The Twelve Memes of Christmas is an annual countdown of the most shared memes from our Facebook page throughout the course of the year.
Tuesday, 31 December 2019
ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS...
We bring you another Abbott offering, originally posted on the 24th of September and shared 16,796 times. Also features her drinking buddy and fellow hypocrite Shami Chakrabarti.
KINDER, GENTLER FIRING SQUAD
Earlier this month a Gloucestershire Labour councillor responded to the general election defeat by suggesting that all Tory MPs should be shot.
Cllr Zac Arnold, a young Labour activist and member of Lydney Town Council, has since deleted the Facebook post. It's not the first time he's courted controversy. Earlier this year he was arrested after refusing to leave a council meeting and he was referred to the council's standards committee this month (prior to his Facebook post). The committee is to investigate two complaints relating to councillors' code of conduct.
Arnold is listed as a 'youth officer' in his local Constituency Labour Party, clearly setting another fine example of 'kinder, gentler politics' to the Labour youth.
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| Cllr Zac Arnold |
Thanks to David Baker for providing this story.
THEY STILL DON'T GET IT
On election night the hard left Twitter mob that were enthralled and empowered by the rise of Corbyn wept all over their keyboards and iPads. Corbyn moped for a wee bit himself, but quickly returned to the same daft shit that had just seen his party humiliated. He would cling to power for a bit longer while his deluded loyalists worked out how to secure the party into the 2020s and decimate the party electorally even more than it is now. One such Corbynista is George Aylett, a young Labour activist who has built up a big following on Twitter, but when facing the actual electorate in 2015 came third behind UKIP (he never stood again after that). George is a typical lefty keyboard warrior who wrapped himself in the false security of his surroundings and thought that retweets and Corbyn rallies indicated an election win. A caller to LBC's Shelagh Fogarty called out his delusion on Monday.
Monday, 30 December 2019
ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS...
We bring you Brexit betrayal from the 27th of January, originally shared 16,509 times. After MPs voted down May's Withdrawal Agreement the first whiff of Brexit betrayal was in the air as May suggested that the March 29th deadline was not set in stone after all and Corbyn was open to a second referendum.
The Twelve Memes of Christmas is an annual countdown of the most shared memes from our Facebook page throughout the course of the year.
Sunday, 29 December 2019
ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS...
We bring you this Abbott offering from the 30th of December 2018, posted amid last year's 12 Memes of Christmas and shared 15,270 times. With thanks to Peter Falk.
The Twelve Memes of Christmas is an annual countdown of the most shared memes from our Facebook page throughout the course of the year.
IN BREXIT DENIAL
Eleven ousted Labour MPs and failed candidates have written an open letter to the Observer in which they bemoan their losses and mention Brexit just once. Labour Remainers who lost their seats in the Brexit heartlands are in complete denial about the impact of their remoaning. The odious Mary Creagh is the first signatory on the letter, still railing about Corbyn and the hard left while ignoring the fact her 63% Leave voting constituents were furious with her arrogant Brexit stance. Likewise Anna Turley's 68% Leave voting Redcar constituents, the 68% Leave seat of Wolverhampton North East, 58% Leave Wrexham, 59% Leave Sedgefield and 58% Leave Stockton South.
To lay the blame solely at Corbyn's feet is disingenuous to say the least, particularly for the likes of Creagh and Turley, whose constant remoaning clearly riled their constituents. Their letter is reproduced in full below.
The scale of this defeat means that we have to look unflinchingly at what went wrong, way beyond a simple review, welcome as that might be. We need to be honest about why our outgoing leadership’s reflexive anti-western worldview was so unpopular and address the reasons.
We were rejected on doorsteps not just because of our woolly, changing position on Brexit, or in Scotland because of our weak commitment to the union, but because the very people we were supposed to be fighting for did not think the policies in our manifesto related to their lives. The focus on nationalisation and uncontrolled spending commitments meant people simply didn’t believe us. Sadly, this was particularly true with those most affected by the poverty and injustice that 10 years of Tory government has created.
Lastly, cronyism at the top of our party and repeated unwillingness to stand up to the stain of antisemitism were constantly relayed back to us on the doorstep, shaming the traditional values of our once great anti-racist party.
We are devastated that, across the country, we can no longer help our residents to whom we have devoted ourselves, still struggling under a Tory government. It is our duty to speak up now, so that our leadership candidates keep these people at the heart of their campaigns to lead our party.
The challenge for the eventual winner is immense. We need to win 150 seats in every corner of the country, gaining votes from a coalition of communities. Labour needs to be in government – and for that, fundamental change at the top of our party is required. Only this will help us recover from the catastrophic loss of 12 December.
Mary Creagh, former MP for Wakefield
Emma Reynolds, former MP for Wolverhampton North East
Anna Turley, former MP for Redcar
Dr Paul Williams, former MP for Stockton South
Gerard Killen, former MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West
Martin Whitfield, former MP for East Lothian
Mary Wimbury, Labour candidate for Wrexham
Sheila Gilmore, Labour candidate for Edinburgh East
Ashley Dalton, Labour candidate for Rochford and Southend East
Kate Watson, Labour candidate for Glasgow East
Phil Wilson, former MP for Sedgefield
NO BULL TOM, IT WAS BREXIT
When Tom Watson formed the 'Future Britain Group' earlier this year it appeared that Billy Bunter was in for the long haul. He was the fearless leader of the moderates, to such an extent that Jess Phillips once suggested that she would stand down if he ever did (no such luck). As many others dropped like flies around him, Watson stood strong and tall. The far left were strengthening their grip, but Tom wasn't going to be forced out. Chuka left, Berger left, his friend Tom Watson threw in the towel. Watson undermined Corbyn at every turn, smirked in the faces of the Corbynista hate mob and deftly batted away the coup attempt to remove him at this year's party conference. Nothing rattles him.
