Jess Phillips

[GreenlandTheMovie]

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?

[Alsohuman]

@tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict

"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.

You missed the point. No MP will represent all their constituents’ views because it’s impossible.

[porridgecake]

I am extremely aware of the need to recognise that I won't agree with politicians on everything. I am tolerant of differences of opinion and will weigh up what is acceptable for the greater good. But the two issues I mentioned are diametrically opposed and totally contradictory. It just isn't possible to hold such completely opposing views at the same time. Unless we are through the looking glass.

[tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict]

I don't think they necessarily have to represent all your views but if you have 100s of women pointing very specific problems with legislation and they don't even bother to respond or raise these concerns what is the point of them? I mean Labour brought in all of the equality legislation. It's supposed to be their thing!

[OverByYer]

I like her. She is passionate and a good speaker and I like her principles.
I’m not sure that she is leadership material ( she’s too honest for a start) as I can see she is marmite within the party.
I was a Blairite back in the day and currently feeling politically lost.
I share a lot of her values and for that reason I am probably more ‘Labour’ at the moment.

[tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict]

"You missed the point. No MP will represent all their constituents’ views because it’s impossible"

Agreed. But at the very least when a constituent raises very specific questions about legal issues if they disagree they should explain in detail why. Thing about Jess is she doesn't disagree. But she doesn't care enough to speak out

[Skythrill]

OP I agree with your post.

I also have not voted Labour before; I’m probably on paper a Tory but actually prefer to vote Lib Dem or Green as can’t bring myself to vote Tory.

I saw JP on Andrew Marr last weekend and she stopped me in my tracks. She seemed to speak to straightforwardly and with zero bluster and I really agreed with what she was saying. She was pressed by AM to say how much the NHS payrise should be and she stood her ground refusing to comment (apart from saying it should be at least in line with GDP) and stated she was not qualified to comment and that she wasn’t someone who had influence on the decision anyway so why bother to give a figure. It was a breath of fresh air compared to the bumbling bluster of a typical politician.

I have done a bit of research on her and have ordered her Every Woman book (not arrived yet so can’t comment!) to get a better understanding of her.

[Gurufloof]

Not going to get sidelined on the TWAW issue: it is an issue but I assume that's a party line battle she's had to concede
You dont just bloody concede on this issue.
This is real lives, actual women and girls who have already and will be harmed.
How many harmed women and girls will be needed before she says enough?

[Alsohuman]

But she doesn't care enough to speak out

Maybe she cares enough to wait until she’s in a position to actually achieve change. Words are cheap.

[augustusglupe]

I watched her on Peston & Question time last night. I really like her and I'm not normally a Labour supporter.

[tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict]

I'd love it when people say Keir Starmer and Jess Phillips and others are playing the long game they could give us a sense of when we might expect to hear from them. Women have been campaigning on this issue for years so it would be nice to have an idea of when strategically and forensically and pragmatically they decide it is the right time to actually respond.

[GreenlandTheMovie]

@Crankley

Are you her mum?

Am I her what?

Would you say that (or the male equivalent) to a man?

Since she's 3 years older than me, that would also be impossible.

[DonLewis]

@Crankley

Are you her mum?

Her mum died relatively young. As was Jess when her mum died.

[tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict]

@Alsohuman

But she doesn't care enough to speak out

Maybe she cares enough to wait until she’s in a position to actually achieve change. Words are cheap.

Well there are many previous Labour voters who won't be voting for them at the next election unless they do actually respond to our concerns so I guess it is a bit chicken and egg

[Alsohuman]

@tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict

I'd love it when people say Keir Starmer and Jess Phillips and others are playing the long game they could give us a sense of when we might expect to hear from them. Women have been campaigning on this issue for years so it would be nice to have an idea of when strategically and forensically and pragmatically they decide it is the right time to actually respond.

Maybe when they’ve got some power and influence. Not when they’ve just lost four general elections.

[tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict]

"Maybe when they’ve got some power and influence. Not when they’ve just lost four general elections."
How will they win without saying what they stand for?

[Usagi12]

I've always liked Jess and thought she came across very well. Then she went all TWAW and has basically thrown the women she claims to care about under the bus. She's quite happy to see Trans women convicted of rape in female prisons for example. I'm afraid I lost all respect for her which is a shame as I was a big fan and would have definitely voted for her. Not now.

[greycloudysky]

"I'd stab 'im in the front." Yes of course she's passionate about women's rights, the ones that suit her to be passionate about. I think she is obnoxious.

[GreenlandTheMovie]

@OverByYer

I like her. She is passionate and a good speaker and I like her principles.
I’m not sure that she is leadership material ( she’s too honest for a start) as I can see she is marmite within the party.
I was a Blairite back in the day and currently feeling politically lost.
I share a lot of her values and for that reason I am probably more ‘Labour’ at the moment.

Perhaps we need to move away from the usual mould of PR-friendly-but-fairly-ineffectual type UK PMs and embrace a slightly wider demographic for progress?

I suspect that expressing even the slightest hint of TWAW opposition would entail certain political suicide and media cancellation (and might be illegal soon in Scotland).

Its hard to believe that the Labour party still hasn't had a woman leader. I find it hard to take it seriously due to the poor quality of many of its recent leaders in the past 25 years or so.

[Alsohuman]

@tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict

"Maybe when they’ve got some power and influence. Not when they’ve just lost four general elections."
How will they win without saying what they stand for?

They haven’t won a general election for 16 years, presumably saying what they stand for hasn’t proved a successful strategy.

[tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict]

"They haven’t won a general election for 16 years, presumably saying what they stand for hasn’t proved a successful strategy."
Fair enough. All I can control is my vote. I will vote on what matters to me and what polticians say and do rather than try to deduce what they might think or might do in some indeterminate point in the future.

[greycloudysky]

@Radio4Rocks

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

There's quite a difference between worshiping at someone's altar and actively working against them. Her coat tails turned soon enough though when it suited her.

[CateTown]

I am amazed at the low expectations people have of their politicians

I've set the bar low - all I ask is that they know what a woman is and say so.

Stop making excuses for JP, just because she reads out the list of murdered women that someone else does all the work to compile.

JP (and Keir Starmer) need to show some courage and integrity to protect women's sex based rights. NOW - not when they've judged the mood to be safe.

[tellmetologoffIamaMNaddict]

@CateTown

I am amazed at the low expectations people have of their politicians

I've set the bar low - all I ask is that they know what a woman is and say so.

Stop making excuses for JP, just because she reads out the list of murdered women that someone else does all the work to compile.

JP (and Keir Starmer) need to show some courage and integrity to protect women's sex based rights. NOW - not when they've judged the mood to be safe.

Yes!

[Nowayhozay]

I like her, I find her very refreshing.
Lisa Nandy would be my choice for leader though.