MP for Leeds Central, Hilary Benn, has long been an opponent of the ever-popular Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn. Hilary Benn was one of the first casualties of Corbyn’s clean-up of his party, sacked as shadow foreign secretary and prompting a wave of MPs to resign in protest to Corbyn’s leadership.
Now, it seems as though there are again clashes between them.
Recently, supporters of Hilary Benn expressed concern that Corbyn supporters were trying to take the constituent of Leeds Central away from Benn into the power of a Corbyn supporter. As Hilary Benn has been publicised as clashing with Jeremy Corbyn, many supporters of the Labour Party Leader are not fond of him.
Benn is most known for actions such as his speech encouraging Syrian airstrikes and his statement of no confidence in Corbyn’s leadership, both of which influenced the actions of other Labour MPs. Hilary Benn is also a notable figure in Parliament for being the fourth member of his family to become a Member.
The elections under question are those of the officers. Many of the representatives for different areas in Leeds were replaced by new candidates, many of whom were Corbyn supporters. Hilary Benn’s team is therefore worried about Benn’s future as an MP in this constituency, especially as the turnout to elect the new, Corbyn-supporters.
Even though there are petitions to deselect Benn as an MP (the number of participants are under 5000), Benn was elected in October to chair the Brexit select committee and echoed Corbyn’s words that party-unity was more important over in-fighting.
However, with Corbyn’s significant win again in the recent elections for the Labour Leader, Corbyn supporters may yet again be encouraged in the party’s future.
Rabeeah Moeen
(Image: Daily Mail)