A Labour MP once again proved she’s in the wrong party

A tweet from Labour MP Charlotte Nichols


Support us and go ad-free

A shadow cabinet Labour MP who had to apologise for handing out racist leaflets has once more caused a storm on social media. But this time, she fails to see why people have a problem with her tweets.

Shadow women and equalities minister

Charlotte Nichols is Labour’s shadow women and equalities minister. As The Canary previously reported, she caused a storm on the local elections campaign trail. This was because Nichols handed out leaflets about the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) community that were described as racist. As The Canary‘s Sophia Purdy-Moore wrote:

The leaflets in question claimed that locally Labour would ‘deal with traveller incursions’. Meaning “sudden” unexpected or unwanted appearances.

Nichols apologised. She claimed she didn’t know what “incursion” meant. But now, she’s once more shown she’s perhaps not quite the ‘Labour’ MP some would hope for.

Grifting

Nichols went to see England play Denmark in the Euros semi-final on Wednesday 7 July. But this was no ordinary visit to a football match. Because she went with Tory MP Mike Wood:

Heineken had invited the MPs. This is because Nichols leads the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on pubs, and Wood the one on beer. People on Twitter we’re not happy. So much so that Nichols had to put out another tweet explaining herself:

There is quite a lot to unpack here. But Twitter helpfully gave it a go.

Corporate bungs

First is the issue of the APPG on pubs’ chair cosying up to Heineken. One Twitter user pointed out the problem:

The company’s pub business, Star Pubs and Bars, was slapped-down by the industry watchdog for “multiple breaches” of regulations. It said Heineken had “intentionally or negligently” failed to sort the issue out. But clearly, the company’s noxious behaviour doesn’t matter to Nichols when there’s a freebie involved.

Also, the story poses bigger questions about the role of lobbying in parliament:

Not that Nichols and her whataboutery noticed:

Throwing the GRT community under the bus

Then, what could be more appropriate as a Labour MP who previously handed out racist, anti-GRT leaflets, and who missed the demo in support of the community, than to enjoy a night out with Priti Patel’s parliamentary private secretary?

Yes, Nichols was schmoozing with a Tory MP who works for the person behind the racist Police Bill. Interestingly, Wood also used the term “incursion” to describe GRT people:

Clearly the GRT community still isn’t at the forefront of Nichols’ mind. Because as well as hanging out with Wood, she also appeared to miss the #Drive2Survive demo in support of them:

But there’s a broader point to be made about Nichols’ behaviour.

Broken politics

As Twitter users said:

Labour MPs being friendly with Tories has been a historical problem. Under the guise of cooperation for the greater good, so-called left-wing politicians have snuggled up in political bed with the right, because we all have to work together – yes?

No, we don’t. It’s this weak (and often ineffective) opposition which has led us to this point. Countless unnecessary deaths from coronavirus (Covid-19); “grave” and “systematic” violations of chronically ill and disabled people’s human rights, and 130,000 deaths from Tory austerity. Our two-cheeks-of-the-same-arse political system is broken.

To politicians like Nichols, being MP is clearly a game of political football. It’s one where you fight against your opponents for a short amount of time. But when the whistle blows, you’re all mates, really.

Featured image via Charlotte Nichols Twitter – screengrab

We know everyone is suffering under the Tories - but the Canary is a vital weapon in our fight back, and we need your support

The Canary Workers’ Co-op knows life is hard. The Tories are waging a class war against us we’re all having to fight. But like trade unions and community organising, truly independent working-class media is a vital weapon in our armoury.

The Canary doesn’t have the budget of the corporate media. In fact, our income is over 1,000 times less than the Guardian’s. What we do have is a radical agenda that disrupts power and amplifies marginalised communities. But we can only do this with our readers’ support.

So please, help us continue to spread messages of resistance and hope. Even the smallest donation would mean the world to us.

Support us
  • Show Comments

    2. “…frankly, I don’t believe any England fan that says they wouldn’t have taken the opportunity if offered.”

      She is saying that if a bribe is good enough she can’t see anyone refusing it! Well, have a mark for honesty Charlotte, and thanks for your insight into what counts as normal in your cosy bubble; but should not elected Labour MPs be struggling to remove corruption from Westminster rather than embracing it with such apparent glee?

      Report comment

    3. Well this article, more than any other shows the grim nature of The Canary. Forget the stench of anti semitism from this site, the one party regime wish of the writers is truly on display here. One day, you will realise you are the bad guys. You are vile, divisive, fascistic in your nature and thankfully hated by the British public. Keep it up, you guys help make the left truly unelectable.

      Report comment

      2. The lowest form of life on this planet are those who make Vexatious claims of anti semitism to attack their political opponents
        Or
        Is it those who use Live Ammunition to systematically murder innocent men women and children
        Or
        Is it the apartheid Jewish state
        Or
        Is it the Good Jews, the Real Jews responsible for all of the above
        Answers on the back of a 1st Class stamp, keep them brief please

        Report comment

      4. Goodness me, you’re back. You’ve been missing for so long I thought someone had put you out of your misery. You must be a very sad individual if you have nothing better to do than read a publication which is so at odds with your neofascist views. Or maybe you’re paid to do it? Now there’s a thought.

        Report comment

    4. No Labour MP should spend their “sparetime” hobnobbing with the enemy! The only thing any member of the labour Party, whether in parliament or not, should have to say to anyone on the other side is “Up against the wall, motherfucker!” Anything less is treason and collaboration, scunbags who did that during WW2 got tarred and feathered, had their heeads shaved and were literally run out of town on a rail, and this so called “Labour” MP deserves no less!

      Report comment

    Leave a Reply

    Join the conversation

    Please read our comment moderation policy here.

Related articles