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Jess Phillips

151 replies

GreenlandTheMovie · 19/03/2021 10:41

I've never been a Labour supporter, so I've viewed Jess Phillips MP in tv debates a few times from a neutral perspective, in fact, probably even somewhat biased against her as representing Labour. Yet I've been consistently impressed. She is passionate, principled, well informed and comes across well. I also saw her interviewed on the night of the last General Election, and she came across as almost a solitary voice of sanity and balanced perspective amongst the panic and blaming others than seemed to characterise Labour at the time.

Yes, she makes mistakes, but she seems to have so much more potential than people like Jeremy Corbyn and even Keir Starmer, who come across as quite happy to remain in Opposition but not really wanting the responsibility and inconvenience of actually running the country.

Is there something I am missing that explains why Labour isn't making more use of Jess Phillips?

OP posts:
tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict · 19/03/2021 12:43

"It’s not Philips’ job any more than it’s Rowlings’. I think she’s playing a long game"

You don't think it is her job to represent her constituents in parliament? Or on the equality committee to address matters affecting women? Or as shadow minister for domestic violence to protect women'a refuges? Her role is what then?

Dustyboots · 19/03/2021 12:43

Oh. I’ve missed all that. Obviously I’m not paying enough attention.

Grin
tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict · 19/03/2021 12:46

Even if she wasn't on any committees or a shadow minister her job as an MP is to represent her constituents in parliament. So when she receives hundreds of letters about this and does nothing she is not doing the very basics of her job.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 19/03/2021 12:46

She seems great and like a real person - ie she phrases things like you would in real life, and her body language is normal, unlike lots of politicians who talk like they are reading from a script and in a very robotic way.

TempsPerdu · 19/03/2021 12:48

Lets not expect her to be flawless, it's unreasonably high standards when in reality, she is miles better than most other politicians

This. I think she’s brilliant and genuine, and would vote for her in a heartbeat. Not flawless, and I wish she would take a stronger pro-women stance, but in our current utter shitshow of a world I feel we can’t just dismiss a good person because we disagree with them on one issue. And I agree that she’d likely be cancelled if she spoke out more vehemently.

‘Perfect is the enemy of good’, as the saying goes.

tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict · 19/03/2021 12:50

@TempsPerdu

Lets not expect her to be flawless, it's unreasonably high standards when in reality, she is miles better than most other politicians

This. I think she’s brilliant and genuine, and would vote for her in a heartbeat. Not flawless, and I wish she would take a stronger pro-women stance, but in our current utter shitshow of a world I feel we can’t just dismiss a good person because we disagree with them on one issue. And I agree that she’d likely be cancelled if she spoke out more vehemently.

‘Perfect is the enemy of good’, as the saying goes.

Rosie Duffield (who doesn't the same brief) managed to speak out
littleredberries · 19/03/2021 12:50

I was impressed with her until the last leadership race. Make no mistake, she's a career politician. Feigned reluctance as if she was doing else the favour by running, but her self promotion was completely shameless. I just don't see her the same way as I used to now.

SirVixofVixHall · 19/03/2021 12:51

Stella Creasy is full on TWAW. Her twitter interaction with the mother of a girl whose school had put a boy , identifying as a girl, into the girls’ changing rooms, where he exposed himself to the girls, was quite something. That was one of the reasons I no longer vote Labour.
Jess Phillips is friends with Jacob Rees Mogg and I like her for that. Having friends across a political divide shows maturity sadly lacking in most of her colleagues.

AnyFucker · 19/03/2021 12:51

It isn't Rowling's job but she found the courage

“Rowlings” doesn’t need the money. Maybe Jess does.

Radio4Rocks · 19/03/2021 12:51

I love Jess but the sour Corbynistas hate her because she didn't worship at his altar.

Frazzled2207 · 19/03/2021 12:52

@Peanutbutterfingers

I've worked with Jess, she is utterly genuine, hardworking and cares passionately about making lives better. I would have backed her for leader and I hope she runs in future.
Pleased to hear this. I think she’s fab.
Roussette · 19/03/2021 12:52

I have a lot of time for her. Every year she reads out in the HoC the names of women killed by men, a lot due to DV.
She has done this on Internation Womens Day since 2015.

This year it took FOUR minutes to get through all the names Sad

I have been at a small Q&A session with her. She was informative, measured and knowledgeable.

I would love her to be my MP. But I have a tory one who has been in the job for 29 years, who doesn't answer emails and who isn't on SM. And was voted the worst MP by his constituents.

tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict · 19/03/2021 12:53

@AnyFucker

It isn't Rowling's job but she found the courage

“Rowlings” doesn’t need the money. Maybe Jess does.

The apostrophe was to show possesion.
TempsPerdu · 19/03/2021 12:53

@tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict

Is Rosie Duffield regarded as a potential party leader then?

NutellaEllaElla · 19/03/2021 12:55

@porridgecake

You can't be a passionate supporter of women's rights and, at the same time, support a party policy to remove them.
The world of politics just isn't that black and white. You don't know what game she might be playing and even if she's not 100% on board with your ideals, is anyone else? You're just gonna throw out the baby with the bath water? No politician aligns 100% with each of our ideas. No one does. Your intolerance of anything other than perfection is crazy.
DimidDavilby · 19/03/2021 12:56

Absolutely dispise her, and I've voted Labour all my life. She's tory-lite at best.

ghostyslovesheets · 19/03/2021 12:56

yeah but that's not a teeny bit of imperfection is it?

ghostyslovesheets · 19/03/2021 12:57

it's more like being a anti racist and joining the BNP

Alsohuman · 19/03/2021 12:58

@tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict

Even if she wasn't on any committees or a shadow minister her job as an MP is to represent her constituents in parliament. So when she receives hundreds of letters about this and does nothing she is not doing the very basics of her job.
Just like all the other 624 MPs then. Mine doesn’t represent a single one of my views in Parliament or anywhere else for that matter.
tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict · 19/03/2021 12:58

[quote TempsPerdu]@tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict

Is Rosie Duffield regarded as a potential party leader then?[/quote]
I don't think so. I have no idea. I was just responding to the justification of JP not speaking out on issues that are critical to her role because she fears being cancelled. Others have found the bravery. And I think leadership is also about bravery, not triangulation.

tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict · 19/03/2021 12:59

"Just like all the other 624 MPs then. Mine doesn’t represent a single one of my views in Parliament or anywhere else for that matter."
Many are terrible. I wouldn't say all.

Roussette · 19/03/2021 12:59

Ditto.

Mine doesn't even reply to emails. Has no SM. And no constituency office. And doesn't represent my views at all.

HalfBrick · 19/03/2021 13:00

I listened to her chat on the Sophie Ellis Better podcast and she went up in my estimation. She's from the normal world, she's worked in women's issues, she's exactly what politicians should be.

HalfBrick · 19/03/2021 13:01

*Bextor!

WaverleyPirate · 19/03/2021 13:02

She's great. Hopefully the Labour Party will recognise it.