 
> ...



I didn't think I came across on here as any sort of fan of new labour (I'm not a lambeth resident and not quite sure what this 'peoples audit' thing is, but if it's something the new labour / progress council are doing, i doubt i'd approve of that either)

but I find it hard to excuse the limp dems from getting in to bed with the tories at a national level in 2010, and as for cosying up with new look UKIP, they can fuck right off.


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 15, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Have you actually read the Manchester Evening News article you posted there? - and more to the point have you appreciated that the ambience in Manchester and its satellite towns. Total Labour dominance for 40 years in the case of Bolton and more like 100 years in the case of the City of Manchester.
> 
> If non Labour members were not allowed on Scrutiny Committees in Bolton, I'm not surprised that voters and councillors were pissed off with the Labour group.
> 
> ...



I did notice that in Bolton there are a lot of non party Cllrs in the area. Its not something one sees in London. The non party Cllrs are based in small villages. Must be well liked locals who stick up for residents on local issues. 

Could do with that in Lambeth.

Ex Labour Rachel tried to do it ( and I helped on her attempt at re election as Independent). But failed in Coldharbour. 

Non party candidate doesnt work in Lambeth.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Jun 15, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> I did notice that in Bolton there are a lot of non party Cllrs in the area. Its not something one sees in London. The non party Cllrs are based in small villages. Must be well liked locals who stick up for residents on local issues.



yes - and from what i gather, in this case concentrating very much on local issues and mainly in the smaller towns that ended up being lumped in with a larger town through local council reorganisations / mergers, and where (there is at least a perception that) the council is looking after its own town centre and neglecting the smaller places.

have had a bit of it in berkshire - slough council had a few locally aligned independent groups not that long ago (think some started with councillors who for one reason or another had left labour) and there was a year or two (we get elections 3 years out of 4 here) when the council administration was a coalition of tories, lib-dems, liberals*, britwell independent, langley independent and possibly one or two independent independents.

* - yes, the still extant party which a few people didn't leave to merge with the SDP.  if you think i'm not very complimentary about the lib dems, you should see what they have to say about them...

in theory, could possibly happen in london - there's at least a few councils where there's a feeling that council looks after one 'town centre' and neglects the rest, although not that many people still active who specifically think the 1965 london borough 'mergers' (e.g. lewisham absorbing deptford borough, greenwich absorbing woolwich borough and so on) were a big mistake...  (having said that, there were some lewisham residents who didn't want to be associated with those common people from deptford)

ETA - did happen in plumstead (greenwich borough) in 2018 - managed a respectable albeit distant second place


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 15, 2019)

Puddy_Tat said:


> I didn't think I came across on here as any sort of fan of new labour (I'm not a lambeth resident and not quite sure what this 'peoples audit' thing is, but if it's something the new labour / progress council are doing, i doubt i'd approve of that either)
> 
> but I find it hard to excuse the limp dems from getting in to bed with the tories at a national level in 2010, and as for cosying up with new look UKIP, they can fuck right off.



Lambeth used to have a small group of LD Cllrs. They were very good. As Lambeth was run as a one party state by New Labour controlled Lambeth Labour party the LD Cllrs were democratic oppositon.

The Lambeth New Labour administration was tightly controlled. Back bench Labour Cllrs couldn't express any opinions without passing them by the leadership first. Still happens now. I know from recent personal experience.

So the LD Cllrs were important.

Due to Clegg at national level the LDs were punished at Council level and all lost seats.

Local politics in Lambeth is poisonous.

Im not a great fan of the the Peoples Audit.

Tories have cynically pursued " austerity" by cutting Council funds. So that the electorate blame Councils not the Tories.

People's audit verges on being complicit in this.


