Following mass-criticism, Corbyn has now deleted the tweet he posted nine minutes after Prince Philip’s death, calling on followers to join him in a show of solidarity with Bolivia. Corbyn wasn’t the only member of the left to misstep over the Duke’s passing…
Guido has been sent screenshots from inside the Labour MPs’ office managers WhatsApp chat, in which Jay Glover (Alison McGovern’s office manager), described the forthcoming Commons Monday recall for tributes to the Prince as a “ninety minute circle jerk of what a great man he was…” Mohammad Yassin’s office manager Gen McMahon added “It’s going to be intolerable”. It was Lloyd Russell-Moyle’s manager, of all people, who reminded those shooting their mouths off that “it’s a large group”.
Nia Griffith MP, like Corbyn, also tweeted a now-deleted post, regarding a DVLA strike rally. Claudia Webbe is, by contrast, standing firm in her use of Prince Philip’s death to call on the government to “invest in young people, reopen youth provisions and youth centres everywhere”. Tactful.
Admittedly, no MP has been as outspoken as the West Berkshire branch of the Unison union, who upon hearing the news came out with:
They couldn’t even wait until he was buried…
UPDATE: 2 hours and 45 minutes later, Corbyn finally comes out with a statement:
Losing a loved one, as so many families have this past year, is always heartbreaking. My thoughts are with Prince Philip’s family and all who loved him.
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) April 9, 2021
"The comments made are completely unrepresentative and an utter disgrace." @NiaGriffithMP reacts to comments made by a Labour supporter that the poppy appeal is "grotesque" #ArmisticeDay100 #Ridge pic.twitter.com/KE2WBQzZiM
— Sophy Ridge on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) November 11, 2018
Shadow Defence Secretary Nia Griffith called Bastani’s infamous comments about the Royal British Legion and the Poppy Appeal “an utter disgrace” and “grotesque”.
"We are totally committed to the Trident nuclear deterrent" – @SophyRidgeSky pushes @NiaGriffithMP on whether Trident will be in Labour party policy going forward #Ridge pic.twitter.com/3iucZf5ku9
— Sophy Ridge on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) November 11, 2018
“We are absolutely committed to the Trident programme.”
“It doesn’t sound it…”
Jeremy Corbyn will snub the national celebration of Armed Forces Day – again. Guido hears the PM and Gavin Williamson will be in attendance at the major national event in Llandudno this Saturday. Last year the Labour leader chose to attend the Glastonbury festival instead of the commemoration. He tweeted an old photo of himself alongside veterans in a weak attempt to cover for the snub…
A Labour spokesman confirmed Nia Griffith will represent Labour. This year the event is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors and is particularly poignant as it marks ten years since the day was renamed from Veterans Day in order to honour all current and retired members of the armed forces. Busy day at the allotment?
Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary Nia Griffith was at odds with her leader over his response to Russia’s suspected poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal. Griffiths told BBC Radio 4:
“We very much accept that what the prime minister said – this is a very sophisticated nerve agent and Russia is responsible for this attack and therefore we’re fully supporting the measures which the government is taking, including the expulsion of 23 diplomats.”
That’s much tougher than Corbyn’s words in the Commons yesterday. Griffith also said of Seumas: “I cannot speak for Seumas Milne. He has to speak for himself.” Griffith and Team Corbyn have a long history of falling out, particularly over NATO and nukes…
Her line and overnight pressure following Milne’s briefing has bounced Corbyn’s office politburo into revising their position. They now say:
“The Government has laid out two alternatives: that Russia is either directly responsible or culpable because it lost control of this nerve agent. Yesterday, we agreed that the evidence overwhelmingly points to those two alternatives. The Russian authorities must be held to account on the basis of the evidence and our response must be both decisive and proportionate.”
Too late, the damage is done…
