Afternoon summary
- John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, has dismissed the three Labour frontbenchers who resigned today in protest against the shadow cabinet reshuffle as part of a “narrow, rightwing clique”. In a separate interview with Channel 4 News, he said there was a “hard right” faction in the party associated with the group Progress. They were now on the fringes of the Labour party, he said. “They have never accepted Jeremy [Corbyn]’s leadership. They have never accepted the outcome of the leadership election.”
- The Labour MP John Mann has urged Emily Thornberry, the new shadow defence secretary, to return a £14,500 donation she received from Leigh Day, a law firm accused of pursing false torture claims against British soldiers.
No Labour Shadow defence can accept vested interest money. Having accepted the job, she should pay back immediately https://t.co/tFAxtyKtKP
— John Mann (@JohnMannMP) January 6, 2016
- The Labour party has rejected Ian Austin’s claim that Corbyn’s staff are responsible for hostile briefings against members of the shadow cabinet. (See 1.28pm.) Responding to the allegations, a spokesman for Corbyn said: “These allegations are wholly untrue.”
- The Labour MP John Woodcock has said Labour is losing credibility. Woodcock, a former chair of Progress, said:
The people who are running the Labour Party, I’m afraid, are not doing so in a manner that is likely to put us anywhere near being able to be a credible force at the next election. Having seen three months of these people in office, I am losing hope that they will actually properly orientate themselves to the job of being a credible force that can command the centre and a broad coalition within the country. I am no longer convinced that that’s what they want to do.
- The Stop the War Coalition has insisted it does not believe terrorist attacks like the ones in Paris can ever be justified. In a statement issued in response to Jonathan Reynolds’ resignation letter (see 10.32am), it said:
One of the resignations today by shadow rail minister Jonathan Reynolds explicitly criticised the Stop the War Coalition. He said, ‘Although I was personally against the proposal to extend airstrikes into Syria, I cannot in good conscience endorse the worldview of the Stop the War Coalition who I believe to be fundamentally wrong in their assessment and understanding of the threats the UK faces.’
This is to misunderstand our position. Stop the War agrees that terrorists have to be held accountable for their own actions, and that attacks like those in Paris can never be justified. We made this absolutely clear in our official statement following the attacks. We feel it is wrong, however, for politicians to pretend that there is no connection between British and US foreign policy in the Middle East and South Asia, and the increase in terrorism over the past decade or more.
- Joe Haines, Harold Wilson’s former press secretary, has called for Corbyn to be deposed as Labour leader. In an article for the New Statesman he said Corbyn was “simply not up to the job”.
Corbyn has no vision for the future of Britain. He offers no beacon to light the way. Politically, he has the candlepower of a glow-worm.
He might once have fitted the role of a deputy manager of a northern friendly society - kind, polite and compassionate yet unable to help his client - but he is intellectually unsuited to be a minister of any kind, let alone a prime minister.
That’s all from me for today.
Thanks for the comments.
Updated
Was Corbyn's office really to blame for 'revenge reshuffle' smear briefings?
Over the last day or so various Labour MPs have strongly criticised Jeremy Corbyn’s staff for briefing against shadow cabinet colleagues. Michael Dugher said yesterday that people had had their reputations “trashed” because Corbyn’s team briefed about a “revenge reshuffle”, and similar things have been said today. (See 2.45pm.)
Are these accusations fair? Probably not.
Of course we’ll never know for sure. Political reporting relies heavily on unattributable briefing, because collective responsibility rules mean people are often reluctant to make critical comments on the record, and by definition to whom an unattributable briefing should be attributed can be hard to establish. Short of setting up some kind of Leveson inquiry, we cannot be sure who said what. But there are some points that are worth making that might shed some light on what happened.
1 - Contrary to popular belief, journalists don’t just make up stories. (Or, if they do, it is very, very rare.) But there is an inherent bias in favour of what’s arresting and newsworthy and a story about, say, up to 12 members of the shadow cabinet facing the sack is more likely to make it into the paper, and to grab attention, than a story about modest reshuffle plans.
2 - Labour sources have been saying today that it is “just not true” to claim that Corbyn’s staff were responsible for hostile “revenge reshuffle” briefings. There is something inherently silly about using an unattributable briefing to deny an unattributable briefing, but we report information on the terms on which we’re given it. Mostly my blog focuses on on-the-record information, but sometimes I get unattributable briefings and I don’t think I would be betraying any confidences if I said I haven’t heard any Corbyn staffers talking up plans for a “revenge reshuffle”. That said, it was understood that there would be some sort of reshuffle after Christmas, intended to lessen the policy splits in the shadow cabinet over defence and foreign military intervention.
3 - At least some of the “revenge reshuffle” briefing came from potential victims. The first use of the term I can find is in this Observer story published on 6 December. It starts: “The shadow cabinet is bracing itself for a “revenge reshuffle” in the aftermath of Labour’s victory in the Oldham byelection, with key senior figures voicing fears they will be sacrificed by Jeremy Corbyn to kill dissent.” (My italics.) Those worried about being sacked had an obvious interest in talking up Corbyn’s supposed plans. Negative stories about a sweeping “revenge reshuffle” may have discouraged Corbyn, if that was what he was planning, and the publication of stories about a wide-ranging reshuffle that subsequently did not happen would have had the advantage of making Corbyn look weak.
4 - Not all Corbynites are in the pay of Jeremy Corbyn. Some stories about Corbyn’s thinking may have been based on comments from his staff, and other stories may have been based on comments from Corbyn-supporting MPs or activists. Sometimes these distinctions are not always made clear in copy.
5 - The complaints about negative briefing cover various supposed offences. One complaint is about the “revenge reshuffle” stories that appeared over the Christmas period. Other grievances relate to the way Michael Dugher has been described as incompetent (see 11.18am) and Pat McFadden has been described as disloyal (see 11.54am.)
