A key ally of Jeremy Corbyn has accused MPs of employing treacherous tactics designed to undermine Labour’s leader, as an analysis of the latest polls by a leading academic suggests the party is on course for its worst local election results for 35 years.
Len McCluskey, the head of the UK’s biggest union, Unite, claimed former shadow ministers Liz Kendall and Michael Dugher, Gordon Brown’s former aide Ian Austin and newly elected MP Wes Streeting have made interventions meant to damage Corbyn.
McCluskey’s intervention comes as a new projection conducted for the Guardian shows that Labour is on course to lose 175 council seats in Thursday’s elections .
Such a result would be the worst local election performance in opposition since 1982 when voting took place against the background of the Falklands war.
Labour’s performance in the first nationwide electoral test since Corbyn won the party leadership with an overwhelming majority last year is seen in Westminster as a day of reckoning.
The decision by McCluskey, the head of the the party’s main financial backer, to escalate the party’s row by naming names follows weeks of frustration over attacks by the party’s MPs on Corbyn.
It will be seen as a shot across the bows of some of Corbyn’s harshest critics to ensure there is not a leadership challenge after Thursday’s results come through.
Both McCluskey and Labour MP Diane Abbott, a longstanding Corbyn supporter, claimed on Sunday that the damaging row over antisemitism, sparked by Ken Livingstone’s controversial comments last week, are being manipulated for political ends.
In an interview with the Guardian, McCluskey said that some MPs had been “nothing short of treacherous” and set “stupid traps” for Corbyn and his supporters by claiming the party should win a certain number of seats.
“We have had Michael Dugher saying Jeremy has 99 days to prove himself and suddenly 5 May becomes a litmus test on Corbyn’s ability to lead the party.
“We have had Liz Kendall saying we should win 400 council seats. This is the woman who got 4.5% of the vote in the leadership election. We won’t be taking lectures off people like that who are interested in setting false traps,” he said.
McCluskey said two other MPs instigated an internal party row last month after protesting that the fast food chain McDonald’s had been banned from sponsoring a stall at Labour’s conference.
“People like Wes Streeting and Ian Austin going on about McDonald’s ... It is laughable. [McDonald’s] is viciously anti-trade union and is attacking the bakers’ union and has been ripping off young kids with zero-hours contracts. And suddenly we have Labour MPs coming to their rescue. It is not about McDonald’s – it is about attacking Jeremy Corbyn,” he said.
McCluskey predicted the party would lose seats in Scotland and Wales but said that such results should not spark any moves from within the party against Corbyn.
“[Corbyn’s team] have to be given time to get their message beyond the media who attack them every single day aided and abetted by a bunch of Labour MPs. It is as if they wake up every day and think ‘What stick can we beat Jeremy Corbyn with today?’” he said.
McCluskey claimed that Austin should face disciplinary procedures for showing “disrespect” to Corbyn after Austin, the MP for Dudley North, had reportedly confronted Corbyn at a recent parliamentary Labour party meeting.
Analysis Local elections 2016: how to judge what Labour's result will mean for the party
“Some of the individuals, including Ian Austin, are behaving despicably. Should that sort of disrespect be dealt with? I think it should, by the chief whip,” he said.
McCluskey was interviewed on Wednesday – after Labour MP Naz Shah apologised to parliament for writing that Israel could be moved to the US, but
before Livingstone made remarks appearing to claim that Adolf Hitler was a supporter of Zionism.
Austin said McCluskey’s attack was “really unfair”.
“I am very surprised that the leader of a union I have been a member of for 30 years would say something like this without contacting me.
“We are working really hard for these elections and everyone else should too,” he said.
Dugher said: “I am not apologising for standing against antisemitism and for urging the leadership to do more which eventually they did.
“Its not a ‘stupid test’ to say that the Labour party must show that we are capable of ever winning a general election. Too many of Len’s members can’t afford endless Conservative governments.”