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Jun 15, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> Tories have cynically pursued " austerity" by cutting Council funds. So that the electorate blame Councils not the Tories.



in part because too damn many new labour councillors (and i'll include london mayor khan in this) are just meekly implementing tory cuts.  

opinion is divided whether a policy of going for illegal budgets and whatever the current version of ratecapping is, and getting disqualified from office would be a good move, but they could at least make a bit more of a fuss about having to do it, and trying harder to let the public know what's going on.

not sure if councillors can still get individually surcharged or whether this quietly got ditched after the district auditor went after a certain former westminster council leader - or get banged up for contempt, as labour councillors in poplar were prepared to do once


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 15, 2019)

Puddy_Tat said:


> I
> 
> 
> 
> ...



This is precisely what ha a been happening in Brixton.

Loughborough Junction is in the "Creative Enterprise Zone" and in the "Brixton Liveable neighborhood".

LJ gets put in as bigger boundary means more likelihood of getting free money from Sadiq.

So it can be spent by New Labour Hopkins and his chums in Brixton BID for further tarting up of gentrified Central Brixton.

Loughborough Junction  will just get the left overs.


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 15, 2019)

Puddy_Tat said:


> in part because too damn many new labour councillors (and i'll include london mayor khan in this) are just meekly implementing tory cuts.
> 
> opinion is divided whether a policy of going for illegal budgets and whatever the current version of ratecapping is, and getting disqualified from office would be a good move, but they could at least make a bit more of a fuss about having to do it, and trying harder to let the public know what's going on.
> 
> not sure if councillors can still get individually surcharged or whether this quietly got ditched after the district auditor went after a certain former westminster council leader - or get banged up for contempt, as labour councillors in poplar were prepared to do once



As I said to an officer recently all these initiatives like CEZ are all very well but one thing Council could do is stop selling of its assets.

Council could make decision to retain ownership of land and property it has. Its no good getting this CEZ grant building up creative sector then selling off International House after five years. ( The present plan).

Rather than go down the route of gradually selling off land and property the Council should keep ownership of land it owns. Not do deals with developers naively thinking this will produce good social outcomes. Developers will run rings around local authorities. As in Elephant and Castle. Its not hard line Marxist to say property developers are all about profit.

Ideologically New Labour bought into Thacherite dogma that state ownership was bad. Councils should divest themselves of old fashioned local state ownership and become "enablers" instead was the ideological position they held and still do. Its still the ideological commonsense of Lambeth Regeneration dept.


----------



## CH1 (Jun 15, 2019)

Well I want to know what Chuka thinks about property developers. If he (quite rightly) opposed increasing student fees and the imposition of the bedroom tax, then he ought to have an appreciation that current property development methods are destructive of the environment, the community and the economic situation of prospective tenants and owners.


----------



## BusLanes (Jun 15, 2019)

I suspect that Chuka will at least partially align with local Lib Dem stuff now (children's centres, scrutiny, policing) etc. I have always assumed that London Labour keep a tight reign on this stuff whilst they control the GLA


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 15, 2019)

BusLanes said:


> I suspect that Chuka will at least partially align with local Lib Dem stuff now (children's centres, scrutiny, policing) etc. I have always assumed that London Labour keep a tight reign on this stuff whilst they control the GLA



Unlike Kate Hoey Chuka never criticised the New Labour administration in Lambeth. 

So yes it will be interesting to see him criticising the New Labour administration. 

I wonder if he will?


----------



## co-op (Jun 15, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> Lambeth used to have a small group of LD Cllrs. They were very good. As Lambeth was run as a one party state by New Labour controlled Lambeth Labour party the LD Cllrs were democratic oppositon.
> 
> The Lambeth New Labour administration was tightly controlled. Back bench Labour Cllrs couldn't express any opinions without passing them by the leadership first. Still happens now. I know from recent personal experience.
> 
> ...



The Lib dems were a bit more than a "small group" - they ran the council 2002-2006, and they were ousted in 2006 and lost further seats in 2010, all well before Clegg's stupidity (although that did lead to their total annihilation in 2014).


----------



## snowy_again (Jun 16, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> Im not a great fan of the the Peoples Audit.
> 
> Tories have cynically pursued " austerity" by cutting Council funds. So that the electorate blame Councils not the Tories.
> 
> *People's audit verges on being complicit in this*.



