The latest grim reading for Labour from the Camden New Journal’s Richard Osley. He reports that at the last meeting of Labour members in Hampstead and Kilburn, some present opposed the room standing for a minute’s silence for the late Tessa Jowell, who was obviously a moderate close ally of Tony Blair. Osley says there was “muttering” during the silence and then calls for a rival minute’s silence for Gaza:

“The issue of whether members should stand for a period of silence to remember Tessa Jowell… was a matter of some dispute. Sources said they were distressed to hear muttering and mumbling as the peace was broken during this time for reflection. Some with unwilling to take part at all in marking the passing of a politician who had worked closely with Tony Blair. Members, by several accounts, then asked for another’s minute of silence, after a call of ‘what about the people of Gaza’ rang out; the meeting was a couple of days after the border shootings by Israeli forces.”

Kinder, gentler politics…