labourlist--2020-04-16--43% of public think Keir Starmer will improve Labour, says new poll

43 % of the British public think new leader Keir Starmer will change the Labour Party for the better , according to a new poll by Ipsos MORI .
Asked about his likely impact on the party , 31 % of those surveyed said they expected him to “ make no difference ” while just 6 % predicted he would make Labour “ worse ” .
Starmer , who was elected leader in early April with 56 % of first preference votes , kicks off his time in charge of Labour with an overall favourability rating of +5 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new poll , 21 % unfavourable , and a significant 39 % chose the ‘ neither ’ option , with another 14 % saying they didn ’ t know .
The Labour Party as a whole is currently found to be favourable by 30 % – up four points over the last month – and unfavourable by 40 % .
With a net rating of -10 , it does not compare well with the Conservative Party , which under Boris Johnson ’ s leadership has a +2 net favourability rating .
The favourability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significantly since coronavirus hit the UK – they are higher than those of his party , which was not the case before the general election .
Ipsos MORI ’ s Kelly Beaver commented : “ There is a glimmer of hope for Keir Starmer as he takes over as Labour leader , with more people thinking he will make the Labour party better than worse .
“ Only time will tell if that translates into popular support for the party rising.
” Ipsos MORI conducted the online survey of 1,069 British adults aged @ @ @ @ @ @ @

43% of the British public think new leader Keir Starmer will change the Labour Party for the better, according to a new poll by Ipsos MORI.
Asked about his likely impact on the party, 31% of those surveyed said they expected him to “make no difference” while just 6% predicted he would make Labour “worse”.
Starmer, who was elected leader in early April with 56% of first preference votes, kicks off his time in charge of Labour with an overall favourability rating of +5%.
26% found him favourable in the new poll, 21% unfavourable, and a significant 39% chose the ‘neither’ option, with another 14% saying they didn’t know.
The Labour Party as a whole is currently found to be favourable by 30% – up four points over the last month – and unfavourable by 40%.
With a net rating of -10, it does not compare well with the Conservative Party, which under Boris Johnson’s leadership has a +2 net favourability rating.
The favourability ratings of the Prime Minister have improved significantly since coronavirus hit the UK – they are higher than those of his party, which was not the case before the general election.
Ipsos MORI’s Kelly Beaver commented: “There is a glimmer of hope for Keir Starmer as he takes over as Labour leader, with more people thinking he will make the Labour party better than worse.
“Only time will tell if that translates into popular support for the party rising.”
Ipsos MORI conducted the online survey of 1,069 British adults aged 18+ between April 10th and 13th.


labourlist--2020-04-16--Labour’s factions are readjusting under new leadership

Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner pushed ahead with their show of unity at the top of the Labour Party with a Zoom call for members last night .
The new leader was clear about this shift , saying : “ You will see a very united team with me and Ange… There won ’ t be any splits or differences between us.
” They plan to attend member and stakeholder meetings together , and it was notable that on Monday the pair issued a joint statement about the leaked internal report .
Addressing that subject in the video call , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding : “ We have to stop the factionalism in our party .
We have to create a different culture.
” He warned : “ Everybody who ’ s being factional is not just letting down the party but letting down the very people that most need us.
” Rayner noted that the report had “ really deeply upset people ” and explicitly stated that the independent investigation was “ not to long-grass it ” .
Former general secretary Iain McNichol has now stepped down from Labour ’ s frontbench – he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the independent probe into the report is carried out .
Vastly different reactions to the report are still emerging .
GMB Labour Party staff branch has said that the leak is “ causing immense stress ” for the workers named .
The Unite branch passed a motion that paid particular attention to the alleged workplace racism , which sparked debate among staffers .
Len McCluskey has written up his response for LabourList in a piece that is both incredibly critical of the former HQ but also concludes that this should not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to unite Labour .
Labour ’ s factional groups were already having a conversation about how they should adapt under the new leadership , and this report has underscored the importance of that debate .
Progress and Labour First were the first to make a move with the launch of umbrella group ‘ Labour to Win ’ .
We recently saw the formation of Forward Momentum ( not a distinct group but a campaign for reform ) , while Momentum ’ s executive has indicated that it wants to go in a different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stronger emphasis on trade unions ) .
Red Labour , Jewish Voice for Labour and the Labour Representation Committee have now joined forces to create a new network backed by ex-MP Laura Pidcock .
It looks as if the Corbynites were held together only by Jeremy Corbyn and there is significant fragmentation now , which does not bode well for their chances of success in internal elections .
Will there be more interest from the left in the idea of introducing the single transferable vote ( STV ) for national executive committee ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the soft left group Open Labour is focussing on , with the launch of a new campaign today .
STV for all internal elections is a totemic issue for this wing of the party – it will be interesting to see whether it gets any support from the leadership .
Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner pushed ahead with their show of unity at the top of the Labour Party with a Zoom call for members last night. The new leader was clear about this shift, saying: “You will see a very united team with me and Ange… There won’t be any splits or differences between us.” They plan to attend member and stakeholder meetings together, and it was notable that on Monday the pair issued a joint statement about the leaked internal report.
Addressing that subject in the video call, Starmer said he shared members’ concerns, adding: “We have to stop the factionalism in our party. We have to create a different culture.” He warned: “Everybody who’s being factional is not just letting down the party but letting down the very people that most need us.” Rayner noted that the report had “really deeply upset people” and explicitly stated that the independent investigation was “not to long-grass it”.
Former general secretary Iain McNichol has now stepped down from Labour’s frontbench – he was a whip in the Lords – while the independent probe into the report is carried out. Vastly different reactions to the report are still emerging. GMB Labour Party staff branch has said that the leak is “causing immense stress” for the workers named. The Unite branch passed a motion that paid particular attention to the alleged workplace racism, which sparked debate among staffers. Len McCluskey has written up his response for LabourList in a piece that is both incredibly critical of the former HQ but also concludes that this should not be a crisis for Starmer whose mission is to unite Labour.
Labour’s factional groups were already having a conversation about how they should adapt under the new leadership, and this report has underscored the importance of that debate. Progress and Labour First were the first to make a move with the launch of umbrella group ‘Labour to Win’. We recently saw the formation of Forward Momentum (not a distinct group but a campaign for reform), while Momentum’s executive has indicated that it wants to go in a different direction (the key difference being a stronger emphasis on trade unions). Red Labour, Jewish Voice for Labour and the Labour Representation Committee have now joined forces to create a new network backed by ex-MP Laura Pidcock.
It looks as if the Corbynites were held together only by Jeremy Corbyn and there is significant fragmentation now, which does not bode well for their chances of success in internal elections. Will there be more interest from the left in the idea of introducing the single transferable vote (STV) for national executive committee (NEC) contests? That is certainly what the soft left group Open Labour is focussing on, with the launch of a new campaign today. STV for all internal elections is a totemic issue for this wing of the party – it will be interesting to see whether it gets any support from the leadership. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-04-16--WATCH: Ashworth calls for plan to roll out Covid-19 testing and tracing

Jonathan Ashworth has called for a “ plan to roll out testing and tracing ” and said that the use of lockdown measures are a “ blunt tool ” in combatting coronavirus .
In an interview with Sky News this morning , the Shadow Health Secretary refused to give the government a rating out of ten on how it has been handling the crisis .
Ashworth instead focused on calling for frontline health and care workers to be supplied with the personal protective equipment that they need .
He also said that the public need clarity on an exit strategy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not provided people will “ read things into misleading or badly phrased tweets from health ministers ” .
On Wednesday evening , Junior health minister Nadine Dorries tweeted : “ There is only one way we can ‘ exit ’ full lockdown and that is when we have a vaccine .
Until then , we need to find ways we can adapt society and strike a balance between the health of the nation and our economy.
” Speaking to in a BBC interview later this morning , Ashworth said : “ We would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would support that , but we also want more details from government about what happens next.
” With indications that the rate of new infections is slowing , the government is under increasing pressure to begin to outline when the lockdown might end .
Labour leader Keir Starmer has urged the government to publish its exit strategy this week and said that doing so would “ maintain morale and hope ” .
The total number of recorded Covid-19 cases in the UK is now 98,476 but with low levels of testing the true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There have been 12,868 confirmed deaths from the virus .

