Contest in the Parliamentary Party – foul play alleged

Democracy is alive and well in the Parliamentary Labour Party. There is to be an election.  Not for the PLP (backbench) vacancy on the party’s national executive caused by the promotion to the front bench of Angela Smith. She is to be replaced by Margaret Beckett, elected unopposed (and yes, she is a backbencher), such is the status of the executive in the minds of MPs. It is for a vacancy on the ‘Parliamentary Committee’ of the parliamentary party, effectively a liaison committee between backbenchers and the shadow cabinet. There are two candidates — Teresa Pearce, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, and Nic Dakin, MP for Scunthorpe.

Over at Labour Uncut, an unnamed MP alleges that parliamentary party apparatchiks gave only 18 minutes notice of the vacancy, which is described as “approaching Ceauşescu levels of trust and inclusivity“. In fact, formal notice was given on the agendas of the last two meetings of the parliamentary party, as well as advance warning before Christmas. Still, a reminder 18 minutes before close of nominations is a bit odd. We couldn’t possibly speculate on the explanation. In spite of the history of tampering with a ballot box in Teresa’s original selection by, it is widely assumed, a senior official of the party, we are confident that this election will be squeaky clean.