Sue

Dear All, Thank you for contacting me about the leadership of the Labour Party following the EU referendum result. I am grateful to everyone who has got in touch to express their views. I have received hundreds of emails from friends and colleagues in our party who I have known and campaigned alongside for many years, as well as new members who I have been pleased to welcome to our local party more recently. Significantly more members asked me to back the motion of no confidence than asked me to support Jeremy Corbyn as leader. This includes a significant number of members who have got in touch to say that while they initially supported Jeremy?s leadership, they no longer do so. This is particularly the case amongst strong EU Remain supporters and younger members. It is clear to me that Dulwich and West Norwood is divided in our views on this issue. Jeremy Corbyn is a decent man and I fully appreciate the attraction of the fresh approach to politics that he brought to the Labour Party and that encouraged so many members both to join and to vote for him. One of my first actions on entering Parliament was to join the All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Rights, which Jeremy helped to establish. Although I did not propose Jeremy as a candidate in the leadership selection, I recognised and have respected the mandate that he received from members and registered supporters. The Labour Party is both the party that I love and the party on whose behalf I was elected to serve. Since Jeremy was elected I have wished deeply to see him do well, as I would any newly elected leader of our party. I have sought to play the most useful and constructive role possible in opposing the Tory government and representing my constituents in Dulwich and West Norwood and I have not criticised his leadership either publicly or at meetings of the Parliamentary Labour Party. The behaviour and actions of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) have been much discussed. My experience is that the vast majority of Labour MPs have, like me, sought to work constructively with Jeremy and his leadership team. However I have listened to concerns about direction and performance being raised politely and respectfully in PLP meetings, and I have been worried at the lack of meaningful response from Jeremy. This has, quite understandably, led to an increase in frustration amongst Labour MPs, who know their constituencies very well, and know how Labour is being perceived locally. It is also my experience that differences within the PLP are in the main not political, but relate to perceptions and opinions about Jeremy?s leadership. The shadow cabinet resignations have been from across the full spectrum of political views in the Labour Party - whatever your personal political views, Lisa Nandy and Andy Slaughter cannot be described as coming from anything but the left of the party. Though I rarely disagree with Jeremy Corbyn?s articulation of the problems and injustices the Tory government are causing in this country, Labour must, as well as saying what the problem is, be able to spell out clearly what we would do differently and to communicate this effectively through the media, whatever the imperfections and biases of the press. The campaign to Remain in the European Union was extremely important to me, as it was to almost every local Labour Party member that I spoke to. A key part of my personal politics is a strong belief in internationalism, in diversity and in solidarity with those who share similar beliefs both in Europe and further afield. There were two messages that I received from the doorstep in Dulwich and West Norwood. The first message from Labour?s Remain supporters was that they wanted Jeremy to speak up much more strongly in favour of Europe. The second message from too many residents in core Labour areas of the constituency, was that they were planning to vote Leave and that they had not been aware that Jeremy was campaigning to Remain. I do not lay the blame for the loss of the European referendum on Jeremy, but it is clear that the result would have been much closer if the Labour vision for Europe was more clearly spelled out. Our most critical task as a party is to articulate our vision for the country. This must be a vision for the whole country, it must be about an industrial strategy for the North and the Midlands, skills for our