A new centre-left think tank has sprung from the ground. The ‘Centre for British Progress’ is absorbing the ‘UK Day One’ think tank which presented policy ideas to Labour before the election. Former Labour PPC and onetime Lammy staffer David Lawrence is running the group alongside Day One founder Julia Garayo Willemyns. Labour MPs Chris Curtis and Yuan Yang are also in support. YIMBY wonk John Myers is chairing the board…
The think tank has connections to Starmerite Labour Together. It launches with an essay attacking blockers in society: “British institutions have become quietly addicted to caution. This is not a partisan impulse, but a deeper reflex embedded in our public life, our boardrooms, our research institutions, and even our collective imagination.” It is to focus its research on infrastructure, energy, and technology…
Those aware of the policies that stimulate growth will raise an eyebrow at the think tank’s paean to Beveridge’s “war not on fascism or a foreign power, but on the “Five Giant Evils” of poverty, disease, ignorance, squalor and unemployment.” It also attacks people who believe in “dismantling programmes, indiscriminately deregulating, or tearing down institutional guardrails.” Light on their own proposals so far…
Over in Milton Keynes North Labour candidate Chris Curtis somehow got hold of a partial housing development planning decision by the Labour-run council and posted the leaked plans on the 17,000-strong Olney Noticeboard. The plans are politically sensitive and a key battleground between Labour and Tories in the area…
Corbynite Curtis, known by local Tories as “Calamity Chris”, was called out by the public for posting politically sensitive council material during Purdah. He subsequently posted the link to the plans once they were finally made public. Seemingly making it even worse seeing as government and local authority resources shouldn’t be used for party political campaigning at any time in the run up to an election…
Milton Keynes council communications manager Kamran Hussain liked Curtis’ post of the leaked plans. Purdah rules state:
“During the period between the notice of an election and the election itself, local authorities should not publish any publicity on controversial issues or report views or proposals in such a way that identifies them with any individual members or groups of members. Publicity relating to individuals involved directly in the election should not be published by local authorities during this period unless expressly authorised by or under statute.”
When he was called out by a member of the public he hilariously explained:
“I dislocated my thumb a few days ago and one of my hands is in a brace. I mistakenly liked the comment from my personal account which I immediately unliked when I realised, well before your comment.”
Did a councillor with a broken arm accidentally leak the plans to Curtis?
As Labour’s National Executive Committee confirms its candidates list for the election, some of them are busy hiding their more egregious positions. Labour’s candidate for Milton Keynes North, Chris Curtis, has been liking tweets supporting Corbyn’s return to Parliament in his fight against Labour at the election. To avoid prying eyes he’s recently hidden his likes on Twitter. Loyalty to the leader never dies, but it can be concealed…
Curtis, who was identified by Guido as the surly man trying to get Laurence Fox kicked out of a London bar for being “racist”, is a longtime Corbyn fan and is chummy with a Labour councillor who likes posts claiming evidence against Corbyn was “manufactured by Jewish infiltrators“. He says it’s been “fantastic” getting to know that particular “local champion”…
Labour has been busy suspending personnel for supporting the former leader and independent candidate. What will they make of Curtis’ latest Corbo caper?
Some things never change. Among them may be the Labour Party. Election material for Chris Curtis, Labour candidate for Milton Keynes North, has the PPC stood proudly alongside… a councillor suspended for antisemitic posts according to the Jewish Chronicle. Starmer’s “changed Labour” in action…
Stood next to Curtis is Ansar Hussain. Previously a mayor in Wolverton, he was suspended from Labour in 2022 for conspiracy theory posts including an unhinged list called “30 Little-Known Facts About Israel” alongside claims that “ISIS is Israeli secret intelligence service.” He also received a formal reprimand in his role as a magistrate and quickly “undertook diversity and inclusivity training.” That’ll be sure to solve it…
Guido is surprised to see Chris keeping this company seeing as he is such an ardent moral crusader. In January he went around a bar telling staff that fellow drinker Laurence Fox was a “racist” and, when confronted, ran away. He can’t do the same now it’s printed on a leaflet…
UPDATE: A co-conspirator who knew Curtis at university (which, by the looks of it, was fairly recently) tells Guido he is an “absolute f***ing tool.”
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”
