Labour MP Tristram Hunt Resigns

[Erniemossrules]

Get ready for Jeremy to parachute one of his union looneys in.He needs all the help he can get. Labour could put up a monkey in Stoke and he would still get voted in.

[Erniemossrules]

Ed Balls favourite as he was promised a chance to run at the first opportunity of a by election.Should help promote ballroom dancing at the Kings Hall.

[Bycarsbill]

How on earth can you judge someone's socialist credentials by his name?? On that basis Anthony Wedgwood Benn, Lord Stansgate, should never have been allowed anywhere near the Labour Party.

 

It seems that unless you were born in a cardboard box on the streets in Hanley and are called Albert, you have no right to represent the people of Stoke.

 

You miss my point Jacko51. Personally I couldn't care less where anyone is born, but don't you find it all a little ironic that people born with silver spoons in their mouths, and have no experience of working class life, so easily espouse socialist ideals? Are you seriously claiming that Tristram Hunt, Tony Benn, Emily Thornbury and Jeremy Corbyn for that matter really do understand what it's like to grow up on a council estate (as I did) attend a state school (as I did) and struggle through a life of REAL work? Do you seriously argue that Tristram Hunt empathised with and related to working class people in his constituency.

 

Before entering politics, he was born into a wealthy titled family (his father is a Baron!), attended private school in London and probably had never even visited the Potteries with which he is so obviously enamoured that he's now quitting and running off back to his beloved London. So much for his caring for the constituents of Stoke-On Trent Central!

 

He hasn't even got the guts to tell us why he is really quitting--probably it's for more money-and I don't blame him for this-but surely this shows little caring for all the people he purports to represent? If he's getting out because Labour is going nowhere under Corbyn (and personally I suspect this is the real reason) why doesn't he have the backbone and principles to tell the truth? Either way, Stoke Central is probably going to be better of without him!

[Jacko51]

You miss my point Jacko51. Personally I couldn't care less where anyone is born, but don't you find it all a little ironic that people born with silver spoons in their mouths, and have no experience of working class life, so easily espouse socialist ideals? Are you seriously claiming that Tristram Hunt, Tony Benn, Emily Thornbury and Jeremy Corbyn for that matter really do understand what it's like to grow up on a council estate (as I did) attend a state school (as I did) and struggle through a life of REAL work? Do you seriously argue that Tristram Hunt empathised with and related to working class people in his constituency.

 

Are you saying that only those people who have endured poverty can understand that it's wrong? Are you saying that only those who have suffered inequality understand that it's wrong? I can't agree with you. I was brought up in a terraced house in the North East seeing my father have several periods of unemployment. Does that mean that only I can understand what it was like at that time? Should only people from disadvantaged working class backgrounds be allowed to speak up for those from disadvantaged working class backgrounds?

 

Clement Attlee was from a well off middle class family but his government did more for the working people of this country than any before or since. William Beveridge's father was a judge in the Indian Civil Service but his report was the cornerstone of Attlee's establishment of the Welfare State in this country.

 

The history of the Labour movement in this country is littered with people like this who came from comfortable middle class backgrounds who never suffered in the way you suggest they should. Indeed Sydney Webb, the man who wrote Clause 4 of the Labour Party constitution, probably the most socialist section of that document, was a solicitor and his wife Beatrice came from a family of businessmen.

 

You have seen several cases just on this thread of Hunt actually working effectively on behalf of his constituents so it seems to me that he did empathise with their problems and did his best to alleviate them.

 

Before entering politics, he was born into a wealthy titled family (his father is a Baron!), attended private school in London and probably had never even visited the Potteries with which he is so obviously enamoured that he's now quitting and running off back to his beloved London. So much for his caring for the constituents of Stoke-On Trent Central!

 

Again, see comments above about how much he helps his constituents of Stoke-on-Trent Central.

 

He hasn't even got the guts to tell us why he is really quitting--probably it's for more money-and I don't blame him for this-but surely this shows little caring for all the people he purports to represent? If he's getting out because Labour is going nowhere under Corbyn (and personally I suspect this is the real reason) why doesn't he have the backbone and principles to tell the truth? Either way, Stoke Central is probably going to be better of without him!

 

With respect, Hunt has told everybody exactly why he is quitting. Looks to me like he has been offered his dream job. And bearing in mind that Stoke-on-Trent Central will no longer exist at the next election following the boundary changes, can anyone blame him for looking to his future. Would you rather he stayed as our MP for the next three years before losing his job anyway, especially when he had had a vote of no confidence in him by the local Labour Party following the Referendum and his resignation from Corbyn's front bench? You should either want him to carry on because he is a good constituency MP, which you clearly don't, or you should want him out because he is a useless toff. Looks to me like Hunt has done exactly what you think he should have done by resigning from a position for which you clearly think he is unsuited. I can't understand your logic.

[LancyTony]

Excellent post, and well-reasoned argument, Jacko51!!

[bycars bootboy]

I wouldnt vote for ukip candidate

 

Blinkered!

[geosname]

Blinkered!

 

I wouldnt vote for them if they were blinkered either

[SourceOfTheTrent]

Without copying & pasting Jacko's post I have to say I wholeheartedly agree with it.

 

None of us in the privileged world can claim to having the experience of poverty and struggle of those in the third world but it doesn't mean we can't relate to it, observe it and try to do something to help and alleviate it. You also don't have to be poor in order to aspire to a society with a fairer distribution of wealth, that comes over time through genuine fairness of opportunity and access to wealth generation.