Can you explain that a bit more please? Knowing some of People's Audit, that seems completely a bizarre statement to make. You seem to be excusing Lambeth, which I'm sure isn't what you mean.


----------



## snowy_again (Jun 16, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> Unlike Kate Hoey Chuka never criticised the New Labour administration in Lambeth.
> 
> So yes it will be interesting to see him criticising the New Labour administration.
> 
> I wonder if he will?


He'll do whatever advances his career. He got a couple of interesting APPG chairs on social integration etc, but by all accounts failed to achieve a cross party consensus so nothing really happened. He was pitching himself as a player in the post Jo Cox world, but they didn't seem that keen on him either.


----------



## CH1 (Jun 16, 2019)

co-op said:


> The Lib dems were a bit more than a "small group" - they ran the council 2002-2006, and they were ousted in 2006 and lost further seats in 2010, all well before Clegg's stupidity (although that did lead to their total annihilation in 2014).


Just to be precise on this in 2002 Labour had 28 seats Lib Dems 28 and Tories 7.

Just to compare with earlier:
1994   Lib Dem 24 Labour 24 Tory 16
1998   Lib Dem 18 Labour 41 Tory 5

The maximum number of seats the Lib Dems ever achieved was 28, so its hardly as though Labour achieved a total turn round.
If anything you might ask why Labour did not consolidate their 1998 victory when they had 2/3 of the council seats at 41/64. To lose 17 seats in the honeymoon of Blair seems a little odd.


----------



## tim (Jun 16, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> Unlike Kate Hoey Chuka never criticised the New Labour administration in Lambeth.
> 
> So yes it will be interesting to see him criticising the New Labour administration.
> 
> I wonder if he will?



He's not interested in Streatham any more he's defecating to Twickenham, where he expects to inherit Vinny the Cabler's seat.


----------



## BusLanes (Jun 16, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> Unlike Kate Hoey Chuka never criticised the New Labour administration in Lambeth.
> 
> So yes it will be interesting to see him criticising the New Labour administration.
> 
> I wonder if he will?



Kate's one saving grace is she's happy to stand up against the council on planning issues, so fair play to her. But she's, now, had her run at being a minister so maybe that's easier. If you're a loyal party man then maybe not so much. Just look at Rachel Heywood.


----------



## Southlondon (Jun 16, 2019)

BusLanes said:


> Kate's one saving grace is she's happy to stand up against the council on planning issues, so fair play to her. But she's, now, had her run at being a minister so maybe that's easier. If you're a loyal party man then maybe not so much. Just look at Rachel Heywood.


Don’t forget kate was sacked as minister for opposing the Iraq war. She is very solid on her core principles like opposing benefit cuts when she rebelled with Corbyn, mcdonnell abbot etc.  and of course her consistent stance on the EU which didn’t just come out of the blue at the referendum. Those core principles include standing up for the constituents when the new labour council needs challenging, as she did on many occasions to the new labour government


----------



## CH1 (Jun 16, 2019)

Corbynistas seems to be having their revenge on SM


----------



## aka (Jun 17, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Corbynistas seems to be having their revenge on SM
> View attachment 174436


That's a faked up tweet by a parody account, taking the piss out of Corbynistas.


----------



## CH1 (Jun 17, 2019)

aka said:


> That's a faked up tweet by a parody account, taking the piss out of Corbynistas.


I could see it was fake (it was an image).

I was aware there was an "Honest Chuka" account - though this is obviously not from there.
Unusual to have two Lambeth MPs who get people going. Keep your head down Helen Hayes!


----------



## Gramsci (Jun 18, 2019)

snowy_again said:


> Can you explain that a bit more please? Knowing some of People's Audit, that seems completely a bizarre statement to make. You seem to be excusing Lambeth, which I'm sure isn't what you mean.



The audit commission, which was an independent body , that looked at Council finances was abolished by the Tories.

To be replaced by giving people right to look at Council finances.

Pickles pushed this change forward at time that Tories were cutting Council funding.

Some criticism of Council seems to me to verge on saying if they spent more wisely everything would be fine. It won't.

