Jeremy Corbyn promoted then ‘sacked’ Labour MP within 24 hours – the day she started cancer treatment
Thangam Debbonaire also said Corbyn's half-hearted pro-EU campaign was 'unforgiveable'
A LABOUR MP has told how she was promoted then 'sacked' within 24hours from Labour’s frontbench without a word from Jeremy Corbyn - the day she started cancer treatment.
Thangam Debbonaire claimed the first she knew about her surprising appointment as shadow arts minister was reading a press release in her Bristol office.
She got straight to work on the Party’s arts policy for six weeks as she underwent radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer before she was well enough to head back to Westminster.
But the day before her return, the hard-left leader called to say there had been a major mix-up which meant fellow frontbencher Chi Onwurah had her job all along.
In an extraordinary statement on Facebook, she said: “Mr Corbyn appointed me and press released this without my knowledge or consent whilst I was in the middle of cancer treatment.
“He then sacked me the next day when he realised he had given away part of someone else's role.
"But didn't bother to tell me that either.”
She claims to have found it “near on impossible” to set up talks with Mr Corbyn over the blunder and when she did eventually meet him “he had nothing to say. No idea what to do.”
Statement in full
Dear everyone who has asked me what my problems are with Corbyn's leadership,
Here is my experience.
Mr Corbyn appointed me and press released this without my knowledge or consent whilst I was in the middle of cancer treatment. He then sacked me the next day when he realized he had given away part of someone else's role. But didn't bother to tell me that either. By then my office had been besieged by press and the story was out that I was Shadow Minister. I decided to make the best of it and to serve. I worked on his Arts policy whilst I was still having treatment but in Bristol..
When I went back to Westminster, I discovered that he had sacked me but hadn't told me and did not have any ideas for how I was supposed to explain it to Bristol West members or constituents. I was then faced with the choice of telling the truth - that he had made a series of errors, and inevitably thereby face a pile of criticism from his supporters - or say I had changed my mind about accepting the role - and thereby face a pile of criticism from.his supporters. And I knew the pile would arrive because I had seen how it went for others who had resigned. And because Corbyn supporters had already piled into me for disloyalty when I had had to miss votes for cancer treatment.
I then, contrary to the story he keeps giving on TV, found it near on impossible to get to talk to him about this problem
Eventually I did get to meet him and he had nothing to say. No idea what to do. It took my boss Maria Eagle to explain to him that as he was leader he could re appoint me if that was what he wanted.
I then worked hard for him on his Arts policy, loyally didn't go to the press about the above, got stuck in and worked. And yes, I enjoyed the role, it is one of my dream jobs in parliament and I believe I did Corbyn and the Labour Party a great service, as millions of people work in the arts and culture sectors and they valued being involved in policy-making. So it was never my intention to resign.
However, I kept hearing from other colleagues on the front bench just how difficult or impossible it was to get a decision out of him on important policy issues - the very thing Corbyn is supposed to be good on. I also noticed that the policy making process through the National Policy Forum was being slowed down by lack of decisions from Corbyn's office.
But then he was missing in action during the EU referendum, including going on a week's holiday three weeks before the day. I found that unforgivable. I had re-started campaigning in this campaign, phone-canvassing to conserve my energy, and kept hearing Labour voters saying 'but your leader wants out, doesn't he?' His team didn't send anyone to the EU Campaign meetings in Westminster and his lack of enthusiasm showed.
On the day after the referendum he asked for an early Brexit. My constituents want exactly the opposite and were telling me so in their hundreds, and voted 85% to remain.
That was the tipping point for me - it is not allowed to remain on the front bench whilst taking an opposing view to the leader in something so important.
I therefore had to resign.
The reason I then voted no confidence in him as leader is because I have no confidence in him as leader. See above. Plus I had found out from other front bench women how unwilling and unable Corbyn is to communicate with, listen to or work with anyone outside his narrow group.
Since then he has stated publicly that he isn't prioritizing winning elections. How can I support a Labour leader who doesn't want to form a Labour government above everything? When working people, the old, the young, the poor, the country, need a Labour government above everything?
I want a Labour government more than anything, because that is how we change the world and how we help millions of people, just as the 1997-2010 Labour government helped millions of people, my own family included.
I profoundly wished I never had to say all this publicly, but people keep asking, and I believe they have a right to know the truth about what Corbyn's leadership is like.
We cannot win general elections with a leader who is unable and unwilling to learn how to communicate with, listen to and persuade people with whom he doesn't already agree - we need to convince swing voters who voted Tory last year in Southern seats to vote Labour next time and we need Labour voters in Wales and the North to continue to vote Labour - without this we can't win a general election.
all that is what's at stake. Not having a Labour government again is unbearable. I will do anything I can to help to ensure this. It's the constitutional duty of all Labour MPs, especially the leader, to try to secure a better life for working class people through parliamentary means. And that's what I will continue to do.
I hope that's clear.
It fell to ex shadow culture secretary Maria Eagle to explain to Mr Corbyn that as Labour leader it was within his power to reappoint her.
When it emerged Mr Corbyn had taken a week’s holiday during the height of the EU referendum debate, Ms Debbonaire said it was “unforgiveable”.
She resigned alongside most of her colleagues in the mass exodus from Mr Corbyn’s top team. He has also lost a vote of no confidence from Labour MPs with 172 voting for the motion.
Mr Corbyn is now facing a leadership challenge from Owen Smith and Angela Eagle.
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A spokesman for the Labour leader said: "There was some miscommunication over Thangam's appointment as Shadow Minister for the Arts, but at no point was she sacked.
"Clearly we dispute Thangam's assessment of Jeremy's performance in the referendum campaign.
"Two thirds of Labour voters backed Remain because Jeremy travelled the length and breadth of the country making that case."
How does a Labour leadership challenge work?
Each challenger must be backed by 20% of Labour MPs and MEPs - currently 51
Labour leader is automatically included on the ballot paper
Labour Party members, registered and affiliated supporters vote through a postal ballot or a secure electronic vote in order of preference.
If there is no winner after round one of counting, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated and the votes are redistributed.
This happens until one candidate reaches more than 50%.