A sitting mayor who was blocked by Labour from standing for a brand new regional position has stop the occasion in protest at Sir Keir Starmer’s management.
Jamie Driscoll, who was Labour’s North of Tyne mayor, stated he had “no other choice” however to stop the occasion after he was barred from operating as North East mayor final month.
He stated he would now serve the area as an impartial mayor.
In a letter to the Labour chief, Mr Driscoll accused Sir Keir of breaking “so many promises”, together with plans to scrap tuition charges, watering down a £28bn dedication to sort out local weather change and introducing common free college meals.
He claimed the Labour chief informed him in 2020 – when Sir Keir was operating to steer the occasion – that “disciplining people to be united is going nowhere”.
He wrote: “You’ve U-turned on so many promises: £28 billion to tackle the climate emergency, free school meals, ending university tuition fees, reversing NHS privatisation; in fact, a list of broken promises too long to repeat in this letter.
“It will not be grown-up politics to say Britain is damaged, after which declare issues at the moment are so troublesome we are going to abandon any plan to repair it. That is psychological gymnastics worthy of Olympic gold.”
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Mr Driscoll added: “Worst of all, you have stated you are not taken with hope and alter.
“Well, I am – Britain needs hope and change. Instead of London Labour HQ barring me from running, you could have used my work as a showcase of economic competence.”
The resolution to bar Mr Driscoll from the longlist to be the following North East mayor – a job that was created as a part of a £1.4bn devolution deal for the area – was instantly criticised by MPs on the left, together with former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who branded the information “staggering”.
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Driscoll informed Sky News of his shock at Labour’s resolution
Clive Lewis, the Labour MP for Norwich South, stated he was “shocked by such sectarian behaviour”.
Sky News reported that Mr Driscoll’s candidacy was refused as a result of he lately appeared at an occasion with the movie director Ken Loach, who was expelled from the occasion in 2021 for claiming there had been a “purge” and “witch hunt” of Jeremy Corbyn supporters underneath Sir Keir Starmer’s management.
Asked in regards to the controversy by Sophy Ridge on Sky News final month, Mr Driscoll refused to sentence controversial remarks made by Mr Loach about Jews, Israel and the Holocaust.
They embody saying that Israel’s actions made an increase in antisemitism comprehensible, and replying that “all history” was up for dialogue when requested if the Holocaust was unacceptable or if Israel’s founding was based mostly on ethnic cleaning.
Mr Driscoll stated this was a query for Mr Loach, and that he was “not a spokesman for Ken Loach”.
“My combined authority has adopted the… IHRA [International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance] definition of antisemitism,” he added.
“I’ve been on Jewish Labour Movement training, I work very closely with the Jewish Leadership Council… visit the synagogues in my region.”
In a last swipe at Sir Keir, Mr Driscoll stated key figures within the area had inspired him to run as an impartial, “saying they will vote for me because the North East needs an autonomous voice that’s not in hock to Westminster Party HQs”.
A Labour spokesperson stated: “The Labour Party is delighted that local party members have selected Kim McGuinness as our candidate for the North East Mayoral election next year.
“With Keir Starmer as chief, the Labour Party is a modified occasion, relentlessly focussed on delivering for working folks, and we make no apologies that Labour candidates are held to the best customary.
“The Tories have let our region down, and as Labour mayor, Kim will be the strong voice the North East deserves.”
Content Source: information.sky.com