Getting rid of the Audit commission was deliberate Tory way to reduce oversight of the austerity they were inflicting on the less well off through cuts to local government.

The reason they did this is that people are more likely to blame local government than the central Tory one when cuts bite.

The latest idea the Tories have is changing the formula by which the amount of government funding Councils get is calculated.

This is boring technical change that is politically driven and will have effect on the poorest in society.

Basically the amount of central funding Councils get is calculated taking into account the level of deprivation in a Council. This is likely to go under the new formula. Surprise surprise this will hit inner city Labour Council and benefit the Tory shires. As inner city councils have higher levels of deprivation compared to the shires.

Its things like this that don't get much attention.



> Ministers have been accused of a “stitch-up” over proposals to redraw the funding formula for councils in a way critics say will redirect scarce cash from deprived inner cities to affluent Conservative-voting shires.
> 
> The proposed changes – which include the recommendation that grant allocations should no longer be weighted to reflect the higher costs of poverty and deprivation – come amid increasing concern over the sustainability of local authority finances.
> 
> Leaders of urban councils have written to ministers to complain that under the “grossly unfair and illogical” proposals, potentially tens of millions of pounds would be switched to rural and suburban council areas.



Plan to redirect inner-city funds to Tory shires 'a stitch-up’


----------



## CH1 (Aug 30, 2019)

Sources within the LDs indicate that now Vince Cable is standing down candidates for the relatively safe LD Twickenham seat will be selected from an all-woman shortlist.

Which implies that Chuka will be staying in Streaham, at least for the duration of the election campaign.

Quite possibly a lot longer if politics descends to 1980s levels of stroppiness - after all it was now expelled Chris Williamson MP and his antics which drove Chuka into the Liberal Democrats.


----------



## Gramsci (Aug 31, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Sources within the LDs indicate that now Vince Cable is standing down candidates for the relatively safe LD Twickenham seat will be selected from an all-woman shortlist.
> 
> Which implies that Chuka will be staying in Streaham, at least for the duration of the election campaign.
> 
> Quite possibly a lot longer if politics descends to 1980s levels of stroppiness - after all it was now expelled Chris Williamson MP and his antics which drove Chuka into the Liberal Democrats.





With all due respect. When this seat came up the two main candidates were Chuka and Steve Reed. Chuka positioned himself as the candidate - anti war / left Compass supporter as against Steve the Blairite.

Chuka got the seat decided by the membership. Who were fed up with Blair over Iraq.  Chuka was the insurgent left candidate against Steve the proven successful leader of Lambeth Council and supporter of the Third Way.

He then moved to the right once he became an MP. Ending up in LDs.

This has nothing to do with the "antics" of a particular Labour party member.

Its to do with Chuka move from the left of the party to the right once he became an MP.


----------



## Gramsci (Aug 31, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Sources within the LDs indicate that now Vince Cable is standing down candidates for the relatively safe LD Twickenham seat will be selected from an all-woman shortlist.
> 
> Which implies that Chuka will be staying in Streaham, at least for the duration of the election campaign.
> 
> Quite possibly a lot longer if politics descends to 1980s levels of stroppiness - after all it was now expelled Chris Williamson MP and his antics which drove Chuka into the Liberal Democrats.




On this issue.

I see from the photo leading light form Jewish Voice for Labour was present.

An anecdote.

I was at the recent Lambeth and Wandsworth PSC summer party. JVL members were there. I gave a little talk on the Big Bike Ride for Palestine I did.

UK council refused to host Palestinian event over antisemitism fears

Tower Hamlets like Lambeth have adopted the IHRA plus examples for the borough. Which meant that I as a cyclist was smeared by that Labour Council as taking part in event , which supported Palestinians, as being anti Semitic.

So if we are going to get into "antics" perhaps look at what some London councils like Lambeth and Tower Hamlets are doing?

