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Labour scraps all-female shortlist for Liverpool mayor

39 replies

stumbledin · 25/02/2021 00:06

Labour has been accused of a “stitch-up” after scrapping its all-female shortlist in the race for the next mayor of Liverpool, with one candidate threatening legal action if the decision is not reversed.

The party reopened the selection for a mayoral candidate on Tuesday shortly before ballots were due to go to party members, with none of the existing candidates invited to apply.

Last week, the party “paused” the voting process in order to reinterview the candidates: Rothery, Wendy Simon and Ann O’Byrne. The three women, who are all Liverpool councillors, are well-known figures in the city’s political circles.

Wendy Simon is currently interim mayor, Ann O’Byrne is a former deputy mayor and Rothery is the current lord mayor.

(Please note! I dont know all the background to this, and I think it was all women because that is who the local Labour Party chose. I think the issue is as much to do with them not being is the Starmer mode. But do wonder if Labour central would have felt so entitled to get rid of candidates in this high handed way if they had all been men.)

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/23/labour-scraps-all-female-shortlist-for-liverpool-mayor

OP posts:
BraveBananaBadge · 25/02/2021 10:28

The Lib Dems wanted to try and scrap the mayoral model when Joe was first arrested. Guess they'd be in with a chance now. And I'd previously have considered voting for them, but not now.

BuntingEllacott · 25/02/2021 10:25

Well, getting shot of AWS, even accidental ones, is one way to ensure the wrong type of woman isn't given the job.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 25/02/2021 10:20

"2 of the 3 were Andersons deputy mayor, they've all got very close ties to him"

Anne left whistleblowing around the culture of his leadership and bullying. My feeling is that they want Anna Rothery off the list, but don't want to appear racist.

Council might scrap the role instead, though. It's basically just a souped up leader of the council anyway.

With these shenanigans the people of the city could easily vote in a Lib Dem mayor.

Kit19 · 25/02/2021 08:13

@StocksAndScares

Yes. I'm fairly certain that the real reason Labour don't want these candidates is because of the upcoming mayor scandal.
this!

2 of the 3 were Andersons deputy mayor, they've all got very close ties to him

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/23/labour-scraps-all-female-shortlist-for-liverpool-mayor

StocksAndScares · 25/02/2021 01:13

Yes. I'm fairly certain that the real reason Labour don't want these candidates is because of the upcoming mayor scandal.

GrimDamnFanjo · 25/02/2021 01:12

Local news repeated the line that all the candidates were too connected to the former mayor...

BraveBananaBadge · 25/02/2021 01:07

It's quite a stunt to have pulled, @Ihatemyseleffordoingthis. Am watching through my fingers at this point.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 25/02/2021 00:58

I think they are seriously risking the mayoral seat tbh.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 25/02/2021 00:57

I'm a lifelong member, to my current embarrassment

Oh aye they tried to put Euan Blair in for Bootle, literally the safest labour seat in the country. It was so embarrassing. Cherie's from up the road in Crosby but yes WTAF.

Anne, Anna and Wendy are all well liked and respected. Anne and Anna in particular. I'm absolutely enraged about it.

BraveBananaBadge · 25/02/2021 00:51

Everyone's confused, Stumbled!

I was hoping this discussion would start here but didn't feel quite qualified to do so.

They basked in the positive PR of the all-woman shortlist and then did this. As pp said, it is looking more like it is an issue with Rothery and a purging of the socialists.

However they have told all three women they cannot reapply moving forward. They are all immensely capable and experienced. How on earth it has come to this, at the eleventh hour, who can say. And nobody knows who they are going to parachute in.

Eddie Izzard maybe

Original poster
stumbledin · 25/02/2021 00:49

Euan Blair! WtF????????

I'm not Labour and often point out that they get unfair coverage in the media, but it just seems every week there is some c* up.

What hope of a decent opposition party when they are constanty tangled up in their internatl feuds?

If the local party thought these were the best candidates, it should be there decision.

I just dont get it.

OP posts:
Barracker · 25/02/2021 00:48

Ah yes Joe Anderson, quite the fella. Who remembers his response to Liverpool Resisters?

Responding to the Liverpool ReSisters statement, the Mayor said he had no intention of meeting with a group which he claimed was behind "intimidation and abuse."

In a fiery two-minute speech Mayor Anderson said: "This council or this chamber have united against the behaviour of the ReSisters in defacing public art in what I believe to be, and I am proud to state, that was done in a hateful way (that has) resulted not only in transgender groups and individuals but myself and other councillors being subject to a torrent of abuse.

"That (behaviour) isn't about equality. That's not about fairness, that's not about having an open debate, it's about bullying, it's about intimidation and it's about proposing hate against people that are different and that's something that every single person in this council rejects.

"That's why you never got any applause. If you approached it in a different way and wanted to have a sensible discussion with us then we would have listened. but we won't tolerate abuse of members of this community that we respect, value and love.

"And when you get that in your head I'll sit down and meet with you and discuss your concerns. Until then, I won't meet with you. "

Postscript:
(Unrelated to the above tirade)

Joe Anderson was arrested in December on suspicion of bribery and witness intimidation.

PotholeParadies · 25/02/2021 00:33

Don't know anything about any of them. But what a pity Labour High Command never stepped in regarding Joe Anderson, who, if I remember rightly, was a bit of a regular character in Private Eye.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 25/02/2021 00:13

This isn't an anti women thing, per se, it's an anti left wing thing
It's primarily about trying to get Anna Rothery, off the list because of her Corbyn endorsement, which given her exemplary track record, is giving me the rage. All the candidates are excellent.
Labour have got form for this kind of shit though tbh like when they tried to shoe-in Euan Blair into the Bootle safe seat. He got his arse handed to him, mind.