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4:46pm 6th March
I understand that Rebecca Long-Bailey has been removed from the shortlisting panel for Manchester Gorton. The panel is Keith Vaz, Glenis Willmott, Claudia Webbe, Andi Fox and Shabana Mahmood.
9:22 pm 2nd March
This email was sent out today by North West Regional Director Anna Hutchinson. The Regional Office didn't return phone calls.
Dear Branch officers and campaign co-ordinators
The whole of the Labour Party mourns the passing of Sir Gerald Kaufman, but I know that this will be most keenly felt by those in Manchester, Gorton CLP where he will be sorely missed.
However, I am also very aware that you will have questions regarding the by-election which will now follow and so I wanted to provide you with an update.
Firstly, I want to reassure you that the Parliamentary by-election selection will be carried out in the normal way for Parliamentary by-elections, with the Gorton members selecting the candidate from a shortlist agreed by the NEC. The timetable for the selection and the date for the by-election are yet to be agreed, but I will ensure that you are kept up to date. In making preparations for both the selection and election, I would be extremely grateful for your help and support. The selection process will be arranged by the regional office, however, I would welcome suggestions for a venue that will hold up to 2000 people. Invitations will be sent by post to all members at the relevant point in the timetable and an email will go out to members when the selection process begins.
We are currently working on a tribute leaflet to go out to voters this weekend. The delivery is being arranged through Bernard Priest and your help and support is greatly appreciated.
Finally, as there is much to discuss, I would like to invite you to a meeting next Wednesday (8th March). The meeting will be held at 7.30pm at a venue to be confirmed. I will send out confirmation of the venue as soon as I have it.
I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday and in the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Best wishes,
Anna
Anna Hutchinson
Regional Director
Labour North West
8:35pm 28th February
EXCLUSIVE: Afzal Khan MEPs office has been bricked by masked youths in Guy Fawkes Vendetta masks. Police have been called.
1.50pm 28th February
It's civil war over at UKIP. Arron Banks & Farage are using their new website Westmonster to stir trouble. Westmonster in the space of a few weeks has become a dominant right wing news source thanks to the money of Arron Banks and the social media following of Leave.EU.
'@Michael_Heaver slams anti-UKIP Tory cabal on the Daily Politicshttps://t.co/nt84PUiGjO
— Westmonster (@WestmonsterUK) February 28, 2017
8.42pm 27th February
Paul Waugh has broken information that came to us earlier about Sam Wheeler running for Manchester Gorton.
Allies of Corbyn today started lobbying for Momentum 'rising star' Sam Wheeler to replace Sir Gerald Kaufman. Exc: https://t.co/FkR0uwPBZC
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) February 27, 2017
We've written a detailed post based on local sources. You can read that here.
4.29pm 27th February
Manchester Council Leader Richard Leese's tribute to Sir Gerald Kaufman
Sir Gerald Kaufman MP - The Leader's Blog https://t.co/0sLwj3hPqc
— Sir Richard Leese (@SirRichardLeese) February 27, 2017
4.25pm 27th February
Sources in the North West tell me that the discussion at the moment is when to have the Manchester Gorton by-election. I understand Steve Rotheram's Mayoral campaign is keen to have it quickly, to ensure activists are not diverted. Other sources are saying that they do want to have it on the same day as the Manchester and Liverpool Metro Mayor elections to ensure a higher turnout.
4.00pm 27th February
Stephen Bush has written a very basic piece about Gorton. It doesn't cover any of the local politics and misses out a number of very credible other candidates.
Following my rule of "it's okay to write about a by-election after the first text" here's my first look at Gorton: https://t.co/1FeE9jQ1ps
— Stephen Bush (@stephenkb) February 27, 2017
2.37pm 27th February
Tributes are pouring in from across the movement for Sir Gerald Kaufman. There has been a bitter behind the scenes fight in recent weeks. I'm told my multiple sources that frantic manoeuvring has already begun, and I will report further on this tomorrow.
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