In response, Kendall said the party should this week show “clear evidence” that it can win in 2020 and maintained that the party should be aiming to win 400 council seats.
“The people we came into politics to serve rely on us to deliver Labour councils and a realistic prospect of winning in 2020,” she said.
Streeting did not respond to a request for a comment.
Using the average of the latest opinion poll results, including the Opinium/Observer poll carried out after the antisemitism row last week, Steve Fisher, of Oxford University, one of the country’s leading elections experts, predicts that Labour could be on course for losses of 175 local council seats, while the Conservatives could gain 30.
On the national equivalent vote share, which tends to be a good predictor of subsequent general elections, Labour looks likely to be one percentage point behind the Conservatives, Fisher calculates – on a par with 2011.
That compares to the six-point lead achieved by Ed Miliband in the 2012 local elections; and approximately 15 points needed for a majority at a general election.
Labour MPs will also be watching the party’s performance in the Scottish parliament in Holyrood, and the Welsh assembly, closely. Some polls suggested Labour could even slip into third place in Scotland, behind a reinvigorated Conservative party led by the popular Ruth Davidson.
In Wales, Corbyn has been requested by his Labour colleagues not to visit, amid fears that his intervention would not be helpful in a hard-fought contest, with Ukip keen to pick up seats.
He has deliberately shifted his party to the left, basing its appeal on a strong anti-austerity message, which plays well in Labour heartlands. But if the party is to win a general election in 2020, it will also need to appeal to swing voters in traditionally Conservative areas.
Council elections are notoriously difficult to predict, and Fisher points out that Labour could yet make some gains – or even worse losses than his central projection, based on the Conservatives’ average poll lead of 3.8 percentage points, suggests.
But as well as the number of seats won or lost, Corbyn’s critics in parliament will also be closely watching the party’s performance in bellwether councils such as Crawley, where it currently has 19 seats against the Tories’ 18.
The Liberal Democrats could be set to win up to 90 local council seats this week, the new projections suggest, as they seek to rebuild their shattered power-base following the collapse of their share of the vote after they joined the coalition government in 2010.
At a May Day rally on Sunday, Corbyn insisted that Labour is “united” in opposing antisemitism. He has announced an independent review and pledged to tighten party codes of conduct in a bid to put a lid on the row – which has seen Shah and Livingstone suspended.
Corbyn has received warnings – including from the London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan - that the party would be punished in the 5 May elections.
Opponents have accused him of acting too slowly to deal with incidents, most notably Livingstone’s incendiary assertion that Hitler was a supporter of Zionism before he “went mad and ended up killing six million Jews”. Thanks for reading.
Freight train leaks hazardous material after derailing near Washington DC
A freight train derailed close to Washington DC early Sunday and is leaking hazardous material and causing disruption in the area of the capital.
More than 10 cars are understood to have left the tracks, a small portion of the long, 175-car southbound train. No injuries have been reported.
At least three cars are leaking a hazardous substance, according to Doug Buchanan, a spokesman for the District of Columbia fire department.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference that the leak was contained, but officials were not sure how much had leaked.
“The fumes should not cause you any problems and you should not be able to smell them anywhere else,” said DC Fire and EMS Deputy Chief John Donnelly.
It was not immediately clear what caused the derailment. Crews were inspecting the tracks, which are used by CSX, Metro and Amtrak, and were working to restore service. Photos tweeted by DC Fire and Emergency after the derailment showed cars in a zigzag line across the tracks.
Chris Nellum said he lives nearby and his window looks directly over the tracks.
The train derailed near the Rhode Island Avenue metro station shortly before 7am local time and the nearby avenue was closed to road traffic.
A witness told local radio station WTOP that he heard “this fantastic noise” outside his home on Sunday morning and rushed to the window, from where he could see the railroad tracks.
“I thought it was an airplane too close to the building. Then I looked out and I said, ‘Wow, the train turned over,’” said the local resident.
Buchanan said there were no evacuations of residents.
