Labour’s NEC Rejects Derek Draper And LabourList
DEREK Draper is on his way out. The LabourList blog is now so currupted it’s not even used by members of the Labour Praty for Labour news. As Guido notes, Labour talks to Ian Dale, the Tory blogger:
Labour’s general-secretary Ray Collins has thrown him overboard already. In an NEC announcement leaked to Iain Dale, rather than LabourList, the entertainment provided by Derek was brought to an end.
That missive:
Ray Collins, General Secretary of the Labour Party,
“As you will recall from November’s NEC Away Day, last year Derek Draper volunteered one day a week of his time to Labour HQ on an unpaid basis. He subsequently left Victoria Street to set up the Labourlist blog. Since then he has offered advice and opinion on an adhoc basis which ended in March of this year and will not be sought in the future.
Ad hoc advice and opinion?
“I receive advice and opinion from many Labour Party supporters in my work as General Secretary but I decide what advice I take or seek and act in a manner appropriate with my values and those of the Party which certainly does not include smears or personal attacks. I want to reiterate that Derek Draper does not hold a position or role with the Labour Party and this will remain the case.
But he does run LabourList, which is funded by, well, who? The 60 million? How does Draper get his stories?
“To make clear Labourlist is an independent left-of-centre website and blog. The Labour Party did not fund its activities. What the Party has supported is an effort to promote left-of-centre bloggers more generally by bringing interested supporters together at a series of events.
LabourList has nothing to do with the Labour Party. No, not a rumour spun from Downing Street. A fact. You can trust the Labour Party.
“I absolutely support the Prime Minister’s view that scurrilous rumour, gossip and personal attacks have no place in politics and no place in the Labour Party.”
At least Draper has his writing:
Psychologies magazine, where Derek Draper had a regular column, announced today that:
“Derek’s position is being investigated independently by the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists to reveal if he really is guilty of the allegations made about him, what the background and details of the story are, and how all of this affects his standing as a therapist.”
Therapy is the answer. It always is. Draper just needs to find a suitable counsellor. Anorak’suggests “Our Graham”, who can be contacted care of Jeremy Kyle, ITV.
Stick him on the lie detector and ask him if LabourList and Labour are related in more than name?
And a Sob Story.
Spotter: Guido.
Derek Draper And McBride: “I Wasn’t Lying On Purpose”
Revealed: The Emails That Did For ‘Brilliant’ Damian McBride
Order Order: Derek Draper’s Greatest Hit
Tory Bear Shits On Derek Draper
Posted: 15th, April 2009 | In: Politicians Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