I took part in Bike ride raising money for sports in Gaza. Also raising the issue of the plight of Palestinians and showing solidarity. For that I'm an anti Semite according to some Councils in London

https://www.thebigride4palestine.com/


----------



## Gramsci (Aug 31, 2019)

Opinion: I warned the IHRA would shut down Palestinian protest – I’ve been proved right


----------



## CH1 (Aug 31, 2019)

Gramsci said:


> With all due respect. When this seat came up the two main candidates were Chuka and Steve Reed. Chuka positioned himself as the candidate - anti war / left Compass supporter as against Steve the Blairite.
> Chuka got the seat decided by the membership. Who were fed up with Blair over Iraq.  Chuka was the insurgent left candidate against Steve the proven successful leader of Lambeth Council and supporter of the Third Way.
> He then moved to the right once he became an MP. Ending up in LDs.
> This has nothing to do with the "antics" of a particular Labour party member.
> Its to do with Chuka move from the left of the party to the right once he became an MP.


Not being a Labour member I am not familiar with Compass and its policies as viewed from a Labour Party perspective..

I've looked it up - last year's annual report attached

couple of points seem to be rather like what Chuka is talking about:
they say for example they have worked with Labour, Green Party, Social Liberal Forum of the liberal Democrats, SNP, WEP, Plaid, Momentum, Labour Together, Make votes matter, We Own It.

This seems to imply that Compass is in favour of political groups who will work together to encourage progressive policies.
In this connection they refer to their encouragement of Lib Dem/Green joint working to take Richmond from the Tories.

Regarding how I described Chris Williamson's behaviour towards Chuka - I gather that even in the Labour Party it is highly unusual for a fellow MP to stage hostile events against a sitting MP. It's not as if Derby North is adjacent to Streatham either - its nearly 160 miles away!


----------



## Gramsci (Aug 31, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Not being a Labour member I am not familiar with Compass and its policies as viewed from a Labour Party perspective..
> 
> I've looked it up - last year's annual report attached
> 
> ...



Had a look at the Compass site. Back when Chuka was trying to ge the seat Compass came across as radical. Trying to read the Compass website now and I'm falling asleep.

Times have changed. This country is more divided. The "middle ground" never did anything for me. Its my problem with Chuka. I'm not interested.

Boris / Corbyn or people like them are the way forward.

I read this recently and it chimed with how I feel,




> Corbyn is a divisive figure, but so is Boris Johnson, so were Theresa May and David Cameron, so was Blair. *It’s just that the people who were divided away by them weren’t considered important. *The poor, the “loony left”, the disabled, the foreign – none of them mattered and so the solid core of people who remained could say: “Look how unified we are, look how we compromise like adults.” But it’s a shallow kind of compromise, where you only ask the people who already broadly agree with you.
> 
> Corbyn’s divisiveness in this context is what underlies his appeal, and that’s why the calls for him to step aside for a more unifying figure are so tone-deaf. If he were acceptable to the current holders of power in this country, then he wouldn’t be any use to us.



Yes, Jeremy Corbyn is divisive. But division is just what our broken politics needs | Phil McDuff


I was up at the demo in Whitehall today and felt this was great. People on both sides are really angry. The centre ground stuff has gone.

And this is spot on:



> To be divisive is to not let people look away. It is to turn and say to those who have been ignored for being inconvenient: “We believe you, you’re not making it up, it’s there and it’s real and it’s bad and it should change.” That upsets people who are comfortable with things the way they are – which is really what divisive means, when it comes down to it.



Blair/ Cameron centre ground worked for a while. It did mean that a perentage of the population were excluded. But that didn't matter then. It does now. Good.


----------



## redsquirrel (Sep 1, 2019)

CH1 said:


> Quite possibly a lot longer if politics descends to 1980s levels of stroppiness - after all it was now expelled Chris Williamson MP and his antics which drove Chuka into the Liberal Democrats.


Was it bollocks, it was an ego the size of a planet, horrible Neo-liberal politics and stupidity that had Umunna leave the Labour Party.


----------



## BusLanes (Sep 5, 2019)

Oh well I am sure it will be a fun campaign if we have an election - what with Owen / Williamson / Momentum piling into have a whack against Ummana. That being said, there's been talk of some polling floating about/leaked that show Streatham/Vauxhall/Southwark as being winnable for the Lib Dems just on London figures, which are a bit higher than national figures.