So when Tom Watson told the Guardian this weekend that he quit because of "brutality and hostility", the smell of bullshit was overpowering.
It came as no great surprise to anyone that one of Labour's lost seats in the general election was West Bromwich East, least of all its former MP - Tom Watson. Having spent the last two years ignoring both Labour's 2017 manifesto commitment to "accept the referendum result" and his own 68% Leave constituency, he must have known the writing was on the wall. If he had any foresight that he might soon be serving in the first Labour government in almost a decade he wouldn't have quit when he did. He knew they couldn't win, but more importantly he knew he would be one of those thrown on the scrapheap by the electorate.
Rather than face the ignominy of being unseated, rather than give Brexiteers, Corbynistas, George Galloway, Harvey Proctor, Owen Jones, the right-wing press and countless others the pleasure of watching it happen - Tom Watson stood down. It was nothing to do with the brutality, hostility or abuse of the far left, it was about his pride and his acceptance that Brexit was going to be the end of his political career.
He was right about that much. Five weeks after he announced his departure, his old seat turned blue for the first time in its history. Spare us the bull Tom.
West Bromwich East general election 2019
Nicola Richards (Con) 16,804 (46.7%) +8.5%
Ibrahim Dogus (Lab) 15,211 (42.3%) -15.7%
Christian Lucas (Brexit) 1,475 (4.1%) New
Andy Graham (Lib Dem) 1,313 (3.6%) +2.1%
Mark Redding (Green) 627 (1.7%) +0.4%
George Galloway (Ind) 489 (1.4%) New
Colin Rankine (Yeshua) 56 (0.2%) New
So when Tom Watson told the Guardian this weekend that he quit because of "brutality and hostility", the smell of bullshit was overpowering.
It came as no great surprise to anyone that one of Labour's lost seats in the general election was West Bromwich East, least of all its former MP - Tom Watson. Having spent the last two years ignoring both Labour's 2017 manifesto commitment to "accept the referendum result" and his own 68% Leave constituency, he must have known the writing was on the wall. If he had any foresight that he might soon be serving in the first Labour government in almost a decade he wouldn't have quit when he did. He knew they couldn't win, but more importantly he knew he would be one of those thrown on the scrapheap by the electorate.
Rather than face the ignominy of being unseated, rather than give Brexiteers, Corbynistas, George Galloway, Harvey Proctor, Owen Jones, the right-wing press and countless others the pleasure of watching it happen - Tom Watson stood down. It was nothing to do with the brutality, hostility or abuse of the far left, it was about his pride and his acceptance that Brexit was going to be the end of his political career.
He was right about that much. Five weeks after he announced his departure, his old seat turned blue for the first time in its history. Spare us the bull Tom.
Nicola Richards (Con) 16,804 (46.7%) +8.5%
Ibrahim Dogus (Lab) 15,211 (42.3%) -15.7%
Christian Lucas (Brexit) 1,475 (4.1%) New
Andy Graham (Lib Dem) 1,313 (3.6%) +2.1%
Mark Redding (Green) 627 (1.7%) +0.4%
George Galloway (Ind) 489 (1.4%) New
Colin Rankine (Yeshua) 56 (0.2%) New
Saturday, 28 December 2019
THE WEEK IN CARTOONS 22-28 DEC 2019
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| 22.12.19 - Andy Davey, Sunday Telegraph |
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| 22.12.19 - Matt Pritchett, Sunday Telegraph |
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| 23.12.19 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph |
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| 23.12.19 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard |
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| 24.12.19 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph |
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| 25.12.19 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph |
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| 27.12.19 - Andy Davey, Daily Telegraph |
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| 27.12.19 - Brian Adcock, The Guardian |
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| 28.12.19 - Morten Morland, The Times |
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| 28.12.19 - Steve Bright, The Sun |
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| 28.12.19 - Andy Davey, Daily Telegraph |
ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS...
We bring you this offering from the 17th of January, originally shared 12,493 times. It refers to Corbyn's boycott of Brexit talks with Theresa May and his dismay at being undermined by several of his own MPs. Hilary Benn, Yvette Cooper and John Mann were reportedly among those who had unilaterally took part in negotiations with the then Prime Minister.
The Twelve Memes of Christmas is an annual countdown of the most shared memes from our Facebook page throughout the course of the year.
Friday, 27 December 2019
ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS...
We bring you this BTLP original from the 9th of September, originally shared 12,265 times. It refers to Labour's sudden reluctance to support a general election, despite having pleaded for one since 2017. Boris Johnson called their bluff.
The Twelve Memes of Christmas is an annual countdown of the most shared memes from our Facebook page throughout the course of the year.
Thursday, 26 December 2019
ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS...
We bring you this 28th of August meme, originally shared 8,595 times. It refers to the outrage expressed by Remainer MPs over Boris Johnson's prorogation of Parliament.
