Sadiq Khan has said London is well prepared for a nuclear attack, following Putin’s threat earlier this week. While, in City Hall’s words, the prospect remains “remote” they boast the capital:
“… has a resilient and well-established system in place to ensure key agencies work closely and effectively together to keep us all safe – this includes keeping Londoners fully informed about any emergencies.”
Given the capital started disintegrating last month due to a strong breeze, Guido reckons this might prove hubristic. Still, using the underground network as a bunker will prove easy given under Sadiq’s leadership no trains are currently running…
Following this morning’s news that Paulette Hamilton, Labour’s candidate in the Birmingham Erdington by-election, publicly weighed up the benefits of a violent revolution, two Tory MPs have now called for Starmer to immediately suspend the whip should she win tomorrow. She’s still the clear frontrunner, so that’s incredibly likely…
Both Tom Hunt and Gary Sambrook have now issued statements demanding Hamilton’s suspension, with Hunt issuing a Point of Order in the Commons this afternoon saying it’s “crucial” Starmer suspends her, and Sambrook also pushing for “immediate” action against her. So far, all Labour have said is “she has a point”.
Inevitably other Tory MPs, including Nadine Dorries, have also publicly condemned Hamilton in the last few hours – although so far only Sambrook and Hunt have called for Starmer’s personal involvement. Immediately removing the whip before she’s even given her maiden speech would surely be some kind of record…
Read Sambrook’s letter in full below…
Not only has the BBC have seen an exodus of their front-of-camera talent, they’ve been losing editorial staff like rats leaving a sinking ship. That much was evident in their hurried PMQs write up where the BBC accidentally elevated Ian Blackford beyond his station:
What with Prince Andrew, Prince Charles under investigation and Prince Harry, the Queen giving Blackford a knighthood could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back…
John McDonnell may be just hours away from losing the Labour whip, as Sir Keir is reportedly preparing to finally boot him from the party if he makes a scheduled appearance at a Stop The War rally this evening. A rally that’s also set to feature the (inevitable) appearance of the independent MP for Islington North, who admittedly has nothing left to lose by now…
It follows Sir Keir’s stern warning to his MPs on Monday that any member who draws a “false equivalence” between NATO and Russia would immediately be shown the door. Last week, Starmer also demanded all 11 Labour MPs who’d signed Stop the War’s letter withdraw their names for the sake of unifying the party in favour of NATO. Eventually, they all complied. Corbyn’s name is still on there, obviously.
McDonnell has so far refused to comment on whether he’s still planning to show up to the rally this evening. According to HuffPo, a Labour source said:
“If he goes, he’ll lose the whip. Any Labour MPs who speak at anything that is anti-Nato from now on are likely to be out.”
The event starts at 6.30 pm. The clock’s ticking…
UPDATE: McDonnell has told LabourList he’s pulling out of the event:
“I have seen all the speculation about my attendance at tonight’s Stop the War meeting and reports of threats if I do. My response is that people are dying on the streets of Ukrainian cities. This is not the time to be distracted by political arguments here […] Nothing is more important at this time. Nothing should distract us from that. So I won’t feed into that distraction by going tonight.”
Poor Jeremy’s been left high and dry…
- Graham Stuart (Con)
- Judith Cummins (Lab)
- Bill Esterson (Lab)
- Kate Osborne (Lab)
- Neil Parish (Con)
- James Daly (Con)
- Andy Carter (Con)
- Chris Bryant (Lab)
- Ruth Edwards (Con)
- Debbie Abrahams (Lab)
- Dr Liam Fox (Con)
- Bob Seely (Con)
- Mary Kelly Foy (Lab)
- Angela Crawley (SNP)
- John Penrose (Con)
