Rift between Labour NEC and local selection panel over Sophie Cook

[DuddlePluck]

www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/may/11/labour-cancels-hustings-after-row-over-reinstated-candidate

Your thoughts..?

I fully support trans candidates standing as long as not on AWS if not biologically female.

If any candidate has done wrong they should be called to account.

Huge respect to a blind candidate for tackling the obstacles for standing.

Also, Momentum gives me the creeps and is a danger to democracy.

“With all talk of party democracy, yet again the Momentum-dominated NEC is ignoring local members,” said one party source."

This isn't really a feminist issue. The reasons for the delay are not a result of AWS or similar, it's a financial matter. As always, I hope the role goes to the person most suited to the role. If that's Sophia, then so be it.

Agree Wander & Terfing, I also support trans candidates standing for selection/election - the reason I posted was the NEC, dominated by Momentum, have chosen to over-rule the local party on this, and as a result, 2 women have dropped out of the selection in protest... Which kinda pees me off, given women still don't have adequate Parliamentary representation. That's why I chose to post in FWR

Share your concerns about Momentum.

“With all talk of party democracy, yet again the Momentum-dominated NEC is ignoring local members,” said one party source."

They've decided not to endorse our chosen candidate too. Another AWS, funnily enough...
No trans candidates involved but Momentum are definitely throwing their weight around and interfering in locally made decisions. Our candidate was great and I had high hopes on many levels - including the self ID issue. When I got the email saying the NEC had decided not to endorse her candidacy I replied saying the NEC-Bromentum can go to fuck because I'm one of the 300 - and I'm so glad now that I joined Mayday for Women even if the whole thing does leave me politically homeless.

Wonder why they're pushing Cook quite so hard? Haven't heard her described as ideologically one with Corbyn and McDonnell so can only assume they're dying to have the first transgender MP.

Not a feminist issue.

Local party is pissed off because Cook a) has been given financial support and advantage over the other candidates, and b) allegedly told porkies about bankruptcy that other candidates could use to Labour's disadvantage in a campaign.

Pro-Cook people point out the good election result, even though it was a loss, in 2017. Anti-Cook people say that a local person is needed because Cook's 2017 performance could have been bettered by someone with strong local links and no smell financially - the sitting MP may well be Tory, but he is a good constituency servant.

Party central is committed to getting a trans MP elected and this is their best shot so don't really give a toss what the locals think.

(I know someone in Labour in this constituency.)

But again, nothing to do with any concern of a feminist board.

Thanks lang. That's interesting insight.
The Labour party appear quite shambolic at the moment.

I don't think Sophie's trans status is relevant here. Momentum is however. I don't understand fully what they are and what they are doing but I don't like it.

It is odd, even by Momentum's standards. The deselected Council candidates in Haringey were deselected despite belonging to various minority groups, so it appeared that ideology trumped identity, and then they pull something like this which, as Lang points out above suggests they're pushing their preferred candidate for identity reasons rather than idelogical ones.

Momentum is however. I don't understand fully what they are and what they are doing but I don't like it.

Same here. Anyone any ideas what they are or what they're doing? Relevant to feminism as whatever it is, it seems profoundly misogynistic.

The Labour party appear quite shambolic at the moment.

Twas always thus, honest!

From what I gather, Cook's trans status is relevant in that the locals feel trans status is why Cook has been given more support and finance than other local candidates because the party is determined to be first with a trans MP. But not in the sense that it's directly detrimental to women: it doesn't matter whether the other shortlisters are men or women, the disparity would still be there. IYSWIM.

I did notice that Sophie Cook gives a Leadership Masterclass course.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/touchstones-leadership-masterclass-sophie-cook-tickets-40139801226#

And is on the Jo Cox Leadership for Women course because SC needs to learn leadership skills.

I don't think Sophie's trans status is relevant here. Momentum is however

Maybe I'm clumsy at expressing it (still got my feminism L plates on ), but it's the Momentum angle that made me think it was relevant to this board - I had a vision of the wonderful Sandy Draws Badly's 'Dude Bros' in my head as I posted it...

It is an AWS though. So y'know.

I'm not a particular fan of Momentum but is there any evidence that they are actually behind this? The article says that Cook is backed by Unite and Unite have demonstrated that they have more influence over Labour than Momentum (see the recent appointment of Jennie Formby as general secretary). Momentum are a convenient scapegoat here I suspect.

It is an AWS though. So y'know.

Of course it is. I presume we don't know Cook's GRC status so will give the benefit of the doubt there.

Sophie Cook has said that they don't have a GRC.

link

Sophie Cook identified as transgender in 2105 at the age of 48.

Ok, thanks.