Wondering whether Labour Party supporters in Northern Ireland were misled after backing Emily Thornberry as leader
As part of the Labour Party’s leadership election process, on February 8 the Labour Party in Northern Ireland (LPNI) nominated Emily Thornberry.
Rebecca Long-Bailey came a close second .
LPNI nominated Ms Thornberry on the basis that she had written to its executive committee expressing her support for Labour standing candidates in Northern Ireland .
A number of LPNI members were sceptical about this belated conversion of Thornberry’s to a position she had never previously shown any interest in.
Then on February 10 the local press reported that the Labour Party Irish Society had recently asked all four Labour leadership candidates where they stood on the Northern Ireland electoral ban issue.
It was stated that all four candidates were opposed to ending the ban.
In the case of Emily Thornberry it was said: “Ms Thornberry was more open to the idea but said she was not supporting any developments of the idea anytime soon.”
This raises the question of whether Emily Thornberry deliberately misled LPNI in a desperate bid to gain a much — needed nomination for her failing leadership bid.
Andrew Ward, Belfast BT6, LPNI member