Very interesting, thanks. I would wager there are significant numbers of Tory MPs who spend minimal time in their constituencies (and would even go off on their holidays when parliament is sitting) but when push comes to shove - as we have witnessed over and over this year - the right sticks together to maintain power. This is yet another example of the left (although you could not describe Starter’s Labour as being on the left) eating itself while its opponents look on with glee. It strikes me that political parties need people who campaign locally and nationally and there will always be MPs whose focus is on one or the other. As for MPs taking credit for the efforts of others, well that’s hardly a new thing. I don’t have any particular knowledge or experience of Ian Byrne, but he sounds no worse, and far better, than plenty of MPs elsewhere.
Nice balanced piece about Byrne. I’ve seen him speak at a number of rallies recently and he is extremely passionate. There will always be people who are unhappy if they do not get the reply directly or the help they need but there are only so many hours in the day.
I’ve also watched the Al Jazeera Labour Files, what an eye opener. Whats happening to Byrne is clearly a reaction to removing anyone who supported Corbyn. Love or hate the man he United the party and increased membership mainly from the youth who are the future of this country. Look at the numbers who have left since Starmer took over as leader, myself included.
I hope Ian succeeds as I do think both West Derby and the Labour Party will be lose more than they gain if he doesn’t.
I also agree with Rob, while they continue the witch hunt within the Labour Party the Tory’s will just continue to laugh while they destroy the country more and more.
I am neither a West Derby constituent nor a Labour Party member (though that is not indicative of my voting preferences). However I have always understood that an MP is a representative of his constituents of whatever political hue (though certainly not a delegate) and, no matter what his or her impact might be on national issues, failure to interact with constituents means that there is a lack of awareness of the overall feeling across the constituency on a whole range of issues. Conversations about school bullying, the drains, whatever, will cover more than the immediate issue - the mood of constituents across the political spectrum will come through from such exchanges and needs to be fed into an MP's party organisation at Westminster and to Parliament. To lose touch with constituents is to take them for granted and is essentially disrespectful to those who put MPs in office.
With the majority the Labour Mp has in West Derby it's a job for life.This is a seat that all factions of the Labour party want to hold.Sadly the last couple of MPs have left the residents of West Derby underwhelmed.
I was at a meeting with the previous MP Mr Stephen Twigg as he started debating and asking questions it became apparent he didn't know there was no train service to West Derby! Heaven help us.
Great article Jack, very even handed. I live in West Derby support Ian 100% but the criticisms about calls going unanswered and the like ring very true to the criticisms I hear about his office.
Losing him would be devastating, Lavelle has nothing to offer.
I can see a lot of work has gone into putting this piece together by our Jack in the honourable none-partisan manner and leaving the decision-making to the readers. For seasoned observers of political chicaneries, the answer is quite simple, Keir Starmer and his bankrollers are trying to shape his party into New Labour 2.0 and guys like Ian Byrne just did not fit the party mould they are preparing in order to take the Tories' place.
But this is not 1997 when the Treasury was still sloshing with money for Blair and Brown to experiment with on the economy as well as on the people. This time, we are in the middle of several very serious crisis. If the Labour leadership should succeed in making the party into a 'Brotherhood of Sunak' like they used to call Blair 'son of Thatcher', the people of this nation will find themselves trapped between two identical evils both of which have no idea how to get the country out of the mess previous administrations had played their part to create. Unless drastic changes were made to the geopolitical landscape in the very near future by multiple parties, the stance both of our main parties are taking will lead us to either a full-scale war or a revolution, or both.
It's fascinating to see the tension between party membership (unelected) and the appointment of MPs and party leaders, in all political parties.
For the sake of our democracy we need more involvement from voters in politics at local and national level, but the current system seems to put people off. Labour's £5 to elect the next leader of the party attracted lots of new members and resulted in Corbyn being elected. How well did Labour engage, train and retain those members ?
Our First Past the Post way of electing our MPs and local politicians means that vast swathes of the country are effectively mono political. Bryne's fight to hold onto West Party is the nearest the voters in West Derby will get to have a say on who represents them in the next parliament.
Proportional Representation in Scotland and Wales does not seem to have sparked additional interest in politics, possibly because the direct link between the constituency and elected representative is broken ?
Should our politics be less tribal and more consensual (There is more that units us than divides us) or is tribalism too deep rooted in our society ?