young people, delivering housing and infrastructure, saving our NHS, funding libraries and parks, an education system which dramatically narrows the gap in achievement between rich and poor, the reinvigoration of the trades unions, and a debate about immigration which is focused on fairness and has no space at all in it for racism. Parts of such a vision are now materially harder to deliver because of the result of the EU referendum ? it will be harder to articulate a strategy for industry or infrastructure without the ability to borrow from the European Investment Bank at preferential rates; it will be harder to do so without significant EU grant funding; and it will be harder to attract new investment from firms seeking to establish their EU headquarters, if we are no longer part of the EU. All of these things will affect our ability to deliver for the people we are seeking to represent, who need high quality, well paid, secure jobs and genuinely affordable homes and for the Labour Party to offer them the hope of a better future if we all work together. At the next General Election, which is likely to take place very soon, it will be even more critical to articulate clearly a viable, credible and attractive Labour vision that appeals to voters from all backgrounds right across the UK. Every Labour leader and party member must do their utmost to deliver for the people that our Party was created to represent - none of us, myself included, should put out own personal political beliefs above the continuing requirement for a strong Labour Party to represent those in our country most in need ? to do so is to betray our founding principles, which are as relevant today as they were when the party was created. My message to those who asked for support for Jeremy Corbyn is therefore to ask that you think carefully about the terms on which his leadership project is successful, and be prepared to question its validity if it is not delivering against them. I voted for Ed Miliband in the previous leadership election. His politics were closer to mine than any other Labour leader since I joined the party more than two decades ago. But when voter after voter told me on the doorstep that they wouldn?t vote Labour because they couldn?t see him as Prime Minister, I had to accept that there was a problem with his leadership. Not to do so would have been to bury my head in the sand. My message to those who would have a different leader now, is to ask that you think carefully about both the individual and the agenda that can unite our whole party and help us win across the country. I agree entirely with those who say that we need to be, above all else, united in our opposition to the Tories. We can only be that through a process of discussion and debate and through a proactive focus on the things which unite us, which, in the words of my good friend and colleague Jo Cox are more than the things that divide us. So I ask everyone to join me and others in our party in working through, with some urgency, our shared vision for this country. Critique of the government is important, but it is not enough. We must have a Labour vision of fairness, justice and opportunity which can excite, unite and inspire and offer people hope for the future where the Tory government would drive them further into despair. I have closely read and re-read the views of every person who has contacted me about the Labour Party leadership. After careful consideration I decided that I would serve the Labour Party locally and nationally best by taking steps to ask the membership of our party to reconsider who should lead our Party into what seems likely to be an imminent General Election. With a heavy heart I voted in favour of the no confidence motion this afternoon. We face huge challenges as a party, and we urgently need to establish the agenda and programme around which we can unite in our opposition to the Tories. Ultimately, whoever is elected as the leader of the Labour Party in any fresh leadership election, I will respect and support, as I have respected the result of every internal Labour Party election since joining the party more than two decades ago, and I will continue to work as hard and constructively as I can towards a Labour government, and to represent my constituents in Dulwich and West Norwood. Warmest regards, Helen Helen Hayes MP Member of Parliament for Dulwich and West Norwood

