Charlotte Nichols, 2019 intake Labour MP for Warrington North, has been making ripples in the press since last November, when she told 5 Live that there is a “whisper network list of the people [in Westminster] to avoid”. In December The Sun on Sunday reported there was a new Pestminster list of MPs circulating, with a Tory MP telling the paper this one – unlike the 2017 spreadsheet – contains individuals from “across all the political parties.” The race was on to find a copy…
Then on January 1st, Nichols found herself once again at the centre of controversy after sharing a sexual harassment list of 20 MPs to a WhatsApp group used by fellow 2019 intake MPs. The Mail on Sunday got the scoop, reporting that Nichols told them she’d shared it to the group by mistake and had since deleted the post, though she “stood by every name”. A senior Labour figure told the paper, “If you believe you have evidence that X, Y or Z is a wrong ‘un, then fair enough. But you can’t just put names out like this.”
Perhaps the senior Labour figure is so concerned by Nichols because unlike the infamous 2017 Pestminster list, this new one of 20 MPs is made up of 40% Labour members.
Guido’s been passed the list, and can confirm the breakdown is 11 Tories, 8 Labour and a single senior SNP frontbencher. While no specific allegations against any of the names are made by Nichols, Chris Pincher is among the names, as is Chris Matheson who recently resigned as the MP for Chester for “unwanted sexual advances” towards a junior member of staff. Six of the names on Nichols’ list were on the 2017 list, all of whom are Tories.
Guido’s source also revealed that a Lobby political editor is known to be making inquiries into one senior Labour MP named on Nichols’ list, regarding sexual misconduct. Guido’s only surprise is that her list doesn’t contain some more infamous names…
UPDATE: Guido has now spoken to 2 of the MPs named by Charlotte Nichols, they didn’t know they were on her list and expressed off the record bemusement.
Jonathan Ashworth had a tough time last night over his Liverpool bombing faux pas, so Guido thought it was fair to point out he wasn’t the only one to accidentally pay respects to the family of a suspected terrorist. It’s easily done, after all.
On Sky News yesterday morning, Oliver Dowden expressed his “deep sympathy for the person that’s lost their life”, and claimed that he was joining the Prime Minister in doing so. Although Boris only tweeted his support for “all those affected”, rather than towards anyone specific…
Later, Labour MP Charlotte Nichols posted a tweet claiming she was “sending love to the family and friends of the person who was killed in the incident”. The tweet has since been deleted.
To top it all off, the Mirror then posted a Facebook status saying “…police have now named the man who sadly died. RIP 💔”. The statement was swiftly edited to remove the heartbreak, although it’s still visible in the post history…
All politicians make mistakes from time to time. You’re in good company, Jon…
Major reshuffle speculation this morning, after Sir Keir lost his third shadow minister in 15 days. Shadow women’s minister Charlotte Nichols has stepped back from Starmer’s top team on a temporary for “personal reasons”, according to The Guardian. Starmer’s shedding spokespeople faster than popularity…
While it’s denied the move has any connection to political disputes or disagreements, it inconveniently came on the same day as he lost his shadow secretary for women and equalities, Marsha de Cordova – a move that seemingly was brought on by a political row. On the 30th Sir Keir also lost his shadow environment secretary Luke Pollard who stepped back to focus on his constituency after last month’s Plymouth shooting. Perhaps it’s not just Boris in need of a reshuffle…
The weekend outcry from the left over Labour MP Charlotte Nichols’ “Gypsy incursion” leaflet was fierce, with even that life-long anti-racism campaigner Chris Williamson slamming her as “a first-class graduate from the @Jewdas School of Hypocrisy”. Labour has now said they’re going to “withdraw and destroy [the] election leaflet” – however this was not the first time North Warrington’s Labour MP has targeted the community.
In 2015 Nichols’ predecessor as the local MP, Helen Jones, wrote to the local paper over a similar illegal traveller camp, saying constituents raising objections about it “is not racist”.
“People need to understand that the groups of travellers we have had in north Warrington recently have caused real problems.
Last year, people in Culcheth and Croft suffered from their aggression.
This year, the people of Bruche have experienced problems and residents of Birchwood have seen damage to the Forest Park, people defecating and urinating in public, damage to property and general anti-social behaviour.
This kind of behaviour would not be acceptable from anyone living in a settled community so there is no reason we should accept it from anyone else.”
While residents in Tory-held Warrington South are able to enjoy their MP get on with the job of fighting illegal sites without a national internercine culture war being waged, Labour is now putting the demands of party activists first. It won’t be long before we see how that strategy pays off in the May locals…
With babyfaced Socialist Campaign Group member Dan Carden resigning today, it can be hard to keep track of all the young loony left Labour MPs. As they make more headlines becoming increasingly assertive against Sir Keir, Guido today brings you a comprehensive guide to keeping track of the loony left’s 2019 intake. Some have already made quite a name for themselves…
- Nadia Whittome, MP for Nottingham East. Majority: 17,393. 24-year-old Baby of the House and former private school girl, Whittome made headlines by accidentally falling off the shadow ministerial ladder on live TV after voting against the Veterans Bill. Before being elected she worked as a Parliamentary intern for Pat Glass MP.
- Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South. Majority: 401. 26-year-old Zarah almost didn’t win her West Midlands seat in 2019, with Labour’s majority collapsing from 7,947 to just 401. Former NUS hack. Has begun to style herself as the Honourable Member for Twitter with often viral pithy yet platitudinous socialist tweets. Pays her staff what she calls ‘poverty wages‘…
- Claudia Webbe, MP for Leicester East and still a sitting Councillor in Islington. Majority: 6,019. Currently suspended as a Labour MP after being charged with harassment against a woman. Formerly Labour NEC member and head of disputes for the party. Formerly advisor to Ken Livingstone. Questionable judgement.
- Bell Ribeiro-Addy, MP for Streatham. Majority: 17,690. Another former NUS hack. As Black Students Officer at the NUS, she once shut down a debate at Durham University with threats of violence because a controversial speaker was invited. Spoke at a “salute” to the Second Intifada, which killed 1,000 Israelis. Keeps attending Zoom calls with former Labour members expelled for antisemitism…
- Charlotte Nichols, MP for Warrington North. Majority: 1,509. Daughter of the President of the TUC. Worked for a trade union for five years before becoming an MP. PPS to Emily Thornberry and Louise Haigh. Confused over lockdown communication. Not a fan of gay Tories.
- Apsana Begum, MP for Poplar and Limehouse. Majority: 28,904. In 2014 accused Tony Blair of “spreading Zionist propaganda”. Questions remain how she managed to leap to the top of her local council’s 18,000-strong housing list, securing a riverside apartment in months despite having no dependents.
- Sam Tarry, MP for Ilford South. Majority: 24,101. Mouthy director of Jeremy Corbyn’s 2016 Labour Party leadership campaign. Very friendly with Angela Rayner. Failed to be properly parachuted into Hull West in 2017. In Ilford South in 2019, his opponent was abruptly suspended over an allegation of sexual harassment. With his rival ineligible due to his suspension, Tarry was selected. Known locally as ‘Stitch up Sam‘…
- Olivia Blake, MP for Sheffield Hallam. Majority: 712. Daughter of the leader of Leeds City Council. Failed to be elected onto Labour NEC in 2013. Successfully elected with the backing of Momentum Labour’s National Policy Forum in 2018. Hard left Sheffield Councillor for six years. Supports a “National Food Service”. Resigned as a PPS in September after voting against the Veterans Bill.
- Tahir Ali, MP for Birmingham Hall Green. Majority: 28,508. Former trade union political officer. Ali was handed a formal warning by police after he broke government restrictions by attending a funeral with up to 100 mourners at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
- Beth Winter, MP for Cynon Valley. Majority: 8,822. Former Trade Union official. Resigned as a PPS in September after voting against the Veterans Bill. Shouted at tea.
- Nav Mishra, MP for Stockport. Majority: 10,039. Former trade union organiser and one of the founders of Stockport Momentum. A Labour NEC member on the JC9, then JC8 slate, who has supported Pete Willsman, Mishra sits on the NEC disputes panel.
- Ian Byrne, MP for Liverpool West Derby. Majority: 29,984. Former Trade Union organiser. Walks around with neighbouring Liverpool socialist MPs Paula Barker and Kim Johnson. Once shared abusive comments about female politicians…
- Paula Barker, MP for Liverpool Wavertree. Majority: 31,310. Former Trade Union convenor. Yet to speak out on the abuse that drove Luciana Berger out of the party which led to her getting the seat. In January pretended to go to a Holocaust Educational Trust event.
- Kim Johnson, MP for Liverpool Riverside. Majority: 37,043. Yet to speak out about the abuse that drove Louise Ellman out the party. In January pretended to go to a Holocaust Educational Trust event.
All are members of the Socialist Campaign Group – now boasting 34 MPs, along with stalwarts John McDonnell, Diane Abbott, and Jeremy Corbyn. It is striking how many replaced former centrist Labour MPs from Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes to Luciana Berger, Ann Coffey, and Chris Leslie. Now hard left cranks sit in their former seats – many cushioned by massive majorities. What a stunning success ChangeUK was…
Taking to the Commons on Tuesday, Corbynista Charlotte Nichols MP ranted, “We had absolutely none of the promised engagement over the weekend with our local authority”, attacking the government’s top-down approach to imposing local lockdown restrictions. Nichols was clearly pleased with the attack, clipping it for her social media.
Unfortunately, not only was this not true, her claim has been undermined by none other than her own election agent – and leader of Warrington District Council – Russ Bowden. Speaking at a council meeting yesterday, Bowden was reported to be in a conversation with the local authority’s chief executive, Steve Broomhead, about
“important engagement with the Government last week and at the weekend when Warrington put forward its case not to be in a Tier 3 category”
No one can deny the government’s less-than-smooth handling of local lockdowns, however it’s clear Labour is trying to make a mountain out of a molehill when claiming No. 10 are taking their new blue wall heartland for granted…
UPDATE: Charlotte gets in touch with a message from Russ Bowden to her on the 11th October saying “We have had no contact or dialogue this weekend”.
Unfortunately for Russ, Guido’s now got hold of the video of him at yesterday’s council meeting in which he clearly states:
“You’ve already mentioned about the government conversations we’ve had… and it’s important that we recognise we’re having that engagement with the government”
Before Russ spoke, the council chief executive Steve Broomhead also said “we had civil discussion with government over the weekend and earlier in the week”. Guido will let readers watch the clips and make up their own minds as to what the truth of the matter is…
