What are Labour MPs so frightened of? Yes, Mr Dismore, we're talking about you!

Some weeks ago, Conservative Friends of Israel was invited by Hadley Wood Jewish Community to speak in a Dimbleby Question Time-style debate. We readily agreed. I myself was due to appear on the platform with a representatives from other parties.

Last Thursday, we suggested to the organisation, that given the Labour Panelist was a local MP, Andrew Dismore, and the Liberal Panelist, a Barnet Councillor, Monroe Palmer, that instead of myself doing the debate, it might be more apt to have Councillor Matthew Offord (Deputy Leader of Barnet Council and Tory PPC for Hendon).

The organisers were initially pleased with this idea, particularly since Hadley Wood Jewish Community is in Barnet.  Moreover Cllr Offord readily agreed to do the event instead of me.

On Friday, matters suddenly changed. The organisers, asked if I would stand in again because Andrew Dismore MP refused to share a platform with Matthew Offord. Astonished, I asked why, particularly given that, although Matthew was Mr Dismore's opponent, they would not be discussing any issues to do with Hendon.  Moreover I argued that Matthew was not only Deputy Leader of Barnet Council, but was a member of CFI, had been on a CFI visit to Israel and had a wide knowledge of what was happening in Israel.

The response was clear and I reproduce it below for the benefit of CentreRight eaders:

"The difficulty is this. Andrew Dismore has a rule against debating with parliamentary opponents. He tells me this is standard practice. He is quite firm about this".

This really is a remarkable response from the Labour MP, particularly since no such rule exists and PPCs and MPs regularly share platforms up and down the country. In the last few weeks Boris and Ken debated on numerous platforms.

Out of courtesy to the Hadley Wood Jewish Community, and because of the incredible and kind efforts of the organiser, CFI agreed to do the debate this evening as originally agreed and I will appear on the Platform with Messrs Dismore and Palmer this evening.

But reflecting on the affair, it really does explain why Labour is just 24% in the polls. It is not just Mr Dismore who is frit. Look at the reaction of Andrew Slaughter, the Hammersmith MP, to the EU referendum campaign (well documented by Greg Hands). Labour MPs simply don't want to debate, are stuck in their own time warp of complacency and fear. 

For a local Labour MP to be frightened and refuse to debate with his opponent - on matters of a serious nature - just shows what has gone wrong with New Labour.

Comments

[woodentop]

It really is odd, considering the series of debates in the run-up to the Mayoral Election that some Labour MPs are too afraid to debate with their opponents! It is a great shame because Andrew Dismore is known as a staunch friend to Israel and it would have reflected well on him if he'd agreed to take part in the event.

[david Glass]

although a staunch conservative and a party donor it is fair to note that mr dismore has been and remains a very good friend of israel and the jewish community he has a strong personal following in his hendon constituency with many jewish conservatives voting for him

[Malcolm Dunn]

Would you want to debate with anybody if you were a Labour MP Robert? No ? Thought not. Much better to get in front of some lefty interviewer from the BBC or a half wit from GMTV and tell them that inflation really is only 2%, employment has never been higher and that any problems are caused by events outside the governments control, preferably the USA.
Dimore is only interested in his own self preservation, nothing else matters.

[Svejk]

Andrew Dismore is well respected in the Jewish community. Matthew Offord is a nobody. Work it out...

[Bexie]

It is notable that the "heavyweights" seem to be avoiding the public as much as possible at the moment, who was that croney they put up for question time? he seemed to almost be reduced to tears.

I think that the front bench labour party is cowering in fear, not just from the Conservatives, but from the country and their own backbenchers.

[IRJMilne]

"Work it out..."

Work what out? If his opponent is a "nobody", why is he afraid to speak in the same room as him?

[Svejk]

IRJMilne | May 12, 2008 at 12:20

Why on earth would a well-known, well-liked, and well-respected MP in the jewish community consent to sharing a platform with somebody who is trying to carve out a niche in that community, precisely to unseat sed MP??

Bexie | May 12, 2008 at 12:12

Andrew Dismore is an independant backbencher - not a member of the government.