UK

HE ALREADY PURGED THE LEFT

Starmer shows new ruthless side as he prepares to purge party of ‘problematic’ MPs

Archie Mitchell
Fri, 1 September 2023

Sir Keir Starmer is prepared to demonstrate his ruthless side with a purge of “problematic” Labour MPs before the next election.

The Labour leader is reportedly considering getting rid of up to a dozen MPs, including Liam Byrne, Khalid Mahmood and Neil Coyle.

As part of a crackdown to prepare Labour for government, Sir Keir is drawing up plans to drop MPs who could damage the party.

Decisions about who may be blocked from standing will be based on “behavioural, reputational issues,” according to reports.

A source told The Times “the party is preparing to clear the field” and will “take on some of the MPs it doesn’t want to stand at the next election”.

Another said: “We just can’t afford to f*** up a potentially historic majority with internal bulls***, it’s not worth it, and we need people who are actually competent to be able to do their jobs as an MP, including questioning their own conduct.”

A full list of those who may be banned has not been confirmed.

Mr Coyle had the Labour whip restored in May having been suspended for using “abusive language with racial overtones” in a drunken encounter on the parliamentary estate.

Mr Mahmood was last year found by a tribunal to have unfairly dismissed his aide and ex-girlfriend after she felt “marginalised and isolated” in the months leading up to her losing her job.

And Mr Byrne was suspended from the Commons for bullying a member of staff. He was also responsible for the infamous “no money” note, left in the Treasury after Labour lost the 2010 election.

It is still used by the Tories to attack Labour.

The MPs have been contacted for comment.

Sir Keir previously said he had been “ruthless” to block former leader Jeremy Corbyn from standing as a Labour candidate at the next general election expected next year. He was accused by Momentum’s founder of behaving like a “Putin of the Labour Party” after his motion to block the ex-leader from running was backed by the National Executive Committee (NEC). However, he insisted the move would boost Labour’s chances.

It is thought he could use a similar mechanism to block other MPs from standing next year.