The final dregs of Labour’s broadly disastrous (for the left) conference are still filtering through, with Guido discovering this fairly amusing clip of Richard Burgon parodying Neil Kinnock’s infamous 1985 Militant speech. The audience naturally lapped it up and for Burgon it was a decent performance. It does ring slightly hollow when, unlike Kinnock, Burgon and his merry band of deluded socialists are nowhere near the levers of Labour Party power. The punchline from Burgon did make Guido laugh…
During Sir Keir’s speech yesterday Guido counted at least 9 heckles from disgruntled party members. Today on LBC, Starmer addressed the issue of disunity in the Labour Party by telling Nick Ferrari:
“…the vast majority of the conference hall were with me and in fact they policed the hecklers. The line that I used, the one I think was probably the most powerful was saying ‘chanting slogans or changing lives’ and they’re the choices for the Labour Party. We changed this week to change lives and we’re leaving behind the chanting of slogans that get you no where.”
Despite the swooning of the pundits and the commentariat this morning, a conference dominated by infighting sees the Tory lead remain at 8 points ahead in the latest YouGov poll…
After a summer break, Live with Littlewood returns tonight at 6pm – with the guests joining us live in the studio!
ON THE AGENDA…
- Fuel-proof: are we heading for a winter of discontent?
- Things can only get better: Did Keir deliver at Labour Party Conference?
- Fat chance: Will this government be the first in the world to “reverse the trend on obesity”?
ON THE PANEL…
- Christian Calgie – Senior Reporter, Guido Fawkes
- Tom Harwood – Political Correspondent, GB News
- Emma Revell – Head of Public Affairs, IEA
- Christopher Snowdon – Head of Lifestyle Economics, IEA
JOIN THE DEBATE FROM 6PM HERE OR ON YOUTUBE
Following Sir Keir’s speech, Rayner struggled to extol its virtues – not due to political or oratory differences, rather a very sore throat. Angie apologised for her voice and joked to Politics Live viewers that she would hear cheers up and down the country at the news of her silencing. She didn’t mention the cause of her affliction, however. Thankfully Steerpike was on hand at The Mirror’s Karaoke party to show us what the deputy leader had been up to…
Yesterday the Bakers Union (BFAWU) slammed the Labour Party for stoking a “factional internal war” and disaffiliated from the movement after Keir told his latest resignee Andy McDonald to argue against a £15 minimum wage. Given this pious posturing one would expect all staff employed by BFAWU to be paid at least £15 per hour. Wrong!
The Daily Mirror’s Rachel Wearmouth revealed that Fast Food Rights in partnership with BFAWU advertised for a new Union organiser in April 2021 to be paid just £12 per hour. Shameful!
Even more recently Sheffield Needs a Pay Rise also in partnership with the BFAWU advertised for a new Union Organiser on Sept 1 2021 for just £12 per hour. According to the job ad, successful candidates will be required on some evenings and weekends too. The Bakers Union should picket itself until it pays £15 per hour…
As Labour conference wraps up, rumours are circulating that Howard Beckett is finally out of Unite. While multiple sources claimed he’d been given the chop, another more senior Labour source says they’ve heard it is his decision to leave. The chair of Jewish Labour astutely points out Beckett’s name was missing from Unite’s official statement on Starmer’s keynote speech today:
Notable that Howard Beckett's name is not on this. Heard rumours all week that Unite's new leadership have dispensed of his services. https://t.co/e3YxWDyvNl
— Adam Langleben 🇺🇦 (@adamlangleben) September 29, 2021
A Unite spokesperson would only say that: “Unite does not comment on staffing matters.”
Guido wonders how large the pay-out will have been…
UPDATE: BBC’s Iain Watson is reporting tonight that Beckett has only been removed from his political role. Beckett Is said to be “considering his options”.