The Twelve Memes of Christmas is a little something we do each year to commemorate the most shared memes from our Facebook page throughout the course of the year.
Wednesday, 25 December 2019
ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS...
The Twelve Memes of Christmas is now in its fourth year. This is the time we kick back and revisit the most shared memes from our Facebook page throughout the course of the past twelve months.
This first offering comes from the 28th of April and was originally shared 8,206 times. It refers to the occasion Jeremy Corbyn snubbed Her Majesty's State Banquet in protest against President Trump.
This first offering comes from the 28th of April and was originally shared 8,206 times. It refers to the occasion Jeremy Corbyn snubbed Her Majesty's State Banquet in protest against President Trump.
Tuesday, 24 December 2019
IN FOCUS PREDICTIONS
Prior to the general election we focused on eight UK cities as part of our 'In Focus' weekly feature. We included an election prediction for each of the 44 constituencies within those cities. We are quite proud to announce we only got two wrong. Of course it's relatively easy to predict most holds as they are generally safe seats, it's seat changes that are more difficult to forecast. We said five seats would change hands and we got three of those correct.
First of all the ones we got correct...
Birmingham Edgbaston (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Hall Green (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Hodge Hill (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Ladywood (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Northfield (Con GAIN)
Birmingham Perry Barr (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Selly Oak (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Yardley (Lab HOLD)
Sutton Coldfield (Con HOLD)
Blackley & Broughton (Lab HOLD)
Manchester Central (Lab HOLD)
Manchester Gorton (Lab HOLD)
Manchester Withington (Lab HOLD)
Wythenshawe & Sale East (Lab HOLD)
Glasgow Central (SNP HOLD)
Glasgow East (SNP HOLD)
Glasgow North (SNP HOLD)
Glasgow North East (SNP GAIN)
Glasgow North West (SNP HOLD)
Glasgow South (SNP HOLD)
Glasgow South West (SNP HOLD)
Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough (Lab HOLD)
Sheffield Central (Lab HOLD)
Sheffield Heeley (Lab HOLD)
Sheffield South East (Lab HOLD)
Penistone & Stocksbridge (Con GAIN)
Liverpool Riverside (Lab HOLD)
Liverpool Walton (Lab HOLD)
Liverpool Wavertree (Lab HOLD)
Liverpool West Derby (Lab HOLD)
Garston & Halewood (Lab HOLD)
Bristol East (Lab HOLD)
Bristol North West (Lab HOLD)
Bristol South (Lab HOLD)
Bristol West (Lab HOLD)
Cardiff Central (Lab HOLD)
Cardiff North (Lab HOLD)
Cardiff South & Penarth (Lab HOLD)
Cardiff West (Lab HOLD)
Romsey & Southampton North (Con HOLD)
Southampton Itchen (Con HOLD)
Southampton Test (Lab HOLD)
And the ones we got wrong...
Birmingham Erdington (Lab HOLD) - we said this would be a Con GAIN
Sheffield Hallam (Lab HOLD) - we said this would be a Lib Dem GAIN
In Focus should return at some point in the New Year.
First of all the ones we got correct...
Birmingham Edgbaston (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Hall Green (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Hodge Hill (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Ladywood (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Northfield (Con GAIN)
Birmingham Perry Barr (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Selly Oak (Lab HOLD)
Birmingham Yardley (Lab HOLD)
Sutton Coldfield (Con HOLD)
Blackley & Broughton (Lab HOLD)
Manchester Central (Lab HOLD)
Manchester Gorton (Lab HOLD)
Manchester Withington (Lab HOLD)
Wythenshawe & Sale East (Lab HOLD)
Glasgow Central (SNP HOLD)
Glasgow East (SNP HOLD)
Glasgow North (SNP HOLD)
Glasgow North East (SNP GAIN)
Glasgow North West (SNP HOLD)
Glasgow South (SNP HOLD)
Glasgow South West (SNP HOLD)
Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough (Lab HOLD)
Sheffield Central (Lab HOLD)
Sheffield Heeley (Lab HOLD)
Sheffield South East (Lab HOLD)
Penistone & Stocksbridge (Con GAIN)
Liverpool Riverside (Lab HOLD)
Liverpool Walton (Lab HOLD)
Liverpool Wavertree (Lab HOLD)
Liverpool West Derby (Lab HOLD)
Garston & Halewood (Lab HOLD)
Bristol East (Lab HOLD)
Bristol North West (Lab HOLD)
Bristol South (Lab HOLD)
Bristol West (Lab HOLD)
Cardiff Central (Lab HOLD)
Cardiff North (Lab HOLD)
Cardiff South & Penarth (Lab HOLD)
Cardiff West (Lab HOLD)
Romsey & Southampton North (Con HOLD)
Southampton Itchen (Con HOLD)
Southampton Test (Lab HOLD)
And the ones we got wrong...
Birmingham Erdington (Lab HOLD) - we said this would be a Con GAIN
Sheffield Hallam (Lab HOLD) - we said this would be a Lib Dem GAIN
In Focus should return at some point in the New Year.
NANDY VISITS ASHFIELD
Lisa Nandy spent Monday visiting former Labour voters in the Nottinghamshire constituency of Ashfield. There's little doubt that she's gearing up for a leadership campaign with this latest stunt. Accompanied by the former Labour MP for Ashfield, Nandy was told by one former Labour voter that people didn't want to return to the chaotic 1970s with Corbyn's policies. Another told her that Labour no longer cared for the north and was now the party of students and inner London. Watch below.