“It looks like our guys have got this pretty well contained. Two, possibly three, of the derailed cars are leaking hazardous material. Exactly what that is and the extent of the leak remains unclear,” he said.
At least one of the chemicals leaking from the damaged train is understood to be sodium hydroxide, according to the local NBC TV station, citing multiple sources at the scene.
Also known as lye and caustic soda, the odorless chemical may generate substantial heat when dissolved in water, which may be sufficient to ignite combustible materials, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The CDC said it could cause eye and skin irritation and burns when exposed. It is also damaging to the respiratory system if the fumes are inhaled.
Pictures posted on the fire department’s Twitter account showed several cars lying on their sides by the tracks on the main train route into the city, including tank cars, bulk material cars and box cars.
Authorities have not issued official instructions to local residents, but one near the scene told a local television station that he had been instructed to stay inside by firefighters.
Resident Chris Nellum said he lived nearby and his window looked directly over the tracks.
“I thought it was like a semi-truck coming toward the building, and when I looked out the window, I saw cars piling up,” said Nellum, who had just moved in the night before. “So I’m not even used to hearing trains. It was jarring.”
Nellum said his girlfriend tried to leave the area and was told to stay put, but she eventually found a way out.
“She’s an environmentalist, so she is very concerned about whatever is leaking,” he said.
The CSX train is owned by CSX Transportation, the international freight company based in Jacksonville, Florida. The company put out a statement later on Sunday morning to say that the service was heading towards Hamlet, North Carolina, from Cumberland, Maryland, when the derailment happened. The train was just under half empty, with 94 of the 175 cars loaded with freight.
A portion of the Washington DC metro service on the Red line has been suspended in the area with bus shuttles acting as a replacement for passenger train services.
An underground gas line was also ruptured during the derailment and gas supplies have been turned off in the area, although it is unclear how many people are affected by the closure, according to the local NBC station. Thanks for reading.
Your Military Policies Cannot Work, Ex-minister Tells Buhari
Former minister of education, Oby Ezekwesili has described as “archaic”, President Muhammdu Buhari’s economic policies for the country.
She affirmed that it was impossible for the policies used during the military regime to work in a democratic setting. She stated that the effect of the policies have been detrimental to the masses.
“What did not work in 1984 cannot possibly be a solution in a global economy that’s much more integrated”, she said at The Platform, a yearly programme organised by Covenant Christian Center on Saturday
Ezekwesili further said stressed that, “During the first coming of this our new president, a command and control economic system was adopted, and inflation spiralled, jobs were lost and the economic growth level dipped.
“In over one year, the president is still holding to the premise that command and control is the only way out, and we have lost the single digits inflation status we maintained in past administrations.
“The weakest and the most vulnerable suffer the impact of inflation the most. Enormous power is being abused as a result of archaic and opaque economic policies.”
Ezekwesili emphasized that the primary purpose of government is to provide security of lives and properties, as well as improve the welfare of the people.
She also criticized the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), saying the apex bank needs to “regain its autonomy”.
“We need to rethink the present monetary policy of the administration, actually the monetary policy was relatively safe guarded from political domination, it will do well to give a semblance of autonomy back to the Central Bank, so that the central bank would speak the language of economics and not this language of rhetoric and language of anecdote, and language of suppositions that are no longer premised on hard economic facts,” she said.
“It is important that the central bank will retrace its steps and get back in right monetary policy making. Its crucial. If we lost that, it’s going to be tough to regain.”
Leaked TTIP documents cast doubt on EU-US trade deal
Talks for a free trade deal between Europe and the US face a serious impasse with “irreconcilable” differences in some areas, according to leaked negotiating texts.
The two sides are also at odds over US demands that would require the EU to break promises it has made on environmental protection.
President Obama said last week he was confident a deal could be reached. But the leaked negotiating drafts and internal positions, which were obtained by Greenpeace and seen by the Guardian, paint a very different picture.
