Whither Labour?

[Khandro]

The veteran pro-Brexit Labour MP Frank Field has resigned from his party, citing anti-Semitism linked to leader Jeremy Corbyn and “intolerance, nastiness and intimidation” from the hard left.
“It saddens me to say that we are increasingly seen as a racist party. This issue alone compels me to resign the whip,” wrote Mr Field in his resignation letter, blasting Jeremy Corbyn for denying his words and actions have been anti-Semitic.

[naomi24]

Whither Labour? Down the plughole.

[DTCwordfan]

arise, Sir Keir Starmer......

[DTCwordfan]

but not quite yet.

[jourdain2]

Frank Field resigns from the Labour Party ---- well, that says it all, doesn't it?

[-Talbot-]

I can't understand why there has been no split...it must surely be inevitable.

[ToraToraTora]

see the post below this Khandro, though I feel we can share this one!

[Togo]

Whatever Frank Field's politics, he could never be accused of being thuggish, dictatorial, manipulative or morally corrupt. An honourable man does the honourable thing. Shame on Labour and all who support the behaviour that has been displayed in recent years.

[ichkeria]

Just on a point of info: he hasn’t left the party, he’s resigned the whip, which means he doesn’t count as a labour voter in parliament.
Field, like John whatsisname who left earlier, is a bit of a maverick.
That said his words ring true and trouble is surely ahead for labour.
Labour will not ‘split’ as I’ve said, until there is somewhere for the moderates to go.

[Spungle]

Frank Field was an honourable man. I wonder how many more it will take before the Labour hierarchy admit they have an anti-Semitism problem? Jeremy won't rest until he sees the Labour party self-destruct under his non-leadership.

[Gromit]

Field has probably been in the wrong party for 30 years. Even in the Tory Lite Blair administration, Field was out of place. He is a very right thinking politician, who will never fit in with a socialist or left leaning leadership and will never agree with Corbyn’s doctrine.
He is a very clever man and very capable. Which instantly rules himself out of a Corbyn led Party.

[jno]

I don't know, Gromit, my recollection is that when he briefly held ministerial office he was found to be fairly ineffective. It may be that like Corbyn he is one of nature's opposers.

[ichkeria]

Definitely : he has something of the Corbyn about him in that respect

[Khandro]

Interestingly, in this evening's Sky news interview by a woman of whom I've never seen before, it was obvious that her intention and Sky news brief was, "do not this reflect badly on the Labour Party" and so he was ask such appallingly biased questions as " have you jumped before you were pushed" to which he dealt with his usual modest aplomb.

The left cannot let his honest and sincere resignation be because of the reasons he states; momentum and antisemitism,

and it isn't just the whip he is resigning as stated by ichikeria, he is abandoning his party, (work that one out!) and if he stands again for Birkenhead it will be as he says, as an independent, and given his track-record as an exemplary MP, I think the people of Birkenhead will undoubtedly vote him in again.

[naomi24]

//if he stands again for Birkenhead it will be as he says, as an independent//

I read that .... and I too think the people of his constituency will continue to support him.

[Jackdaw33]

Bear in mind that at the time of the next election Frank Field will be 80.

[jim360]

I would assume that Labour will nominate a candidate to stand against him. It will be an interesting test of whether Field won his seat because of his own work, or because he was Labour in a *very* Labour constituency.

In either case, I can't say I'm surprised to see him go: even without the anti-Semitism element he was not really fitting into the current Labour party.

[Khandro]

jim; //even without the anti-Semitism element he was not really fitting into the current Labour party.//

Yeah, you can say that again!

[DTCwordfan]

Maybe when it becomes the 'Palliative Labour Organisation' (the PLO) will we see the split.

[naomi24]

// It will be an interesting test of whether Field won his seat because of his own work, or because he was Labour in a *very* Labour constituency. //

That's an interesting question. I think he has held the seat for so long because he was a Labour candidate in a staunch Labour constituency. As luck would have it though he was not only a Labour politician but a highly respected Labour politician, and therefore, because he's respected, I think he will win as an Independent Labour candidate, which is the banner he said he will stand under. I hope he succeeds. He deserves to.

[naomi24]

An interesting couple of minutes.

https://news.sky.com/story/frank-field-mp-resigns-labour-whip-over-anti-semitism-row-11485776