It’s interesting that some gaps on the front bench are filled more quickly than others. Eric Joyce, who resigned following a driving ban three days ago, has been replaced by Stephen Pound. He, in turn, has been replaced as a junior whip by Mark Hendrick. Meanwhile the vacancy for shadow immigration minister remains. Still no […]
Posts Tagged ‘Phil Woolas’
Phil Woolas and Lutfur Rahman: extremism, defamation and the Labour Party
Nov 11th, 2010 by Jon Lansman.Two former Labour elected representatives, Phil Woolas and Lutfur Rahman, have something in common. Both are from areas with histories of BNP activity fomenting racial strife. Both find themselves prevented from being a Labour candidate and excluded from the Labour Party, as a result of accusations of association with Islamic extremists. Both have supporters in […]
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PLP rebellion against action on Woolas
Nov 9th, 2010 by Jon Lansman.The news is leaking out of a substantial rebellion — “carnage” said one report — at last night’s parliamentary party meeting in opposition to the decisive action taken over Phil Woolas, suspending him from membership following the decision of the election court. In the absence on paternity leave of Ed Miliband, Hariet Harman has been […]
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A Wedge To Crack the Coalition? Anti-Coalition Liberal to stand in Oldham
Nov 8th, 2010 by Mark Seddon.By elections have not only become rarer – Members of Parliament tend to live longer these days, and are younger – but for the past decade have often been quite dull. That may all be set to change in the three-way marginal seat of Oldham East and Saddleworth where Phil Woolas has just been barred […]
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The Woolas episode has some unexpected implications
Nov 8th, 2010 by Michael Meacher.Since 1997, Phil Woolas and Michael Meacher have been the two Labour MPs representing Oldham in parliament. In spite of political differences, they have worked together on many issues and have shared an office. Here, Michael presents his perspective on recent events. Of course MPs should tell the truth. It is not for me to […]
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Woolas exit: a chance to become tough on racism and tough on the causes of racism
Nov 5th, 2010 by Jon Lansman.Phil Woolas is out of the House of Commons (subject to a future judicial review) and suspended from the Labour Party. The court was concerned not with racism, but with misrepresentation such as that illustrated here, and it is not a simple matter since the policing of it also raises issues of freedom of speech […]
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Should Phil Woolas be in the party, never mind on the front bench?
Oct 12th, 2010 by Jon Lansman.The decision to appoint Phil Woolas to the Home Office shadow ministerial team, to speak on immigration and race relations beggars belief. Sunny Hundal yesterday made a cogent case at Liberal Conspiracy for why he is unfit to be on the Labour front-bench. On the one hand, Mr Woolas argues that one can have a […]