Jonathan Ashworth has called for a “plan to roll out testing and tracing” and said that the use of lockdown measures are a “blunt tool” in combatting coronavirus.
In an interview with Sky News this morning, the Shadow Health Secretary refused to give the government a rating out of ten on how it has been handling the crisis.
Ashworth instead focused on calling for frontline health and care workers to be supplied with the personal protective equipment that they need.
"Lockdown is a blunt tool unless you combine it with a testing and tracing plan." Shadow Health Secretary @JonAshworth is pushed on how he thinks the government has been coping with the #coronavirus pandemic. #KayBurley#COVID19 latest: https://t.co/1OOlStAXZy pic.twitter.com/NHYKOJwqSU — SkyNews (@SkyNews) April 16, 2020
He also said that the public need clarity on an exit strategy for the lockdown, warning that if not provided people will “read things into misleading or badly phrased tweets from health ministers”.
On Wednesday evening, Junior health minister Nadine Dorries tweeted: “There is only one way we can ‘exit’ full lockdown and that is when we have a vaccine. Until then, we need to find ways we can adapt society and strike a balance between the health of the nation and our economy.”
Speaking to in a BBC interview later this morning, Ashworth said: “We would expect the lockdown to continue, we would support that, but we also want more details from government about what happens next.”
With indications that the rate of new infections is slowing, the government is under increasing pressure to begin to outline when the lockdown might end.
Labour leader Keir Starmer has urged the government to publish its exit strategy this week and said that doing so would “maintain morale and hope”.
The total number of recorded Covid-19 cases in the UK is now 98,476 but with low levels of testing the true figure is thought to be much higher. There have been 12,868 confirmed deaths from the virus.


labourlist--2020-04-16--Open Labour and FILE: Why Labour should use STV to elect our NEC

We all heard a very strong message from Labour Party members during the course of the leadership election – the need for a cultural change to help create a more unified and more tolerant party .
The new leader himself has set out eight key reforms to create a “ new , more inclusive , more democratic culture of dignity and respect ” .
In keeping with this theme , we also need to adopt the voting model that we already use to choose our leader and deputy leader for our national executive committee ( NEC ) elections .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party , and party members get to vote directly for who will hold many of the positions on it – such as the Constituency Labour Party ( CLP ) representatives , for which there are nine places , plus the BAME rep and the youth rep .
It is currently elected using a first-past-the-post voting system .
Instead , we could use the single transferable vote ( STV ) system to elect Labour ’ s NEC .
This would help us take a step back and tone down the bitter infighting into which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope for a broader representation of Labour ’ s broad church – not a winner-takes-all factional fight , which has been disastrous for the party .
STV is particularly well-suited to our multi-member CLP section .
There is one vote , and you rank the candidates from ‘ 1 ’ until you come to the end of the preferences you want to express .
It ’ s a little bit more work for voters but it is one-member-one-vote and a much fairer system .
The act of preferencing candidates encourages members to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for and the different perspectives they want represented on the NEC .
Modern online systems are also much faster than paper counts , although those who opt for paper ballots can always be accommodated .
It is one single vote with multiple ‘ winning ’ candidates .
As with the leadership election , candidates are either successful or drop out of the running .
Votes for those who drop out of the running can be transferred to other candidates .
Even if your first choice doesn ’ t win , your other choices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s more inclusive and encourages more budding members to put themselves forward as candidates – regardless of whether they have been anointed by an organised party grouping .
Candidates also break free of policy straight-jackets and rhetoric associated with factions .
They have to prove themselves as individuals with the experience and drive to take on the role and , most of all , the ability to listen to members .
The recent NEC by-elections have further showed why we need this reform .
The headline result that ‘ Corbynsceptics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pattern hidden in the results .
Yet again , we elected NEC members but the first-past-the-post system ensured that the results didn ’ t really match with members votes .
Labour First and Progress won 100 % of the seats , with 31.2 % of the vote , while Lauren Townsend , supported by Momentum and CLPD , missed out on winning a seat by just 252 votes or 0.07 % .
First-past-the-post hasn ’ t just worked against Corbynites – it has worked against Corbynsceptics , too .
In the last full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ won all nine seats with less than 50 % of the vote , leaving the rest of the party with no representation .
Independent candidates such as Ann Black and Eddie Izzard didn ’ t stand a chance .
The reason for this distortion ?
It ’ s the spoiler effect : a tendency of first-past-the-post to reward united factions with a majority of the vote in a landslide victory .
Over 45 % of members voted for candidates from the various Labour left slates but , due to split votes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still , over 20 % of votes went for independent candidates not aligned with either Labour First/Progress or any Corbynite slate , rendering those 20 % of votes completely wasted .
To be successful in an STV system , winning candidates must appeal to a broader base of support by seeking third , fourth and even lower voting preferences .
They ’ d have to work harder to earn your vote , which means for successful candidates there is more accountability to a wider electorate , and a better link between the voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help reduce the worst excesses of some of the negative campaigning that we have seen take place over the years .
STV is more representative , more inclusive , gives the voter more choice , and means votes matter more .
This is why today Open Labour and FILE launch this campaign to get our voting system changed at the first available opportunity .
Let ’ s use STV to elect our NEC .
@ STVFILE | @ openlabour | Campaign for STV in all Internal Elections openlabour.org

We all heard a very strong message from Labour Party members during the course of the leadership election – the need for a cultural change to help create a more unified and more tolerant party. The new leader himself has set out eight key reforms to create a “new, more inclusive, more democratic culture of dignity and respect”. In keeping with this theme, we also need to adopt the voting model that we already use to choose our leader and deputy leader for our national executive committee (NEC) elections.
The NEC is the governing body of our party, and party members get to vote directly for who will hold many of the positions on it – such as the Constituency Labour Party (CLP) representatives, for which there are nine places, plus the BAME rep and the youth rep. It is currently elected using a first-past-the-post voting system.
Instead, we could use the single transferable vote (STV) system to elect Labour’s NEC. This would help us take a step back and tone down the bitter infighting into which some have descended. And we could hope for a broader representation of Labour’s broad church – not a winner-takes-all factional fight, which has been disastrous for the party.
STV is particularly well-suited to our multi-member CLP section. There is one vote, and you rank the candidates from ‘1’ until you come to the end of the preferences you want to express. It’s a little bit more work for voters but it is one-member-one-vote and a much fairer system. The act of preferencing candidates encourages members to find out more about who they are voting for and the different perspectives they want represented on the NEC. Modern online systems are also much faster than paper counts, although those who opt for paper ballots can always be accommodated.
It is one single vote with multiple ‘winning’ candidates. As with the leadership election, candidates are either successful or drop out of the running. Votes for those who drop out of the running can be transferred to other candidates.
Even if your first choice doesn’t win, your other choices can help elect the eventual successful candidates. It’s more inclusive and encourages more budding members to put themselves forward as candidates – regardless of whether they have been anointed by an organised party grouping. Candidates also break free of policy straight-jackets and rhetoric associated with factions. They have to prove themselves as individuals with the experience and drive to take on the role and, most of all, the ability to listen to members.
The recent NEC by-elections have further showed why we need this reform. The headline result that ‘Corbynsceptics sweep the board’ misses a contradicting pattern hidden in the results. Yet again, we elected NEC members but the first-past-the-post system ensured that the results didn’t really match with members votes. Labour First and Progress won 100% of the seats, with 31.2% of the vote, while Lauren Townsend, supported by Momentum and CLPD, missed out on winning a seat by just 252 votes or 0.07%.
First-past-the-post hasn’t just worked against Corbynites – it has worked against Corbynsceptics, too. In the last full NEC election, the Momentum ‘slate’ won all nine seats with less than 50% of the vote, leaving the rest of the party with no representation. Independent candidates such as Ann Black and Eddie Izzard didn’t stand a chance.
The reason for this distortion? It’s the spoiler effect: a tendency of first-past-the-post to reward united factions with a majority of the vote in a landslide victory. Over 45% of members voted for candidates from the various Labour left slates but, due to split votes, the left won zero seats. Worse still, over 20% of votes went for independent candidates not aligned with either Labour First/Progress or any Corbynite slate, rendering those 20% of votes completely wasted.
To be successful in an STV system, winning candidates must appeal to a broader base of support by seeking third, fourth and even lower voting preferences. They’d have to work harder to earn your vote, which means for successful candidates there is more accountability to a wider electorate, and a better link between the voter and their NEC representatives.
This should help reduce the worst excesses of some of the negative campaigning that we have seen take place over the years. STV is more representative, more inclusive, gives the voter more choice, and means votes matter more. This is why today Open Labour and FILE launch this campaign to get our voting system changed at the first available opportunity. Let’s use STV to elect our NEC.
@STVFILE | @openlabour | Campaign for STV in all Internal Elections openlabour.org


labourlist--2020-01-07--We must celebrate all that unites us as we choose a new leader