Updated
In response to a tweet from Robert Harris, I’ve clarified an earlier post. (See 1.28pm.) Seumas Milne is a former Guardian journalist in the sense that he does not work for us now. But he is on leave of absence, and so it is envisaged he will return.
Earlier I said that Michael Dugher was generally thought to have done a good job as shadow culture secretary. (See 11.18am.) In the comments I’ve been asked to point out that Tim Fenton at the Zelo Street blog said the opposite. Here’s an extract.
My good friend Peter Jukes was left to break the bad news: “Two senior sources suggested Dugher was vulnerable as shadow culture minister a while back, mainly because seen as too close to News UK”. I’ll go further: Dugher was viewed as useless.
Why? Jukes again: “I thought he was almost invisible at DCMS given importance of Leveson, BBC Review and Channel 4 privatisation”.
The Labour MP Paul Flynn has been defending Jeremy Corbyn’s reshuffle.
Stability reshuffle drops Commons under-performers Dugher & MacFadden keeps talented Benn and inevitably loses soaring Eagle. Future strong
— Paul Flynn (@PaulFlynnMP) January 6, 2016
Corbyn-Victory Deniers in uber-rant. Poor losers in denial on JC's victory. Celebrate departure of lightweights. Bettter Replacements coming
— Paul Flynn (@PaulFlynnMP) January 6, 2016
Major boost for Labour in Parliament with return of Emily Thornberry, principled, idealist, intellectually strong & brilliant communicator.
— Paul Flynn (@PaulFlynnMP) January 6, 2016
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor and Jeremy Corbyn’s closest ally in the shadow cabinet, has said that three shadow ministers who resigned today were all from a “narrow rightwing clique”.
Labour ministers who've resigned are from "a narrow right wing clique ..who've never accepted Jeremy's mandate" - says @johnmcdonnellMP
— norman smith (@BBCNormanS) January 6, 2016
And John Woodcock, the Labour MP, has described that as “deeply insulting”.
Earlier there were claims on the BBC that Jeremy Corbyn and Hilary Benn negotiated some form of six-point deal that established the conditions under which Benn would remain as foreign secretary. Labour sources have said that is misleading. There was no formal deal, but the two men did discuss how they would work together in the future. As John McDonnell said on the Today programme, there was an agreement that there would be no repeat of what happened in the Syria debate, with Corbyn and Benn taking different positions from the frontbench. (See 9.28am.) There was also an understanding that they would cooperate more effectively, and that Corbyn would sign off on foreign policy decisions. The future of Pat McFadden was also discussed, and it appears that Benn at least acquiesced in the decision to sack him.
The Conservatives and Ukip have put out statements about the Labour reshuffle.
The Conservative one is very predictable. It quotes Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, saying: “This reshuffle shows that a divided Labour Party is a threat to national security ... North Korea’s deeply disturbing claim to have exploded its first hydrogen bomb underlines the importance of taking our national security seriously, not handing it to a Labour Party that would unilaterally disarm Britain.”
The Ukip one is more striking. It carries the headline:
Labour defence team chaos means Ukip is the only realistic opposition
And here’s an extract.
Former soldier, [Mike] Hookem, who has been Ukip’s defence spokesman since he became an MEP in 2014 said; “The UK faces a diverse range of threats at the moment, and with a party in power who pay mere lip service to our armed forces and national defence, now more than ever we need a strong opposition to challenge the government and force them to secure this country.
“However, rather than making sure the UK is secure against terrorism and that our troops have the correct kit to operate; Corbyn seems more bothered about consolidating his grip on power in the Labour party by sacking those who disagree with his crackpot defence policies and who blame western intervention for terrorism, simply to replace them with his socialist cronies’”
Here’s a Guardian video of David Cameron taunting Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs over his handling of the reshuffle.
Lunchtime summary
- Three junior shadow ministers have resigned in protest about Jeremy Corbyn’s handling of his reshuffle. Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow rail minister, and Stephen Doughty, the shadow Foreign Office minister, complained particularly about the sacking of Pat McFadden, the shadow Europe minister, in their resignation statements. Kevan Jones said that he was resigning as a shadow defence minister principally over defence matters. He said he wanted to be free to speak out in favour of keeping the nuclear deterrent.
- Labour MPs have accused Jeremy Corbyn’s staff of smearing some of their opponents. Ian Austin, an MP (and a former spin doctor to Gordon Brown) said that Corbyn’s staff had been responsible for “hostile briefing” against shadow ministers who were facing the sack. He said the behaviour of Seumas Milne, Corbyn’s director of communications and strategy, had been “an absolute disgrace”. Stephen Doughty said Corbyn’s team had told “lies” about McFadden. McFadden had not been disloyal, Doughty said. And Kevan Jones said Corbyn’s team had not been conducting the “straight-talking, honest” politics they claimed to believe in. Jones told the World at One:
Jeremy I think was elected I think with the strapline, ‘straight-talking, honest politics’ –there’s been nothing straight-talking or honest about what’s gone on over the last 48 hours. Maria, it’s now being briefed that this was her ‘dream job’ and she wanted to do it. That is not the case, she didn’t not want to move, she made that very clear.
Labour sources have said that these claims were not true, and that Corbyn’s staff were not responsible for briefing against colleagues.
- David Cameron told MPs that the Labour reshuffle showed that the party could not be trusted on defence. Referring to the sacking of Pat McFadden, and McFadden’s comments about terrorism after the Paris attacks, Cameron said:
What I would say is that condemning terrorist attacks is an essential component of aspiring to high office and that should be the case whether you’re a shadow minister or a minister of the crown. [McFadden] was absolutely right to say that and frankly I think it speaks volumes that he can’t sit in the shadow cabinet with the leader of the opposition.
