Chuka Umunna rules out serving in Corbyn's shadow cabinet

[co-op]

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]

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

 

[Gramsci]

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]

And now he's quit Labour

 

[snowy_again]

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]

And now he's quit Labour

sales of my tiny violins have never been so rapid

 

[Twattor]

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]

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]

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]

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.

Although the debate was generally good-tempered, irate Umunna-ites had already accused those wanting to switch of ‘conspiring to deselect Chuka’ – but the recriminations escalated further.

Streatham members told the SKWAWKBOX that Mr Umunna’s supporters threatened that he would leave Labour and start his own party if AMM won. Umunna was present at the meeting.

 

[Gramsci]

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]

mistake. double post.

 

[Gramsci]

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]

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]

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

Very George Washington.

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]

Are you here all week?

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

 

[BusLanes]

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]

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

 

[lang rabbie]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[tim]

And now he's quit Labour

Labour quit him, didn't it?

 

[Twattor]

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

 

[CH1]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.