Wednesday, 20 July 2016

Batley and Spen by-election. English Democrats' Therese Hirst to stand.


Immediately after the appalling murder of Jo Cox, the Labour MP for Batley and Spen, all the other “main” political parties, Conservative, Liberal Democrats, UKIP and the Green Party, announced that, as a mark of respect, they would not be standing candidates in the consequent by-election.  Therefore a candidate chosen by the Labour Party would be elected as MP unopposed.

However, the majority of the Labour Parliamentary Party is now in a state of rebellion.  The recent vote in Parliament to replace the submarines carrying Trident missiles is the latest manifestation of disarray in Labour's ranks.  If Mr Corbyn remains the Labour Leader the Party could well split.  In such circumstances which of the two Labour parties would allow the other to stand an unopposed candidate in the Batley and Spen by-election?  Is it more likely that Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour and the “other” Labour would each stand a candidate?  I wonder if those in the “main” parties who made the decision not to participate now feel as if they acted a little hastily.  

Furthermore, I could not help being reminded of the last time an MP was murdered, namely Ian Gow Conservative MP for Eastbourne, and how there was no such mark of respect on that occasion.  All the main parties stood a candidate in the resulting by-election – indeed the Liberal Democrats took the seat from the Conservatives.

I now read in the Yorkshire Post that Therese Hirst of the English Democrats is stepping up to the plate and is ready to stand when Labour, or perhaps I should say whichever Labour, moves the writ for the by-election.  Be that as it may, I expect some sort of Labour candidate will be elected as the new MP, any other result would mean the Labour movement in its present state of utter turmoil is completely shattered as a serious political force.

Here is a link to the report in the Yorkshire Post. 

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/english-democrats-to-contest-batley-and-spen-by-election-for-jo-cox-s-seat-1-8020537


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