The contests for Labour ’ s next leader and deputy leader begin today – the largest and most democratic leadership elections of any political party in Britain .
The process begins with candidates seeking nominations from MPs and MEPs , with those receiving a minimum of 22 nominations going forward to seek supporting nominations from CLPs and affiliated organisations , and the result announced at a special conference on April 4th .
Since the general election was called , tens of thousands of people have joined the Labour Party , with more joining every day .
7,000 joined over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news , and it brings our total membership to close to 560,000 – which means we ’ re well on our way to having the largest membership ever in our history .
New joiners are motivated by many different reasons , including a desire to take part in the election , and we will do all we can to encourage them to become fully engaged in every aspect of our great party – and at all levels .
Because let ’ s not beat around the bush : we ’ ve got a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and showing that our party can deliver real change .
Our task means reaching out to people in every community , in all regions and nations , and listening seriously to their concerns .
It also means being inclusive and welcoming to all new members , as well as working hard to encourage everyone to unify behind our new leader , whoever that may be .
I have supported every elected leader over four decades of my own membership and have always believed it is vital to present a united front if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriously .
That includes us doing more to ensure that all members understand and share our values of treating everyone with dignity and respect – as highlighted in the members ’ pledge that people sign up to when joining Labour – and continuing to take action against anyone who engages in abuse of any kind .
But above all , I hope our members will see what lies ahead as a springboard ; as an opportunity to recognise our differences but also to celebrate all that unites us .
I believe we all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equality , justice and in a fairer society for everyone where we care for and support all those who are vulnerable or in need .
Our greatest strength should be our unity of purpose , but we have to be honest and recognise that unity has been sadly lacking in recent times .
Whilst it is clear that that there were a number of reasons why we lost the last election , not least because of a country divided on Brexit , it is also completely understandable that voters may be singularly unimpressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at war with itself .
So let ’ s come together and give genuine support to whoever is elected as our next leader .
With Labour being a broad , and hopefully tolerant , church , we will never elect a leader who has complete support from every member , but they will have a democratic mandate to lead and they deserve our support .
Finally , I want to pay tribute to Jeremy Corbyn .
He has had the toughest tenure of any Labour leader in my lifetime .
He faced merciless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including from the most hostile media I ’ ve ever witnessed , and as research has shown , most of it unfair and without foundation .
Despite this , he has maintained dignity and always stuck to his principles , refusing to engage in personal attacks , regardless of whatever has been thrown at him .
Under his leadership our party has been transformed into a mass membership organisation .
And under his leadership , he has moved not just our party but the political discourse , to the left .
Candidates for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving back to what has been described as a ‘ wishy-washy centrism ’ .
We should all recognise and be grateful for what he has brought to our party , and the legacy he leaves of a changed party and a changed political narrative .
I am proud to have worked with him .

The contests for Labour’s next leader and deputy leader begin today – the largest and most democratic leadership elections of any political party in Britain. The process begins with candidates seeking nominations from MPs and MEPs, with those receiving a minimum of 22 nominations going forward to seek supporting nominations from CLPs and affiliated organisations, and the result announced at a special conference on April 4th.
Since the general election was called, tens of thousands of people have joined the Labour Party, with more joining every day. 7,000 joined over the last weekend alone. This is fantastic news, and it brings our total membership to close to 560,000 – which means we’re well on our way to having the largest membership ever in our history.
New joiners are motivated by many different reasons, including a desire to take part in the election, and we will do all we can to encourage them to become fully engaged in every aspect of our great party – and at all levels.
Because let’s not beat around the bush: we’ve got a huge job to do of rebuilding trust and showing that our party can deliver real change. Our task means reaching out to people in every community, in all regions and nations, and listening seriously to their concerns.
It also means being inclusive and welcoming to all new members, as well as working hard to encourage everyone to unify behind our new leader, whoever that may be. I have supported every elected leader over four decades of my own membership and have always believed it is vital to present a united front if we are to convince voters to take us seriously.
That includes us doing more to ensure that all members understand and share our values of treating everyone with dignity and respect – as highlighted in the members’ pledge that people sign up to when joining Labour – and continuing to take action against anyone who engages in abuse of any kind.
But above all, I hope our members will see what lies ahead as a springboard; as an opportunity to recognise our differences but also to celebrate all that unites us. I believe we all joined Labour because we believe passionately in equality, justice and in a fairer society for everyone where we care for and support all those who are vulnerable or in need.
Our greatest strength should be our unity of purpose, but we have to be honest and recognise that unity has been sadly lacking in recent times. Whilst it is clear that that there were a number of reasons why we lost the last election, not least because of a country divided on Brexit, it is also completely understandable that voters may be singularly unimpressed by a party that appears to be at war with itself.
So let’s come together and give genuine support to whoever is elected as our next leader. With Labour being a broad, and hopefully tolerant, church, we will never elect a leader who has complete support from every member, but they will have a democratic mandate to lead and they deserve our support.
Finally, I want to pay tribute to Jeremy Corbyn. He has had the toughest tenure of any Labour leader in my lifetime. He faced merciless attacks and criticism from all sides, including from the most hostile media I’ve ever witnessed, and as research has shown, most of it unfair and without foundation. Despite this, he has maintained dignity and always stuck to his principles, refusing to engage in personal attacks, regardless of whatever has been thrown at him.
Under his leadership our party has been transformed into a mass membership organisation. And under his leadership, he has moved not just our party but the political discourse, to the left. Candidates for the leadership have acknowledged this and rejected moving back to what has been described as a ‘wishy-washy centrism’. We should all recognise and be grateful for what he has brought to our party, and the legacy he leaves of a changed party and a changed political narrative. I am proud to have worked with him.


labourlist--2020-01-07--Tracy Brabin, Rachael Maskell and Luke Pollard promoted to shadow cabinet

Tracy Brabin , Rachael Maskell and Luke Pollard have all been promoted to shadow cabinet positions by Jeremy Corbyn today following the general election in which senior figures stepped down or lost their seats .
Brabin , who was elected as MP for Batley and Spen after the murder of Jo Cox , has been chosen to replace former deputy leader Tom Watson as Shadow Media , Culture and Sport Secretary .
It ’ s a step up from the frontbench position of shadow early years minister , which she took on in July 2017 .
Brabin is considered soft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for deputy leader and expressed support for Keir Starmer as leader .
Maskell will take up the role of Shadow Employment Rights Secretary , replacing Laura Pidcock who had been considered a rising star but lost her Durham seat to the Tories in the general election .
The anti-Brexit MP for York used to be Shadow Environment Secretary until she resigned over triggering Article 50 .
She is considered to be on the left of the party and has endorsed Clive Lewis in Labour ’ s leadership election .
Pollard has been promoted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his frontbench position of shadow minister for flooding and coastal communities to Shadow Environment Secretary .
He is replacing Sue Hayman , who lost her Workington seat to the Tories last month .
Pollard won his Plymouth constituency from the Tories in 2017 and kept hold of it in the general election .
All three are Labour and Co-operative MPs .
Tan Dhesi , meanwhile , has been picked as Jeremy Corbyn ’ s new parliamentary private secretary .
The MP for Slough was first elected in 2017 , and impressed many when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarks ” at Prime Minister ’ s Questions in September .

Tracy Brabin, Rachael Maskell and Luke Pollard have all been promoted to shadow cabinet positions by Jeremy Corbyn today following the general election in which senior figures stepped down or lost their seats.
Brabin, who was elected as MP for Batley and Spen after the murder of Jo Cox, has been chosen to replace former deputy leader Tom Watson as Shadow Media, Culture and Sport Secretary. It’s a step up from the frontbench position of shadow early years minister, which she took on in July 2017. Brabin is considered soft left; she has backed Angela Rayner for deputy leader and expressed support for Keir Starmer as leader.
Maskell will take up the role of Shadow Employment Rights Secretary, replacing Laura Pidcock who had been considered a rising star but lost her Durham seat to the Tories in the general election. The anti-Brexit MP for York used to be Shadow Environment Secretary until she resigned over triggering Article 50. She is considered to be on the left of the party and has endorsed Clive Lewis in Labour’s leadership election.
Pollard has been promoted upwards in the same department, from his frontbench position of shadow minister for flooding and coastal communities to Shadow Environment Secretary. He is replacing Sue Hayman, who lost her Workington seat to the Tories last month. Pollard won his Plymouth constituency from the Tories in 2017 and kept hold of it in the general election.
All three are Labour and Co-operative MPs.
Tan Dhesi, meanwhile, has been picked as Jeremy Corbyn’s new parliamentary private secretary. The MP for Slough was first elected in 2017, and impressed many when he challenged Boris Johnson over “racist remarks” at Prime Minister’s Questions in September.