“Discussions on cosmetics remain very difficult and the scope of common objectives fairly limited,” says one internal note by EU trade negotiators. Because of a European ban on animal testing, “the EU and US approaches remain irreconcilable and EU market access problems will therefore remain,” the note says.
Talks on engineering were also “characterised by continuous reluctance on the part of the US to engage in this sector,” the confidential briefing says.
These problems are not mentioned in a separate report on the state of the talks, also leaked, which the European commission has prepared for scrutiny by the European parliament.
These outline the positions exchanged between EU and US negotiators between the 12th and the 13th round of TTIP talks, which took place in New York last week.
The public document offers a robust defence of the EU’s right to regulate and create a court-like system for disputes, unlike the internal note, which does not mention them.
Jorgo Riss, the director of Greenpeace EU, said: “These leaked documents give us an unparalleled look at the scope of US demands to lower or circumvent EU protections for environment and public health as part of TTIP. The EU position is very bad, and the US position is terrible. The prospect of a TTIP compromising within that range is an awful one. The way is being cleared for a race to the bottom in environmental, consumer protection and public health standards.”
US proposals include an obligation on the EU to inform its industries of any planned regulations in advance, and to allow them the same input into EU regulatory processes as European firms.
American firms could influence the content of EU laws at several points along the regulatory line, including through a plethora of proposed technical working groups and committees.
“Before the EU could even pass a regulation, it would have to go through a gruelling impact assessment process in which the bloc would have to show interested US parties that no voluntary measures, or less exacting regulatory ones, were possible,” Riss said.
The US is also proposing new articles on “science and risk” to give firms greater regulatory say. Disputes over pesticides residues and food safety would be dealt with by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Codex Alimentarius system.
Environmentalists say the body has loose rules on corporate influence, allowing employees of companies such as BASF, Nestle and Coca Cola to sit on – and sometimes lead – national delegations. Some 44% of its decisions on pesticides residues have been less stringent than EU ones, with 40% of rough equivalence and 16% being more demanding, according to Greenpeace.
GM foods could also find a widening window into Europe, with the US pushing for a working group to adopt a “low level presence initiative”. This would allow the import of cargo containing traces of unauthorised GM strains. The EU currently blocks these because of food safety and cross-pollination concerns.
The EU has not yet accepted the US demands, but they are uncontested in the negotiators’ note, and no counter-proposals have been made in these areas.
In January, the EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström said [pdf] the precautionary principle, obliging regulatory caution where there is scientific doubt, was a core and non-negotiable EU principle. She said: “We will defend the precautionary approach to regulation in Europe, in TTIP and in all our other agreements.” But the principle is not mentioned in the 248 pages of TTIP negotiating texts.
The European commission has also promised to safeguard environmental laws, defend international standards and protect the EU’s right to set high green benchmarks in future.
But the new leak will not placate critics of the deal, who have pointed to attempts by fossil fuel firms and others to influence its outcome, as a sign of things to come.
The EU negotiators internal note says “the US expressed that it would have to consult with its chemical industry on how to position itself” on issues of market access for non-agricultural goods.
Where industry lobbying in regulatory processes is concerned, the US also “insisted” that the EU be “required” to involve US experts in its development of electrotechnical standards. Thanks for reading.
Oshiomhole’s Deputy, Odubu Narrowly Escapes Assassination
Gunmen on Saturday opened fire on the convoy of Edo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that a policeman, an operative of the Department of State Security and three other persons were injured in the attack and were taken to an undisclosed hospital.
It will be recalled that Odubu on Wednesday formally declared his intention to contest the September 10 gubernatorial election in the state under the All Progressives Congress (APC) amidst wide speculation that Governor Adams Oshiomhole was not in support.
He was said to have left for Auchi and was meeting with some delegates when the gunmen suddenly appeared, firing gunshots at his convoy.
According to a source, Odubu was not injured in the attack.
“No, he was not injured but two our security men were injured. It was in Etsako West, in Auchi.
“We ran for our dear lives. They injured a policeman, an SSS operative and three civilians and destroyed canopies. We learnt that they were paid N1m to carry out the attack,” the source said.
