More than 50 Labour MPs in David Cameron’s top 200 target seats have announced they are to stand down at the genral election, including former ministers and Cabinet members.
The numbers have been pounced on by the Tories and used in a propaganda campaign claiming that the “chicken run” – as it has been dubbed by one blogger – proves that Labour believes the election is lost.
But Labour Party sources stress that in most cases the MP is retiring after many years of service and that the relatively high proportion of retirees in Tory targets is nothing but coincidence.
A steady stream of announcements is, however, placing a strain on Labour’s regional officials as they attempt to oversee selection processes lasting five weeks or more in most constituencies faced with vacancies.
In the latest flurry, consumer minister Nigel Griffiths, who sits in the former Tory seat of Edinburgh South with a majority of 405, became the ninth Scottish MP for announce his departure. His announcement was preceded by Treasury Select Committee chair John McFall in the safe Labour seat of Dunbartonshire West.
Junior culture minister Sion Simon is to give up his 9,575 majority in Birmingham Erdington in order stand for election as the city’s elected mayor.
His announcement followed the selection of his partner Luciana Berger as the prospective candidate in Liverpool Wavertree, where former minister Jane Kennedy has bequeathed a majority of 5,173. The selection was criticised by Liverpool Walton MP and former minister Peter Kilfoyle, partly on the grounds that Ms Berger’s residence during the selection campaign was the home of Ms Kennedy and her partner, who was also the procedures secretary.
There are also rumblings of discontent in Leyton and Wanstead, where Labour MP Harry Cohen is leaving a majority of 6,857. Some local members are concerned that Unite officer, national party treasurer and partner of Harriet Harman might be planning to seek the selection. There are strong feelings that a local candidate will fare better.
In the latest decisions from the special selection panel set up by the National Executive Committee at the start of the year, Erewash (Labour, 7,084) and Stephen Byers’ North Tyneside seat (15,037) have been designated as all-women shortlists. Wansbeck (Labour, 10,581) is to be an open selection and a decision on Kim Howells’ seat in Pontypridd (13,191) has been deferred.
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