labourlist--2020-01-07--To rebuild and take on the Tories, Labour and trade unions must stand together

The election of a Tory government is a profound challenge for the labour movement .
It is necessary for any candidate for the leadership of our party to set a clear path about how they intend to work with the trade unions .
Already we have seen Boris Johnson further watering down weak commitments on workers ’ rights in his Brexit legislation and threatening the right to strike .
I have no doubt that trade union rights – already among some of the weakest in Europe – as well as public sector pensions and environmental protections will be next in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promises on funding for our schools , hospitals and infrastructure for which they must be held to account .
These are going to be difficult and important years for the trade union movement and it is my commitment that if elected as Labour ’ s leader the party will stand side-by-side with trade unionists .
The Labour Party was born out of the trade union movement .
Together we have achieved so much : from the minimum wage to the basis of the welfare state we all rely on – decent pensions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services , and fundamental rights and protections at work .
That is why I agree with the revival of the tradition that the leader of the Labour Party attends and supports the Durham Miners ’ Gala .
A manifesto for 2024 , for a government that will take us to the 2030s , must put the needs of working people and their families at the centre of delivering a green industrial revolution and greening our industries , confronting the onset of AI , the growth of insecure work and the gig economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workplace .
The general election means we are leaving the EU .
The Leave-Remain divide is for the past .
We must now settle the kind of future relationship we want with Europe , and fight to prevent the UK being dragged into bad deals with Donald Trump that threaten our public services and our protections at work .
This is an agenda the labour movement must unite around , whichever side people took over Leave and Remain .
As we rebuild from the election defeat and face these and other challenges , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bond between the unions and Labour can not be weakened .
We did not lose the election because we promised to boost public sector pay , restore collective bargaining , give workers a real say in their workplaces , invest in our public services or end outsourcing to the private sector .
We did not lose because we believe public services like the railways should be in public hands rather delivering profits for shareholders .
Nor did we lose because we promised to repeal the malicious 2016 Trade Union Act and its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – and we must continue to oppose that during this parliament .
There can be no going back from that agenda .
No sacrificing our core principles .
No over-steering or accepting the Tory narrative .
We are a party and a movement that opposes austerity , supports common ownership and believe in public services .
I want us to unite around that agenda .
During the general election , some of our strongest and most dynamic campaigns and polices came from our trade unions .
The days of unions being seen as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over and must never come back .
Labour needs to do far more to harness the unions ’ campaigning skills , and to make sure that trade union members are a core part of our campaigning and policy development all year round .
UNISON has helped make the NHS and issues facing care workers and their families one of the biggest political questions facing our country .
Unite the Union ’ s ongoing campaign on universal credit and its pressure over fair tips for waiting staff both put justice and fairness in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over blacklisting , have built wide support .
GMB ’ s campaign to support Amazon workers places the labour movement at the heart of a national debate about the nature of work in modern Britain .
CWU ’ s work to press for accessible , affordable broadband shows how the labour movement can be at the centre of transforming our economy .
USDAW ’ s defence of the dignity and safety of shop-workers is essential in the modern retail economy .
All of these and the work of the wider trade union movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are to rebuild trust with working people , we need to ensure that a commitment to defending workplace rights and public services is central to everything we do .
To do this , we need to end the division that has too often held us back .
I want to see a more united party because working-class communities depend on us to win power .
One of the big tests of the next five years will be whether we can grow and unite the labour movement in the face of the common threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services .
If we can , I believe another future is possible : one where we do not accept that austerity , privatisation and outsourcing are inevitable .
Or that working people have to accept another decade of Tory rule .
“ Unity is strength ” is one of the great truths of our movement .
We need unity to rebuild our strength now more than ever .

The election of a Tory government is a profound challenge for the labour movement. It is necessary for any candidate for the leadership of our party to set a clear path about how they intend to work with the trade unions.
Already we have seen Boris Johnson further watering down weak commitments on workers’ rights in his Brexit legislation and threatening the right to strike. I have no doubt that trade union rights – already among some of the weakest in Europe – as well as public sector pensions and environmental protections will be next in his sights. The Tories also made promises on funding for our schools, hospitals and infrastructure for which they must be held to account.
These are going to be difficult and important years for the trade union movement and it is my commitment that if elected as Labour’s leader the party will stand side-by-side with trade unionists. The Labour Party was born out of the trade union movement. Together we have achieved so much: from the minimum wage to the basis of the welfare state we all rely on – decent pensions, the Equal Pay Act, strong public services, and fundamental rights and protections at work.
That is why I agree with the revival of the tradition that the leader of the Labour Party attends and supports the Durham Miners’ Gala. A manifesto for 2024, for a government that will take us to the 2030s, must put the needs of working people and their families at the centre of delivering a green industrial revolution and greening our industries, confronting the onset of AI, the growth of insecure work and the gig economy, and restoring dignity for all in the workplace.
The general election means we are leaving the EU. The Leave-Remain divide is for the past. We must now settle the kind of future relationship we want with Europe, and fight to prevent the UK being dragged into bad deals with Donald Trump that threaten our public services and our protections at work. This is an agenda the labour movement must unite around, whichever side people took over Leave and Remain.
As we rebuild from the election defeat and face these and other challenges, we need to be absolutely clear that the bond between the unions and Labour cannot be weakened. We did not lose the election because we promised to boost public sector pay, restore collective bargaining, give workers a real say in their workplaces, invest in our public services or end outsourcing to the private sector.
We did not lose because we believe public services like the railways should be in public hands rather delivering profits for shareholders. Nor did we lose because we promised to repeal the malicious 2016 Trade Union Act and its unfair thresholds on ballots for industrial action – and we must continue to oppose that during this parliament.
There can be no going back from that agenda. No sacrificing our core principles. No over-steering or accepting the Tory narrative. We are a party and a movement that opposes austerity, supports common ownership and believe in public services.
I want us to unite around that agenda. During the general election, some of our strongest and most dynamic campaigns and policies came from our trade unions. The days of unions being seen as cash-cows during elections but otherwise peripheral are over and must never come back. Labour needs to do far more to harness the unions’ campaigning skills, and to make sure that trade union members are a core part of our campaigning and policy development all year round.
UNISON has helped make the NHS and issues facing care workers and their families one of the biggest political questions facing our country. Unite the Union’s ongoing campaign on universal credit and its pressure over fair tips for waiting staff both put justice and fairness in the spotlight. Its campaigns, such as over blacklisting, have built wide support.
GMB’s campaign to support Amazon workers places the labour movement at the heart of a national debate about the nature of work in modern Britain. CWU’s work to press for accessible, affordable broadband shows how the labour movement can be at the centre of transforming our economy. USDAW’s defence of the dignity and safety of shop-workers is essential in the modern retail economy. All of these and the work of the wider trade union movement points to the future.
If we are to rebuild trust with working people, we need to ensure that a commitment to defending workplace rights and public services is central to everything we do. To do this, we need to end the division that has too often held us back. I want to see a more united party because working-class communities depend on us to win power.
One of the big tests of the next five years will be whether we can grow and unite the labour movement in the face of the common threat Johnson poses to our rights and public services. If we can, I believe another future is possible: one where we do not accept that austerity, privatisation and outsourcing are inevitable. Or that working people have to accept another decade of Tory rule.
“Unity is strength” is one of the great truths of our movement. We need unity to rebuild our strength now more than ever.


labourlist--2020-01-07--Burgon sets out details of deputy leader pitch to colleagues

