Andrew Slaughter, the Labour MP for Hammersmith, has returned to the Labour front bench. Jeremy Corbyn has appointed him as the Shadow Minister for Housing and the Shadow Minister for London.
This is a rather extraordinary turnaround.
Here are a selection of “Tweets” from Slaughter over the summer detailing his opposition to Corbyn.
Anyone voting for Labour Leader shd read this account of how Corbyn ran an ‘entirely dysfunctional shadow cabinet’ https://t.co/ul7q2Wxf94
— Andy Slaughter MP (@hammersmithandy) August 19, 2016
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.@SadiqKhan took Labour to victory in London in 2014, 2015 & in 2016. Important moment as he backs @owensmith2016. pic.twitter.com/DnG4U4ogso
— Andy Slaughter MP (@hammersmithandy) August 20, 2016
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In Hammersmith with two thirds of members contacted @owensmith2016 on 59%, Corbyn on 26% and 15% undecided. We are winning this.
— Andy Slaughter MP (@hammersmithandy) August 17, 2016
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This is why we must elect @OwenSmith_MP as Labour Leader https://t.co/uhxxPMbo3V
— Andy Slaughter MP (@hammersmithandy) July 27, 2016
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Here is Slaughter resignation letter to Corbyn from June:
What has changed since June 27th? What has Corbyn done to win Slaughter’s confidence? Is Corbyn now the “best person to maximise support” for Labour?
Local Labour supporters even hosted a rally for Owen Smith at the Lyric Theatre. Slaughter stood next to him as personal attacks were made on Corbyn – including when at one stage Smith seemed to call Corbyn a “lunatic” while Slaughter smirked and the audience tittered. Smith later apologised
Of course Corbyn and Slaughter do have much in common – for instance their views on Hamas. Nevertheless the circumstances are bizarre. Slaughter resigned in June on the grounds that the Leader wasn’t up to the job. A principled resignation. Labour have the same leader who still isn’t up to the job. Yet without any explanation here we are in October and Slaughter has returned.
I assume Andy is nervously looking at the new constituency boundaries and thinking he needs a bit of Momentum support to be selected as a candidate for a winnable one (not the new Hammersmith & Fulham one I suppose).