Labour scraps all-female shortlist for Liverpool mayor

[stumbledin]

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

There are several names of white men who are rumoured to be on the new short list. The Labour Part are finished

I suspect that there are several more twists and turns yet......

Personally I just want the right candidates; good, capable candidates. It doesn't matter if the best candidate is male. As long as that is not Frank McKenna ( out of the frying pan and into the fire).

I'd like an experienced, charismatic outsider, personally. Preferably an independent, even though i know that is unlikely.

@Justhadathought

There are several names of white men who are rumoured to be on the new short list. The Labour Part are finished

I suspect that there are several more twists and turns yet......

Personally I just want the right candidates; good, capable candidates. It doesn't matter if the best candidate is male. As long as that is not Frank McKenna ( out of the frying pan and into the fire).

I'd like an experienced, charismatic outsider, personally. Preferably an independent, even though i know that is unlikely.

I'd go for that too. That or scrap the whole model as Rothery and O'Byrne wanted to do anyway.

That or scrap the whole model as Rothery and O'Byrne wanted to do anyway

That's what they say, and yet they were part of the group that voted to retain it. The Labour group unanimously decided to retain it.

I imagine that everyone in the Labour is now plotting and planning on who to install as leader in any return to the old model. It is all so self serving. They know that if they wear a Labour rosette they'll have a job for life. It was clear to me that certain local councillors were eyeing cabinet roles in return for votes. Being a councillor in Liverpool is often a family enterprise, with successive generations all occupying a seat. Many have no other occupation, either - relying on the stipend for a living; and any extra responsibility payments are a bonus.

You sound like a conspiracist yourself tbh @Justhadathought.

You sound like a conspiracist yourself tbh @Justhadathought**

Not conspiracy, no. I've just had quite a lot of insight into the machination of the Liverpool council chamber over the years.

As have I @Justhadathought - and I agree its a hot mess, but then so is Labour as a whole, hence the embarrassment.

As have I @Justhadathought - and I agree its a hot mess, but then so is Labour as a whole, hence the embarrassment

So, in what way dd you consider Anne O'Byrne to be an "excellent" candidate? I'm very curious, given how she behaves in the chamber?

Well I disagree with your gender politics so it's not through that lens.

As have I @Justhadathought - and I agree its a hot mess, but then so is Labour as a whole, hence the embarrassment

What did you make of her flouncing out of the chamber and refusing to listen to an invited speaker, on the subject of single sex spaces? And then standing to cheer Joe anderson as he launched an abusive tirade against that speaker; who was articulate, informed and reasonable?

She loves to play up 'being a woman, and supporting women" when it suits her particular ambition, it seems to me.

Well I disagree with your gender politics so it's not through that lens

What sort of 'gender politics' do you think I espouse? I'd be interested to hear? Because i suspect that you don't actually listen, either.

Besides, what do you make of such behaviour - from a purely democratic point of view? Do you think that a deputy mayor should refuse to listen to an invited speaker? And make such a big virtue signalling display of that?

Anne O Byrne also launched into an abusive tirade against the Greens in the chamber on at least one occasion - calling them " all privileged and middle class" for the temerity of suggesting that the council could make £30K of savings a year if councillors gave up their free parking permits?
That really pressed her buttons didn't it? How many working class woman actually have their own car, let alone a free parking permit?

@Justhadathought

That or scrap the whole model as Rothery and O'Byrne wanted to do anyway

That's what they say, and yet they were part of the group that voted to retain it. The Labour group unanimously decided to retain it.

I imagine that everyone in the Labour is now plotting and planning on who to install as leader in any return to the old model. It is all so self serving. They know that if they wear a Labour rosette they'll have a job for life. It was clear to me that certain local councillors were eyeing cabinet roles in return for votes. Being a councillor in Liverpool is often a family enterprise, with successive generations all occupying a seat. Many have no other occupation, either - relying on the stipend for a living; and any extra responsibility payments are a bonus.

Fully agree with this! My CLP is an absolute mess. Corrupt councillors, members too busy fighting each other to fight the tories. Just toxic.

On one level whether its Momentum versus Stammer, or local vendettas, or ... the problem is that for the public this seems to be another botched Labour Party procedure. After the still unresolved issue of anti semitism and bullying (court case coming up) Labour seem total unable to manage themselves. If they cant do that how can they run a city let alone a country.

I am sure the Tories are just as bad but hide it better (and the media plays it down).

And having just listened to part of the "debate" in the Scottish Parliament re hearing about Alex Salmond its hard to imagine why anyone gets involved in party politics.

I note that "I hatemyselfordoingthis' has not responded to my request for exactly what they meant by saying that they " didn't agree with my gender politics".

I suspect this is because they are most likely unable to articulate why. If they are like most in the Liverpool Labour group - they will simply follow the crowd, and not bother to actually listen or investigate thoroughly for themselves........as should a democratically elected member of any chamber.

The Labour party is being destroyed from within - by a combination of ideological obsession, and by the modern curse of identity politics.

If anyone thought that Jackie Weaver was a heroine, they ought to spend some time in the chamber of Liverpool city council. Handforth parish council couldn't hold a candle to it.