Richard Burgon has written to Labour colleagues explaining why he is standing to be the next deputy leader of the party and outlining his approach to the role .
In the letter sent to other members of the parliamentary Labour party today , the Shadow Justice Secretary stressed the need for all sections of the party to unite .
The Leeds East MP wrote : “ Labour has always been a broad coalition of socialists , social democrats and trade unions .
For me , that unity is our strength and is more necessary than ever in the aftermath of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus as deputy leader will be to build on that unity as we take the fight to the new Boris Johnson government and try to limit the damage it will do to our communities.
” He expressed his view that Labour should not move away from the policy direction of the last two manifestoes , but did suggest that better messaging and a clearer focus is required .
He wrote : “ Many of the policies in our recent manifestos were widely praised and offer genuine solutions to the challenges our communities face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , building 100,000 council houses per year and a new green industrial strategy can be part of how we rebuild trust with lost voters.
” He added : “ We can not assume that good policies alone are enough .
We clearly need to work on making our policies connect better with potential voters .
As deputy leader I would ensure that we sharpen our messaging by focusing on ten key popular policies that best articulate our vision to transform Britain.
” Commenting on Labour ’ s defeat last month , Burgon cited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My experience on the doorstep , in my strongly Leave constituency , suggests it was largely due to it becoming the ‘ Brexit election ’ that Boris Johnson wanted.
” He added : “ But that was not the only reason .
As deputy leader , I would host regional events with current MPs and launch a forum with all our colleagues who lost their seats and candidates in marginal seats who sadly did not win this time , to ensure the widest input into how we move forward.
” The candidate also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Labour in some seats : “ I would also chair a special commission looking into how we rebuild in those 50+ seats lost in Leave areas , in many of which our support has been declining for a number of years.
” He wrote that as deputy leader “ one of my key tasks will be to strengthen our local organising and campaigning ” , and that “ engaging our dedicated membership in these campaigns will be key to reconnecting locally ” .
Burgon announced that he would be putting himself in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Labour Party last week .
He has been a close Corbyn ally and was a key media performer during the election .
He is likely to be seen as the most Corbynite of the deputy leader candidates .
A number of other Labour figures have unveiled deputy leadership bids , including Rosena Allin-Khan , Ian Murray , and Khalid Mahmood .
Frontrunner Angela Rayner formally put her name forward for the role yesterday , launching her bid with a warning that Labour must “ win or die ” .
The national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timetable for the leadership and deputy election process .
Nominations from MPs and MEPs opened today and close on January 13th .
The parliamentary Labour party will hold a hustings for the deputy leadership contest on Wednesday morning .

Richard Burgon has written to Labour colleagues explaining why he is standing to be the next deputy leader of the party and outlining his approach to the role.
In the letter sent to other members of the parliamentary Labour party today, the Shadow Justice Secretary stressed the need for all sections of the party to unite.
The Leeds East MP wrote: “Labour has always been a broad coalition of socialists, social democrats and trade unions. For me, that unity is our strength and is more necessary than ever in the aftermath of our devastating election defeat.
“My focus as deputy leader will be to build on that unity as we take the fight to the new Boris Johnson government and try to limit the damage it will do to our communities.”
He expressed his view that Labour should not move away from the policy direction of the last two manifestoes, but did suggest that better messaging and a clearer focus is required.
He wrote: “Many of the policies in our recent manifestos were widely praised and offer genuine solutions to the challenges our communities face. A £10 per hour living wage, building 100,000 council houses per year and a new green industrial strategy can be part of how we rebuild trust with lost voters.”
He added: “We cannot assume that good policies alone are enough. We clearly need to work on making our policies connect better with potential voters. As deputy leader I would ensure that we sharpen our messaging by focusing on ten key popular policies that best articulate our vision to transform Britain.”
Commenting on Labour’s defeat last month, Burgon cited Brexit as the main reason: “My experience on the doorstep, in my strongly Leave constituency, suggests it was largely due to it becoming the ‘Brexit election’ that Boris Johnson wanted.”
He added: “But that was not the only reason. As deputy leader, I would host regional events with current MPs and launch a forum with all our colleagues who lost their seats and candidates in marginal seats who sadly did not win this time, to ensure the widest input into how we move forward.”
The candidate also alluded to a long term trend away from Labour in some seats: “I would also chair a special commission looking into how we rebuild in those 50+ seats lost in Leave areas, in many of which our support has been declining for a number of years.”
He wrote that as deputy leader “one of my key tasks will be to strengthen our local organising and campaigning”, and that “engaging our dedicated membership in these campaigns will be key to reconnecting locally”.
Burgon announced that he would be putting himself in contention to be the next deputy leader of the Labour Party last week.
He has been a close Corbyn ally and was a key media performer during the election. He is likely to be seen as the most Corbynite of the deputy leader candidates.
A number of other Labour figures have unveiled deputy leadership bids, including Rosena Allin-Khan, Ian Murray, and Khalid Mahmood.
Frontrunner Angela Rayner formally put her name forward for the role yesterday, launching her bid with a warning that Labour must “win or die”.
The national executive committee met yesterday to agree the timetable for the leadership and deputy election process. Nominations from MPs and MEPs opened today and close on January 13th.
The parliamentary Labour party will hold a hustings for the deputy leadership contest on Wednesday morning.


labourlist--2020-01-07--What you need to know about Labour’s leadership contests so far

Labour ’ s ruling body has decided that the party leadership contests will officially begin today and the results will be announced at a special conference on April 4th .
Jeremy Corbyn is set to stay on as Labour leader until then .
The national executive committee also laid out the all-important details of the timetable , which will see MPs and MEPs able to nominate candidates until Monday .
Remember , each of the six will need 10 % to get on the ballot paper .
Between January 15th and February 14th , local parties and affiliates will make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of either CLPs or affiliated members including two unions .
The selectorate – members , registered supporters , affiliate members – will then vote between February 21st and April 2nd .
Check out the full story here .
There were no real surprises in the rules agreed by the NEC , and few accusations of any “ stitch up ” as a result .
Corbynsceptics with an eye for detail did , however , object to candidates only being granted access to membership data once CLP and affiliate nominations had closed .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the support of Momentum thanks to their vast mailing lists and phonebanking resources .
The data collected through Starmer ’ s and Phillips ’ websites won ’ t be able to compete , which means local party endorsements will be easier for the Corbynite frontrunner to secure .
The other small controversy is over registered supporters , with the fee set at £25 .
But this time that high level benefits the left , unlike in 2016 , and the whole scheme matters less this time round as new members can join with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now that the contest has properly kicked off , who is running ?
There are six candidates : Rebecca Long-Bailey , who launched with a Tribune article last night , plus Keir Starmer , Jess Phillips , Lisa Nandy , Emily Thornberry and Clive Lewis .
There are unlikely to be any more declarations – after all , the parliamentary party is holding its hustings of leadership candidates tonight .
This is crucial for Thornberry and Lewis in particular , who are the most likely to struggle to gain MP/MEP nominations .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to pass this stage .
Meanwhile , there are seven deputy leadership runners : Angela Rayner , Dr Rosena Allin-Khan , Dawn Butler , Richard Burgon , Khalid Mahmood , Conor McGinn and Ian Murray .
Their PLP hustings will be on Wednesday morning .
The question of which of these contenders will get the support of Momentum , the organisation that grew out of Corbyn ’ s original leadership campaign , is important .
They have huge organisational power .
Sabrina Huck has an excellent piece today that explores how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the leadership races .
LabourList understands that the national coordinating group will meet on Saturday to decide on the process by which it will endorse candidates if it chooses to do so – but that a ballot is already being facilitated so that it can be agreed and held quickly .
NCG officers haven ’ t made the decision yet , but an all-member vote is ready to take place if they agree on that route .
It seems risky : this may sound ridiculous , but even Momentum members aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Starmer could do well .
But insiders reckon Long-Bailey will be ultimately supported , and would benefit from a democratic process .
Her pitch firmly to the left last night will certainly have helped – though her Radio 4 interview this morning could raise eyebrows on the subject of nuclear weapons .
Her comments show that while she is often described as the ‘ continuity Corbyn ’ candidate , the reality is more complicated .
Sign up to LabourList ’ s morning email for everything Labour , every weekday morning .

Labour’s ruling body has decided that the party leadership contests will officially begin today and the results will be announced at a special conference on April 4th. Jeremy Corbyn is set to stay on as Labour leader until then. The national executive committee also laid out the all-important details of the timetable, which will see MPs and MEPs able to nominate candidates until Monday. Remember, each of the six will need 10% to get on the ballot paper. Between January 15th and February 14th, local parties and affiliates will make nominations. Every candidate needs 5% of either CLPs or affiliated members including two unions. The selectorate – members, registered supporters, affiliate members – will then vote between February 21st and April 2nd. Check out the full story here.
There were no real surprises in the rules agreed by the NEC, and few accusations of any “stitch up” as a result. Corbynsceptics with an eye for detail did, however, object to candidates only being granted access to membership data once CLP and affiliate nominations had closed. They argue that this will benefit whoever has the support of Momentum thanks to their vast mailing lists and phonebanking resources. The data collected through Starmer’s and Phillips’ websites won’t be able to compete, which means local party endorsements will be easier for the Corbynite frontrunner to secure. The other small controversy is over registered supporters, with the fee set at £25. But this time that high level benefits the left, unlike in 2016, and the whole scheme matters less this time round as new members can join with full voting rights until January 20th.
Now that the contest has properly kicked off, who is running? There are six candidates: Rebecca Long-Bailey, who launched with a Tribune article last night, plus Keir Starmer, Jess Phillips, Lisa Nandy, Emily Thornberry and Clive Lewis. There are unlikely to be any more declarations – after all, the parliamentary party is holding its hustings of leadership candidates tonight. This is crucial for Thornberry and Lewis in particular, who are the most likely to struggle to gain MP/MEP nominations. The need 22 signatures, including their own, to pass this stage. Meanwhile, there are seven deputy leadership runners: Angela Rayner, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Dawn Butler, Richard Burgon, Khalid Mahmood, Conor McGinn and Ian Murray. Their PLP hustings will be on Wednesday morning.
The question of which of these contenders will get the support of Momentum, the organisation that grew out of Corbyn’s original leadership campaign, is important. They have huge organisational power. Sabrina Huck has an excellent piece today that explores how the future of Momentum depends on its approach to the leadership races. LabourList understands that the national coordinating group will meet on Saturday to decide on the process by which it will endorse candidates if it chooses to do so – but that a ballot is already being facilitated so that it can be agreed and held quickly.
NCG officers haven’t made the decision yet, but an all-member vote is ready to take place if they agree on that route. It seems risky: this may sound ridiculous, but even Momentum members aren’t as factional as one might assume, and Starmer could do well. But insiders reckon Long-Bailey will be ultimately supported, and would benefit from a democratic process. Her pitch firmly to the left last night will certainly have helped – though her Radio 4 interview this morning could raise eyebrows on the subject of nuclear weapons. Her comments show that while she is often described as the ‘continuity Corbyn’ candidate, the reality is more complicated. Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for everything Labour, every weekday morning.


