Senior Labour MPs draw up truce plans to return to Corbyn cabinet if he is re-elected

Last Updated: September 11, 2016By
Jeremy Corbyn speaks at the Miner's Hall in Barnsley, South Yorkshire [Image: Harry Whitehead/REX].

Jeremy Corbyn speaks at the Miner’s Hall in Barnsley, South Yorkshire [Image: Harry Whitehead/REX].

No deal.

If this Torygraph story is accurate, then the Labour rebels had better think again.

Their actions have harmed the Labour Party, seriously damaging its reputation at a time when they should have been uniting to attack a weakened Conservative Party.

Instead, they have helped the Tories build up a stronger position – by undermining their own party, its offices and members.

Who in the Labour Party has trust in the judgement or behaviour of the NEC, the general secretary, the Parliamentary Labour Party now? Very few members indeed.

Yet the same people who have caused the party serious harm will demand – demand! – assurances from Mr Corbyn as a sign of his goodwill if he wins.

Someone needs to bring them back to reality.

In particular, someone needs to remind them that it isn’t Mr Corbyn who is threatening rebel MPs with deselection. That duty falls to their own constituency party members.

Mr Corbyn supports greater democracy in the party so – as with shadow cabinet elections – he will be expected to support the right of constituency party members to choose their own MPs.

That’s democracy.

Senior Labour politicians who quit the shadow cabinet in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership are drawing up plans for a truce that would see them return to his team if he is re-elected this month.

Mr Corbyn was rocked by dozens of resignations from his shadow government in the aftermath of the EU referendum, in a rebellion that triggered a leadership contest.

However, with polls suggesting that Mr Corbyn is on course to win next week’s leadership election easily, a number of former shadow ministers are preparing the ground to return to work with him.

They will demand a list of assurances from Mr Corbyn as a sign of his goodwill before pledging their support.

These include allowing them greater say in the running of the shadow cabinet, giving his support to a return to shadow cabinet elections, and dropping the threat that MPs who opposed his leadership will face de-selection.

Source: Senior Labour MPs draw up truce plans to return to Corbyn cabinet if he is re-elected

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27 Comments

  1. pj21516 September 11, 2016 at 2:30 pm - Reply

    Could someone go find John Patrick McEnroe to appear in front of the back benches of the Non Labour MPs, so this Legend can once again launch into his formidable roar ? “YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS”

    • John September 17, 2016 at 6:39 pm - Reply

      It’s either that, or Victor Meldrew with “I DON’T BELIEVE IT!”

  2. John September 11, 2016 at 3:04 pm - Reply

    They won’t need to worry about drawing up any plans at all, because Owen Smith is going to win! (according to Owen Smith on the Marr Show this morning, so it must be true).

    • Jonas Crown September 12, 2016 at 11:45 am - Reply

      I nearly choked on me tea there for a moment lol

      • John September 17, 2016 at 6:37 pm - Reply

        Yeah, last time I saw the polls, it’s something like Smith 64% and Corbyn on about 36% ;) ;)

        • Mike Sivier September 18, 2016 at 4:40 pm - Reply

          Very droll.

  3. Lorfarius September 11, 2016 at 3:19 pm - Reply

    Be interesting to see what will actually happen over Angela Eagle.

  4. Brian September 11, 2016 at 3:40 pm - Reply

    The notion of unaccountable supremacy among many Mp’s (of all persuasions) is the very antithesis of Corbyns philosophy. Who would want these detractors and plotters to represent them given their actions, not many I suspect. They are right to fear the consequences of their action when the bell tolls for them.

  5. rupertrlmitchell September 11, 2016 at 3:55 pm - Reply

    I am very happy to read this report Mike and I agree whole-heartedly with your views as well.

