A resignedly amused member of the PLP forwarded the below email to Uncut yesterday.
At the top, our friendly MP wrote:
This is hilarious.
I think this was the first notification – although I may be wrong.
So much for the new inclusive “trust the party” approach.
His point is that this “reminder” about the noon close of nominations for these single place elections was emailed to MPs at 11.42. Giving interested parties a whole 18 minutes to consider their options, canvass opinion, build coalitions, and so on.
If this was, as our correspondent believes, the first emailed notification sent to MPs, then the PLP aparat truly is approaching Ceau?escu levels of trust and inclusivity.
From: PLP Resource Centre
Sent: 24 January 2011 11:42
Subject: REMINDER: PLP Elections (NEC and Parliamentary Committee) – Close of Nominations TODAY at 12noon
Importance: High
To Labour MPs
Dear Colleague
Please note, NOMINATIONS for the following vacancies, will close at 12noon TODAY, Monday, 24 January.
- ONE vacancy for a backbench representative on the NEC (please note this vacancy must be filled by a woman)
- ONE vacancy for a backbench representative on the Parliamentary Committee
If interested please contact Martin O’Donovan on xxxxx or email xxxxxxx asap.
UPDATE: A disgruntled Labour spinner has been in touch to say that “the timetable was in the whip two weeks running and read out at the packed PLP meeting last Monday.”