Corbyn critic Jamie Reed quits as Labour MP – but has he miscalculated the outcome?
Jamie Reed, the MP for Copeland in Cumbria, resigned from the shadow frontbench after Jeremy Corbyn was first elected [Image: Gary Calton for the Observer].
UKIP wants to build itself up as a threat to Labour in the north of England, arguing that the SNP has destroyed Labour in Scotland and the Tories have a tight grip on the south.
We can see, therefore, that the aim is to do the Tories’ job for them and eliminate – as much as possible – the only major left-wing party in the UK.
Jamie Reed’s constituency gave him a majority of just 2,564 last year, making it a marginal, and vulnerable to takeover by another party.
Perhaps that is his intention. If so, it seems likely to go horribly wrong.
Mr Reed was one of the most right-wing of the Labour right-wingers and it is possible this is why voter support for him was low.
Put a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn in his place and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that a more substantial majority will vote Labour.
That would put Mr Reed – and UKIP – out of reckoning.
But then, can you honestly trust the judgement of a man who thinks going to work for the nuclear power industry is a clever career move?
One of Jeremy Corbyn’s most persistent critics is to quit as a Labour MP and take a job in the nuclear industry, triggering a three-way fight for his marginal northern seat with the Conservatives and Ukip.
Jamie Reed, the MP for Copeland in west Cumbria since 2005, told the Guardian he was resigning because he believed he could achieve more for his community in his new job, working for the nuclear processing site Sellafield, than on the backbenches.
The outgoing MP has been very critical of Corbyn’s leadership, having resigned from the shadow frontbench almost immediately after he was first elected in 2015. In June, Reed called for Corbyn to stand down after the EU referendum, accusing the Labour leader of seeking “to inject an unprecedented poison” into the party.
Explaining why he quit, Reed said: “One of the reasons that I am moving on is because I think there’s a better way of doing that [serving his community] right now than to remain as a member of parliament.”
Source: Corbyn critic quits as Labour MP, triggering tight byelection race | Politics | The Guardian
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Does UKIP have the funds to campaign for Jamie Reeds seat as they have been using EU funding in the past when they should not be as against the rules
Today was also the deadline for 172,000 euros they had to payback
http://www.politico.eu/article/ukip-group-ordered-to-repay-e172000-to-eu-by-december-21/
Good ridden to that turncoat!
“put a Corbyn supporter there”. I can say that too, but what’s the reality on the ground? What is the local Labour party like?
Does a rightwing clique dominate? Have local members managed to have a democratic say?
Good questions. I dare say we’ll find out soon enough.
His constituents, he tells us, will be much better off without him as their MP. What a failure. What an utter waste of space. But at least having recognised that, he has chosen to leave. Small blessings, eh?
Working for the nuclear industry certainly looks to be a more secure career move than working for Labour.
As to Labour’s future in that constituency, I am not well placed to comment, but I sense that the area is more concerned with immigration than socialism: Labour will not get an easy victory.
As you are determined to inflict your opinions on us without any information to support them, allow me to respond in kind:
What utter, idiotic nonsense.
Well we are in the post fact political era and actual information runs too great a risk of popping your ideology bubble.
But I must say I am interested to hear your hypothesis as to how someone who has lost the faith of 2/3 of his own party has a more certain future in a marginal seat than in a well established industry that has its future mapped out for at least the next thirty years.
Are you asking how I think Jamie Reed could retain his seat?
I don’t think he could have done so.
The fact that he has gone to the environmentally-devastating nuclear industry for the sake of his bank balance speaks volumes about him, though.
Just wait – when Mr Corbyn and the Labour Party get back into office, there’ll probably be a few changes in the way we generate our energy.
bye bye
An unintentionally very funny piece.
Explain.
Jamie Reed he will not be mist another Blairit left the nest and found a better payed jb
Hard to see how he can do more for community working at a nuclear power plant.
You underestimate the value of keeping the lights burning.