A tight selection battle to be Labour’s candidate for the safe seat of Lewisham East could be shaped by differing opinions on Brexit, with party members scheduled to meet on Saturday to make their choice for June’s parliamentary byelection.
Whoever becomes the Labour candidate is all-but-guaranteed to represent the south London seat vacated by Heidi Alexander, who secured a majority of 21,000 at last year’s general election. Alexander is departing to take up a job as Sadiq Khan’s deputy mayor for transport in the capital.
Labour leftwingers are divided about who they will back in the contest. Momentum is campaigning for Sakina Sheikh, who joined the party to vote for Jeremy Corbyn in 2015. But the Unite trade union, which is Labour’s biggest donor, with close links to Corbyn’s office, is supporting the NEC member Claudia Webbe.
Sheikh told the Guardian she believed the fact that she has lived in Lewisham all her life – in contrast with Webbe, who is a councillor in Islington, north London – meant she was better placed to understand the local community.
“I think Claudia Webbe is a fantastic Labour party activist – I admire her work,” she said, but she added: “As someone who lives in Islington, and comes from Islington, she can’t know what the people of Lewisham need.”
Webbe has the backing of the shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, who has been tweeting enthusiastically in support of her cause, describing her as a “formidable campaigner”.
"I've campaigned alongside @ClaudiaWebbe for decades.
— Diane Abbott (@HackneyAbbott) May 16, 2018
She's a formidable campaigner against the Tory's reactionary agenda, & she would be an incredible asset to our parliamentary team as we seek to get @jeremycorbyn into number 10. Please give her your support"#Forthemany#JC4PM pic.twitter.com/hCkHdeEbFs
Local Labour sources believe the frontrunners for selection are Sheikh and Janet Daby, the deputy mayor of Lewisham, who have different approaches towards Labour’s Brexit policy.
Daby has made clear she will follow the lead set by Alexander, who was co-chair of the Labour single market campaign, urging the party’s frontbench to adopt a softer Brexit position.
I know how concerned people are about Brexit in #LewishamEast and I will always put the interest of our community first. I believe we should stay in both the single market and customs union. Plse RT #JanetDaby4MP pic.twitter.com/8Zxuv10y8i
— Janet Daby (@JanetDaby) May 17, 2018
In a tweet, Daby said she knew “how concerned people are about Brexit” in the strongly pro-remain constituency, and would “put the interest of our community first” by supporting continued membership of the single market and customs union.
Sheikh has said she would differ from Alexander and back the leadership over Brexit. “South Londoners don’t have strops, they make history,” she tweeted.
I understand the anger of many on Brexit but I wouldn't defy the party whip on the issue
— Sakina Sheikh (@SakinaZS) May 17, 2018
I want Lewisham East to be represented in govt. South Londoners don't have strops, they make history. I'll be part of a government ensuring any deal has consent & won't harm the economy >
Corbyn has suggested he fears key aspects of the single market could tie the hands of a future Labour government.
Members of the local Labour party will choose the candidate at a hustings on Saturday morning.
Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats hope to use the byelection to send a message to the Labour leadership about Brexit. The Lib Dem leader, Vince Cable, said: “We would aim to cut the majority substantially.”
“The big picture issue is Corbyn and Brexit; why is he hand-in-glove with Theresa May on Brexit? We will major on that issue,” he said. Cable has already visited the constituency once, and will return at the weekend.