He also criticised Hilary Benn for deciding to remain in the shadow cabinet. Cameron said:
We shouldn’t be asking if the leader of the opposition is happy to have the member for Leeds Central, we know he is not. The question is what on earth is the member of Leeds Central and others doing in this Labour party government.
- Hilary Benn has denied claims that he has been “muzzled” as shadow foreign secretary. (See 10.47am.)
- Tom Watson, the Labour deputy leader, has denied describing the appointment of Emily Thornberry as shadow defence secretary as a “mistake”. (See 2pm.) The claim was made by Kevan Jones in an interview on the World at One. Jones said:
The fact of the matter is we’ve got to be credible on defence in the country and I think appointing Emily is a mistake, so did Tom Watson, raised the issue that he thought it was a mistake as well. The London-centric view is not necessarily in the interests, I don’t think, of many thousands of defence workers or members of the armed forces that are out there in the country.
- Cameron has accused Thornberry at PMQs of accepting funding from the controversial law firm Leigh Day. He said:
I do think it is instructive that we have lost a Shadow Secretary of State for Defence who believed in strong defence; who believed in our nuclear deterrent. And instead we’ve got someone apparently who takes funds from Leigh Day.
Updated
Wayne David, a shadow justice minister, has posted a message on Twitter expressing regret about the resignations of Kevan Jones, Stephen Doughty and Jonathan Reynolds.
It's a sad day for Lab when capable & good people like @KevanJonesMP @SDoughtyMP @jreynoldsMP feel they have to step down from front bench.
— Wayne David (@WayneDavid_MP) January 6, 2016
Following his resignation as shadow defence minister, Kevan Jones has just told Sky News that Emily Thornberry, the new shadow defence secretary, “knows nothing about defence”.
Kevan Jones told the World at One that Tom Watson, the deputy Labour leader, thought it was a mistake to appoint Emily Thornberry as shadow defence secretary. (See 1.16pm.) Watson has just posted a message on Twitter saying that is not true.
Contrary to reports, I did not describe Emily Thornberry's appointment as a "mistake". I wish her well in her new post.
— tom_watson (@tom_watson) January 6, 2016
Ian Austin says Seumas Milne's conduct has been 'an absolute disgrace'
Here is more from the interview that the Labour MP Ian Austin gave to BBC News a few minutes ago.
- Austin criticised the behaviour of Jeremy Corbyn’s advisers, including Seumas Milne, his head of communications and strategy (and former Guardian journalist). He accused them of briefing against shadow ministers. Milne’s conduct had been “a disgrace”, Austin said.
Some people have decided not to serve today, and have resigned following the terrible sackings and the weeks of hostile briefing from the leaders’ office about their colleagues over the past few weeks ...
I think it’s been a shambles from start to finish, and indeed over the weeks before that. I think the leaders’ office, and people like Seumas Milne, have got absolutely nobody to blame for that but themselves. I think they should reflect on the way this has been done ...
I would not have appointed someone with [Milne’s] views and his background to a senior position in the Labour party in the first place. I think his behaviour in the last few weeks has been an absolute disgrace.
- Austin said that the resignation of Kevan Jones was “a very big blow to Labour”.
Kevan Jones is a defence expert, former defence minister, former member of the defence select committee. He’s been a brilliant defence spokesman. He knows more about defence issues, I think, than probably anyone else on the Labour benches. And if he has decided he doesn’t want to serve that’s a very big blow to Labour.
- He said that he would be “very surprised” if Hilary Benn was only staying on as shadow foreign secretary as a result of striking some formal deal about his conduct with Corbyn.
UPDATE: To clarify, Milne is on leave of absence from the Guardian. He is not working for the paper now, but it is envisaged he will return.
Updated
Jones says he is more effective on the backbenches.
Q: Where does this leave Labour as a potential government, and Corbyn as a potential prime minister?
Jones says it puts the party back.
This will not look like Labour being strong on defence.
Q: But isn’t Labour now more united?
Jones says that is fine, but if you alienate those who care about defence, then you will turn Labour into a protest party and a talking shop. That is not why he entered politics.
Q: Is there a north/south problem?
Jones says that is an issue. He is concerned about Labour’s defence policy being put in the hands of north London figures (Emily Thornberry).
And that’s it. I will post some direct quotes shortly.
Kevan Jones’ interview on the World at One
Kevan Jones says Jeremy Corbyn promised straight talking and honest politics. There was nothing honest or straight about what has happened.
It is being said Maria Eagle wanted to move to culture. She did not, Jones says.
He says Jeremy Corbyn knew about Eagle and Jones’s pro-Trident views when he appointed them.
There was a meeting with Corbyn two weeks ago. He says he asked Corbyn about Trident, but Corbyn said he would leave it for another day.
Jones says Tom Watson, the Labour deputy leader, also thinks moving Maria Eagle was a mistake.
Jones says he gets on with Corbyn personally. But he thinks the people around Corbyn “are advising him very badly”.
Jonathan Reynolds' interview on the World at One
Jonathan Reynolds says he had been thinking of resigning for some time. The news about Pat McFadden being sacked “pushed me over the edge”.
Q: Where does your resignation leave the shape of the Corbyn team, in relation to the north/south divide?
Reynolds says there is a danger of it being too London-centric. That is a complaint he hears, he says. But it was said before Corbyn became leader too.
He says some of the things said about Pat McFadden and Michael Dugher were not fair.
Q: Is this a competence issue?
Reynolds says Labour has to look like an alternative government.
If Labour went back to its comfort zone, that would be a huge mistake.
The World at One has interviews with two of the shadow ministers who have resigned, Jonathan Reynolds and Kevan Jones. Full coverage here, obviously ...
Full text of Kevan Jones' resignation letter
Here is the full text of Kevan Jones’ resignation letter (for anyone having difficulty reading his tweet - see 12.41pm.)
