PROGRESSIVE FRAGMENTATION If Labour has unity problem and voters on the left more generally have a unity problem, it is therefore baffling that Labour supporters in Northern Ireland would like to see Labour candidates adding to an already crowded left field over here.
IGNORING LONDON Labour Party of Northern Ireland agree to put processes in place to stand candidates at forthcoming NI elections … ignoring the policy of the NEC which has frustrated their desire for years.
This morning’s Belfast Telegraph publishes a statement from UK Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham. He’s the bookies’ favourite to come second, and clearly the candidate the local Constituency Labour Party members are most comfortable with. 610,000 ballot papers have been issued to party members, registered supporters and affiliate supporters. There are around 500 1,000 members of the Labour Party in NI, but an unknown number of registered or affiliate supporters. Heavily tailored for the NI audience, Burnham’s statement remarks on …
It’s happened before, and it’ll happen again. “Long-suffering Labour members locally have launched yet another campaign to persuade Ed Miliband to stand candidates in Northern Ireland” (Trevor Ringland, Conservatives NI) Not for the first time, Conservatives NI have issued a statement to support their beleaguered NI Constituency Labour Party colleagues opponents. Both groups strongly criticise the Labour Party leadership for leaving Labour supporters adrift and unable to stand candidates in Northern Ireland. In the Belfast Telegraph, Liam Clarke reports some …
The NI Conservatives didn’t miss when they issued a press statement titled: Labour Party Abandons People in Northern Ireland. Party spokesperson Bill Manwaring said: It’s pretty rich for Vernon Coaker to pontificate about how the government should respond to disorder in Northern Ireland when his party is not even prepared to stand candidates in elections here … Labour is opting out of engaging with Northern Ireland voters and the problems they face. This was in response to the decision by …