Barack Obama in surprise swipe at Clinton at final correspondents' dinner
Barack Obama has taken satirical swipes at Donald Trump and, more surprisingly, Hillary Clinton and ended his final White House correspondents’ dinner by literally dropping the mic and departing with the words: “Obama out.”
In the traditional tongue-in-cheek address to the Washington press corps on Saturday night, the president lampooned the Republican frontrunner’s foreign policy and business credentials while also mercilessly mocking the efforts of his fellow Democrat to appeal to younger voters.
Obama did not linger on Trump for as long as some had expected during his half-hour speech, especially those who recall the correspondents’ dinner in 2011 where he roasted the celebrity tycoon as he sat in the room.
Watched by an audience that included politicians, journalists, actors and Trump’s two sons, he pretended to wind up his remarks before interrupting himself: “No, I’m just kidding, you know I’ve got to talk about Trump. We weren’t just going to stop there. Come on!
“Although I am a little hurt that he’s not here tonight. We had so much fun the last time. And it is surprising: you’ve got a room full of reporters, celebrities, cameras, and he says no. Is this dinner too tacky for The Donald? What could he possibly be doing instead? Is he at home eating a Trump steak, tweeting out insults to Angela Merkel? What’s he doing?”
Evidently relishing this election year, Obama then made reference to Trump’s former ownership of the Miss Universe beauty pageant. “The Republican establishment is incredulous that he is the most likely nominee,” he continued. “Incredulous! Shocking! They say Donald lacks the foreign policy experience to be president but, in fairness, he has spent years meeting with leaders from around the world. Miss Sweden. Miss Argentina. Miss Azerbaijan.”
As guests erupted in laughter, the candidate’s claim to be a winner in business was also targeted. “And there’s one area where Donald’s experience could be invaluable and that’s closing Guantanamo because Trump knows a thing or two about running waterfront properties into the ground.”
Obama said he had more material but would leave it there, prompting the crowd to beg for more. He went on to make a sardonic-but-serious point about the avalanche of media coverage devoted to Trump, who has warned that any attempt to deny him the Republican nomination at the party’s convention in Cleveland, Ohio, in July could lead to violent protests.
“I don’t want to spend too much time on The Donald,” he said. “Following your lead, I want to show some restraint because I think we can all agree that, from the start, he’s gotten the appropriate amount of coverage, befitting the seriousness of his candidacy. I hope y’all are proud of yourselves. The guy wanted to give his hotel business a boost and now we’re praying that Cleveland makes it through July.”
At that, Obama shook his head slightly and grunted: “Mmm, mmm, mmm. Mmm.”
Trump’s rival Ted Cruz received barbs for his recent reference to a “basketball ring” while campaigning in Indiana. Obama, whose father was Kenyan, said: “What else is in his lexicon? Baseball sticks? Football hats? But, sure, I’m the foreign one.”
But Obama’s fellow Democrats were not spared. When Obama hailed Sanders as “the bright new face of the Democratic party”, the white-haired, 74-year-old leftwinger, wearing a lounge suit instead of a tuxedo, rose to acknowledge audience applause. The president said: “I am hurt, though, Bernie, that you’ve been distancing yourself a little from me. I mean, that’s just not something that you do to your comrade.”
He then compared Sanders’ slogan, “Feel the Bern”, to an imagined one for Clinton that flashed up on screens: “Trudge up the Hill”, with the image of an “H” pushing a rock up a slope. “You’ve got to admit it though, Hillary trying to appeal to young voters is a little bit like your relative who just signed up for Facebook. ‘Dear America, did you get my poke? Is it appearing on your wall? I’m not sure I’m using this right. Love, Aunt Hillary.’ It’s not entirely persuasive.”
Clinton was also on the receiving end when Obama began his remarks by apologising for being late. He explained: “I was running on CPT, which stands for ‘jokes that white people should not make’” – a reference to a recent sketch by New York mayor Bill de Blasio and Clinton in which she castigated him for endorsing her so late, and he claimed to have been “running on CP time” (“coloured-people time”).