----------



## Crispy (Sep 6, 2019)

Brave move




> Kevin Schofield
> @PolhomeEditor
> BREAKING: Chuka Umunna will stand for the Lib Dems in the Cities of London and Westminster seat at the general election. Currently held by Tory MP Mark Field with a 3,000 majority.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Sep 6, 2019)

Trying to change the narrative of his defeat? A "brave gamble" rather than being rejected by his current constituents?


----------



## quimcunx (Sep 6, 2019)

egotistical move?  He must realise He has a good chance of losing.  Surely?   Maybe less of a dent to his ego than if he stood in Streatham, which would be tantamount to claiming the people love him more than Labour, and lost.


----------



## killer b (Sep 6, 2019)

Reckon he'll probably win in L&W - exactly the kind of seat they'll do well in.


----------



## BusLanes (Sep 6, 2019)

killer b said:


> Reckon he'll probably win in L&W - exactly the kind of seat they'll do well in.



I just googled who's standing against the Conservative incumbent - and um, he has a chaotic personal life


----------



## CH1 (Sep 6, 2019)

BusLanes said:


> I just googled who's standing against the Conservative incumbent - and um, he has a chaotic personal life


You must mean this
Corbynista minister, 48, who wants to become a Labour MP is caught having TWO affairs by his wife  | Daily Mail Online

We are lagging behind Walthamstow now. We had two naughty vicars in Brixton in the 1980s. But this takes it to a whole new level. One vicar - 2 (concurrent?) affairs. Personally I wish vicars would stay out of politics. Don't mind political sermons, but joining political parties and standing for office is a no no for me. I see there is a Brexit Party vicar standing in Forest of Dean. This is disgraceful.

"He's nicknamed the Red Reverend for his devotion to both Jeremy Corbyn and Christ. But it would seem the Rev Steven Saxby has been spreading a little too much of the gospel of love.The 48-year-old has apologised to his wife of 20 years after she accused him of repeated affairs – including one with a church organist."

*Support: Mr Saxby campaigning with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn*

This is directly from the article - to save you lookin up!


----------



## CH1 (Sep 6, 2019)

This out of date New Statesman article suggests
a) there is no new Labour candidate for Streatham, despite Chuka defecting 6 months ago
b) prospective candidates are being selected by the Labour Party's National Executive Committee (NEC)

*The Staggers - 6 September 2019  
Labour change parliamentary selection rules in boost for Jeremy Corbyn*

The move to an election footing will increase the chances of pro-Corbyn candidates getting selected.

By Ailbhe Rea

The Labour Party has made a last-minute change to how it will select its candidates for the next general election, in a boost for Jeremy Corbyn’s hopes of permanently changing the balance of the parliamentary party. 

In a move that will favour candidates with strong ties to unions and to the Labour leadership, Labour has decided that its ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) will now shortlist candidates directly, rather than via the longer process of selection committees, explaining to prospective candidates that “we are very likely to find ourselves with a general wlection over the next few weeks.”

Prospective candidates have until today at 5pm to submit their applications to the NEC, which has consisted of a majority of pro-Corbyn figures since January 2018, when three new Corbyn allies were elected to the executive, including Jon Lansman, the founder of Momentum.


The change will have a particular impact in key seats where the current Labour MP won’t be standing again: most notably, in Chuka Umunna’s seat of Streatham, and Kate Hoey’s seat in Vauxhall.

In Streatham, which Umunna will now be contesting as a Liberal Democrat, it favours the candidate Bell Ribeiro-Addy. As chief of staff and political adviser to Diane Abbott, as well as a Unite rep and former NUS politician, she has the background and standing that the NEC will favour over an outsider to the Corbynite machine. Well-liked by parliamentary colleagues and long considered a favourite for the selection, this all but confirms it. In all likelihood this secures the position of a loyal Corbynista as the MP for Streatham for decades to come.

