[Malcolm Armsteen]

That's politics.

[Tubby Isaacs]

And if it was indeed the SCG who leaked/lied/whatever, they shouldn't be able to outwit the leader in an election campaign.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

So what would you have him do?
He has stated the position within the rules of the party. That doesn't seem to be enough for you. What would you be saying if he pre-empted the procedure and declared her eligible without the scrutiny of the NEC?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

The hard left are determined to try to snatch yet another glorious socialist defeat out of the jaws of victory and of course large sections of the media are only to happy to let them try. Principles, after all, feel so much better than actual power. The levels of self indulgence are astonishing. Who cares about criticising the conservatives when they can complain about their own party instead. Couldn’t they just try not to be arseholes, for a change, for the next six weeks and then make up for it on July 5th? Would it really be asking too much?

[Tubby Isaacs]

So what would you have him do?
He has stated the position within the rules of the party. That doesn't seem to be enough for you. What would you be saying if he pre-empted the procedure and declared her eligible without the scrutiny of the NEC?

The NEC ought to have sorted this out yonks ago. By all means bar her as candidate, she's got considerable previous. But whatever you do, don't do it in the actual campaign. Sure, Sunak surprised a few with the timing of the election, but they were putting it about that the election could be even earlier. Did nobody look at that and think "let's get this done"?

[Philip Marlow]

Who leaked to the Times is probably the most intersecting bit in the whole affair.

We may wait awhile upon the truth, but I find the idea that months were expended painstakingly working out a retirement in exchange for restoration of the whip deal, only to have it scuppered by some Abbott-hating dickhead leaking a ‘THE BITCH IS GONE!’ angle to the Murdoch press quite funny.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Could well be.

I thought Sue Gray was supposed to be stopping this sort of thing?

[Oboogie]

Who leaked to the Times is probably the most intersecting bit in the whole affair.

We may wait awhile upon the truth, but I find the idea that months were expended painstakingly working out a retirement in exchange for restoration of the whip deal, only to have it scuppered by some Abbott-hating dickhead leaking a ‘THE BITCH IS GONE!’ angle to the Murdoch press quite funny.

"Abbott hating"? how does that work? This was done to try to damage Starmer.

[Philip Marlow]

Well that rather depends on how it got into the papers does it not. You’re assuming it was leaked by Abbott, or someone connected to her, because you don’t like her or the left. It may well have been of course. But for the moment, we don’t know. I’m merely speculating the other way because it amuses me.

[Oboogie]

No, I'm assuming it was done to try and damage Starmer because that's the only possible motive. It wasn't ever going to damage Abbott. For the record, whilst I don't rate Abbott as a politician, I certainly don't hate her. As for hating the Left, you're just being silly now, I'm way to the left of Labour, have been all my life.

[Youngian]

Can someone change the thread title to spell Diane’s first name correctly.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Sorry, that was me...

[davidjay]

It now seems that she's standing after all.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

She's putting herself forward, not quite the same, though I doubt the NEC would disallow her now. There are only a couple of seats without PPCs, so it will be quick.

Unlike the Tories who have yet to find PPCs for 150 constituencies...

[Abernathy]

Not heard this rumour before but the word in some quarters is that Diane has some form of dementia.

If/when she is re-elected, a by election in Hackney may not be far behind.

[Oboogie]

Not heard this rumour before but the word in some quarters is that Diane has some form of dementia.

If/when she is re-elected, a by election in Hackney may not be far behind.

I've been hearing that for a while (by which I mean years). I've been hearing rumours of alcoholism for much longer (about 15 - 20 years) and the latest (new to me, at least) is Parkinson's. I have no idea which, if any, are true but she does seem to be looking increasingly ill over the last decade or so.
NB My highest (only*) medical qualification is my St John's Ambulance First Responder's badge (if that's what it's called) so I'm fully qualified to loosen your clothing and hold your hand until the ambulance arrives.

*Edit: How did I forget my Cubs First Aider's badge? As you can see, I'm definitely an authority on medical matters.

[Philip Marlow]

Corbyn has never, to my knowledge, been diagnosed as on the spectrum, but as someone who very much has there’s something about the clueless nerdishness of this story that I find quite endearing.

[Youngian]

Its surprising Jez has such a petit bourgeois hobby as growing his own food instead of purchasing it from a collective farm.

[Abernathy]

I wonder if Jezza brought Dianne to the peak of ecstasy up against Marx’s plinth.

Mind bleach for sale -reasonable prices.

[davidjay]

I wonder if Jezza brought Dianne to the peak of ecstasy up against Marx’s plinth.

Mind bleach for sale -reasonable prices.

You'd need a lakeful.