    As you will know by now, I have been insulted along with thousands of other loyal Labour members by the actions of the NEC, the general secretary, and I look forward for the 24th September to arrive and to know that we once again have Jeremy Corbyn reinstated as a proper leader. I shall, of course, ask him to reinstate my membership but only on the condition that those MPs who opposed his leadership and insulted a huge majority of useful members, at a time when they were so badly needed in order to give us good chance to overthrow the current Tory regime, are deselected.

    I would not consider rejoining the Labour Party with those whom I consider a threat to democracy.

    Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!

  6. Ooh la Larry September 11, 2016 at 4:41 pm - Reply

    Based on the churn of opinions outside of Mr Corbyn’s circle, it’s pretty obvious that grizzled Jezza could do with all the help and support he can muster – from whatever quarter! But it looks as if Labour’s bid to return to office in 2020 will be remembered as an heroic failure no matter who rallies to the elderly gentleman’s soiled and ragged standard.

    The main thing is for the band to play on as the ship goes down.

    Stiff upper lip and all that, chaps, don’t you know?

    Ooh la la!

    • Mike Sivier September 11, 2016 at 5:26 pm - Reply

      No.

    • Mobsie sixsixsix September 11, 2016 at 6:11 pm - Reply

      What does the opinion of one troll matter?

    • Brian September 17, 2016 at 4:28 pm - Reply

      Ooh la Larry said:
      “The main thing is for the band to play on as the ship goes down”.

      Oh, you mean like Cameron & Co.

  7. Fibro confused September 11, 2016 at 5:07 pm - Reply

    I do wonder if this is really the start of some ‘saving face’ type articles we can expect to see repeated a few more times yet, what I mean is as we know Jeremy has been talking to many of the MP’s who voted for him to resign, given the ego’s involved and for most it will be an embarrassing turnaround, what better than to make it look like they forced Jeremy to accept xyz demands. Jeremy won’t reveal private talks with MP’s wanting back in, it’s just not his style nor will he give much credence to MSM tittle tattle so they will be free to take up cabinet posts. Winning over their CLP’s is another matter and they will be hoping by shutting up and getting on with the job all will be forgotten……….

    • Brian September 11, 2016 at 7:04 pm - Reply

      This is much to serious to be forgotten, new candidates, and old, will be scrutinized against lists of know detractors well before any future ballots by voters. They must live on another planet if they think they can be selected again, the majority has already spoken, and said nay.

  8. autismandate September 11, 2016 at 5:38 pm - Reply

    All those saying Corbyn cant this or cant that or wont this or wont that, can they choose my lottery ticket numbers.

  9. Roland Laycock September 11, 2016 at 7:17 pm - Reply

    So they all want to stay on the gravy train and thats all its about they did it once they will do it again, its up to the local Labour Parties to get rid of the dross

    • Heather Down September 12, 2016 at 1:10 pm - Reply

      It’s not a gravy train – It’s extra work!
      The only members of the Shadow Cabinet to get pay over and above what they’re paid as MPs are the leader (as Leader of the Opposition – not leader of the Labour Party – great job he’s done at that) and whips.
      In case you haven’t noticed, he hasn’t managed to populate his front bench just drawing from the loyalists, so the offer must be taken up if Labour is going to do anything like a decent job of opposing May. For example, Angela Rayner seems to be doing a decent job, but she has no-one to support her.

  10. Chris September 11, 2016 at 9:16 pm - Reply

    If JC wins he should kick most of the PLP that resigned from cabinet into touch. I say this not as an act of revenge but through a very simplistic and base observation.

    What the PLP have shown and demonstrated their utter willingness to do, is reject wholeheartedly the very foundation of democracy. They have got to their positions claiming to represent the people that voted them there. Yet when the members voted once by a country mile for JC to be leader they, the few, decided that the many, the members, were….Wrong? This alone is already serious enough to question their commitment to democracy.

