Jamie Driscoll, the Corbynista Mayor of North Tyne, who quit the Labour Party this summer due to Starmer “U-turning on so many policies“, has likened his independent mayoral bid to the 90’s TV show Gladiators. The self-confessed socialist is targeting £150,000 for the full campaign.
A co-conspirator sent the email he forwarded to supporters in the North East to rally the troops, comparing his campaign to the game show where contestants (himself) compete in a series of physically challenging events against the show’s resident ‘gladiators’. He noted that “the contestant often won.” He even likened Kier Starmer to the gladiator “Wolf“, warning that although the fight ahead would contain some “dirty tricks“, his supporters are like the “G-Force cheerleaders” in the TV show. It not the first time Driscoll has generously compared himself to iconic figures, in the summer he measured himself against Che Guevara…
Read the full email below:
One of the rare Corbynistas still standing in Starmer’s Labour, North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll, has quit the party. The now-independent mayor says he was given “no other choice” than to resign after he was barred from standing by party HQ and is promising to govern as a “common sense” voice for the people of Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland. In a scathing letter to Keir Starmer, Driscoll says the Labour Leader has “U-turned on so many policies” and is guilty of “mental gymnastics worthy of gold”.
Jamie’s decision doesn’t come lightly – Guido reported he was planning the move last week – and his revolution won’t be cheap. Before he commits to standing for re-election, he wants to ring round his supporters for £25,000 by August. The self-confessed socialist will then target £150,000 for the full campaign…
Co-conspirators can read Jamie’s letter in full below:
Since becoming Labour leader, Keir and his Starmtroopers have reasserted control over the party machinery – with Comrade Corbyn and Dianne Abbott the first to be purged. And one man, North of Tyne’s momentum mayor Jamie Driscoll, is determined to take a stand. ¡Viva la Revolución!
Jamie was barred from standing as a candidate back in June for the egregious crime of standing alongside film-maker Ken Loach, however he has made clear he’s not going to let himself be “controlled by Party HQ”. Speaking on Saturday at a “Grassroots Update“ event in Newcastle, Driscoll weighed up his options. After outlining the excessive costs of challenging the party internally, he hinted at an independent run. Nomination papers aren’t due until next March…
Jamie also alluded to the inspiration behind his revolutionary streak. Speaking to his adoring audience, he said:
“There was a time when Che Guevara, who was in the jungle with a few dozen other people, that led to actually taking power to make somewhere more egalitarian… you are the people.”
‘Bicycle diaries’ doesn’t quite have the same ring to it…
Far left MP Beth Winter is the latest victim of the Starmtroopers. After North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll was blocked from running in the North East’s inaugural mayoral election, Sir Keir’s selection machine has now brought an end to the political ambitions of another socialist, with Winter failing to win the candidacy for the new seat of Merthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon. Gerald Jones, the sitting MP for Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney, won the day. Winter’s being left out in the cold…
She announced the big news this afternoon, and is now even threatening legal action:
“I’m disappointed by this very close result and the unjust manner in which it came about, which leaves major questions outstanding. In this contest, I sought reselection as Labour’s candidate on a platform of solidarity with striking rail workers, nurses, and teaching staff, all of who I have been proud to stand with on the picket line… However, unacceptable obstacles were placed in the way of this grassroots campaign, undermining the democratic process. The online only process was bulldozed through in just two weeks, with no face-to-face hustings. This was not a fair contest, and I will be taking advice and soundings in the days ahead about my next steps…“
Winter is perhaps best known for shouting at tea. Now she’s been mugged off…
Labour’s Mayor of North Tyne and airbrushing extraordinaire, Jamie Driscoll, is back recycling his old tricks . Driscoll, a rare socialist not yet purged by Starmer, enjoyed a cycle over the weekend and made sure to post all about it on social media. Local elections are just days away.
Jamie tweeted a selection of four pictures, a far wider selection than the two posted by the charity organising the event, cycling minds. Whilst he included one of cycling minds’ pictures, he selectively omitted the other.
Taking a closer look at the excluded snap and it’s easy to see why…
Whilst most members are out campaigning against Tories, Jamie clearly didn’t want to be pictured alongside Tory MP Guy Opperman…
UPDATE: Guy Opperman tells Guido this is “unfair“:
“I and Rob invited the mayor to come as we believe the Cycling superhighway is exactly what a regional mayor should get behind. I had childcare issues so could not ride. The mayor is v different to my politics but these projects [are] different.”
