Wednesday 18 January 2017

Stoke-on-Trent Central Selection Timetable

The timetable for the selection of the Labour candidate for Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election has been agreed by the NEC and was posted up on Membersnet earlier on today. And what a shocker it is. Most of the time, the Labour Party is a sclerotic beast that ambles about slowly. The selection demonstrates it can move lightning fast when occasion demands. Hold on to your hats ...

Applications have to be received by party headquarters by 10am Monday 23rd January.

Longlisted candidates will be notified later that day and invited to an interview by the NEC shortlisting panel on Tuesday 24th January.

Once the interviews are completed, they will make a shortlist and notify the candidates of the outcome.

The selection meeting by the good comrades of Stoke-on-Trent Central Labour Party takes place on Wednesday 25th January.

Shiver me timbers, I've seen long selections, short selections, and stitched selections, but never one married to such a tight timetable. This time next week we will have a Labour candidate in place who will (hopefully) go on to be the next MP for Stoke Central!

Why the hurry? The Christian People's Alliance caught everyone on the hop by announcing their by-election candidate on Tuesday. Of slightly more significance, UKIP are due to select on Friday. The papers are convinced it's Nuttall, but the kipper skipper is staying mum. I can't imagine local UKIP supremo Mick Harold would be too happy. Here he is, years of hard work and gruelling campaigning only for the leader to parachute onto his turf to tell him to bugger off. Could history repeat itself? I for one would welcome Nuttall's decision to stand, because it provides Labour a fantastic opportunity to give him the drubbing he so thoroughly deserves. We have the means. If we select the right candidate and carefully choose our platform, we'll have the ways.

While we're talking about internal competitive elections for the Labour Party, I might as well announce my candidacy ... for the chair of City Centre Branch of Stoke Central CLP. If you're a member of the branch, I hope you can make the meeting at 6.30 on Friday and that I can count on your support.

6 comments:

jim mclean said...

"The selection meeting by the good comrades of Stoke-on-Trent Central Labour Party takes place on Wednesday 25th January."

Whisky, Haggis and Tartan essential.

"... labour to support
A haughty lordling's pride."

Robert Burns

Anonymous said...

It's just called Central BLP

Phil said...

Not to those who know it!

Gary Elsby said...

A non-Corbyn candidate is suicide.
Not to worry though, I'll carry his flag.

Paul said...

Wonder if the NEC have learned any lessons about meddling in local politics and thereby setting off shock waves of apathy in working class people?

Last time I voted Labour was for a parachuted in candidate in Wallasey in 1992 by the name of Angela Eagle. Who went on to betray her own party and later her own party members last June.

They remain suspended on trumped up charges to this day.

Lidl_Janus said...

As someone who has only ever been a three-quidder for the Labour Party, and who has no association whatsoever with Stoke-on-Trent (although I have, in my defence, crossed the River Trent), and who has no media training either, I nonetheless put myself forward, because my "everything is pointless, vote for me anyway" platform captures the mood of Brexit Britain, its joyous combination of nihilism and shameless opportunism.

You all know it makes sense.

"Who went on to betray her own party"

By not winning, I assume.