Lee Anderson (Con) 19,231 (39.3%) -2.4%
Jason Zadrozny (Ind) 13,498 (27.6%) +18.4%
Natalie Fleet (Lab) 11,971 (24.4%) -18.1%
Martin Daubney (Brexit) 2,501 (5.1%) New
Rebecca Wain (Lib Dem) 1,105 (2.3%) +0.3%
Rose Woods (Green) 674 (1.4%) +0.6%
Gloria De Piero was Ashfield's incumbent going into this election and had a wafer thin majority. She stood down rather than contest the seat and it turned out to be a wise move. The Labour vote plummeted and the Tories ended up taking the seat despite haemorrhaging 1,600 votes themselves. It was a strange place to come to be asking voters why they switched to the Conservatives because in this case most Labour votes were lost to the Ashfield Independents who finished second.
Ashfield general election 2019
Lee Anderson (Con) 19,231 (39.3%) -2.4%
Jason Zadrozny (Ind) 13,498 (27.6%) +18.4%
Natalie Fleet (Lab) 11,971 (24.4%) -18.1%
Martin Daubney (Brexit) 2,501 (5.1%) New
Rebecca Wain (Lib Dem) 1,105 (2.3%) +0.3%
Rose Woods (Green) 674 (1.4%) +0.6%
Monday, 23 December 2019
STARMER STORMS BACK
Curiously, odds have not only shortened on Starmer, they're drifting on most of his potential competitors. Yvette Cooper and Dave Lammy are the exceptions. Cooper has overtaken Jess Phillips at several bookmakers, while Lammy's suggestion that he could enter the fray has seen his odds shorten, albeit they are still very long.
Latest odds (Ladbrokes)
Keir Starmer 2/1
Rebecca Long-Bailey 9/4
Lisa Nandy 4/1
Yvette Cooper 10/1
Jess Phillips 12/1
Clive Lewis 20/1
Emily Thornberry 25/1
Dan Jarvis 50/1
David Lammy 66/1
Sunday, 22 December 2019
MOST SHARED: WEEK 244
Currently only Lady Nugee and Clive Lewis have confirmed their intention to stand, but Long-Bailey, Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy are expected to follow suit. Yvette Cooper has also expressed an interest in giving it a second shot and it would be a surprise if Parliament's biggest narcissist Jess Phillips doesn't also throw her big hat in. Even daft Dave Lammy is thought to be considering a punt.
What a dreadful line-up!
The above meme was shared 3,258 times via the Facebook page.
ON THIS DAY IN 1979, CORBYN'S MATES...
The Provisional IRA shot dead an off duty RUC reservist as he crossed the Irish border to buy a Christmas turkey. Reserve Constable Stanley Hazelton was also a garage owner in his hometown of Dungannon, Co Tyrone. His business was destroyed by a bomb in 1976 in an earlier attempt to kill him, but he later rebuilt the premises.
The Saturday before Christmas 1979 he crossed the border into Co Monaghan to collect a turkey for the family's Christmas lunch. Shortly after collecting the turkey he was ambushed by at least two gunmen in a quiet country lane near the village of Glasslough. The terrorists had lay in wait behind a hedge and sprayed his car with more than 20 bullets. The ambush appeared to be well planned, but no arrests were made.
R/Constable Hazelton was 48 and left a wife and son. At his funeral the priest said he had been a good neighbour and that he was well respected in the community. A plaque and rose bowl were later unveiled in his memory at Carland Presbyterian Church near Dungannon.
The Saturday before Christmas 1979 he crossed the border into Co Monaghan to collect a turkey for the family's Christmas lunch. Shortly after collecting the turkey he was ambushed by at least two gunmen in a quiet country lane near the village of Glasslough. The terrorists had lay in wait behind a hedge and sprayed his car with more than 20 bullets. The ambush appeared to be well planned, but no arrests were made.
R/Constable Hazelton was 48 and left a wife and son. At his funeral the priest said he had been a good neighbour and that he was well respected in the community. A plaque and rose bowl were later unveiled in his memory at Carland Presbyterian Church near Dungannon.
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| Memorial plaque to R/Constable Hazelton |
Saturday, 21 December 2019
DELUSION OF THE HARD LEFT
Former Labour MP Tom Harris has hit out at the delusion of the party's hard left and suggested that they would keep Corbyn as leader given the chance. Given the complete failure of the leadership to accept responsibility for the election defeat, why should their followers be any different? The news that Rebecca Long-Bailey has appointed a committed Stalinist to run her leaadership campaign vindicates everything that Tom Harris told LBC's Matt Stadlen on Saturday (see below). Stadlen himself later tweeted that the election of Long-Bailey as Corbyn's successor would write off Labour's chances in 2024 and that we were witnessing the "destruction of a party".
