Keir Starmer suspends seven MPs, what precedent does this set? | The New Statesman

The Labour leader's suspension of seven MPs including John McDonnell is "unprecedented"

Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour party has been described countless times over the past 4 years as ‘ruthless’, and this week we saw this in action for the first time as prime minister withdrawing the Labour whip from seven MPs who voted with an SNP amendment to scrap the two child cap in certain benefits.

Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by senior editor George Eaton, and political correspondent Freddie Hayward.

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[archvaldor]

I love the way they frame the title "ruthless" to make him sound strong when he's actually literally taking food away from children. The truth is he's too spinleless to offend his cabal of wealthy donors.

[briandelaney]

Even Tony Blair didn’t suspend the Whip after early rebellions and that’s saying something

[gr]

The manifesto was specifically about 'change'. That means all things to all people and that is very much the weakness of Starmer's position when he fails to adress the particular changes that people want to see.

[ergunyildizoglu]

New Labour = Tories
No difference at all.

[chrismac]

David Starkey warned Starmer would be authoritarian. It's started.

[evildude]

Imagine spending years in opposition opposing the two child benefit cap and then punishing your mps for *checks notes* opposing the two child benefit cap

[Stop-this]

So if an MP has a difference of opinion from its own party they are Disciplined ! Is this Democratic ??

[Iamgone]

Pity he’s not ruthless with the “UNINVITED “ 😡😡😡😡😡😡

[nfa]

Question for you at the New Statesman: how do you reconcile this extreme lack of tolerance for disagreement (aka 'the left') from Starmer with the claim made by Andrew Marr that Starmer told him how he hoped the New Statesman would be a critical ally and hold Labour to account while in office, because, quote, all his bad decisions are when he's made them alone? Surely MPs from his own party who disagree, privately or publicly, are fulfulling this role?
Over and over Starmer's personal psychodynamics, I find it abhorrent to an extreme that a supposedly progressive party is so authoritarian and thought-controlling. Suspending the 7 MPs for voting to ease child povety is simply, disgraceful. The motive is clearly factional and disciplinarian. As Freddie Hayward says, they won't be returning. It's 'cost effective' for Labour's leadership to lose 7 and exert ever tighter control over the party. It's the opposite of democracy, reasonable, intelligent discussion, stifles ideas and debate, and will only feed an eventual challenge to Labour from left. It's also an abuse of the constituencies and voters who voted for *these* candidates to represent Labour - not for Labour via these candidates.

[jmack]

He has to make it clear right now that he's not interested in Labour being Labour's primary opposition. He can't let it happen.

[snowman]

If this happened in the Conservative party the media would be applauding supporting a strong decisive leader?

[jonathansnook]

Its unbelievable for a labour government to suspend MP's voting to help children in poverty.

[JZTechEngineering]

No, you were lected 3 weeks ago. Wait till the budget if you want to do that

[m.bowyer]

John Mcdonnell will not be missed, he's an old school nasty piece of work.

[briandelaney]

NS is pretty much the establishment Right of the Labour Party so take this analysis with a huge grain of salt

[fionaburnett]

Now the Labour voters can really see who Starmer is a red torie.

[thelegendofspitfirehunter]

LOL He needs to get ruthless in Rochdale, and get the army in quickly.

[bobcharles]

Seems he can't take criticism. Maybe they dented his ego!!!

[waqmanime]

Tbh i think it is a disgusting dictatorship to behave like that.

[ibfreely]

He's seen how splinter groups like the ERG can destroy a government's ability to govern and will not be letting that happen in the labour party.