Latest news with #NeilDuncanJordan
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Jess Phillips says Labour rebels should not be surprised by the action taken against them
Update: Date: 2025-07-17T08:12:45.000Z Title: Eleni Courea Content: Good morning. Chief whips tends to be quite secretive, and when four Labour MPs had the whip suspended yesterday, there was no detailed, public explanation as to why they were being punished for rebelling when so many other backbenchers, who have also voted against the party, have not been singled out. As and Jessica Elgot report in our overnight story, we were just told they were regular rebels. But the best explanation came from the Labour party source who told Geri Scott from the Times that the four MPs – Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman and Chris Hinchliff – were being punished for 'persistent knobheadery'. This is problematic because, if 'persistent knobheadery' is a crime, then some of the greatest parliamentarians of all time were also guilty of it. Winston Churchill is regarded as the greatest war leader of all time, but he twice switched parties and, in the 1930, when he was leading a lonely fight against his party and over self-government for India and appeasement, 'knobhead' would have been one of the politer things colleagues would have said about him. The same is true of Aneurin Bevan during the second world war, and again in the 1950s. And Enoch Powell, and Tony Benn, and Jeremy Corbyn – and many others. The four MPs disciplined yesterday are not necessarily in the same category as most of these figures, but some Labour MPs are unhappy at the precedent that has been set. Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding, has been doing interviews this morning. She was meant to be talking about measures announced today that the Home Office says will mean 'more women and children will be better protected from domestic abuse through the direct targeting of perpetrators', but inevitably she ended up defending the decision taken yesterday. All four MPs suspended voted against the government's welfare bill, even after the government announced two sets of major concessions, and one of them, Rachael Maskell, ended up leading the opposition on the day of the final vote. But Phillips claimed the four were not being punished for their opposition to the cuts in sickness and disability benefits. She told the Today programme: I don't think that the discipline that has been meted out over the last 24 hours is linked to [the welfare bill] because many more people voted against the government than these four people. But when asked why they were being disciplined, Phillips claimed not to know the full story. Asked what the reasons were for the MPs being suspended, she replied: I actually don't know because I'm not part of the disciplining team. But 'a level of persistence' was probably a factor, she said. And she said discipline was important. The reality is there has to be an element of discipline, otherwise, you end up not being able to govern. Here is the agenda for the day. 10.30am: Keir Starmer is due to launch a Civil Society Covenant at an event in London. 11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing. Lunchtime: Starmer welcomes Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, to Downing Street. Afternoon: Starmer and Merz visit a factory in Hertfordshire, where they will speak to the media. Around 4pm: Wes Streeting, health secretary, holds a meeting with the BMA's resident doctors committee. If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line when comments are open (normally between 10am and 3pm at the moment), or message me on social media. I can't read all the messages BTL, but if you put 'Andrew' in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word. If you want to flag something up urgently, it is best to use social media. You can reach me on Bluesky at @ The Guardian has given up posting from its official accounts on X, but individual Guardian journalists are there, I still have my account, and if you message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I will see it and respond if necessary. I find it very helpful when readers point out mistakes, even minor typos. No error is too small to correct. And I find your questions very interesting too. I can't promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either BTL or sometimes in the blog.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Brian Leishman won't guarantee no further rebellion after Labour suspension
Labour MP Brian Leishman was suspended from the party on Wednesday. He was suspended alongside Neil Duncan-Jordan, Chris Hinchcliff, and Rachael Maskell. Their suspension was due to leading a backbench rebellion against planned welfare cuts. Mr Leishman said he could not guarantee Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer that he would not rebel again. Watch the video in full above.
Bloomberg
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Labour Suspends UK MPs Who Led Welfare Reforms Rebellion
Labour suspended four of its Members of Parliament for breaking party discipline following a large-scale rebellion over welfare cuts earlier this month. Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman, Rachael Maskell and Chris Hinchcliff confirmed their suspensions on Wednesday afternoon, arguing they were representing their constituents in opposing cuts to disability benefits. A person familiar with the matter said all four had the whip suspended for repeated breaches of party discipline.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Labour Poole MP has whip withdrawn over 'indiscipline'
NEIL Duncan-Jordan has reportedly been suspended from the Labour Party following his criticism welfare bill and cuts to the winter fuel allowance. The Poole MP has had the whip removed after he voted against the Welfare Bill in Parliament earlier this month, describing the bill as a "dog's breakfast that isn't really worth the paper it's written on'. He said: 'Since being elected I have consistently spoken up for my constituents on a range of issues, including most recently on cuts to disability benefits. 'I understood this could come at a cost, but I couldn't support making disabled people poorer. 'Although I've been suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party today, I've been part of the Labour and trade union movement for 40 years and remain as committed as ever to its values. 'To my constituents: it's business as usual. I remain your hardworking local MP, I will continue to take up your concerns and speak up for Poole.' After voting against the bill, he told the Echo in an interview earlier this week that the bill was "handled badly" and he would always vote for 'what was best' for his constituents. Mr Duncan-Jordan was one of 49 Labour MPs who rebelled against the government. Two other Labour MPs are reported to have been suspended today. He also acknowledged he had "fallen out of favour" with the party after voting against winter allowance fuel cuts. Duncan-Jordan won the Poole seat in last year's general election by only 18 votes, ousting Conservative Sir Robert Syms who had held the seat since 1997. Having the whip removed means that the MP is effectively expelled from their party - but keeps their seat - and must sit as an independent until the whip is restored.
The Independent
16-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Suspended Labour MP ‘can't promise' Starmer he won't rebel again
Suspended Labour MP Brian Leishman was defiant in his promise that he could not guarantee he would rebel again The MP for Alloa and Grangemouth was suspended alongside Neil Duncan-Jordan, Chris Hinchcliff and Rachael Maskell on Wednesday (16 July). They led a backbench rebellion over planned welfare cuts. Mr Leishman's office confirmed he had had the whip 'temporarily suspended'. On whether he would rebel again, Mr Leishman told LBC on Wednesday evening: "I can't give [Sir Keir Starmer ] that promise… we don't know what's going on down the line."