THE WEEK IN CARTOONS 15-21 DEC 2019
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| 15.12.19 - Bob Moran, Sunday Telegraph |
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| 15.12.19 - Morten Morland, Sunday Times |
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| 15.12.19 - Peter Schrank, Business Times |
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| 16.12.19 - Ben Jennings, Guardian |
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| 16.12.19 - Brian Adcock, Independent |
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| 16.12.19 - Morten Morland, The Times |
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| 16.12.19 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph |
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| 16.12.19 - Steve Bright, The Sun |
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| 17.12.19 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard |
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| 17.12.19 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph |
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| 17.12.19 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph |
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| 18.12.19 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph |
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| 18.12.19 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph |
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| 19.12.19 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard |
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| 19.12.19 - Andy Davey, Daily Telegraph |
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| 20.12.19 - Peter Brookes, The Times |
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| 19.12.19 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph |
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| 20.12.19 - David Simonds, The Guardian |
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| 20.12.19 - Paul Thomas, Daily Mail |
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| 21.12.19 - Morten Morland, Spectator |
LITTLE OWEN A WANKER SHOCK
Twitter users awoke this morning to find a shocking trend on their feeds - #OwenJonesIsAWankerDay. Apparently the milestone stems from the heckling he received during an outside broadcast last December. Novara Media's Ash Sarkar was clearly triggered by the tag and pointed it out to her pal Owen, who will surely have spent much of this morning banning users from his account.
She famously told Piers Morgan that she is 'literally a communist'. What we've learnt from this tweet is that Ash is still 'literally' seething about Corbyn's election humiliation.
THE LABOUR SIX
As if Corbyn hadn't suffered enough already, there were raised eyebrows on Friday when it emerged that six Labour MPs had voted in favour of Boris Johnson's Withdrawal Agreement. This came despite an insidious purge of pro-Leave MPs and candidates over the course of the last year. All but one MP who backed Leave in 2016 now remains in the Parliamentary Labour Party (Graham Stringer). The others were purged by way of various means - either suspended (Kelvin Hopkins), deselected (Roger Godsiff) or driven out (Frank Field, Kate Hoey). Those who backed Remain initially, but had since backed Leave faced similar pressures. Caroline Flint survived the purge, but she did not survive the election.
So, who were the rebels that defied the Labour whips on Friday?
Sarah Champion (Rotherham - 68% Leave)
Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire - 55% Leave)
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham & Rainham - 70% Leave)
Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields - 62% Leave)
Grahame Morris (Easington - 66% Leave)
Toby Perkins (Chesterfield - 59% Leave)
Labour's lone 2016 Brexiteer did not vote on the bill, but he has not backed the Withdrawal Agreement previously either. Graham Stringer was one of 32 Labour MPs who did not register a vote, although this could be due to absence rather than abstention. Ten Conservatives also failed to vote, but again it's unclear whether they were present - did some MPs slope off early for Christmas?
So, who were the rebels that defied the Labour whips on Friday?
Sarah Champion (Rotherham - 68% Leave)
Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire - 55% Leave)
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham & Rainham - 70% Leave)
Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields - 62% Leave)
Grahame Morris (Easington - 66% Leave)
Toby Perkins (Chesterfield - 59% Leave)
Labour's lone 2016 Brexiteer did not vote on the bill, but he has not backed the Withdrawal Agreement previously either. Graham Stringer was one of 32 Labour MPs who did not register a vote, although this could be due to absence rather than abstention. Ten Conservatives also failed to vote, but again it's unclear whether they were present - did some MPs slope off early for Christmas?
Friday, 20 December 2019
CORBYN'S FUNERAL MARCH
The Leader of the Opposition has clearly not got over his election defeat and was in a foul and discourteous mood yesterday. Leaving his house he ignored a reporter's questions and slammed his car door, very nearly taking out the guy's microphone. He followed this up by sulking all the way through the opening of Parliament and completely blanked Boris Johnson as the pair walked to the House of Lords. Corbyn's spiteful lack of humility wasn't the only thing missing from the State Opening. There was no trademark heckle as Black Rod entered the Commons - with thanks to the voters of Bolsover!
CLIVE LEWIS ENTERS RACE
His left-wing credentials will certainly go in his favour among the membership at large, but would they go for another male Londoner? At the next election the party will need to claw back voters in their Brexit-voting heartlands and an ardent Remainer from the south will probably not be seen as the best way to achieve that. Lewis is currently neck and neck with Lady Nugee at the bookies, but his odds could shorten in the coming days.
Thursday, 19 December 2019
LATEST LEADERSHIP ODDS
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| Wrong-Bailey is now the frontrunner |
We're a long way off the actual leadership election, but several potential candidates are already jockeying for position. Keir Starmer has long been the bookies' favourite to succeed Corbyn, but no more. The continuity Corbyn candidate looks set to be Rebecca Long-Bailey and while the hard left has been soundly defeated, she does tick some positive boxes. Like Starmer she is also a legal professional, but crucially she is from the north of England and also a woman. Starmer's London establishment credentials are likely to go against him and as the only male contender imagine the feminist outcry if he were to win! Most bookies have him at around 5/2 second favourite, but drifting.
Speaking of London establishment, the only declared candidate so far is Lady Nugee aka Emily Thornberry. As one commentator suggested yesterday, Labour should be looking a little further afield for their next leader than Isington South. The bookies agree and despite declaring first, Labour's biggest snob is trailing Lisa Nandy, Jess MeMeMe Phillips and Yvette Cooper.
Latest odds (Ladbrokes)
Rebecca Long-Bailey 7/4
Keir Starmer 5/2
Lisa Nandy 7/2
Jess Phillips 11/1
Yvette Cooper 14/1
Emily Thornberry 18/1
Wednesday, 18 December 2019
A BIT RICH MARY!