Dear Jeremy,
I am writing to inform you that I will be standing down from my position as shadow minister for the armed forces with immediate effect.
It has been an honour to serve the Labour party in both government and opposition. Defence has always been an integral part of the Labour tradition, and we should always remember that it is an important issue to Labour communities across the country.
The issue of the UK’s nuclear deterrent and how we progress the aim of nuclear disarmament has always been one that has divided opinion within the Labour party. There are well-founded views on each side of the debate, and I respect those like yourself who advocate a unilateralist position. However, as you know from our discussions when you appointed me in this role, I do not agree with this view. I have been clear and consistent that I believe it is the right policy for the country to maintain a minimum credible nuclear deterrent, while working to advance global nuclear disarmament.
I am determined to continue making the case for Labour to have strong, credible defence and security policies, and I feel that the most effective way for me to continue to do this is from the backbenches.
As you know, on a personal basis we have always got on. I would particularly like to thank you for your campaign work around mental health, and would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best for 2016.
Yours sincerely,
Kevan
Stephen Doughty accuses Labour leadership of telling 'lies' about McFadden
Stephen Doughty resigned as a shadow foreign minister on the Daily Politics. He accused the Labour leadership of telling “lies” about Pat McFadden. It was “simply not true” to say that McFadden had been disloyal, he said.
It is really, really sad the number of lies and unfortunate statements that are coming out from the leader’s office about the situation.
And this is what Doughty said in a statement about his departure.
I was dismayed that two of our most able and experienced colleagues have been sacked for speaking out in the straight talking and honest way that I believe the public expect and want from their representatives - let alone when it comes to matters of national security.
I agree entirely with the words Pat McFadden used in denouncing terrorism and the false narrative that the West is to blame, and so I believe the only honourable thing for me to do, when a fellow team member has been singled out for punishment for speaking with honesty and principle on this critical issue, is to leave the front bench.
Jeremy and his team will continue to enjoy my full support from the back-benches in taking on this uncaring and brutal Tory government - but we need to urgently recognise and re-affirm as a Labour party that the national security and defence of our country in such a volatile world, is a red line and a matter that should and must transcend party politics, let alone the internal machinations of our own party or personal score-settling.
The Labour MP Ian Austin has just told BBC News that the resignation of Kevan Jones is a “very big blow” for Labour.
Austin criticised Seumas Milne, Jeremy Corbyn’s head of communications (and a former Guardian columnist) for his role in recent events.
I will post the quotes shortly.
Kevan Jones becomes third shadow minister to resign following Corbyn's reshuffle
Kevan Jones has resigned as a shadow defence minister.
I've just written to Jeremy Corbyn to offer my resignation from the Labour Party front bench pic.twitter.com/hry9IpKxXq
— Kevan Jones MP (@KevanJonesMP) January 6, 2016
Simon Hoare, a Conservative, says Thalidomide victims still have not had a fair settlement. Will Cameron meet them?
Cameron says he is happy to continue to work with them on their campaign.
And that’s it. PMQs is over.
Philip Davies, a Conservative, says his Shipley constituency was “decimated” by the recent floods. But it will not benefit from the flood spending announcement. If the government is short of money, can it take money from the aid budget?
Cameron says the government will do what it takes to get communities back on their feet. In the past the government took too long getting them back on their feet.
Nigel Evans, a Conservative, says the Flood Re insurance scheme won’t cover businesses, or homes built after 2009. Will the government look at this?
Cameron says the government will consider these points before Flood Re is introduced in April.
Labour’s Debbie Abrahams says the IMF said last year income inequality was the defining challenge of our time. By last night FTSE 100 bosses would have been paid more than average workers will earn all year. Will Cameron support more transparency on top pay?
Cameron says income inequality has fallen under his government. The government is bringing the national living wage in, he says.
Cameron says the Leigh Day law firm has questions to answer about its work for Iraqi people suing the Ministry of Defence. He says it is worrying that Maria Eagle has been replaced. And the new shadow defence secretary, Emily Thornberry, is someone who has taken money from Leigh Day, he says. He says Labour is now committed to unilateralism.
Labour’s Kevin Brennan says Cameron promised to cut the cost of special advisers. So how can he justify having 26 more advisers than in 2010? And how can he justify giving George Osborne’s image consultant a 42% pay rise.
Cameron says there are fewer special advisers under this government than under the last one.
Cameron says 700,000 houses have been built since the government came to office in 2010. Developers will only build homes if they think there is a benign economic environment.
Pat McFadden on the backbench - alongside Emma Reynolds, Liz Kendall, Chuka, Chris Leslie and Yvette Cooper
— steve hawkes (@steve_hawkes) January 6, 2016
Caroline Lucas, the Green MP, asks about the Paris climate change conference. Are EU targets too low?
Cameron says Britain argued that the EU should go further in terms of carbon reduction targets.
Seema Kennedy, a Conservative, asks about flooding in her Ribble South constituency. Will the government review the decision to switch off the pumps in one area of her constituency?
Cameron says there are always questions after floods like this about what decisions were taken by people on the ground. It is right to go through those decisions, he says.
Labour’s Clive Efford asks why Tories voted against a Labour amendment to the housing bill that would have protected the discount for first-time buyers for starter homes for future buyers.
Cameron says the starter home programme is only happening because of the government. “We are absolutely on the side of the home-owner,” he says.
Simon Hart, a Conservative, asks about S4C, the Welsh language channel.
Cameron says S4C is an important and well-liked service. He wants it to continue as a very strong channel.
PMQs - Snap Verdict
PMQs - Snap Verdict: Not a decisive exchange, but a topical, serious one from which both Corbyn and Cameron emerged with some credit. Corbyn never really skewered Cameron over his flood spending failures, but his questions were solid, his tone was appropriate and he refused to be thrown by the jibes about the reshuffle. As usual, Cameron tried to steer it back to the economy and leadership, but he was also able to make some reasonable points about the government’s flood record.
