Umunna’s lie gave Theresa May a way to attack Labour. He must resign – or be forced out
Chuka Umunna.
Chuka Umunna must have been giggling behind his hand when Theresa May came out with the following at Prime Minister’s Questions. But who will have the last laugh?
That’s what he’s done to Labour – just think what he’d do to this country. pic.twitter.com/R6F445x8gy
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) September 12, 2018
It is clear that Mrs May was using Mr Umunna’s entirely false claim that the Labour Party is “institutionally racist” to attack Labour – at a time when she had no other defence against Jeremy Corbyn’s criticisms of her policies (in this case, Universal Credit).
We all know he’s responsible – and he deserves to be punished.
The Tories must be thanking @ChukaUmunna for his absurd attack on the Labour Party last week as Theresa May used it as a blatant deflection tactic at #PMQs.
She actually deported black British citizens to their deaths & now she's using Umunna's words to call Labour racist!
— Another Angry Voice (@Angry_Voice) September 12, 2018
Well done to @ChukaUmunna for supplying Theresa May with false ammunition. You will never lead our party all the time I have air in my lungs. Shame on you. #PMQs
— Rachael Swindon (@Rachael_Swindon) September 12, 2018
But Mr Umunna probably thinks he’s free as a bird; as a Labour MP, he gets to say anything he likes and get away with it – it is only Labour members who are censured according to the party rules.
Well, that’s changing.
The whole point of Theresa May’s comment about Labour MPs facing ‘no confidence’ votes is that the party’s members can now censure their MPs (and clearly she thinks this is a bad idea. Conservative Party members should note that this means she favours the ‘top-down’ view of party organisation in which the leaders decide everything and the members show blind obedience at all times).
It is well past time the MP for Streatham was reminded that he represents the Labour Party, and is bound by Labour Party rules.
Rule 2.1.8 clearly states: “No member of the Party shall engage in conduct which in the opinion of the NEC is prejudicial, or in any act which in the opinion of the NEC is grossly detrimental to the Party.”
I would say lying that the party is “institutionally racist” is prejudicial. I would say helping the Conservative prime minister to attack the Labour Party is grossly detrimental.
If you are a member of Streatham Constituency Labour Party, I would strongly urge you to call for a motion of “no confidence” in Mr Umunna, with a vote to take place at the earliest opportunity. I would suggest you call for the Labour whip to be removed from him and for him to be deselected, so that he may no longer stand as a Parliamentary candidate for the Labour Party.
If you are a Labour Party member who is not in Streatham CLP, I would urge you to email [email protected] and call for Mr Umunna’s suspension pending a full and rigorous investigation of his conduct, past and present, with a view to his possible expulsion under the rule listed above.
Be polite, but remind party officers that behaviour of the kind shown by Mr Umunna has no place in the Labour Party – or in politics.
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spot on mike once again chucka outer should cross the floor
Rule 2.1.8 clearly states: “No member of the Party shall engage in conduct which in the opinion of the NEC is prejudicial, or in any act which in the opinion of the NEC is grossly detrimental to the Party.”
This rule has been broken by a whole heap of people over the last few weeks, months and years!
“If you are a Labour Party member who is not in Streatham CLP, I would urge you to email [email protected]”
Good luck with that one! I wrote to complain, amongst other things, that nobody ever responds to me and guess what? Nobody has responded!
Surely any party member could lodge a complaint against Umunna.
What a disgraceful remark about his own party, i am a Labour supporter from Streatham Constituency and i will certainly call for a vote of“NO confidence” in Mr Umunna,
Fire Chuka Umunna. Not for being “Black”, but for the same reasons that you would fire anyone, irrespective of their race, colour, creed and sexuality in an entirely equal opportunities way, for being a daft smeghead!
Loyalty to the Tories comes from a non-supporting Labour NO showing, like the latter Blair, he showed what a crypto-Conservative he has become – what a big shame to the true Labourites who voted for him.
George