In the neighbouring South London seat of Vauxhall, meanwhile, Labour will need to select a candidate to replace outgoing MP Kate Hoey, and will leap at the opportunity to swap an outspoken Brexiteer for someone who sings from the same hymn sheet as the leadership.

Just as recent events have given Boris Johnson the opportunity to remodel the Conservative party, this has given Corbyn a window of opportunity to deepen his control of his own.

Ailbhe Rea is political correspondent at the New Statesman.


----------



## Gramsci (Sep 11, 2019)

I was having a chat with my Labour party friend from Chuka area. Its now in control of the left. 

Read this today and , I had. few drinks, apoplectic with rage.

Chuka Umunna: Labour and the Tories are dead – but it could be a blessing for the politically homeless

Chuka is saying that those who are Remain are clearly of the "centre" ground.

Fuck off.

I'm so angry.

I'm a Remainer but not at all interested in the centre ground.

Its no surprise privately educated posh boy Chuka has ended up in LDs.

The party that supported "centre" ground austerity.

Its a disgrace that Remainers like Chuka- middle class centrists- are trying to say Remain is part of the middle class so called centre.

Why they hate Corbyn so much.

Corbyn actual position on referendum was Remain and Reform.

He then accepted the refererendum result.

Chuka should know a lot of local Corbyn supporters were Remain.

But that does not fit into his right wing narrative of Corbyn being an anti Semitic anti capitalist not fit to run this country.

Unlike Chuka who would love to run country in conjunction with the City of London.


----------



## Gramsci (Sep 13, 2019)

Saw the LD leader saying again she thought Corbyn was not fit to lead a government of this country so she would not let LD work with Labour party under present leadership. She was quite happy to work with austerity Cameron.

Anyway Chuka new party has new MP, A homophobic Tory. But he opposes Brexit so that's ok. Nothing else matters to the new reinvigorated LDs under Swinson.


> She explained her reasons for leaving in a scathing blog post that describes Lee as “a homophobe, a xenophobe, and someone who thinks people should be barred from the country if they are ill”.
> 
> It continues: “I thought the Lib Dems were not a single issue party. I thought we had a soul and principles. But apparently as long as you are on the right side on Brexit, we’ll take you.
> 
> ...





LGBT Liberal Democrats are quitting the party over the decision to admit ‘homophobic’ Phillip Lee


----------



## Gramsci (Dec 5, 2019)

I heard Chuka on radio morning yesterday saying that Corbyn is anti NATO. Which I assume is another reason Corbyn is unfit to be PM.

Thankfully Chuka new party the LD who are 110% Remainers will use part of the the so called Remain bonus to support NATO.

Lib Dems: 'Remain bonus' will 'enhance' UK in Nato


> He said the party would use the so-called "Remain bonus" to "enhance the UK's ability to play our part in Nato".



I'm so glad the party of the the sensible centre is going to spend more on NATO weapons using money saved from stopping Brexit.


----------



## editor (Jan 14, 2020)

Vast plates of LOLcakes all round


----------



## Puddy_Tat (Jan 14, 2020)

editor said:


> Vast plates of LOLcakes all round



oops

likewise the tory twunt who stood here (and didn't get in) for the limp-dems having been tory MP for neighbouring but more leave-voting constituency...


----------



## Gramsci (Jan 15, 2020)

Kind of depressing that it looks lke Chuka should have stayed in the party.

Here is what he said in 2015 . Note here he is criticising Ed Miliband for being to left wing.

BTW he stabbed Ed Miliband in the back after Miliband had given him an important job in shadow cabinet. Thing is for the likes of Chuka in the party it never was just about Corbyn. They saw Ed Milliband turn to the left as going to far.    



> Labour must appeal to middle income voters in England who have “ambition, drive and aspiration to get on and do well," he said.
> 
> While acknowledging a “collective failure” in Ed Miliband’s team, Mr Umunna said that Labour had lost because it set itself against businesses and offered little for the middle classes.



'No-one is too rich to be in Labour': Chuka Umunna sets out leadership stall


----------



## magneze (Jan 16, 2020)

Eh?


----------