Corbyn says Cameron has not anwered the questions on Leeds or Cumbria. He recalls meeting a family in York whose home was flooded. Responding to jeers, he says it was not funny for them. They are asking legitimate questions. Why were the pumps at the Foss barrier not upgraded? Those people want answers.
Cameron says he has the greatest sympathy for those flooded. He says a tender was about to go out for investment in the Foss pumps. He says the government is also making sure that every home can get insured, through the Floods Re scheme.
Corbyn says many homes have been flooded. Will Cameron back a cross-party approach to flooding. Does Cameron agree that the fire and rescue service have done a good job. Should they have a statutory duty to respond to floods?
Cameron says when Corbyn has worked out how to coordinate his own party, he can come back to Cameron. On a statutory duty, everyone knows what to do, he says.
Updated
Corbyn says spending for flood defences in Cumbria was also cancelled in 2014. Was that right?
Cameron asks how Corbyn would have the money for flood defences when he want to spend it on renationalising the railways. And it is wrong to assume he could respond quickly, given the amount of time he spent on his reshuffle. Corbyn could not run anything, he says. He says two of Corbyn’s shadow ministers have resigned this morning.
Corbyn asks for an assurance that communities will be protected from the next round of floods.
Cameron says £2.3bn extra is being spent on flood defences. After every incident of flooding, you need to go back and review your plans. You can only spend money if you have a strong economy.
Jeremy Corbyn starts by thanking emergency workers for what they did in the floods. Cameron said after the last floods that there were always lessons to be learnt, and that they would be learnt. Were they?
Cameron also thanks the emergency workers, and the army. A number of lessons have been learnt. The military came in faster. The Bellwin scheme was funded at 100%. But are there more lessons to learn? Yes. The government can act because there is a strong economy.
Corbyn says in 2011 a £190m flood defence scheme was cancelled in Leeds. Yet Leeds was subsequently flooded. Will the full scheme go ahead?
Cameron says this was the wettest December on record. Rivers in Yorkshire, including the river Aire, were a metre higher than they had been before. He says investment in flood defences has gone up and up and up. He says Defra was not a protected department under Labour. Yet the government protected flood spending, he says.
Cameron at PMQs
Karen Lumley, a Conservative, asks David Cameron to promise that condemning terrorist attacks will not be a bar to high office.
Cameron says it should be a condition for holding high office. He says Pat McFadden was right to say what he said. It speaks volumes that he cannot sit in the shadow cabinet.
This is what Stephen Doughty tweeted after the sacking of Pat McFadden.
I agree with everything @patmcfaddenmp said in these comments. Shocked if this why he's been sacked. pic.twitter.com/PabO2xeLTZ
— Stephen Doughty (@SDoughtyMP) January 6, 2016
A second Labour frontbencher resigns
Stephen Doughty has resigned as a shadow foreign minister.
BREAKING: Shadow Foreign Minister @SDoughtyMP resigns, live on BBC Daily Politics
— Tom Barton (@tombarton) January 6, 2016
Updated
Labour's full 'charge sheet' of disloyal comments by McFadden that got him the sack
According to Labour sources, Pat McFadden was not just sacked because of the question he asked in the Commons that was interpreted as an attack on Jeremy Corbyn. (See 8.26am and 9.28am.) Apparently there were five or six items on the “charge sheet” against him (their phrase, not mine). He and Michael Dugher were seen as “the two people who have been most disloyal”.
Here are some of the other things McFadden said that are being cited by Labour sources as reasons for his dismissal.
- Stressing when he was appointed a shadow minister that he did not agree with Corbyn on everything. He said:
I continued to serve on the basis that we would campaign to remain in the EU. Agreeing to serve doesn’t mean I have changed my mind about everything else.
- Describing Corbyn’s first week as leader as “pretty rocky”.
- Giving an interview to Dermot Murnaghan in October saying Labour must not be a protest party. McFadden said:
There’s a difference between being a party of protest and a party of government. And I think one of the important things for him [Corbyn] is to make that transition as a politician from one of protest to one - at least potentially - of government. Because they are not the same thing.
- Posting a tweet saying it was “Good to hear John Reid on the radio this morning” after Reid used an interview after the Paris attacks to say it had been “sad” to hear the party’s comments on security issues. Reid suggested the party was going back to the days of Militant.
- Saying that it would be “petty and divisive” to have a “revenge reshuffle”.
Some of the strongest criticism of Jeremy Corbyn’s reshuffle this morning has come from former party staffers. Here are three more of them who have spoken out.
From David Clark, Robin Cook’s former special adviser
The reason offered for sacking @patmcfaddenmp is disturbing. Is it now against Labour policy to blame terrorists for their own actions?
— David Clark (@David_K_Clark) January 6, 2016
From Tom Baldwin, Ed Miliband’s former communications chief
Wrong to sack @patmcfaddenmp. He got Corbyn into a sensible place on EU - a position that looks like the exception which proves the rule.
— Tom Baldwin (@TomBaldwin66) January 6, 2016
From Adrian McMenamin, a former Labour chief press officer and special adviser during the Blair years
What did you do to save the Labour Party daddy? I issued a tweet that expressed mild annoyance and then went to the Shadow Cabinet meeting
— adrian mcmenamin (@adrianmcmenamin) January 6, 2016
Jonathan Reynolds has told Radio 5 Live that it was the sacking of Pat McFadden that finally persuaded him to resign from the Labour frontbench.
Jonathan Reynolds has told @bbc5live he's stood down from the shadow front bench after Pat McFadden's sacking pushed him "over the edge".
