Clare Short has taken the next logical step in her political career and resigned the Labour whip (from Sky News). She narrowly escaped having the whip withdrawn after her anti-Labour outburst a few weeks ago. This resignation is a good move on her part. Certainly better than sitting around and waiting to be expelled, which would no doubt have happened eventually, given the way she was going. Independent MPs are a good thing for democracy, and I am willing to forgive her her past misjudgements. Let’s wipe the slate clean and see how well she does as an independent.
Clare Short is facing expulsion from the Labour Party for her latest outburst. After announcing that she would not be defending her Birmingham Ladywood seat as a Labour MP at the next election, she denounced Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and for good measure, David Cameron. Nor was that all. She declared that a hung Parliament might be the best thing for the country, and she would work towards ensuring that.
The Chief Whip is threatening fire and brimstone, but something tells me that Clare Short will not be that bothered. She may well return as an independent MP, and being expelled from the Labour party can only be good for her campaign. Look what that did for Red Ken in 2000. In addition, Labour is so thoroughly discredited in the eyes of the voters, that such a public parting of ways will not harm her in the least.
She should have done it a long time ago, though. Now it looks opportunistic, but isn’t that the way with politics?