Fresh from reportedly berating her party leader last night in a 20 minute tirade, defeated Wakefield MP Mary Creagh took her grievances to the airwaves. Creagh lashed out at Corbyn in multiple interviews, blaming him for the election disaster and failing to take responsible for it. Come again? Talk about someone failing to take responsibility Mary - how about looking a bit closer to home? You've spent the last three and a half years trying to overturn the 63% Leave vote in your own constituency. You also accuse Corbyn of 'narcissism'. How's this for narcissism - campaigning for a second referendum to overturn the first and then going into an election thinking that your Leave voting constituents would meekly return you as their MP?
Abhorrent woman. PS. if you care so much about your staff, how about sharing around some of that £30,000 'golden goodbye' payout you're going to receive now that you've been voted out?
FAREWELL (AND GOOD RIDDANCE)
We made this very emotional video chronicling some of those MPs who perished in the Tory election victory. How apt that we begin with the hideous, self-serving and eternally out of touch Mary Creagh who this evening reportedly confronted Corbyn and gave him a 20 minute lecture about how it was his leadership that cost Remainer MPs like her their place on the gravy train. Never mind the fact that her constituents returned a 63% Leave vote after which she spent three and a half years trying to overturn - that had nothing to with it?
Imran Ahmad-Khan (Con) 21,283 (47.3%) +2.3%
Mary Creagh (Lab) 17,925 (39.8%) -9.9%
Peter Wiltshire (Brexit) 2,725 (6.1%) New
Jamie Needle (Lib Dem) 1,772 (3.9%) +1.9%
Ryan Kett (Yorks) 868 (1.9%) -0.6%
Stephen Whyte (Ind) 454 (1.0%) -1.5%
Felicity Buchan (Con) 16,768 (38.3%) -3.9%
Emma Dent Coad (Lab) 16,618 (38.0%) -4.3%
Sam Gyimah (Lib Dem) 9,312 (21.3%) +9.1%
Vivien Lichtenstein (Green) 535 (1.2%) -0.8%
Jay Aston Colquhoun (Brexit) 384 (0.9%) New
Roger Phillips (Christian) 70 (0.2%) New
Harriet Gore (Touch Love) 47 (0.1%) New
Mark Eastwood (Con) 26,179 (46.4%) +1.3%
Paula Sherriff (Lab) 24,618 (43.7%) -7.3%John Rossington (Lib Dem) 2,406 (4.3%) +2.1
We couldn't include all the MPs who lost their jobs as there wasn't a sad piano track long enough, but for those featured you can see how they bowed out in their 2019 election results below. The incumbents are in bold (changes versus 2017 general election).
Wakefield - 63% Leave
Imran Ahmad-Khan (Con) 21,283 (47.3%) +2.3%
Mary Creagh (Lab) 17,925 (39.8%) -9.9%
Peter Wiltshire (Brexit) 2,725 (6.1%) New
Jamie Needle (Lib Dem) 1,772 (3.9%) +1.9%
Ryan Kett (Yorks) 868 (1.9%) -0.6%
Stephen Whyte (Ind) 454 (1.0%) -1.5%
Kensington - 69% Remain
Felicity Buchan (Con) 16,768 (38.3%) -3.9%
Emma Dent Coad (Lab) 16,618 (38.0%) -4.3%
Sam Gyimah (Lib Dem) 9,312 (21.3%) +9.1%
Vivien Lichtenstein (Green) 535 (1.2%) -0.8%
Jay Aston Colquhoun (Brexit) 384 (0.9%) New
Roger Phillips (Christian) 70 (0.2%) New
Harriet Gore (Touch Love) 47 (0.1%) New
Scott Dore (Workers) 28 (0.1%) New
Peterborough - 61% Leave
Paul Bristow (Con) 22,334 (46.7%) -0.1%
Lisa Forbes (Lab) 19,754 (41.3%) -6.7%Beki Sellick (Lib Dem) 2,334 (4.9%) +1.5%
Mike Greene (Brexit) 2,127 (4.4%) New
Joseph Wells (Green) 728 (1.5%) -0.3%
Luke Ferguson (Ind) 260 (0.5%) New
Tom Rogers (Christian) 151 (0.3%) New
The Very Raving Mr P (Loony) 113 (0.2%) New
Beaconsfield - 51% Remain
Joy Morrissey (Con) 32,477 (56.1%) -9.1%
Dominic Grieve (Ind) 16,765 (29.0%) NewAlexa Collins (Lab) 5,756 (9.9%) -11.5%
Zoe Hatch (Green) 2,033 (3.5%) +1.0%
Adam Cleary (Ind) 837 (1.4%) New
Heywood & Middleton - 62% Leave
Chris Clarkson (Con) 20,453 (43.1%) +5.1%
Liz McInnes (Lab) 19,790 (41.7%) -11.6%Anthony Smith (Lib Dem) 2,073 (4.4%) +2.2%