Obama went on: “Here we are, my eighth and final appearance at this unique event and I am excited. If this material works well I’m going to use it at Goldman Sachs next year. Earn me some serious Tubmans,” – references to Clinton’s lucrative speeches on Wall Street and the recent decision to put the founder of the Underground Railroad on the national currency.
As in past years, Obama made himself the butt of some of jokes, reflecting on the imminent end of his presidency. “I’m grey, grizzled, just counting down the days to my death panel.” He added: “Even some foreign leaders have been looking ahead, anticipating my departure. Last week, Prince George showed up to our meeting in his bathrobe. That was a slap in the face. A clear breach of protocol.”
But he also noted: “In my final year, my approval ratings keep going up. The last time I was this high, I was trying to decide on my major.” He said he and his aides were mystified as to the cause of his popularity, while the video feed cut to a pictures of Cruz and Trump.
There was also a spoof video, “Couch Commander”, in which Obama and old foe John Boehner, former speaker of the House, united to consider life after leaving office.
Obama made a glancing reference to TV series Game of Thrones, described British actor Helen Mirren as “awesome” and, in paying tribute to vice-president Joe Biden, took a backwards swipe at George W Bush’s deputy Dick Cheney. “I love Joe Biden, I really do. I want to thank him for his friendship, his counsel, for always giving it to me straight. For not shooting anybody in the face.”
The president’s speech clearly tickled the audience in the Washington Hilton ballroom that included Biden, John Kerry, Republican party chairman Reince Priebus, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and actors Mirren, Jared Leto, Bryan Cranston, Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, and Tom Hiddleston.
Turning serious at the end, the president thanked the White House correspondents and praised a free press. “I just have two more words to say: Obama out.” With that, he held out the mic and dropped it, just as basketball star Kobe Bryant had recently done at the end of his last game.
Obama proved a hard act to follow. Comedian Larry Wilmore’s routine had a more mixed reception, with gags about the media prompting groans but other lines hitting the mark. He ended on a poignant and unexpected note. “When I was a kid, I lived in a country where people couldn’t accept a black quarterback,” Wilmore said. “Now think about that. A black man was thought by his mere colour not good enough to lead a football team. And now to live in your time, Mr President, when a black man can lead the entire free world. Words alone do me no justice. So, Mr President, if I’m going to keep it 100.”
Wilmore pounded his chest and said: “Yo, Barry, you did it, my nigga!”
The Washington Hilton ballroom was crowded with celebrities. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders joined vice president Joe Biden, secretary of state John Kerry and other government officials. Thanks for reading.
Sheriff Includes SHOCKING Clause In PDP’s Proposed Constitution Amendment
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ali Modu Sheriff, in his proposed amendment to the party’s constitution has requested members of the party, including the BoT to consult him before holding any meeting.
This move followed stiff opposition by the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party to his (Sheriff’s) desire to contest the chairmanship of the party at its national convention scheduled for May 21.
Unlike before, the BoT, of which the national chairman is a member, does not need his permission to hold its meeting.
It is a statutory organ of the party with powers to act on its conscience.
However, in the proposed amendment, which was meant to be discussed at the last meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee, Sheriff is proposing that he needed to be consulted before such organ of the party could meet.
Under PART 1X, Board of Trustees, Meetings of the BoT, the proposed amendment says that “The BoT shall meet at the instance of the Chairman in consultation with the national chairman of the party or at the request of half of the members of the Board or following a resolution of the Board or the NEC request for such a meeting.”
The current constitution of the party merely stated that the “The Board of Trustees shall meet at the instance of the chairman or at the request of half of the members of the board or following a resolution of the board or the national executive committee requesting for such a meeting.”
The proposed amendment to the party’s constitution was included as part of the agenda of the last NEC meeting, which was held in Abuja on Thursday.
Thanks for reading.
