TSSA “deeply dismayed” at Jeremy Corbyn Labour NEC decision

Transport union TSSA expresses “deep dismay” following the Labour NEC vote passing a motion forbidding Jeremy Corbyn MP to stand as a Labour candidate at the next general election.

TSSA is affiliated to the Labour Party, was a prominent backer of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader, and has a representative on the Party’s NEC. TSSA’s NEC member, Nicola Jukes, spoke against the motion and voted against it, along with 11 other NEC members.

The motion was passed by 22 votes to 12 – not the resounding margin the Labour leadership were hoping for.

Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, Labour achieved its best election result in 16 years at the 2017 election and forced a hung parliament, with a vote split of 42% for the Conservatives and 40% for Labour. Labour’s 2017 result was the highest vote share since 2001 and represented Labour’s highest increase in vote share between two general elections since 1945. Under Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Party membership was more than half a million, making it the largest political party in western Europe. None of this is reflected in the NEC motion.

Nicola Jukes, TSSA Labour NEC member, said: “TSSA is deeply dismayed by today's NEC vote which passed this wholly undemocratic motion. 

“We strongly believe in the democratic right of Labour members, in the constituency parties (CLPs) to choose their own candidates. Today’s motion regarding Jeremy Corbyn was a cowardly move by the leadership and flies in the face of both Labour values and our democratic principles.

“The passing of this motion, on top of so many disappointing actions under Keir Starmer’s leadership, will prompt difficult discussions about Labour affiliation within our union. This is not what we need in the face of a Tory government bearing down on working people.

“Let us not forget, Jeremy Corbyn inspired a whole new generation of people to become active in Labour politics and achieved better results than many other Labour leaders.”