I think you should do your research about local issues .Before printing Anthony Lavelle was the major player in the fight to keep De la salle open my 3 sons where pupils there.my oldest son is nearly 50.Clubmoor Allotments and club where there then
Very interesting, thanks. I would wager there are significant numbers of Tory MPs who spend minimal time in their constituencies (and would even go off on their holidays when parliament is sitting) but when push comes to shove - as we have witnessed over and over this year - the right sticks together to maintain power. This is yet another example of the left (although you could not describe Starter’s Labour as being on the left) eating itself while its opponents look on with glee. It strikes me that political parties need people who campaign locally and nationally and there will always be MPs whose focus is on one or the other. As for MPs taking credit for the efforts of others, well that’s hardly a new thing. I don’t have any particular knowledge or experience of Ian Byrne, but he sounds no worse, and far better, than plenty of MPs elsewhere.
Nice balanced piece about Byrne. I’ve seen him speak at a number of rallies recently and he is extremely passionate. There will always be people who are unhappy if they do not get the reply directly or the help they need but there are only so many hours in the day.
I’ve also watched the Al Jazeera Labour Files, what an eye opener. Whats happening to Byrne is clearly a reaction to removing anyone who supported Corbyn. Love or hate the man he United the party and increased membership mainly from the youth who are the future of this country. Look at the numbers who have left since Starmer took over as leader, myself included.
I hope Ian succeeds as I do think both West Derby and the Labour Party will be lose more than they gain if he doesn’t.
I also agree with Rob, while they continue the witch hunt within the Labour Party the Tory’s will just continue to laugh while they destroy the country more and more.
I am neither a West Derby constituent nor a Labour Party member (though that is not indicative of my voting preferences). However I have always understood that an MP is a representative of his constituents of whatever political hue (though certainly not a delegate) and, no matter what his or her impact might be on national issues, failure to interact with constituents means that there is a lack of awareness of the overall feeling across the constituency on a whole range of issues. Conversations about school bullying, the drains, whatever, will cover more than the immediate issue - the mood of constituents across the political spectrum will come through from such exchanges and needs to be fed into an MP's party organisation at Westminster and to Parliament. To lose touch with constituents is to take them for granted and is essentially disrespectful to those who put MPs in office.
With the majority the Labour Mp has in West Derby it's a job for life.This is a seat that all factions of the Labour party want to hold.Sadly the last couple of MPs have left the residents of West Derby underwhelmed.
I was at a meeting with the previous MP Mr Stephen Twigg as he started debating and asking questions it became apparent he didn't know there was no train service to West Derby! Heaven help us.
Great article Jack, very even handed. I live in West Derby support Ian 100% but the criticisms about calls going unanswered and the like ring very true to the criticisms I hear about his office.
Losing him would be devastating, Lavelle has nothing to offer.
PS Nicely written piece - thank you - and very informative. I had been wondering what issues were in this deselection/reselection struggle
I can see a lot of work has gone into putting this piece together by our Jack in the honourable none-partisan manner and leaving the decision-making to the readers. For seasoned observers of political chicaneries, the answer is quite simple, Keir Starmer and his bankrollers are trying to shape his party into New Labour 2.0 and guys like Ian Byrne just did not fit the party mould they are preparing in order to take the Tories' place.
But this is not 1997 when the Treasury was still sloshing with money for Blair and Brown to experiment with on the economy as well as on the people. This time, we are in the middle of several very serious crisis. If the Labour leadership should succeed in making the party into a 'Brotherhood of Sunak' like they used to call Blair 'son of Thatcher', the people of this nation will find themselves trapped between two identical evils both of which have no idea how to get the country out of the mess previous administrations had played their part to create. Unless drastic changes were made to the geopolitical landscape in the very near future by multiple parties, the stance both of our main parties are taking will lead us to either a full-scale war or a revolution, or both.
It's fascinating to see the tension between party membership (unelected) and the appointment of MPs and party leaders, in all political parties.
For the sake of our democracy we need more involvement from voters in politics at local and national level, but the current system seems to put people off. Labour's £5 to elect the next leader of the party attracted lots of new members and resulted in Corbyn being elected. How well did Labour engage, train and retain those members ?
Our First Past the Post way of electing our MPs and local politicians means that vast swathes of the country are effectively mono political. Bryne's fight to hold onto West Party is the nearest the voters in West Derby will get to have a say on who represents them in the next parliament.
Proportional Representation in Scotland and Wales does not seem to have sparked additional interest in politics, possibly because the direct link between the constituency and elected representative is broken ?
Should our politics be less tribal and more consensual (There is more that units us than divides us) or is tribalism too deep rooted in our society ?
Just a small correction. Nick Crofts is a former president of the Co-operative Group National Members Council.
I think you should do your research about local issues .Before printing Anthony Lavelle was the major player in the fight to keep De la salle open my 3 sons where pupils there.my oldest son is nearly 50.Clubmoor Allotments and club where there then
Ian Byrne had nothing to do with setting up the Clubmoor Allotment it’s been there for over 20 years if anything he and his supporters are ruining it
Oops typo in the third paragraph !!
Sorry, autocorrect did not like Starmer and I can’t go back to edit. 🤷