— Rob Watts (@Rob_Watts) January 6, 2016
Last night Labour sources were saying that Michael Dugher was not just sacked for disloyalty. “Incompetence” was also a factor, they said. That came as a surprise, because generally Dugher was thought to have done a good job as shadow culture secretary. When I sought clarification of this this morning, I was told there has been “some public criticism [of Dugher] around lack of activity around media ownership”. As evidence, a party source referred to this Guardian article (which was actually published after Dugher was sacked.)
Updated
Chuka Umunna, the former shadow business secretary, has paid tribute on Twitter to Jonathan Reynolds.
Sad to see @jreynoldsMP leave our f/bench - a huge talent who will now make a big contribution promoting Labour values from the backbenches
— Chuka Umunna (@ChukaUmunna) January 6, 2016
Jeremy Corbyn has responded to Jonathan Reynolds’ resignation letter, according to a Labour source. Corbyn told Reynolds that they both “shared a passion for railways” and he wished him well. Labour claim they are not expecting any further resignations.
The reshuffle is not yet over, and further frontbench changes will be announced later today, possibly before PMQs. But they will only involve “small changes”, the source says.
Hilary Benn says he has not been 'muzzled'
Hilary Benn, the shadow foreign secretary, was asked by reporters as he left his home this morning if he had been “muzzled” as a result of the new conditions imposed on him. (See 9.28am.) No, said Benn. He told the BBC:
I haven’t been muzzled. I’m going to be carrying on doing my job exactly as before, which is speaking for Labour on foreign policy, supporting Jeremy Corbyn and campaign really hard to get Labour elected at the next general election.
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Jonathan Reynolds has told Sky News that sacking Pat McFadden was “a real mistake”.
Jonathan Reynolds, who just quit frontbench, tells me Pat McFadden was "the hardest working frontbench MP" & sacking him was a"real mistake"
— Sophy Ridge (@SophyRidgeSky) January 6, 2016
The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg reckons three more shadow ministers could resign.
3 others almost certain to follow, maybe more - Corbyn's team confident no big names but damage nonetheless
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) January 6, 2016
Full text of Jonathan Reynolds' resignation letter
Here is the full text of Jonathan Reynolds’ resignation letter.
Dear Jeremy
I am writing to you to resign from my position as shadow rail minister in the transport team.
I have enjoyed the role a great deal and particularly the discussions I have had with you personally. I believe you to be sincere and passionate in your commitment to public transport, which I welcome a great deal. I would also like to say that Lilian Greenwood MP has been an excellent leader of the transport team as shadow secretary of state.
However, I have always seen your election as Labour leader as a catalyst for the Labour party to have a wide debate about its future and policy positions. This is a debate I welcome and want to be part of. I feel the best way to do this is to not be a member of the Labour frontbench team at this time, which would then allow me to have more freedom to engage in these arguments. I believe Labour needs to work out how to build an economy that generates a much greater degree of prosperity, is much more successful at tackling inequality and poverty, and which is radical in pursuing more democratic and inclusive political change, such as via electoral reform. I understand your need for a greater degree of discipline on the frontbench and there believe it would be more appropriate to advocate these causes as a backbencher.
Although I was personally against the proposal to extend airstrikes into Syria, I cannot in good conscience endorse the world view of the Stop the War Coalition, who I believe to be fundamentally wrong in their assessment and understanding of the threats the UK faces. The security and well-being of my constituents must always be my first consideration, and I therefore believe my colleague Pat McFadden was right to condemn those who would to any degree absolve Isis [Islamic State] for their actions following the atrocities in Paris.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Reynolds
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Shadow minister resigns partly in protest against sacking of McFadden
Jonathan Reynolds has resigned from Labour’s frontbench. He says he is resigning partly in protest against the sacking of Pat McFadden.
He was a shadow rail minister.
I have this morning resigned from the Labour frontbench - https://t.co/Sdvrho3HED
— Jonathan Reynolds MP (@jreynoldsMP) January 6, 2016
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Matthew Doyle, another Downing Street adviser from the Tony Blair era, has put out a statement criticising the sacking of Pat McFadden. Doyle, who also spent five years as Blair’s political director after Blair left office, said:
This has been petty and vindictive stuff. Labour’s problem is very simple: not enough people voted for the party at the last election. Nothing that has happened since the leader’s office started talking about a revenge reshuffle before Christmas has done anything to help that.
Pat McFadden is a Labour loyalist who has shown himself to dedicated campaigner, thoughtful strategist and excellent communicator since he first started working for the party under John Smith.
Pat had shown his love of party in wanting to serve under Jeremy Corbyn, proving himself to be an effective Europe spokesman, who frequently got the better of the Tories. At least the leader’s office aren’t pretending that firing Pat McFadden had anything to do with his competence in that crucial Europe job.
But to chose to remove such an effective politician as Pat McFadden from this role so close to the referendum shows Jeremy Corbyn has abandoned any idea of the new politics he professed just a few months ago when appointing these people, whose views he well knew at the time, and that he has now unceremoniously fired.
Michael Dugher, who was sacked yesterday as shadow culture secretary, has been speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield. He suggested Labour was losing touch with “ordinary decent people”. According to the BBC, he said:
I will fight very hard to get a Labour party that is actually in touch with ordinary decent people - most of them in the centre ground ... We’ve got to get Labour back in touch with a lot of those traditional working class communities where, if we’re being honest, we’ve lost a lot of support over the years.
The New Statesman’s George Eaton says two shadow ministers may resign today following the reshuffle.
Shadow defence minister Kevan Jones and shadow foreign affairs minister Stephen Doughty may resign today, Labour source tells me.
— George Eaton (@georgeeaton) January 6, 2016
Two former Labour special advisers from the Blair years have been criticising what McDonnell had to say in his Today interview (see 9.28am) on Twitter.
This is from Lance Price, who was a Downing Street spin doctor and Labour’s head of communications.
@johnmcdonnellMP floundering trying to claim @patmcfaddenmp undermined Corbyn 'numerous times'. Sacked for speaking good sense.
