Withdraw The Whip From The 172

The 172 Labour MP's that supported a motion of no confidence by the PLP, was unconstitutional.  It deliberately breached the party's rules determining the election of, and challenges to the party leader.  That vote together with the staged resignations of some of those 172 who were front bench spokespeople was clearly planned way in advance, as has been the staged support for those manoeuvres by the Tory media.  In other words, these were attempts at a coup against the party, by a party acting in its own interests within the Labour Party.  It is no different from the actions of the Militant Tendency in the 1980's that saw its members expelled, including the closing down of entire CLP's, or the actions of the SDP, which saw it split from the party, and join up with the Liberals.

A few weeks ago, as a result of press reports about Tweets by Naz Shah, she had the Labour whip withdrawn, and was suspended from the party by the NEC, for bringing the party into disrepute.  It is quite clear that by acting as a party within a party, mostly organised around the Progress organisation, and by undertaking an unconstitutional action in organising a vote of no confidence in the democratically elected party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, the 172 have brought the party into disrepute, at a time when the focus should be on attacking Cameron, Johnson and the other Tories, who have brought chaos and crisis to the country by their EU Referendum, which itself was only undertaken for reasons internal to Tory party factional manoeuvres.

Over the next two days, Corbyn and the Chief Whip, should, therefore, call in, individually, the members of this 172, and withdraw the Labour Whip from them.  He should begin with the initiators of that coup attempt.  Its fitting that the initiator of the no confidence vote was Dame Margaret Hodge, given that their performance so far has been a pantomime, that is farcical in its extent, given the serious events going on in the country, and the extent to which they have shown themselves completely at odds with, and out of touch with, not just the vast majority of party members, but also of Labour voters too.

At the same time, Naz Shah, along with a number of other Labour Party members were suspended for bringing the party into disrepute for their statements in relation to anti-semitism.  Interestingly, John Mann MP, who brought the party into disrepute, with his obviously staged, and publicity seeking attack on Ken Livingstone, at BBC headquarters, was not suspended.  The party must act even handedly against those that bring it into disrepute by their public statements and actions.

The members of the Progress party must be given the same degree of fairness, in being suspended, prior to their expulsion, as were the members of Militant, and other organisations in the 1980's, and 1990's.  However, the members of Militant, and these other groups never launched the kind of coup against the democratically elected leader of the party that the 172 have launched, backed by Progress.

By withdrawing the whip from the 172, it would mean that they could no longer intervene in PLP meetings, and so the real PLP, behind Corbyn, would be freed to get on with its work of leading the party freed from the destructive actions of the wreckers.  It is a necessary preliminary step prior to deselecting these 172, and their supporters on local councils, and in the European Parliament.  The actions need to be backed up with the planned democratic reforms at Labour Party Conference that are also being backed by the trades unions, which will start to ensure that the party is returned completely to its members.

The writing should now be clearly on the wall to the 172, and the Progress party, and other such right-wing entryist groups.  If they have any remaining shred of decency and principle they will go now, and find their natural home with the Liberal-Tories.