Comments on: Licenced Super-Rebels http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/ Left-wing news, opinion and activism Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:53:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Gregg http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9291 Gregg Thu, 01 May 2008 05:33:37 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9291 The biggest factor in the rise of the Super Rebels is that New Labour still needs these people. It can only afford to lose so many traditional Labour voters before it will lose seats, and the rebels help persuade such voters to stick with the party and hope for the best. Start driving such MPs out of the PLP, and you'll end up losing your majority at the next election. This compelled Blair to tolerate serial rebels throughout his premiership (and it certainly made a difference in 2005 - without the rebels offering a token of True Labour, there'd have been Blaenau Gwents across the country) and Brown will do the same unless he's an idiot. The biggest factor in the rise of the Super Rebels is that New Labour still needs these people. It can only afford to lose so many traditional Labour voters before it will lose seats, and the rebels help persuade such voters to stick with the party and hope for the best. Start driving such MPs out of the PLP, and you’ll end up losing your majority at the next election. This compelled Blair to tolerate serial rebels throughout his premiership (and it certainly made a difference in 2005 – without the rebels offering a token of True Labour, there’d have been Blaenau Gwents across the country) and Brown will do the same unless he’s an idiot.

]]> By: Jennie http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9228 Jennie Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:36:54 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9228 Ken Clarke has always been pretty cool, for a Tory. Ken Clarke has always been pretty cool, for a Tory.

]]> By: Tom http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9222 Tom Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:22:04 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9222 When did Ken Clarke join the People's Party? I think we should be told. When did Ken Clarke join the People’s Party? I think we should be told.

]]> By: cjcjc http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9218 cjcjc Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:54:50 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9218 Though it's probably not the simple %age so much as the perceived importance / nature of the issue(s) in each case. Though it’s probably not the simple %age so much as the perceived importance / nature of the issue(s) in each case.

]]> By: Sunny Hundal http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9217 Sunny Hundal Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:51:00 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9217 Here's the list according to Question That: Jeremy Corbyn Islington North Lab 23.9% 74.8% John McDonnell Hayes & Harlington Lab 22.9% 62.1% Kate Hoey Vauxhall Lab 22.3% 50.8% Alan Simpson Nottingham South Lab 18.6% 60.1% Kelvin Hopkins Luton North Lab 14.6% 85.8% Lynne Jones Birmingham, Selly Oak Lab 14.1% 75.2% Robert Marshall-Andrews Medway Lab 13.8% 52.6% David Drew Stroud Lab 11.6% 79.5% Mark Fisher Stoke-on-Trent Central Lab 11.2% 72.5% Glenda Jackson Hampstead & Highgate Lab 10.9% 52.6% Mike Wood Batley & Spen Lab 10.0% 51.7% Kenneth Clarke Rushcliffe Con 8.9% 54.8% Austin Mitchell Great Grimsby Lab 8.7% 44.8% David Taylor North West Leicestershire Lab 8.6% 87.4% Frank Field Birkenhead Lab 8.4% 65.1% Ian Davidson Glasgow South West Lab 7.9% 76.2% Paul Flynn Newport West Lab 7.6% 64.6% Ian Gibson Norwich North Lab 6.7% 87.6% Diane Abbott Hackney North & Stoke Newington Lab 6.4% 67.9% Roger Godsiff Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath Lab 6.4% 59.3% Dennis Skinner Bolsover Lab 6.0% 95.1% Gordon Prentice Pendle Lab 5.7% 82.8% Linda Riordan Halifax Lab 5.3% 79.4% Katy Clark Ayrshire North & Arran Lab 5.3% 87.4% But the 20th on the list, Katy Clark, only rebels 5% of the time. That's pretty pathetic. I think Aaranovitch is exaggerating. Here’s the list according to Question That:

