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MP Resignations - Question (self.ukpolitics)

submitted 1 year ago by Gradually_Adjusting to c/ukpolitics

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I have been seeing Lab MPs resigning, and articles calling for more of them to do so, and calling "a vote for Labour a vote for genocide". Nothing I've read explains why resignation is the preferred strategy, and it's not very clear to me how it helps. What do they hope to achieve by resigning, and am I wrong in thinking that these resignations only play into the hands of Conservatives? Sorry, I'm very naive about UK politics generally and I don't get how this isn't pointlessly self destructive.

Acknowledged that there are appalling things happening, in Gaza and with the party leadership, but I'm interested in learning the logic for this specific response.

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[–] Tagger 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My understanding is that it comes from collective cabinet responsibility.

"Cabinet collective responsibility, also known as collective ministerial responsibility,[1] is a constitutional convention in parliamentary systems that members of the cabinet must publicly support all governmental decisions made in Cabinet, even if they do not privately agree with them. This support includes voting for the government in the legislature." - Wikipedia.

While this doesn't apply to MPs or, I think, shadow cabinet positions, it has created a system where a strong form of protest to show your disagreement with the party is to resign your position or membership of the party.

Another way to look at it would be as someone saying 'these decisions and actions are so abhorrent to me that I can no longer be associated with the body taking them.'

[–] Gradually_Adjusting 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ah. So am I not far off the mark when I view these actions as a kind of principled self destruction, or is it likely to shift the party position? If Starmer is a pragmatist when it comes to the coming election, how will he respond to these resignations?

[–] Tagger 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

honestly, you're above my pay grade there..I think on this issue it may move Starmer, but I think that's partly because he is walking an absolute right type in this situation.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm mostly just interested in what the resigning MPs' best case scenario is. Starmer changes tune and they come back, no harm done?

It just feels like Labour is snatching defeat from the jaws of victory here.

[–] Tagger 1 points 1 year ago

It does a bit. Israel - Palestine was probably one of the worst world issues that could come up for labour. With the history of anti-Semitism in the Labour party under Corbyn, Starmer is backed into a box of having to defend Israel or being housed by the right wing papers as an anti Semite from here until the election

However the actions Israel are taking are so horrific and inhumane that that position looks increasingly untenable and detached.