Nigel Ainsworth-Barnes (Green) 1,220 (2.6%) New
Peterborough - 61% Leave
Paul Bristow (Con) 22,334 (46.7%) -0.1%
Lisa Forbes (Lab) 19,754 (41.3%) -6.7%Beki Sellick (Lib Dem) 2,334 (4.9%) +1.5%
Mike Greene (Brexit) 2,127 (4.4%) New
Joseph Wells (Green) 728 (1.5%) -0.3%
Luke Ferguson (Ind) 260 (0.5%) New
Tom Rogers (Christian) 151 (0.3%) New
The Very Raving Mr P (Loony) 113 (0.2%) New
Beaconsfield - 51% Remain
Joy Morrissey (Con) 32,477 (56.1%) -9.1%
Dominic Grieve (Ind) 16,765 (29.0%) NewAlexa Collins (Lab) 5,756 (9.9%) -11.5%
Zoe Hatch (Green) 2,033 (3.5%) +1.0%
Adam Cleary (Ind) 837 (1.4%) New
Heywood & Middleton - 62% Leave
Chris Clarkson (Con) 20,453 (43.1%) +5.1%
Liz McInnes (Lab) 19,790 (41.7%) -11.6%Anthony Smith (Lib Dem) 2,073 (4.4%) +2.2%
Nigel Ainsworth-Barnes (Green) 1,220 (2.6%) New
Bridgend - 50.28% Leave
Jamie Wallis (Con) 18,193 (43.1%) +3.3%
Madeleine Moon (Lab) 17,036 (40.3%) -10.3%
Jonathan Pratt (Lib Dem) 2,368 (5.6%) +3.5%
Leanne Lewis (Plaid) 2,013 (4.8%) +0.7%
Robert Morgan (Brexit) 1,811 (4.3%) New
Alex Harris (Green) 815 (1.9%) -1.9%
North West Durham - 55% Leave
Richard Holden (Con) 19,990 (41.9%) +7.5%
Laura Pidcock (Lab) 18,846 (39.5%) -13.3%John Wolstenholme (Brexit) 3,193 (6.7%) New
Madeleine Moon (Lab) 17,036 (40.3%) -10.3%
Jonathan Pratt (Lib Dem) 2,368 (5.6%) +3.5%
Leanne Lewis (Plaid) 2,013 (4.8%) +0.7%
Robert Morgan (Brexit) 1,811 (4.3%) New
Alex Harris (Green) 815 (1.9%) -1.9%
North West Durham - 55% Leave
Richard Holden (Con) 19,990 (41.9%) +7.5%
Laura Pidcock (Lab) 18,846 (39.5%) -13.3%John Wolstenholme (Brexit) 3,193 (6.7%) New
Michael Peacock (Lib Dem) 2,831 (5.9%) -1.2%
Watts Stelling (Ind) 1,216 (2.6%) New
David Sewell (Green) 1,173 (2.5%) +1.4%
David Lindsay (Ind) 414 (0.9%) New
Watts Stelling (Ind) 1,216 (2.6%) New
David Sewell (Green) 1,173 (2.5%) +1.4%
David Lindsay (Ind) 414 (0.9%) New
Dewsbury - 57% Leave
Mark Eastwood (Con) 26,179 (46.4%) +1.3%
Paula Sherriff (Lab) 24,618 (43.7%) -7.3%John Rossington (Lib Dem) 2,406 (4.3%) +2.1
Philip James (Brexit) 1,874 (3.3%) New
Simon Cope (Green) 1,060 (1.9%) +0.1%
Sir Archibald Earl Eaton Stanton (Loony) 252 (0.4%) New
Mark Fletcher (Con) 21,791 (47.4%) +6.9%
Dennis Skinner (Lab) 16,492 (35.9%) -16.0%
Kevin Harper (Brexit) 4,151 (9.0%) New
David Hancock (Lib Dem) 1,759 (3.8%) +0.9%
David Kesteven (Green) 758 (1.7%) New
Ross Walker (Ind) 517 (1.1%) New
Natalie Hoy (Ind) 470 (1.0%) New
Stuart Anderson (Con) 19,864 (48.3%) +4.1%
Eleanor Smith (Lab) 18,203 (44.3%) -5.1%
Leo Grandison (Brexit) 1,028 (2.5%) New
Bart Ricketts (Lib Dem) 2,041 (5.0%) +3.1%
Crewe & Nantwich - 60% Leave
Kieran Mullan (Con) 28,704 (53.1%) +6.1%
Laura Smith (Lab) 20,196 (37.4%) -9.7%Matthew Theobald (Lib Dem) 2,618 (4.8%) +2.4%
Matt Wood (Brexit) 1,390 (2.6%) New
Te Ata Browne (Green) 975 (1.8%) New
Andrew Kinsman (Libertarian) 149 (0.3%) New
Darren Henry (Con) 26,602 (48.1%) +1.3%
Greg Marshall (Lab) 21,271 (38.5%) -6.8%
Anna Soubry (Change) 4,668 (8.5%) New
Kat Boettge (Green) 1,806 (3.3%) +2.0%
Amy Dalla Mura (End Dem) 432 (0.8%) New
Teck Khong (Ind) 321 (0.6%) New
David Bishop (Elvis) 172 (0.3%) New
East Dunbartonshire - 73% Remain
Amy Callaghan (SNP) 19,672 (37.1%) +6.8%
Jo Swinson (Lib Dem) 19,523 (36.8%) -3.8%Pam Gosal (Con) 7,455 (14.1%) -0.5%
Callum McNally (Lab) 4,839 (9.1%) -5.4%
Carolynn Scrimgeour (Green) 916 (1.7%) New
Rosie Dickson (Ind) 221 (0.4%) New
David Murdo MacKay (UKIP) 208 (0.4%) New
Liam McKechnie (Family) 197 (0.4%) New
Jacob Young (Con) 18,811 (46.1%) +12.8%
Anna Turley (Lab) 15,289 (37.4%) -18.1%Jacqui Cummins (Brexit) 2,915 (7.1%) New
Karen King (Lib Dem) 2,018 (4.9%) -1.8%
Frankie Wales (Ind) 1,323 (3.2%) New
Rowan Mclaughlin (Green) 491 (1.2%) New
