Tag: Labour

News, Politics

Wythenshawe MP quits shadow cabinet as Labour leader faces no confidence motion

-xO4l9Z-_400x400Wythenshawe Labour MP, Mike Kane has become the latest to quit the shadow cabinet as the bid to force leader Jeremy Corbyn to stand down continues.

Mr Kane broke the news on Twitter last night that he was standing down as shadow international development minister  following a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

 

 

 

 

Mr Corbyn has faced a deluge of resignations from his shadow cabinet following what his critics called a “lacklustre” performance in the EU referendum campaign. He will face a vote of no confidence motion today.

But 10,000 supporters who gathered for a hastily organized rally in Parliament Square last night were promised the Labour leader was “going nowhere”.

Members in Wythenshawe and Sale East voted to support Mr Corbyn in July last year when he stood as a  candidate for the party leadership. He  was elected with 59.5 of the vote, the biggest mandate of any British political leader, in an election campaign which saw an influx of thousands of new members.

Mr Corbyn has been criticised by Labour MPs  for not being forceful enough in arguing for Labour’s official position to remain in the European Union. Mr Corbyn supported remaining to protect jobs and workers rights while expressing reservations about the EU.

And MPs who support the leader said Mr Corbyn’s position chimed with the views of many in working class communities who shared his reservations.

If Mr Corbyn continues to stand firm and defy MPs it is likely that Labour Party members will decide his future in what is expected to be a bitter leadership battle with the prospect of a general election to choose a new government before the end of the year.

News, Politics

Wythenshawe MP Mike Kane opposes air strikes in Syria

Wythenshawe MP Mike Kane voted against air strikes in Syria.

The Labour MP backed his leader to oppose military action against so called ISIS, also known as Daesh, as 66 members voted with the government.

Opponents of the bombing fear the action will strengthen not weaken the extremists.

Attacks involving the RAF have now begun following the marathon debate in parliament yesterday.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had argued that the case for war “does not stack up” and was supported by the majority of his MPs and shadow cabinet.

Opponents of British involvement in the bombing said it would raise the risk of attack in the UK.

Mr Corbyn said in speech: “After the despicable and horrific attacks in Paris last month, the question of whether the government’s proposal for military action in Syria strengthens – or undermines – our own national security must be at the centre of our deliberations.

“There is no doubt that the so-called Islamic state group has imposed a reign of sectarian and inhuman terror in Iraq, Syria and Libya. And there is no question that it also poses a threat to our own people.

“The issue is now whether extending UK bombing from Iraq to Syria is likely to reduce, or increase, that threat in Britain – and whether it will counter, or spread, the terror campaign Isil is waging across the Middle East.

“The answers don’t make the case for the government’s motion. On the contrary, they are a warning to step back and vote against yet another ill-fated twist in the never-ending war on terror.

“Isil is already being bombed in Syria or Iraq by the US, France, Britain, Russia and other powers.

“During more than a year of bombing Isil has expanded, as well as lost, territory. Those Isil gains include the Iraqi city of Ramadi and the Syrian city of Palmyra.

“The claim that superior British missiles will make the difference is hard to credit when the US and other states are struggling to find suitable targets. In other words, extending UK bombing is highly unlikely to work.”

But shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn said the international community was “faced by fascists and what we know about fascists is that they must be defeated”.

Anti-war demonstrations were held in Manchester and outside Parliament as MPs debated the issue.

News, Politics

Wythenshawe MP abstains in vote on Welfare Reform and Work Bill as 48 Labour MPs defy party leader and vote against it

kaneWythenshawe’s Labour MP, Mike Kane, has abstained in the vote in the first debate in parliament over the government’s Welfare Reform Bill, within a fortnight of heckling the Chancellor over £12 billion of cuts which will hit 60 per cent of families in the town.

The bill, which will cap the total benefit entitlement for a family at £385 a week as well as slash child and tax credits for low paid workers, was opposed by 48 Labour MPs, who defied an order from their acting party leader Harriet Harman not to vote.

Mr Kane voted for a Labour bid to halt the bill whilst supporting the benefit cap. But when the amendment was defeated, the MP towed the party line by remaining neutral and abstained in the final vote on the bill.

The Wythenshawe MP was reprimanded by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons during the budget speech on July 8th when he and two other MPs tried to drown out Chancellor George Osborne as he tried to announce cuts.

He said he was happy to be be part of  “a gang of three standing up to a gang of 300 Tory MPs whose cuts will impoverish the people of Wythenshawe.” Continue reading “Wythenshawe MP abstains in vote on Welfare Reform and Work Bill as 48 Labour MPs defy party leader and vote against it” →

News, Politics

General Election 2015: Mike Kane holds Wythenshawe and Sale East for Labour

20150508_042605[1]

Labour’s Mike Kane has held his seat in Wythenshawe and Sale East in what has been a disappointing night for the Labour Party nationally.

Mr Kane, who won the seat in a by-election following the death of Paul Goggins last year, increased his majority and the big loser on the night was UKIP who were pushed into third place.

The Tories, who finished behind UKIP in the by-election, rallied and increased their vote from 3,479 to 11,124.

Mr Kane pledged to continue to fight for working people in Wythenshawe.

He said: “We’ll fight day in and day out to make sure working people across our great city are well represented and have the best we can possibly offer them and I pledge to do that this year, next year and the whole term of our parliament.”

It was a bad night for the Liberal Democrats in Greater Manchester. They lost Withington to Manchester councillor, Jeff Smith and Hazel Grove to the Tories.

And defeats for Labour meant it would be Tories who would be most likely to form a government with the latest predictions suggesting they would be the biggest party with just one seat short of a majority.

Wythenshawe and Sale East result

Victor Chamberlain (Lib Dem) 1927

Lee Clayton (UKIP) 6354

Johnny Disco (Loony) 292

Fiona Green (Con) 11,124

Mike Kane (Lab) 21,694

Jess Mayo (Green) 1,658

Lynn Worthington (TUSC) 215

Politics

Wythenshawe MP hits back at UKIP claims that 16-year-olds are too gullible to vote

kaneLabour’s Wythenshawe MP, Mike Kane, has blasted UKIP’s deputy leader for suggesting 16-year-olds are too naive and gullible to be given the vote.

UKIP’s Paul Nuttall says he is against Labour’s plans to reduce the voting age to 16, should they win the general election, claiming they don’t have enough life experience to make sound judgements when voting.

Mr Nutall said:”It is perfectly obvious why Labour have committed to introducing this measure within a year of taking power – naive youngsters tend to have Utopian dreams of life and can be more gullible.

“They are also subjected to pro-EU propaganda lessons which is a ethically wrong and is also an abuse of taxpayers money. As they grow older and experience first hand making their way in the world they are better able to make reasoned judgements.

But Mr Kane, hit back saying young people are becoming more engaged and should be given the vote.

He said: “I am not sure what Mr Nuttall means about 16 year olds having no life experience. He himself is no horny handed son of toil.

“As I go around the constituency visiting schools, our youth groups and youth council I find young people who are engaged and interested in politics, organising clean ups and working to change the area in which they live for the better. Why shouldn’t they be entitled to vote?”

Mr Nutall added: “There is no doubt that young people should be encouraged to vote, after all today’s changes affect their tomorrows, but instead of lowering the age limit they should be properly educated about the relevance of politics to their lives,” he said.