Labour whip gets new disciplinary power
Jacqui Smith gets new powers to discipline Labour rebels
Tuesday, 11, Jul 2006 12:00
Labour MPs last night voted overwhelmingly to back a new power for the chief whip to discipline unruly backbenchers.
Jacqui Smith will now be able to issue rebel Labour colleagues with a so-called yellow card, which will temporarily suspend them from the party.
Before the move was approved by the parliamentary Labour party (PLP) last night, the chief whip could either issue a verbal reprimand or withdraw the whip altogether – effectively expelling them from the party.
The new measure, named after the yellow card system in football, allows Ms Smith to suspend an MP for a short time, during which they will not be able to attend meetings of the PLP. However, they will be expected to continue voting with the government.
Labour rebels have been particularly active in the past year, beginning with a major defeat over the terrorism bill in November, when 49 MPs helped to defeat government plans to extend the time a terror suspect can be held without charge to 90 days.
Earlier this year, up to 100 threatened to vote against the education and inspections bill, which proposed a new network of self-governing trusts schools. The government only got it through with Conservative votes, after 69 Labour MPs rebelled at the report stage.
They have also been vocal in criticising the government – Ms Smith is said to be particular angered by left-winger Alan Simpson's remarks that Gordon Brown taking over from Tony Blair was like replacing "Saddam Hussein with Uday".
Labour backbencher Ian Austin said the new disciplinary system was an "important victory" for Ms Smith, who has only been in her post of chief whip since May.
"I am pleased she listened to the views of the majority of the PLP, which is that Labour MPs are fed up with the small numbers of colleagues who enjoy often profitable media attention, openly criticising their Labour colleagues and government," he said.
"This has to stop and the chief whip's 'yellow card' step is a reasonable and proportionate way of dealing with discipline in the party."
However, writing in The Times ahead of the PLP vote yesterday, Hackney MP Diane Abbott denounced the proposals as "Star Chamber justice".
"New Labour has had absolute control of parliament, the Labour party and the British state for the best part of a decade," she said.
"Yet still it finds the mere existence of a handful of left-wing MPs intolerable. So it is prepared to drive a coach and horses through the rights of MPs to get at us."