labourlist--2020-01-07--Long-Bailey: “If you have a deterrent, you have to be prepared to use it”

Rebecca Long-Bailey has declared that any leader or Prime Minister must be prepared to “ do anything it takes to ensure the people of this country are protected ” – including use of the nuclear deterrent .
The comments to the BBC followed the Salford MP ’ s official announcement that she would be standing in the Labour leadership race to replace Jeremy Corbyn , a longstanding critic of nuclear weapons .
Asked whether she would “ push the nuclear button ” , Long-Bailey said : “ Any leader and any Prime Minister has to be clear that the security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they represent comes first , above all else , and they would do anything it takes to ensure the people of this country are protected.
” The Corbynite frontrunner added : “ If you have a deterrent , you have to be prepared to use it .
But I ’ m not going to , you know , be a warmonger , foaming at the mouth , saying I ’ ll press the button , because any leader needs to ensure that they assess the situation.
” Any leader confronted with such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be “ facing nuclear annihilation right across the whole world ” , Long-Bailey said .
She concluded : “ But yes , a leader would need to be prepared to engage in that , if they were going to use the nuclear deterrent going forward.
” The answer was notable because Long-Bailey is often described as the ‘ continuity Corbyn ’ candidate but when asked about the subject in 2015 Corbyn himself said he would never use nuclear weapons .
During the BBC Radio 4 interview on the Today programme this morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tackling antisemitism within the Labour Party .
The leadership candidate said Labour “ should have listened to Jewish communal organisations ” and there was a need for “ robust proposals ” .
She committed to implementing all recommendations made by the Equality and Human Rights Commission .
On Brexit , she agreed that Labour “ ended up with a fudge ” , adding : “ It did not satisfy… It really wasn ’ t resonating.
” But she did not criticise the position of Keir Starmer , a fellow frontrunner in the leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do so – despite his role in pushing for the second referendum policy .
Long-Bailey denied that her Tribune article , where she launched her bid on Monday evening , contained a “ covert attack ” on Starmer , and she clarified that she thought the parliamentary manoeuvring around Brexit was necessary .
Asked whether she backed freedom of movement post-Brexit , Long-Bailey replied : “ This is the million dollar question.
” She did not say whether she would back or reject it going forward , but highlighted its benefits .
Finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out loud , she replied : “ Probably Angela Rayner .
She ’ s always coming out with cracking jokes.
” She and Rayner have endorsed each other ’ s bids for leader and deputy leader respectively .

Rebecca Long-Bailey has declared that any leader or Prime Minister must be prepared to “do anything it takes to ensure the people of this country are protected” – including use of the nuclear deterrent.
The comments to the BBC followed the Salford MP’s official announcement that she would be standing in the Labour leadership race to replace Jeremy Corbyn, a longstanding critic of nuclear weapons.
Asked whether she would “push the nuclear button”, Long-Bailey said: “Any leader and any Prime Minister has to be clear that the security and the protection of the people that they represent comes first, above all else, and they would do anything it takes to ensure the people of this country are protected.”
The Corbynite frontrunner added: “If you have a deterrent, you have to be prepared to use it. But I’m not going to, you know, be a warmonger, foaming at the mouth, saying I’ll press the button, because any leader needs to ensure that they assess the situation.”
Any leader confronted with such a decision would have to consider that we would be “facing nuclear annihilation right across the whole world”, Long-Bailey said. She concluded: “But yes, a leader would need to be prepared to engage in that, if they were going to use the nuclear deterrent going forward.”
The answer was notable because Long-Bailey is often described as the ‘continuity Corbyn’ candidate but when asked about the subject in 2015 Corbyn himself said he would never use nuclear weapons.
During the BBC Radio 4 interview on the Today programme this morning, Long-Bailey also raised the issue of tackling antisemitism within the Labour Party.
The leadership candidate said Labour “should have listened to Jewish communal organisations” and there was a need for “robust proposals”. She committed to implementing all recommendations made by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
On Brexit, she agreed that Labour “ended up with a fudge”, adding: “It did not satisfy… It really wasn’t resonating.”
But she did not criticise the position of Keir Starmer, a fellow frontrunner in the leadership race, when given the opportunity to do so – despite his role in pushing for the second referendum policy.
Long-Bailey denied that her Tribune article, where she launched her bid on Monday evening, contained a “covert attack” on Starmer, and she clarified that she thought the parliamentary manoeuvring around Brexit was necessary.
Asked whether she backed freedom of movement post-Brexit, Long-Bailey replied: “This is the million dollar question.” She did not say whether she would back or reject it going forward, but highlighted its benefits.
Finally, asked what last made her laugh out loud, she replied: “Probably Angela Rayner. She’s always coming out with cracking jokes.” She and Rayner have endorsed each other’s bids for leader and deputy leader respectively.


labourlist--2020-01-07--Ian Murray throws hat into ring for deputy leadership

Ian Murray , who became Labour ’ s only Scottish MP at the general election last month , has thrown his hat into ring for the deputy leadership in a bid to replace Tom Watson .
He will join Rosena Allin-Khan , Dawn Butler , Richard Burgon , Khalid Mahmood , Conor McGinn and likely frontrunner Angela Rayner in the contest , which will run alongside the main leadership race and conclude on April 4th .
Unveiling his bid in a Daily Mirror article , the Edinburgh South MP argued that Labour “ must change ” in order to become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future , not a protest movement of the past ” .
He particularly highlighted his experience of politics in Scotland – “ where populist nationalism had its first victory in the UK ” – and suggested that lessons learned could inform Labour ’ s broader approach .
Murray laid out a four-point plan for Labour to win power , from reconnecting with voters in seats lost and being clear on the “ key issues of the day ” to reforming the current party organisation and building an “ open and inclusive policy process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader , the Scottish MP said : “ I ’ m standing to be deputy leader of the Labour Party because I want to help us win power to transform lives .
“ Growing up on the Wester Hailes council estate in Edinburgh , the Tory Government believed families like ours didn ’ t deserve support .
But my mum and my teachers told me and my brother there was nothing we couldn ’ t achieve .
“ I want that hope and aspiration for every child .
That ’ s what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s in power .
The architects of the party ’ s catastrophic failure in 2019 can not be allowed to be the architects of the response.
” Addressing the future direction of the party , he added : “ The next leadership team must turn us into an election-winning machine that uses the skills and talents of all our members and supporters to succeed .
To win again we will need to beat the odds , and I know how to win by building broad coalitions of support .
“ The Labour Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with ourselves so we can be honest with the voters .
Looking to the past will only prolong our years in the wilderness and put our country at risk .
“ We must become a credible alternative government of the future , not a protest movement of the past .
That ’ s how we lift millions of children , families , and pensioners out of poverty again .
”