Jeremy Corbyn Islington North Lab 23.9% 74.8%
John McDonnell Hayes & Harlington Lab 22.9% 62.1%
Kate Hoey Vauxhall Lab 22.3% 50.8%
Alan Simpson Nottingham South Lab 18.6% 60.1%
Kelvin Hopkins Luton North Lab 14.6% 85.8%
Lynne Jones Birmingham, Selly Oak Lab 14.1% 75.2%
Robert Marshall-Andrews Medway Lab 13.8% 52.6%
David Drew Stroud Lab 11.6% 79.5%
Mark Fisher Stoke-on-Trent Central Lab 11.2% 72.5%
Glenda Jackson Hampstead & Highgate Lab 10.9% 52.6%
Mike Wood Batley & Spen Lab 10.0% 51.7%
Kenneth Clarke Rushcliffe Con 8.9% 54.8%
Austin Mitchell Great Grimsby Lab 8.7% 44.8%
David Taylor North West Leicestershire Lab 8.6% 87.4%
Frank Field Birkenhead Lab 8.4% 65.1%
Ian Davidson Glasgow South West Lab 7.9% 76.2%
Paul Flynn Newport West Lab 7.6% 64.6%
Ian Gibson Norwich North Lab 6.7% 87.6%
Diane Abbott Hackney North & Stoke Newington Lab 6.4% 67.9%
Roger Godsiff Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath Lab 6.4% 59.3%
Dennis Skinner Bolsover Lab 6.0% 95.1%
Gordon Prentice Pendle Lab 5.7% 82.8%
Linda Riordan Halifax Lab 5.3% 79.4%
Katy Clark Ayrshire North & Arran Lab 5.3% 87.4%

But the 20th on the list, Katy Clark, only rebels 5% of the time. That’s pretty pathetic. I think Aaranovitch is exaggerating.

]]> By: Sunny Hundal http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9216 Sunny Hundal Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:48:37 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9216 As long as they defeat the govt on 42 days I'll be happy! As long as they defeat the govt on 42 days I’ll be happy!

]]> By: Andrew http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9209 Andrew Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:18:23 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9209 #4: Quite right. John Major's "bastards" list, anyone? George Gardiner, that chap who used to wear outrageous stripey blazers, Teresa Gorman et al. Labour's always had that fringe, too - the tendency to reduce the power of constituency parties to choose their own candidates has probably decreased the percentage of persistent rebels. #4: Quite right. John Major’s “bastards” list, anyone? George Gardiner, that chap who used to wear outrageous stripey blazers, Teresa Gorman et al. Labour’s always had that fringe, too – the tendency to reduce the power of constituency parties to choose their own candidates has probably decreased the percentage of persistent rebels.

]]> By: QuestionThat http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9207 QuestionThat Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:01:17 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9207 Actually, there's a list <a href="http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mps.php?sort=rebellions" rel="nofollow">here</a> of MPs sorted by rebellion %age. Actually, there’s a list here of MPs sorted by rebellion %age.

]]> By: QuestionThat http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9206 QuestionThat Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:50:28 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9206 The best way would probably to use the <a href="http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Diane_Abbott&mpc=Hackney+North+%26amp%3B+Stoke+Newington" rel="nofollow">Public Whip</a> site and find out how many times each MP has rebelled. The best way would probably to use the Public Whip site and find out how many times each MP has rebelled.

]]> By: john b http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9205 john b Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:37:15 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9205 Didn't the Tories under Major 1992-97 have a similar gang of about 20 MPs, mostly long-serving old-timers, who voted against half the things his government proposed (especially Yerp)...? Didn’t the Tories under Major 1992-97 have a similar gang of about 20 MPs, mostly long-serving old-timers, who voted against half the things his government proposed (especially Yerp)…?

]]> By: Stephen Whitehead http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9203 Stephen Whitehead Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:32:56 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9203 You could argue that the rise of the 'super-rebel' reflects the reality of a party that has rapidly shifted it's ideological position. Most of the rebels are older MPs with a firm belief in what might be termed 'traditional labour values'. You could argue that the rise of the ‘super-rebel’ reflects the reality of a party that has rapidly shifted it’s ideological position. Most of the rebels are older MPs with a firm belief in what might be termed ‘traditional labour values’.

]]> By: Justin http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9202 Justin Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:17:09 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9202 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Campaign_Group#Current_members" rel="nofollow">These guys</a> are who you're looking for. These guys are who you’re looking for.

]]> By: Andrew Adams http://liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9200 Andrew Adams Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:36:44 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/04/29/licenced-super-rebels/#comment-9200 I would guess that many of these "super rebels" are fairly long-standing MPs, so to accuse them of "getting in on the party’s coat-tails" seems rather unfair. I would guess that many of these “super rebels” are fairly long-standing MPs, so to accuse them of “getting in on the party’s coat-tails” seems rather unfair.

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