Labour continues to rip itself apart over ‘stupid Northern voters’
Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire after one of his top allies and possible successor as Labour leader was accused of calling Northern voters ‘stupid’. Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who is believed to be eyeing a bid to succeed Mr Corbyn, denied the ‘total and utter lie’ on Sunday and was understood to be consulting lawyers. Caroline Flint, who lost her seat in the former stronghold of Don Valley during the catastrophic election for Labour, claimed Ms Thornberry had told a colleague: ‘I’m glad my constituents aren’t as stupid as yours.’ The row continued to rage today as the former MP said she ‘stands by’ her comments when questione
It came as shadow chancellor John McDonnell tried to take the flak for last week’s crushing defeat, saying ‘I own this disaster’, and as Mr Corbyn also apologised for Labour’s worst result since 1935. The race to succeed the leader was in full swing, with potential candidates testing the waters while senior figures in the current leadership gave their backing to shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey. Labour’s general secretary Jennie Formby reportedly wrote to the party’s ruling National Executive Committee recommending the contest starts on January 7, with the view of having a new leader by the end of March.
But Mr Corbyn was also coming under fire in the fallout of the major losses across the North and Midlands as the post-mortem examination got under way. Ms Flint criticised ‘ardent Remainers’ including Ms Thornberry and shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer, for having ‘contributed to sacrificing 59 seats’ during Thursday’s election. She told Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday: ‘Keir Starmer led us to a policy that did not listen to Labour Leave voices who urged caution, he led us down the path of a second referendum, and I’m afraid Emily Thornberry did as well – she said to one of my colleagues, “I’m glad my constituents aren’t as stupid as yours”.’ Ms Thornberry, the Islington South and Finsbury MP, said the quote attributed to her “is a total and utter lie”. ‘I’ve never said that to anyone, nor anything like it, nor would I ever think it,’ she added. ‘Whatever our differences, let’s not sink into that gutter.’
Mr McDonnell sought to shield the current administration, saying ‘if anyone’s to blame, it’s me, full stop’. He also cited Brexit and the media for having ‘demonised’ the Labour leader during an interview with the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show. Mr McDonnell said the next leader should be a woman – which would make her the first to lead the party – and said it was ‘most probably time for a non-metropolitan’ candidate as he said ‘we need a northern voice’. He tipped Ms Long-Bailey as having the ability to be ‘a brilliant leader’. She also received the support of shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon. Wigan MP Lisa Nandy, a former shadow energy secretary, told Marr that she is ‘seriously thinking’ about running for the leadership. Conceding it is a ‘very hard road’ to regain the trust of Labour voters in towns across the North, she called for the party’s decision-making structures to move out of the capital.
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https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/16/labou...ters-11912703/