DulwichFox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I was a Active member of the Labour Party . I was > at the meeting when Tessa Jowel was selected.. > > I rejected the Labour Party when Tony Blair > sanctioned the invasion of Iraq .. > ..and still tries to justify it today even though > we now know it was based on lies.. > > Never voted Labour since.. > > Won't be voting for Corbyn .. > > Foxy Your post relating to jumping on the bandwagon and part-time socialists was in response to mine (or at least was immediately after it) where all I said was that I too was ashamed of this country. And now you're off on some other irrelevant track. FFS.

So does anybody know how Helen Hayes voted re Corbyn today? ETA: I am about to email her to ask the question ......

DulwichFox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I've been ashamed of this country for most of my > life.. > > If you wern't aware of Racism .. Xenophobia in > this country before last Friday, then where have > you been.. > > People jumping on the bandwagon 'Oh look at me.. > I'm so ashamed' > > Well shame on you.. Part time socialists.. when > it suits. > What planet are you on? This thread is about the increase in overt racism since Friday. I'm a paid up member of the Labour Party and I've spent much of my working life in jobs related to combating racism. And yes I am ashamed of my country, and reading the posts on here has made me even more ashamed. How dare you.

I think it's a good response too.

jaywalker Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I am ashamed of my country. So am I.

I've only seen it on Facebook as for 2 July (sadly I can't go) ETA: If it is 2nd and not 9th, maybe you could change your original subject heading Laddy Muck so the date is right?

aerie Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > red devil Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I saw a couple of old biddys being interviewed > on > > the news last night, when asked why they voted > to > > leave, they replied along the lines of... > > > > ''We're old enough to remember the old days, we > > don't like being bossed about'' > > > > Perhaps the next referendum should be whether > or > > not we introduce euthanasia... > > > this is truly wicked, but made me laugh - there is > a questionable moral validity to older older > people not voting as a referendum of this nature > decides the future and theirs will by definition > be short. However this is a democracy, and as yet > there is no upper age limit, or even Logan's > Zimmer Run. There are a lot of rather stupid people about, and just because two of those stupid people happened to be "old biddys" (how patronising) does not mean that all older people are stupid.

Zebedee Tring Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > be one of the comparatively few older people that > voted remain > > > I'm in the same age bracket; however virtually > everyone I know in that age bracket voted to > remain. Same here.

DulwichFox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Well ? We have our country back.. We are now the > Freeholder. > > David Cameron has resigned.. > > The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also supported > the remain campaign so where does he sit ? > > We have work to do.. So what work do you suggest "we" do to get out of this truly terrible mess of a country we have woken up to? All rally round the vile Nigel Farage, who gut-wrenchingly said that "not a shot had been fired" or words to that effect, after the result? With Jo Cox not yet buried. Dance to the strings of Boris Johnson? I'm ashamed to be British this morning.

The tiny garden centre in a place I can't presently remember - towards West Dulwich? - will take stuff to be sharpened. I'll look it up tomorrow!

What I can't understand is why there isn't some kind of digital (is that the right word?) system. The present system seems to me to be open to fraud at several points. If people didn't have access to the internet at home they could vote at local places in the same way theythey do now, only online. Oh and I thought turnout was higher than expected? Really wanted to stay up but got a gig tomorrow ;( First result in!

So basically, you're now selling stuff from home. So this should be in the business section.

My post is also normal. You could ask at the delivery office if there's been anything affecting deliveries to your road eg sickness which couldn't be covered?

A dog which is "not aggressive but playful" but killed a fox? Hmmm. Hope it never comes to play with me. And re the cat killer/s, if information re the mode of killing has been posted online, then clearly there could be copycat killers. I can't really understand how this has gone on so long and nobody caught.

civilservant Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > what Bob said > > i scan the tedious disquisitions on the other > thread and have a bit of a chuckle - the more > elections I live through, the more I'm convinced > of how little effect reasoned arguments have on > how people end up voting. > > Sue, the only thing that might tempt me to vote > Leave is if I were promised that we'd drop out of > Eurovision as a result! not going to happen, so > may as well stay! :))

Louisa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Is it? Who is 'the bank'? Can't find any relevant > info online Sue? > Erm I was joking :))

It's going to be a bar or a restaurant, isn't it. Called The Bank.

numbers Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sue Wrote: > -------------------------------------------- > > > > When I was at school we got to roll mercury > around > > the physics lab benches :( > > same here!! Physics chemistry maths A level?!

:))😉

I bloody missed it. Knackered and went to bed early:( But also hadn't realised it's only called a strawberry moon because it's the start of the strawberry picking season :))

TheCat Wrote: ------------------------------------------------- > > "Quittin' on Britain".... Sounds like a sure fire winner for Eurovision next year. If we're still able to enter :)) Along the lines of Pickin' a Chicken (ancient person alert) :))

Thank you Fox. That's a bit scary! I do have powerpoint, but it didn't open automatically when I clicked on the link, and no Firefox didn't ask me what I wanted to use to open it :( But most people won't have powerpoint unless they're at work, and of course nobody would be reading this at work :)) :)) :))

Peckham Rye LPT Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The world we live in gets increasingly difficult > for the elderly to stay safe and away from > vulnerability .A colleague has passed me these > leaflets to use on our ward. So feel free to hand > to all the elderly you know. We hope you find them > helpful. Peckham Rye Local policing team. I just get a load of weird symbols when I click on your attachments. Is it possible to attach them as pdfs or something?

numbers Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > My only wish is that they named it Kale rather > than Spinach, as its in leafy ED ;-) > Cavolo Nero, surely :))