Amanda Solloway (Con) 21,259 (45.2) +0.8%
Tony Tinley (Lab) 18,719 (39.8%) -8.7%
Greg Webb (Lib Dem) 3,450 (7.3%) +2.7%
Alan Graves (Brexit) 1,908 (4.1%) New
Helen Hitchcock (Green) 1,046 (2.2%) New
Chris Williamson (Ind) 635 (1.4%) New
Sir Archibald Earl Eaton Stanton (Loony) 252 (0.4%) New
Bolsover - 70% Leave
Dennis Skinner (Lab) 16,492 (35.9%) -16.0%
Kevin Harper (Brexit) 4,151 (9.0%) New
David Hancock (Lib Dem) 1,759 (3.8%) +0.9%
David Kesteven (Green) 758 (1.7%) New
Ross Walker (Ind) 517 (1.1%) New
Natalie Hoy (Ind) 470 (1.0%) New
Wolverhampton South West - 54% Leave
Eleanor Smith (Lab) 18,203 (44.3%) -5.1%
Leo Grandison (Brexit) 1,028 (2.5%) New
Bart Ricketts (Lib Dem) 2,041 (5.0%) +3.1%
Crewe & Nantwich - 60% Leave
Kieran Mullan (Con) 28,704 (53.1%) +6.1%
Laura Smith (Lab) 20,196 (37.4%) -9.7%Matthew Theobald (Lib Dem) 2,618 (4.8%) +2.4%
Matt Wood (Brexit) 1,390 (2.6%) New
Te Ata Browne (Green) 975 (1.8%) New
Andrew Kinsman (Libertarian) 149 (0.3%) New
Broxtowe - 53% Leave
Greg Marshall (Lab) 21,271 (38.5%) -6.8%
Anna Soubry (Change) 4,668 (8.5%) New
Kat Boettge (Green) 1,806 (3.3%) +2.0%
Amy Dalla Mura (End Dem) 432 (0.8%) New
Teck Khong (Ind) 321 (0.6%) New
David Bishop (Elvis) 172 (0.3%) New
East Dunbartonshire - 73% Remain
Amy Callaghan (SNP) 19,672 (37.1%) +6.8%
Jo Swinson (Lib Dem) 19,523 (36.8%) -3.8%Pam Gosal (Con) 7,455 (14.1%) -0.5%
Callum McNally (Lab) 4,839 (9.1%) -5.4%
Carolynn Scrimgeour (Green) 916 (1.7%) New
Rosie Dickson (Ind) 221 (0.4%) New
David Murdo MacKay (UKIP) 208 (0.4%) New
Liam McKechnie (Family) 197 (0.4%) New
Redcar - 68% Leave
Jacob Young (Con) 18,811 (46.1%) +12.8%
Anna Turley (Lab) 15,289 (37.4%) -18.1%Jacqui Cummins (Brexit) 2,915 (7.1%) New
Karen King (Lib Dem) 2,018 (4.9%) -1.8%
Frankie Wales (Ind) 1,323 (3.2%) New
Rowan Mclaughlin (Green) 491 (1.2%) New
Derby North - 54% Leave
Amanda Solloway (Con) 21,259 (45.2) +0.8%
Tony Tinley (Lab) 18,719 (39.8%) -8.7%
Greg Webb (Lib Dem) 3,450 (7.3%) +2.7%
Alan Graves (Brexit) 1,908 (4.1%) New
Helen Hitchcock (Green) 1,046 (2.2%) New
Chris Williamson (Ind) 635 (1.4%) New
Tuesday, 17 December 2019
#BACKBURGON & #READYFORED
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| Sophy Ridge discusses #BackBurgon with the man himself |
It's fair to say that social media has been pretty brutal in mocking Labour's historic election defeat. On Twitter many quickly turned to Corbyn's potential successor, a debate that emerged before the corpse of Corbynism had gone cold. Many Twitter users used this speculation as a further opportunity to mock the absolute state of the Labour Party.
Within 24 hours of the election defeat #BackBurgon began trending. The notion itself is clearly absurd, but the Twitter account pushing the message was well produced and looked on the surface to be sincere. Even Dickie Burgon himself was asked about it by Sky's Sophy Ridge, to which he claimed no knowledge. Of course he didn't have anything to do with it - this was a Twitter user cleverly exploiting the car crash of choosing Corbyn's successor and mocking what is an exceptionally poor field of potential candidates. The account has now been disabled, although another has sprung up in its place.
Following the hilarity of #BackBurgon there came #ReadyForEd. Again, the account pushing this message appeared genuine on the surface, however absurd its message. We expect that the fun and games at Labour's expense will continue for some time to come as there is currently no name in the running that possesses any degree of gravitas or credibility to tackle Boris.
For our part we tried to breath some life into the #KeepCorbyn hashtag, but that ship appears to have (finally) set sail.
