Islington South MP Emily Thornberry has faced criticism from constituents after appointing aontroversial New Labour era spin-doctor Damian McBride as her chief aide.
Mr McBride was forced to resign as a spokesperson for former prime minister Gordon Brown in 2009, after emails leaked to the press showed that he was planning to fabricate allegations of misconduct against senior Conservative politicians.
Constituent Rachel Mortimer, 26, told Islington Now that she was disappointed in her MP, saying: “Politicians are supposed to serve the people, and it just seems like this is a decision that’s been made to help her win fights inside the Labour Party.
“I just don’t see how you can look at someone who has behaved like that in the past and think, this is the person to employ.”
Hugh Gaffney, 54, urged Mrs Thornberry to reconsider her decision, telling Islington Now: “People have had enough of this kind of politics. We’ve had that [Leveson] inquiry and we need new people at the top of politics. I really hope Emily reconsiders this decision.”
Others were critical about the message it sent about the Labour Party. Stacy Williams, 46, said: “I’ve voted Labour all my life, but I can’t begin to understand why Emily Thornberry would appoint him. It is nothing personal, but Corbyn has promised the new politics, and this isn’t it.”
"The only way to deal with Gordon Brown's anger was to be angrier than him" @DPMcBride
— Charlotte Beale (@CharlotteAGB) February 29, 2016
However, Islington North MPs Jeremy Corbyn’s constituents spoke out in his defence, with employees of the Holloway Road shops where he buys his suits telling Islington Now they cared more about his policies than his dress sense.
Damian McBride has been hired by Ms Thornberry to help support her work on Labour’s defence review, which is considering whether to follow the example of party leader Jeremy Corbyn and drop their support for Trident nuclear submarines.
Rumours began to circulate of McBride’s return to the frontline of Labour politics after he was spotted with Labour’s Director of Communications, Seumas Milne, and Emily Thornberry having dinner at Browns in Covent Garden early last month.
His appointment was confirmed on 19 February, and his contract will run until the completion of the defence review at Labour’s annual conference in the Autumn.
Speaking to students at City University London, McBride stressed that his old ways were behind him. He said: “I’m not going back to behave like I used to. I don’t want to, but also I wouldn’t get away with it.”
Damian McBride’s first press release back in the Labour fold. Add tortured Cantona/Henry/football analogy here pic.twitter.com/a858cYunpr — Graeme Demianyk (@GraemeDemianyk) March 1, 2016
Outlining his role with Mrs Thornberry, McBride told Islington Now: “I’m employed for six months to help guide through this defence review. It’s a job that I’ll be bringing my experience working with the media to, but also experience working through and developing policy. I’m with Corbyn, it is definitely time to review our position on nuclear weapons.”
When asked what he thought members of the public would make of his appointment, McBride said: “I’d be surprised if people know who I am.”
The appointment of McBride has already attracted criticism, with David Cameron attacking the decision to hire him at last Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions.
PM brings up Thornberry’s hiring of Damian McBride at #PMQs. “He didn’t go to prison,” shouts Tom Watson
— Callum Jones (@CallumIJones) February 24, 2016
Replying to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the Prime Minister said: “Six months after saying, and this is the leader of opposition, we can win in 2020 but only if we spend the next five years building this movement and putting forward a vision for a new kind of politics, honest, kinder and more caring.Six months on Damian McBride is back, that says it all.”
The Labour aide, who was nicknamed ‘McPoison’ during his controversial stint at the top of British politics, wrote a tell-all memoir in 2013. In it he openly discusses briefing against Cabinet Ministers and revealing sexual harassment claims against opponents.
Ms Thornberry’s office has been contacted for comment.
@OliverMilne
[…] Thornberry’s decision to appoint disgraced spinner Damian McBride as her media adviser has upset a number of her constituents. However, the shadow Defence Secretary will be hoping that the […]