Ian Murray, who became Labour’s only Scottish MP at the general election last month, has thrown his hat into ring for the deputy leadership in a bid to replace Tom Watson.
He will join Rosena Allin-Khan, Dawn Butler, Richard Burgon, Khalid Mahmood, Conor McGinn and likely frontrunner Angela Rayner in the contest, which will run alongside the main leadership race and conclude on April 4th.
Unveiling his bid in a Daily Mirror article, the Edinburgh South MP argued that Labour “must change” in order to become a “credible alternative government of the future, not a protest movement of the past”.
He particularly highlighted his experience of politics in Scotland – “where populist nationalism had its first victory in the UK” – and suggested that lessons learned could inform Labour’s broader approach.
Murray laid out a four-point plan for Labour to win power, from reconnecting with voters in seats lost and being clear on the “key issues of the day” to reforming the current party organisation and building an “open and inclusive policy process”.
Making his pitch for deputy leader, the Scottish MP said: “I’m standing to be deputy leader of the Labour Party because I want to help us win power to transform lives.
“Growing up on the Wester Hailes council estate in Edinburgh, the Tory Government believed families like ours didn’t deserve support. But my mum and my teachers told me and my brother there was nothing we couldn’t achieve.
“I want that hope and aspiration for every child. That’s what the Labour Party can deliver when it’s in power. The architects of the party’s catastrophic failure in 2019 cannot be allowed to be the architects of the response.”
Addressing the future direction of the party, he added: “The next leadership team must turn us into an election-winning machine that uses the skills and talents of all our members and supporters to succeed. To win again we will need to beat the odds, and I know how to win by building broad coalitions of support.
“The Labour Party must change. We must be honest with ourselves so we can be honest with the voters. Looking to the past will only prolong our years in the wilderness and put our country at risk.
“We must become a credible alternative government of the future, not a protest movement of the past. That’s how we lift millions of children, families, and pensioners out of poverty again.”


labourlist--2020-01-07--Social movement or factional machine? Momentum’s future hangs in the balance

Over the last few years , Momentum has undoubtedly been one of the most influential organisations in the Labour Party .
From delivering overwhelming success for their endorsed candidates in internal elections to mobilising thousands of members to campaign for the party , Momentum has shaped our movement significantly .
But as Corbynism is coming to an end and a new leader is being elected , what does the future hold for a group seen as Jeremy Corbyn ’ s ‘ praetorian guard ’ ?
Given the context Momentum was founded in – as the movement that sprung out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is no surprise that loyalty to the Labour leader has been a key feature .
The organisation ’ s members rallied around Corbyn when the parliamentary Labour party launched their ‘ coup ’ and remained onside even when difficult decisions had to be made – including the divisive question of what Brexit position the party should take .
Momentum ’ s aim to consolidate Corbyn ’ s leadership and tighten the grip of the left on the institutions of the party was fairly successful .
But on the flip side this meant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really defined itself politically .
Most of us who have been active in Momentum at some point , either locally or nationally , will be aware that it is a broad church within a broad church .
Membership ranges from revolutionary socialists , Morning Star devotees , middle of the road European-style social democrats , social liberals , old-school trade unionists and ex-anarchists turned radical reformists drawn to a left populist agenda .
The one thing that united this coalition was its belief that Corbyn was the best bet to achieve a turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the road to socialism and a better world .
Now that Corbyn will be replaced by a new leader , these fractions will emerge more prominently .
Although Rebecca Long-Bailey has been touted as the heir apparent by many for some time now , whether a majority of the Corbyn-supporting membership would back her is far from certain .
Other candidates could potentially appeal to some demographics of former Corbyn backers or Momentum members – Clive Lewis , for example , has been outspoken on democratising the party .
Not securing mandatory reselection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest failures of the Corbyn project .
But even more centre-left candidates like Lisa Nandy or Keir Starmer could appeal to some who identify as the Labour left .
Nandy will score points thanks to her focus on winning back working-class towns .
Starmer has proven to be popular across the board according to initial YouGov polling .
After a defeat as heavy as ours , one should not underestimate the pull of a candidate who ’ s considered to be electable .
Momentum ’ s failure to become a social movement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the reason why the swing of the former Corbyn vote to other candidates is now so unclear .
Momentum never became the member-led organisation it promised to be .
Internal democracy and opportunities to debate ideas were shut down and replaced with a centralised organisational structure .
For example , the national coordinating group ( NCG ) made decisions on what policies to endorse at last September ’ s party conference without giving members the opportunity to submit ideas or vote online on priorities .
The promise to hold regular “ members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened .
These democratic elements that could have worked out some of the political contradictions among Corbyn ’ s coalition of supporters were never developed .
Instead , we saw a total focus on Labour factional manoeuvring and ‘ backing Jeremy ’ without much critical engagement with his leadership .
The question for Momentum now is whether it wants to continue as a faction that is associated primarily with a certain individual ’ s leadership , or whether its role is to develop the Labour left based on ideas and policies .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group does back a candidate , it only does so on the basis of a ballot of all its members .
But some members have expressed their doubts over whether Momentum should endorse a leadership candidate at all .
The potential volatility of the membership could see the a ballot split among candidates resulting in a lukewarm , indecisive endorsement .
There are concerns that a heavy split among the memberships would risk the stability of the organisation at a crucial time for its survival .
Others are worried that , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Momentum would relegate itself to irrelevance within the party .
Instead of backing any one candidate , I believe that the organisation should focus on pushing for policy ideas from all leadership contenders and seek to scrutinise their commitment to the radical political agenda .
On this basis , Momentum could return to its original promise and focus on building a politicised activist base that keeps the leadership in check .
As the leadership race kicks off in earnest , the NCG is set to meet this weekend to discuss whether an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the membership could potentially be involved in the process of picking the candidate .
Whatever the outcome of the discussion , it will have a profound impact on the legacy of the Corbyn project .

Over the last few years, Momentum has undoubtedly been one of the most influential organisations in the Labour Party. From delivering overwhelming success for their endorsed candidates in internal elections to mobilising thousands of members to campaign for the party, Momentum has shaped our movement significantly. But as Corbynism is coming to an end and a new leader is being elected, what does the future hold for a group seen as Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘praetorian guard’?
Given the context Momentum was founded in – as the movement that sprung out of Corbyn’s 2015 leadership campaign – it is no surprise that loyalty to the Labour leader has been a key feature. The organisation’s members rallied around Corbyn when the parliamentary Labour party launched their ‘coup’ and remained onside even when difficult decisions had to be made – including the divisive question of what Brexit position the party should take.
Momentum’s aim to consolidate Corbyn’s leadership and tighten the grip of the left on the institutions of the party was fairly successful. But on the flip side this meant that the ‘Labour left’ never really defined itself politically. Most of us who have been active in Momentum at some point, either locally or nationally, will be aware that it is a broad church within a broad church.
Membership ranges from revolutionary socialists, Morning Star devotees, middle of the road European-style social democrats, social liberals, old-school trade unionists and ex-anarchists turned radical reformists drawn to a left populist agenda. The one thing that united this coalition was its belief that Corbyn was the best bet to achieve a turn in British politics to put us on the road to socialism and a better world.
Now that Corbyn will be replaced by a new leader, these fractions will emerge more prominently. Although Rebecca Long-Bailey has been touted as the heir apparent by many for some time now, whether a majority of the Corbyn-supporting membership would back her is far from certain. Other candidates could potentially appeal to some demographics of former Corbyn backers or Momentum members – Clive Lewis, for example, has been outspoken on democratising the party.
Not securing mandatory reselection is considered to be one of the biggest failures of the Corbyn project. But even more centre-left candidates like Lisa Nandy or Keir Starmer could appeal to some who identify as the Labour left. Nandy will score points thanks to her focus on winning back working-class towns. Starmer has proven to be popular across the board according to initial YouGov polling. After a defeat as heavy as ours, one should not underestimate the pull of a candidate who’s considered to be electable.
Momentum’s failure to become a social movement, and not just a factional machine, is the reason why the swing of the former Corbyn vote to other candidates is now so unclear. Momentum never became the member-led organisation it promised to be. Internal democracy and opportunities to debate ideas were shut down and replaced with a centralised organisational structure. For example, the national coordinating group (NCG) made decisions on what policies to endorse at last September’s party conference without giving members the opportunity to submit ideas or vote online on priorities.
The promise to hold regular “members’ councils” to facilitate debate never happened. These democratic elements that could have worked out some of the political contradictions among Corbyn’s coalition of supporters were never developed. Instead, we saw a total focus on Labour factional manoeuvring and ‘backing Jeremy’ without much critical engagement with his leadership.
The question for Momentum now is whether it wants to continue as a faction that is associated primarily with a certain individual’s leadership, or whether its role is to develop the Labour left based on ideas and policies. A petition has been circulated demanding that if the group does back a candidate, it only does so on the basis of a ballot of all its members. But some members have expressed their doubts over whether Momentum should endorse a leadership candidate at all.
The potential volatility of the membership could see the a ballot split among candidates resulting in a lukewarm, indecisive endorsement. There are concerns that a heavy split among the memberships would risk the stability of the organisation at a crucial time for its survival.
Others are worried that, by backing an unsuccessful candidate in the race, Momentum would relegate itself to irrelevance within the party. Instead of backing any one candidate, I believe that the organisation should focus on pushing for policy ideas from all leadership contenders and seek to scrutinise their commitment to the radical political agenda. On this basis, Momentum could return to its original promise and focus on building a politicised activist base that keeps the leadership in check.
As the leadership race kicks off in earnest, the NCG is set to meet this weekend to discuss whether an endorsement should take place, and how the membership could potentially be involved in the process of picking the candidate. Whatever the outcome of the discussion, it will have a profound impact on the legacy of the Corbyn project.