— Lance Price (@mrlanceprice) January 6, 2016
@johnmcdonnellMP tying himself in knots. Incoherent. When is a free vote not a free vote? When Corbyn allows one.
— Lance Price (@mrlanceprice) January 6, 2016
@johnmcdonnellMP floundering trying to claim @patmcfaddenmp undermined Corbyn 'numerous times'. Sacked for speaking good sense.
— Lance Price (@mrlanceprice) January 6, 2016
And this is from Ian McKenzie, who worked for John Prescott and other ministers
Of course McDonnell's interview was only a car crash if you think it's important to win a general election.
— Ian McKenzie (@iMcKenzied) January 6, 2016
This is what the Labour MP Wes Streeting tweeted about the reshuffle last night.
Gutted about @patmcfaddenmp. Crucial year with EU ref and we've lost an experienced heavyweight. What a shower.
— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) January 5, 2016
The “shower” seems to be the Labour leadership.
Here is the Labour reshuffle summarised in a diagram.
The shadow reshuffle charted #LabourReshuffle pic.twitter.com/0qwGV2jJ9l
— Institute for Gov (@instituteforgov) January 6, 2016
John McDonnell's interviews - Summary
Here are the main points from the two interviews that John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, has given this morning, on the Today programme and on BBC News.
- McDonnell said that Pat McFadden was sacked because he “distorted” Jeremy Corbyn’s views on terrorism.
What [McFadden has] done on a number of occasions is unfortunately distorted Jeremy’s views and turned that into almost a personalised undermining of Jeremy. To be frank, if you want to do that, go to the backbenches and express your views ...
[McFadden’s Commons question about terrorism - see 8.26am] played into an agenda that was distorting Jeremy’s views on the issue of how we tackle terrorism ... All the media interpreted that as an attack on Jeremy Corbyn. When Pat says something like that, he’s been a politician, he’s been around a long while, he knows the way that will be interpreted.
McDonnell said that the Commons question was not the only reason for McFadden being sacked. There had been a number of articles and interviews that had caused problems, he said.
- McDonnell said Corbyn agreed with McFadden that terrorists were responsible for what they did. When pressed about McFadden’s Commons question, McDonnell said that it was not what McFadden said that was unacceptable. McDonnell suggested that the problem was that McFadden was implying that Corbyn did believe there were excuses for terrorism.
- McDonnell said that Hilary Benn had agreed that he would stay on as shadow foreign secretary on condition that he would never contradict Corbyn on policy from the frontbench again, as he did over Syria. McDonnell said:
Hilary Benn has ensured that he will work more closely with Jeremy in the future and that he will be representing the views of the Labour party, the parliamentary Labour party, and when it comes down to a future debate, we won’t have a situation where he will be speaking from the frontbench when there’s a major disagreement on policy and where the parliamentary Labour party is in a majority against him ...
[Benn] has recognised the mandate that Jeremy Corbyn has from our members, an overwhelming mandate, and he will recognise his leadership on these issues ... On issues like [Syria], Jeremy will represent the parliamentary Labour party on the frontbench ... It will be the leader of the Labour party that will express the parliamentary Labour party’s views from the frontbench. It will not be someone who disagrees with that.
- McDonnell said that party members and Labour conference will decide the party’s policy on Trident, not Labour MPs. The national executive committee would decide how members would be consulted. A decision would then go to conference, he said. He said the parliamentary Labour party would then be expected to implement that. He said that the appointment of Emily Thornberry as shadow defence minister would not change this process, although he acknowledged that, unlike her predecessor, Maria Eagle, she was critical of Trident. McDonnell did not say anything about Labour’s national policy forum having a role in this process.
- McDonnell said that Corbyn had conducted the reshuffle in a consensual way and that it did not matter if the media criticised him for taking too long.
[Corbyn] is a very caring and considerate person and he wanted to listen to people’s views. He wanted to be as inclusive as possible in reviewing our performance over the last few months, so literally he’s been bringing people in, taking their advice, talking to them, taking his time properly and not playing - I have to be frank - not playing the media game of wanting quick decisions, but getting the right decisions - and that’s what’s happened ...
You have got to get used to this new politics, which is about making sure that you make the right decisions, you include people and you take your time over that.
- McDonnell said that Corbyn had “set the trend” on free votes and that David Cameon was “adopting some elements of our new politics” because he decided yesterday to give ministers a free vote on the EU referendum.
- McDonnell played down the significance of the many shadow cabinet ministers speaking out yesterday to say they regretted Michael Dugher’s sacking. He said:
I saw some of the tweets that were going out yesterday and naturally, when a friend of yours has lost their job you want to express some support and solidarity for them and wish them well for the future and that’s what’s happened. I have to say some shadow cabinet members have expressed views privately that they have understood why these decisions have been made and I respect their views as well.
I’ve taken some of the quotes from PoliticsHome.
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The Labour MP Ian Austin has posted messages on Twitter strongly criticising the shadow cabinet reshuffle.
Sacking @patmcfaddenmp is vindictive and stupid. A serious, credible & popular shadow minister, respected & liked on all sides of PLP.
— Ian Austin (@IanAustinMP) January 5, 2016
Reshuffle news: @MichaelDugher sacked for calling for unity, @patmcfaddenmp for criticising ISIS. @meaglemp moved for backing party policy
— Ian Austin (@IanAustinMP) January 6, 2016
And Liz Kendall, the unsuccessful leadership contender, has also posted a message on Twitter suggesting she thinks McFadden’s sacking was unfair.
Well said @patmcfaddenmp: terrorists are responsible for their actions; no-1 makes them rape or behead people or throw gay men off buildings
— Liz Kendall (@leicesterliz) January 6, 2016
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Here’s a nice line from the overnight briefing on the reshuffle, from BuzzFeed’s Jim Waterson.