[SourceOfTheTrent]

BTW I think Tristram will make an excellent head of the V&A, I like him as an historian and look forward to seeing him make a success of the role which will be of benefit to us all in what is an excellent national asset.

[pensioner]

Owd Tris has left because the job is becoming redundant and he can't stomach The new Messiah JC - Or Comrade Corbyn to his communist friends. Stoke is going to Have 2 MPs in future and which one do you think would have got the push - The one who could walk into another job quite easily. So Tris has done what any WORKING man would do, see the problem - find a solution and get on with it. The problems as he saw them - Redundancy, Corbyn and no future for labour.

He has got a job that he was made for, and good luck to him.

[TheSage]

I would have thought that this new job suited him perfectly. It's a lot better paid [at twice an MPs salary], is a very high profile and important job for London and a prestigious post to hold. With his experience as an historian and well-read author he was clearly a good fit.

 

He's never been a keen supporter of Corbyn anyway and probably had one eye on the political weather vane, I agree.

 

Sounds like he was a good local MP according to those who had dealings with him.

[whotobeakiller]

Are you saying that only those people who have endured poverty can understand that it's wrong? Are you saying that only those who have suffered inequality understand that it's wrong? I can't agree with you. I was brought up in a terraced house in the North East seeing my father have several periods of unemployment. Does that mean that only I can understand what it was like at that time? Should only people from disadvantaged working class backgrounds be allowed to speak up for those from disadvantaged working class backgrounds

 

In a word yes Only people whom understand the issues that affect people in deprived areas should be allowed to work in the best interests of the same people simply because whoever would be responsible would undertandthe issues that affect poverty ridden individuals. People whom have had an easy life do not and only actually see eye to eye with people whom they have similar backgrounds to. That is partially the reason why tories will never get in as Mp's in a place like Stoke on Trent BUT unfortunately many people have woken up that those people in the Labour party (Who live in big houses and away from immigration riddled communities) do NOT act in the interests of those they purport to serve and the main example is that Labour promote limitless immigration that cuts peoples wages and standards of living. In fact only UKIP have addressed this issue...that says everything really

[JOHNNYAITCH]

You miss my point Jacko51. Personally I couldn't care less where anyone is born, but don't you find it all a little ironic that people born with silver spoons in their mouths, and have no experience of working class life, so easily espouse socialist ideals?

 

The answer is in your question..they are ideals so he can use his intellect and his education and the knowledge he has picked up about them to understand them and see their merits (or otherwise).

 

They can understand socialist ideals and be intelligent, educated people.

 

Before entering politics, he was born into a wealthy titled family (his father is a Baron!), attended private school in London and probably had never even visited the Potteries with which he is so obviously enamoured that he's now quitting and running off back to his beloved London. So much for his caring for the constituents of Stoke-On Trent Central!

 

So what you are saying is that you can't possibly have have any empathy for or understanding of a poor person in say Somalia or Aleppo or similar places cos you were born into a family that compared to them is wealthy, you were provided with cheap decent housing by the state (I also grew up in a council house), a free at the point of need education (I also went to state school), healthcare from the cradle to the grave, stable politics (compared to most places), social institutions that will help you when you have issues, a largely just legal system, democracy and basically compared to millions in the world were born into a wealthy family with immense privileges provided by being born in the UK. Or are you able to? If you are then why aren't they able to do the same.

[Jacko51]

In a word yes Only people whom understand the issues that affect people in deprived areas should be allowed to work in the best interests of the same people simply because whoever would be responsible would undertandthe issues that affect poverty ridden individuals. People whom have had an easy life do not and only actually see eye to eye with people whom they have similar backgrounds to. That is partially the reason why tories will never get in as Mp's in a place like Stoke on Trent BUT unfortunately many people have woken up that those people in the Labour party (Who live in big houses and away from immigration riddled communities) do NOT act in the interests of those they purport to serve and the main example is that Labour promote limitless immigration that cuts peoples wages and standards of living. In fact only UKIP have addressed this issue...that says everything really

 

So I shouldn't do anything to help those suffering famine in Africa because I'm not hungry? We shouldn't have done anything to help the victims of the Sri Lankan tsunami because our houses are dry? Do you really believe this? Do you really have to suffer an issue to understand it? If you really think that you should never comment again on anything to do with Vale because you haven't played for, managed or owned the club!!

[JOHNNYAITCH]

In a word yes Only people whom understand the issues that affect people in deprived areas should be allowed to work in the best interests of the same people simply because whoever would be responsible would undertandthe issues that affect poverty ridden individuals. People whom have had an easy life do not and only actually see eye to eye with people whom they have similar backgrounds to. That is partially the reason why tories will never get in as Mp's in a place like Stoke on Trent BUT unfortunately many people have woken up that those people in the Labour party (Who live in big houses and away from immigration riddled communities) do NOT act in the interests of those they purport to serve and the main example is that Labour promote limitless immigration that cuts peoples wages and standards of living. In fact only UKIP have addressed this issue...that says everything really

 

So anyone born in the UK who hasn't basically experienced extreme poverty, starvation, barrel bombing, drought, massacres etc etc can't work in the best interests of people who are experiencing such things cos compared to them they have had an 'easy life' and so won't understand the issues? People form the UK "only actually see eye to eye with people whom they have similar backgrounds to" and so cannot possibly get it?

 

That's clearly proposterous but a logical extension of what you claim

 

Do people not get that compared to millions in the world no one in the UK is "deprived"..it's all relative.

 

People can use their intellect, education, relationships, knowledge etc to overcome a lack of experience.