labourlist--2020-01-07--Dr Rosena Allin-Khan unveils deputy leadership campaign

Rosena Allin-Khan , a Labour MP who still works shifts as an A & E doctor in her local hospital , has confirmed her candidacy for the role of deputy leader .
Unveiling her bid , the Tooting MP and Labour frontbencher emphasised that she is a practicing NHS doctor who “ knows you can not simply guess what is wrong with a patient ” .
Allin-Khan ’ s launch statement stated that “ you have to listen to the patient ’ s symptoms and investigate the root causes ” – and “ this is what she will do as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The deputy leadership candidate has vowed to “ listen with humility ” to those voters who lost faith in Labour and look at how the party can use its grassroots to “ reconnect with local communities ” .
Allin-Khan also promised that , if she won the role of Labour ’ s deputy leader , her priority would be to “ fight against a far-right Brexit ” and ensure that the NHS is not “ up for sale ” under Boris Johnson ’ s government .
The London MP , who replaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a 2016 by-election , had been tipped as a potential contender by LabourList before she gave an interview to The Sunday Times .
She told the newspaper that she would bring a “ fresh , non-tribal approach ” to the deputy leadership race , and “ work very much with the grassroots ” if elected to the role .
Announcing her bid , Allin-Khan said : “ The Labour Party shaped my values , while giving me the chances a person from my background otherwise would not have had .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community and provided me with the opportunity to train as a doctor to harness the skills to listen and serve people – regardless of their age , background or personal struggles .
“ I want the Labour Party to be in government again to afford the current generation the hope that was offered to me.
” Setting out her plan to win power , she added : “ It is vital that we restore trust in the Labour Party across the country .
It is clear that people did not trust us – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evaluate it , and learn from it in order to move forward .
“ We can not put words into people ’ s mouths .
Our path back to power involves listening with humility to those former Labour voters who have abandoned the party .
I believe my life experience means I can help our movement do this .
”

Rosena Allin-Khan, a Labour MP who still works shifts as an A&E doctor in her local hospital, has confirmed her candidacy for the role of deputy leader.
Unveiling her bid, the Tooting MP and Labour frontbencher emphasised that she is a practicing NHS doctor who “knows you cannot simply guess what is wrong with a patient”.
Allin-Khan’s launch statement stated that “you have to listen to the patient’s symptoms and investigate the root causes” – and “this is what she will do as deputy leader of the Labour Party”.
The deputy leadership candidate has vowed to “listen with humility” to those voters who lost faith in Labour and look at how the party can use its grassroots to “reconnect with local communities”.
Allin-Khan also promised that, if she won the role of Labour’s deputy leader, her priority would be to “fight against a far-right Brexit” and ensure that the NHS is not “up for sale” under Boris Johnson’s government.
The London MP, who replaced Sadiq Khan as Tooting’s representative in a 2016 by-election, had been tipped as a potential contender by LabourList before she gave an interview to The Sunday Times.
She told the newspaper that she would bring a “fresh, non-tribal approach” to the deputy leadership race, and “work very much with the grassroots” if elected to the role.
Announcing her bid, Allin-Khan said: “The Labour Party shaped my values, while giving me the chances a person from my background otherwise would not have had.
“It gave me the ability to represent my community and provided me with the opportunity to train as a doctor to harness the skills to listen and serve people – regardless of their age, background or personal struggles.
“I want the Labour Party to be in government again to afford the current generation the hope that was offered to me.”
Setting out her plan to win power, she added: “It is vital that we restore trust in the Labour Party across the country. It is clear that people did not trust us – we need to accept this fact, evaluate it, and learn from it in order to move forward.
“We cannot put words into people’s mouths. Our path back to power involves listening with humility to those former Labour voters who have abandoned the party. I believe my life experience means I can help our movement do this.”


labourlist--2020-01-06--Corbynite frontrunner Rebecca Long-Bailey confirms leadership bid

Corbynite frontrunner Rebecca Long-Bailey has put an end to speculation that she may have decided not to run for the Labour leadership and confirmed her bid for the top role tonight .
The MP for Salford and Eccles has used an article for Tribune – the online version of a quarterly publication supportive of the Labour left – to announce that she is definitely standing to succeed Jeremy Corbyn .
In the comment piece , she strongly criticises the agenda promoted by Labour before Corbyn became leader , describing the platform as consisting of “ triangulation and Tory-lite policies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labour left candidate pitches herself as someone who is “ totally committed to the policies ” and “ can be trusted with our socialist agenda ” with a “ political backbone ” .
Long-Bailey writes : “ I don ’ t just agree with the policies , I ’ ve spent the last four years writing them.
” She cites Labour ’ s plans for a Green New Deal , to democratise the economy and to renew high streets as examples of policies she has championed from the frontbench .
“ It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election was that Labour ’ s campaign lacked a coherent narrative .
But this was a failure of campaign strategy , not of our socialist programme , ” the leadership candidate argues .
She also vows to “ never throw migrants or BAME communities under the bus ” , and warns against Labour being “ too close to the establishment we are meant to be taking on ” .
Explicitly addressing the fact that her entry into the race was later than expected , Long-Bailey notes that she “ wanted to take time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not have a “ ready-made ” campaign because she was putting her efforts into the general election .
Ian Lavery , who was also considering a bid from the Labour left , has declared for the first time tonight that he is not standing and will be “ throwing [ his ] full support ” behind Long-Bailey .
Long-Bailey is regarded as the leadership candidate whose politics are closest to that of Corbyn , and she is expected to pick up the endorsements of Unite the Union and most likely Momentum too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labour left contender as the leadership election hustings for the Parliamentary Labour Party are set to be held on Tuesday evening .
At a key meeting this afternoon , Labour ’ s ruling body agreed the rules and timetable according to which the party leadership and deputy leadership elections will be conducted over the next few months .
It was decided that the contests would begin on Tuesday and conclude on April 2nd , with the final result being announced on April 4th .
Labour MPs and MEPs will nominate their preferred candidates @ @ @

Corbynite frontrunner Rebecca Long-Bailey has put an end to speculation that she may have decided not to run for the Labour leadership and confirmed her bid for the top role tonight.
The MP for Salford and Eccles has used an article for Tribune – the online version of a quarterly publication supportive of the Labour left – to announce that she is definitely standing to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.
In the comment piece, she strongly criticises the agenda promoted by Labour before Corbyn became leader, describing the platform as consisting of “triangulation and Tory-lite policies that held our party back”.
The Labour left candidate pitches herself as someone who is “totally committed to the policies” and “can be trusted with our socialist agenda” with a “political backbone”.
Long-Bailey writes: “I don’t just agree with the policies, I’ve spent the last four years writing them.” She cites Labour’s plans for a Green New Deal, to democratise the economy and to renew high streets as examples of policies she has championed from the frontbench.
“It is true that one reason we lost the election was that Labour’s campaign lacked a coherent narrative. But this was a failure of campaign strategy, not of our socialist programme,” the leadership candidate argues.
She also vows to “never throw migrants or BAME communities under the bus”, and warns against Labour being “too close to the establishment we are meant to be taking on”.
Explicitly addressing the fact that her entry into the race was later than expected, Long-Bailey notes that she “wanted to take time to reflect” following the election and did not have a “ready-made” campaign because she was putting her efforts into the general election.
Ian Lavery, who was also considering a bid from the Labour left, has declared for the first time tonight that he is not standing and will be “throwing [his] full support” behind Long-Bailey.
Long-Bailey is regarded as the leadership candidate whose politics are closest to that of Corbyn, and she is expected to pick up the endorsements of Unite the Union and most likely Momentum too.
Time was running out for the Labour left contender as the leadership election hustings for the Parliamentary Labour Party are set to be held on Tuesday evening.
At a key meeting this afternoon, Labour’s ruling body agreed the rules and timetable according to which the party leadership and deputy leadership elections will be conducted over the next few months.
It was decided that the contests would begin on Tuesday and conclude on April 2nd, with the final result being announced on April 4th. Labour MPs and MEPs will nominate their preferred candidates this week.