Why did Labour reshuffle take so long? labour source: "A reflection of Jeremy Corbyn's desire to engage in genuine debate and consultation."
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) January 6, 2016
After the reshuffle there are now 17 women and 14 men in the shadow cabinet, Labour said last night.
McFadden's Commons statement about apologists for terrorism that led to his sacking
This is the question that Pat McFadden asked David Cameron in the House of Commons after the Paris attacks that McFadden says led to him being sacked by Jeremy Corbyn. (See 8.04pm.) McFadden asked.
Can I ask the prime minister to reject the view that sees terrorist acts as always being a response or a reaction to what we in the West do? Does he agree with me that such an approach risks infantilising the terrorists and treating them as children when the truth is they are adults entirely responsible for what they do. No one forces them to kill innocent people in Paris or Beirut and unless we are clear about that we will fail even to be able to understand the threat we face let alone confront it and ultimately overcome it.
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Q: What is happening to the defence review? Or have you settled on a unilateralist policy?
McDonnell says the national executive committee will decide how members will be consulted. A proposal will go to conference. The parliamentary party will then be expected to accept party policy.
Q: Is it now more likely that the party will adopt a unilateralist policy?
McDonnell says the process has not changed.
Labour believes in democracy. Members will decide the policy.
And that’s it. The interview is over.
I will post a summary of McDonnell’s two interviews this morning, and the other interviews we’ve had, shortly.
Q: This seems thin-skinned. You are saying the substance of what McFadden said was fine, but that it was just how it was interpreted.
McDonnell says you have to look at the context. This played into a view of how Corbyn’s views were being misinterpreted. McFadden knew how his words would be interpreted.
Q: Has Hilary Benn been gagged?
McDonnell says he will work closely with Corbyn in the future. There won’t be occasions in the future when he contradicts Corbyn.
Q: But there was a free vote on Syria?
McDonnell says David Cameron is giving Tories a free vote on Europe. So he has accepted some elements of the new politics.
In future Corbyn will set the party’s policy on foreign affairs.
Q: Does this mean Benn will not be able to say what he has said in the past.
No, says McDonnell. People will be able to express their views.
But the leader of the Labour party will express the party’s views.
Q: So, if there is a free vote, Benn will not be able to express his views from the frontbench.
Yes, says McDonnell.
Q: That’s the old politics.
McDonnell says, under the old politics, Benn would not have been allowed in the shadow cabinet..
Q: McFadden said in the Commons that he rejected the idea that there was an excuse for terrorism. Is that unacceptable?
No, says McDonnell. But that was seen as distorting Corbyn’s views.
He says on a number of occasions McFadden has almost “distorted” Corbyn’s views.
If you want to do that, you should go to the backbenches, McDonnell says.
Q: Why did Pat McFadden go?
John McDonnell says Jeremy Corbyn needed to have confidence in someone in an important brief. He says McFadden had said things in interviews and articles that could be interpreted as critical of Corbyn.
John McDonnell's Today interview
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor and Jeremy Corbyn’s closest ally in the shadow cabinet, is about to be interviewed on the Today programme. Justin Webb is interviewing him.
Hilary Benn, who stays on as shadow foreign secretary, tweeted a tribute to Pat McFadden last night.
Pat McFadden made an outstanding contribution as shadow minister in arguing the case for Britain's place in EU. Privilege to work with him.
— Hilary Benn (@hilarybennmp) January 6, 2016
Finally it came to an end. Jeremy Corbyn finished his shadow cabinet reshuffle in the early hours this morning.
Here’s our live blog, which covered all the developments up to 1am. (My colleague Ben Quinn was in charge at that point, as I was happily in bed.)
And here’s Rowena Mason’s overnight story, explaining how Pat McFadden, the Europe minister, was sacked, and Emily Thornberry, a Trident sceptic, appointed shadow defence secretary.
But the repercussions and the analysis are coming this morning.
Both McFadden and John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, have already given interviews.
- McFadden said he was sacked because Corbyn disliked what he had said about apologists for terrorism after the Paris attacks. He told the Today programme.
After the Paris attacks we’d had statements about France ‘reaping the whirlwind’ of their own actions. And every time we have a terrorist attack we have this argument. What can we expect - that this is somehow not really the responsibility of those who carry out these attacks? I very much disagree with that view, I think it’s really important to understand the nature of the threat that we face and to be more robust in defence of our own societies, instead of somehow saying ‘this is always our fault’. I mean our society is not perfect, but I think we should be robust in favour of freedom of religion, in favour of equality between men and women, in favour of democracy and the rule of law and openness. I think when we say that ‘terrorist attacks are somehow our responsibility’; we run the danger of not defending our own societies strongly enough. So this was a difference of substance.
[Corbyn] clearly feels that me saying terrorists are entirely responsible for their action, that no one forces anyone to kill innocent people in Paris, to blow up the London underground, to behead innocent aid workers in Syria, that when I say they are entirely responsible for that, he clearly interpreted that as an attack on him. So you’d have to ask what is the difference between my view and his. And he’d have to explain that to you.
- McDonnell said the reshuffle was “never going to be this hyped-up Night of the Long Knives”. He told BBC Breakfast.
Jeremy Corbyn’s politics, the sort of new politics he’s introduced, is basically he’s a very caring and considerate person and he wanted to listen to people’s views. There’s been a lot of hype about this over the last couple of weeks. It was never going to be blood on the carpet. It was going to be a proper discussion. You’re going to have to get used to this new style of politics.
McDonnell will be on the Today programme shortly. I will be covering that in detail.
Later, at 12pm, we’ve got PMQs.
I will be focusing mainly on Labour this morning, and then doing PMQs.
If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on@AndrewSparrow.
I try to monitor the comments BTL but normally I find it impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer direct questions, although sometimes I miss them or don’t have time. Alternatively you could post a question to me on Twitter.
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