Labour MP Gerald Kaufman dies aged 86

[MTVN]

He was the Father of the House as the country's longest serving MP, first elected in 1970

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39099489

Of course this will mean another important by-election soon

[arista]

Yes they say its a safe seat
but I wonder?

[MTVN]

Yes they say its a safe seat
but I wonder?

Expect it will be a safe Labour hold but will be interesting to see how many votes might swing to the Lib Dems

[King Gizzard]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BtJM4rlCQAArcNF.jpg

[joeysteele]

I'm not going to be a hypocrite, Gerald was not a politician I admired, wasn't sure about many things he said.
A long career in politics and clearly a well supported constituency MP which is commendable in itself.

R.I.P.

[MTVN]

George Galloway is going to stand in the Gorton by-election :umm2: And he made the announcement in a blog on Arron Banks' website for some reason where he compares himself to Jose Mourinho:

I have decided to seek election for Manchester Gorton in the forthcoming by-election precisely because of my admiration for its late MP and I hope to persuade voters of every background that I am the best person to try to fill his shoes.

I want to continue his work on international issues – which are particularly important in Gorton- especially the issues of Palestine and Kashmir but also the broader questions, the dangerous confrontation between the west and the Muslim world which threatens all of us.

I would like to be the big voice for Manchester Gorton it still needs. Manchester is great, world class. But Gorton can’t be left behind. Whether it’s jobs -proper jobs – wages public services the NHS and schools. The struggle for students has always been a parliamentary preoccupation of mine. I was a Labour MP when Tony Blair introduced tuition fees and I broke a 3 line whip to vote against them. I opposed Blair’s privatisation of the NHS too and warned on both that a future Tory government would only pile on the misery on top of New Labour’s foundation.

I opposed Tony Blair with all my heart and soul and paid for it with my expulsion from the party in 2003 – after 36 years membership.

This week is the 14th anniversary of the Iraq War against which I was one of the leaders of the greatest mass movements ever seen in this country. I make this plain here – if I am re-elected to Parliament I will seek to put Mr. Blair on trial for war crimes, crimes against humanity and lying to the British Parliament and people.

I think you already know that when I’m fighting for something everybody knows about it.

Whether it’s my speeches in Parliament or on the streets, my films, my TV shows, my radio shows, my work on social media where I have over a million followers, when I’m fighting for Gorton everyone will know about it. Everyone will have to listen.

I have been six times elected to Parliament and I don’t think even my worst enemy would deny my impact there.

Of course there will be other choices you might make. A thicket of councillors will put themselves forward. I am not a local councillor any more than Sir Gerald was. I am a parliamentarian as he was a parliamentarian. I will be heard if you elect me, on matters local national and international. On Brexit and Scottish nationalism, on war and peace on houses and Schools on work and unemployment on immigration on the commonwealth on roads and refuse. I will live here, I will work here, I will serve here.

It’s true I’m not local but then neither was Sir Matt Busby. Neither was Sir Alex Ferguson nor Pep Guardiola nor Jose Mourinho. Like them I want to work for you, for Gorton, for Manchester.

http://www.westmonster.com/george-galloway-enters-mother-of-all-by-elections-in-manchester-gorton/

A gift to the Lib Dems and a slap in the face to his old pal Jezza