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| Labour MPs demand answers over views of Jeremy Corbyn's new policy chief | Labour MPs demand answers over views of Jeremy Corbyn's new policy chief |
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| Labour MPs have asked Jeremy Corbyn to explain why he has appointed a head of policy who welcomed the shadow chancellor Ed Balls losing his seat in the 2015 general election. | Labour MPs have asked Jeremy Corbyn to explain why he has appointed a head of policy who welcomed the shadow chancellor Ed Balls losing his seat in the 2015 general election. |
| On the morning after the general election, Andrew Fisher posted on Twitter that it was “fitting that the architect of Labour’s miserable austerity-lite economic policies should lose #Balls”. | On the morning after the general election, Andrew Fisher posted on Twitter that it was “fitting that the architect of Labour’s miserable austerity-lite economic policies should lose #Balls”. |
| It was one of a series of tweets from Fisher, posted before he began working for Corbyn, that were highly critical of the previous Labour leadership. He also described the Labour front bench as “the most abject collection of complete shite” in September last year. | It was one of a series of tweets from Fisher, posted before he began working for Corbyn, that were highly critical of the previous Labour leadership. He also described the Labour front bench as “the most abject collection of complete shite” in September last year. |
| The appointment was raised at the weekly meeting of the PLP on Monday night when MPs clapped after Siobhain McDonagh, the MP for Mitcham and Morden criticised Fisher, saying Balls had worked incredibly hard to get Labour MPs elected. | The appointment was raised at the weekly meeting of the PLP on Monday night when MPs clapped after Siobhain McDonagh, the MP for Mitcham and Morden criticised Fisher, saying Balls had worked incredibly hard to get Labour MPs elected. |
| In another tweet hostile to Balls, in September 2014 Fisher suggested the opening line of Ed Miliband’s conference speech “needs to be either ‘Ed Balls was joking’ or ‘Ed Balls is sacked’ Austerity = Tory policies”. | In another tweet hostile to Balls, in September 2014 Fisher suggested the opening line of Ed Miliband’s conference speech “needs to be either ‘Ed Balls was joking’ or ‘Ed Balls is sacked’ Austerity = Tory policies”. |
| Fisher also argued that the former shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper was following policies worse than the British National Party. Fisher, discussing Cooper’s policies in May this year, wrote: “BNP policy = no benefits to people who haven’t paid in. Cooper = no benefits even if paid in for 3yrs+” | Fisher also argued that the former shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper was following policies worse than the British National Party. Fisher, discussing Cooper’s policies in May this year, wrote: “BNP policy = no benefits to people who haven’t paid in. Cooper = no benefits even if paid in for 3yrs+” |
| Fisher has rarely disguised his views, but the degree of the vitriol addressed at former members of Ed Miliband’s front bench is seen by some as startling, and underlines the contempt in which certain senior figures in the Corbyn entourage regard some frontbenchers that preceded them. | Fisher has rarely disguised his views, but the degree of the vitriol addressed at former members of Ed Miliband’s front bench is seen by some as startling, and underlines the contempt in which certain senior figures in the Corbyn entourage regard some frontbenchers that preceded them. |
| The issue was raised at Monday’s PLP by Caroline Flint, the former shadow energy secretary. | The issue was raised at Monday’s PLP by Caroline Flint, the former shadow energy secretary. |
| A spokesman for Corbyn said he was not prepared to comment and referred inquiries to the Labour press office. Fisher is a former head of policy at the PCS Union and author of The Failed Experiment, which argues that over the last 35 years, “politicians of all parties in government ceded power over fundamental sectors of our economy to a new oligarchy of corporations”. | A spokesman for Corbyn said he was not prepared to comment and referred inquiries to the Labour press office. Fisher is a former head of policy at the PCS Union and author of The Failed Experiment, which argues that over the last 35 years, “politicians of all parties in government ceded power over fundamental sectors of our economy to a new oligarchy of corporations”. |
| Many of Fisher’s tweets were deleted yesterday evening when it became clear they were being criticised at a meeting of the PLP, although some people made copies of them. | Many of Fisher’s tweets were deleted yesterday evening when it became clear they were being criticised at a meeting of the PLP, although some people made copies of them. |
| It was also said at the meeting of Labour MPs that Fisher advocated voters not to back the Labour candidate in Croydon South, Emily Benn, in May and instead support the Class War candidate Jon Bigger. On 13 August 2014 he tweeted: “FFS if you live in Croydon South, vote with dignity, vote @campaignbeard”. Campaignbeard was the Twitter account for the Class War candidate. | |
| It is against Labour rules for a party member to advocate support for anyone other than a Labour candidate. | It is against Labour rules for a party member to advocate support for anyone other than a Labour candidate. |
| In other tweets, on 22 February this year he described the former home secretary Jack Straw as “a vile git that has got his comeuppance,” adding “good riddance”. Fisher was referring to allegations that Straw had broken parliamentary rules on lobbying, a claim that was rejected subsequently by the standards committee. | In other tweets, on 22 February this year he described the former home secretary Jack Straw as “a vile git that has got his comeuppance,” adding “good riddance”. Fisher was referring to allegations that Straw had broken parliamentary rules on lobbying, a claim that was rejected subsequently by the standards committee. |
| Fisher also said on 7 January it was “long overdue” that Tony Blair was sent to the Hague for committing war crimes in Iraq. He praised Labour candidates who refused to take money for their election campaign from Blair. | Fisher also said on 7 January it was “long overdue” that Tony Blair was sent to the Hague for committing war crimes in Iraq. He praised Labour candidates who refused to take money for their election campaign from Blair. |
| In November 2014, he attacked Rachel Reeves, then the shadow work and pensions secretary, for advocating the withholding of tax credits from some EU migrants saying, she “seemed to have defected to UKIP”. On 12 November, in response to news that Labour hadaccepted over £600,000 of research help from the multinational accountancy company PricewaterhouseCoopers, he tweeted: “Can’t think of a combo less likely to create policies to inspire people to Labour than Balls, [Tristram] Hunt, [Chuka] Umunna and PWC”. | In November 2014, he attacked Rachel Reeves, then the shadow work and pensions secretary, for advocating the withholding of tax credits from some EU migrants saying, she “seemed to have defected to UKIP”. On 12 November, in response to news that Labour hadaccepted over £600,000 of research help from the multinational accountancy company PricewaterhouseCoopers, he tweeted: “Can’t think of a combo less likely to create policies to inspire people to Labour than Balls, [Tristram] Hunt, [Chuka] Umunna and PWC”. |
| He also praised Green party policies, asking: “Which Labour strategist thought it a good idea to deride Greens for wanting to scrap SATS, league tables & academies”, adding “the answer is Tristram Hunt”, the former education secretary. | He also praised Green party policies, asking: “Which Labour strategist thought it a good idea to deride Greens for wanting to scrap SATS, league tables & academies”, adding “the answer is Tristram Hunt”, the former education secretary. |