    For their actions and behaviour they should really be expelled by parliament. They have in my opinion brought serious disrepute to parliament by their actions outside e.g. purging huge swathes of their own membership who are clearly in support of JC. More seriously i believe. They have deserted their positions that members and the wider public in elections, voted for them to do. That was to provide an opposition, a key ingredient in the operation of our democracy and parliament.

    At a time when this country took one of the biggest decisions in a generation, and i hasten to add by an appreciably smaller margin than when JC was voted leader. They decided to not provide that opposition that this country so evidently needs but launch a coup on the only one person that can give us that true opposition. It is now quite plainly clear that they have no regard of a democratic process, their own members that voted them there, and most worryingly the wider perception of our democracy and westminster in general.

    If i were in Mr Corbyns position not only would i refuse the majority of their offers but i would also Helpfully point out that i would be seeking at the very least expulsion from the democratic labour party but would also be seeking to have them removed from parliament altogether.

  11. katythenightowl September 11, 2016 at 9:17 pm - Reply

    All I can do now is hope that Jeremy follows on with his wishes for a true democracy, and leaves the traitorous MP’s to be deselected by their own constituents.

    I’m now waiting with baited breath for the best birthday present I could have on the 24th, and see Jeremy back in the place he belongs – leading us all to a better future than any of us had a hope of before he came to power :)

  12. terry jager September 11, 2016 at 10:26 pm - Reply

    How can there be any assurances given ? I thought democracy was the whole point i e be the spokes person of your constituents not an authoritarian do as i say MP .Of the rebel MP’s ,those who wait until the vote is counted to try avoid consequences will only look the worse for it
    This coup was not a misunderstanding ,a momentary lapse of reason / faith or a simple error , It has been Nothing less than an all out attack against the democratically elected leader of a socialist democratic party with everything thrown at him (i wouldn’t be a bit surprised if a certain MP hurled a kitchen sink at Jeremy !) . Mandatory reselection for all MP’s & let the local CLP ‘s have their say
    P.S lift the ban on CLP meetings now , the lack of democracy is appalling anyone would think it’s the Tory party’s work .

  13. David lowton September 11, 2016 at 11:17 pm - Reply

    The plotters have shown that they are unfit to be MPs of the Labour Party, so deselection should be mandatory, NO DEAL

  14. Kenneth Billis September 12, 2016 at 12:06 am - Reply

    With this lot back in the shadow cabinet I think I would be wondering all the time whether they were plotting something and when they would kick off again. The fact that they are setting conditions on returning is beyond belief.

  15. mohandeer September 12, 2016 at 1:27 am - Reply

    “These include allowing them greater say in the running of the shadow cabinet, giving his support to a return to shadow cabinet elections, and dropping the threat that MPs who opposed his leadership will face de-selection.”
    NO, NO and NO!
    The Labour rebels who vacated their ministerial posts are in gross dereliction of duty and are in no position to suggest they can walk back into them let alone demand any assurances from JC. I would hope that JC is not so naive as to accept any of them back into their posts or even in the party because all of them should be looking at disciplinary charges for quite a few crimes against the party and the membership. If Corbyn insists on HIS “broad church” much of his support is going to feel betrayed and many will simply fall away. Rebel MP’s can leave the party and choose a new name and Labour members who want to follow them can do the same and then there will be unity in both the Labour Party and whatever the new party wants to call themselves.

  16. Jessie September 12, 2016 at 6:38 am - Reply

    However much they squirm around, they can’t make their constituents vote for them again. Then the membership need to have the democratic right of decision about who represents them, and that’s not any acting-against-the-people turncoat.

  17. Stephen Wilson September 12, 2016 at 1:11 pm - Reply

    I am still a bit worried about what influence the NEC may have over those who count the votes. I wouldn’t put anything past these people when it comes down to dirty tricks. I also agree that the 172 MPs should have to face re-election by their clps.

    • Mike Sivier September 12, 2016 at 11:05 pm - Reply

      The election is being run by a separate organisation – the Electoral Reform Society.

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