As a resident of Halifax, I know only too well how well respected Alice Mahon was as MP. A habitual rebel, she somehow created the impression that you were somehow voting against the Government by voting for her.
From a campaigning point of view then, Alice was a nightmare. Nothing Labour did could be pinned on her because she’d almost certainly rebelled. Her replacement, Linda Riorden, is little more than back-bench vote fodder.
So because Alice has resigned her membership of Labour, that’s going to send shockwaves through the local Labour (and Co-operative) party – and because it’s due to the Downing St culture, it might make national news too.
She might have been a Labour MP, and she might be far too collectivist for my tastes, but she’s always been trouble – I respect that. And even as an ex-MP she’s worth 100 Linda Riordens. Here’s to you, Alice.
