The child of Keir Starmer’s recently appointed chief of staff has declared their intentions to run for the position of Labour MP in a seat with a high likelihood of being won.
Liam Conlon, the son of Sue Gray, is a candidate in the newly established Beckenham and Penge constituency in south London. This constituency was formed as a result of the Boundary Commission’s review and is expected to be a strong victory for the Labour party.
Conlon, who resides in Crystal Palace, currently serves as the vice-chair of Lewisham West and Penge CLP. Additionally, they hold the position of chair for Labour’s Irish Society, which was previously headed by Matthew Doyle, Starmer’s director of communications.
on Y
On X, previously referred to as Twitter, Conlon declared his intention to run for office. Y has been chosen by the Conservative party as their candidate for the upcoming election, with Bob Stewart, the current representative for Beckenham, as their nominee.
The announcement of Conlon’s bid for candidacy coincides with senior members of the Labour party recognizing the need for more diversity among potential MPs. There is optimism that this issue can be addressed before the election.
Gray received widespread media attention for leading the Partygate investigation and her subsequent selection as a member of the Labour party. This was seen by the Conservatives as a potential conflict of interest.
In 2022, her ultimate document revealed information about 15 instances where government officials caused disruptions in No. 10 by spilling red wine, vomiting, fighting, using a karaoke machine, and prolonging celebrations until 4am, while the rest of the nation was under strict restrictions for socializing.
Following a six-month hiatus between jobs, sources have reported that she has immediately started working with great energy and determination.
Currently, women make up 45% of the Labour candidates chosen for the upcoming general election. However, the situation is much less promising for black candidates, as Adam Jogee is the only black male candidate selected for a competitive seat. Jogee will be running in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
In the past ten years, only three MPs from minority ethnic backgrounds have held shadow positions for the four major government positions: Diane Abbott, David Lammy, and Lisa Nandy.
On the Guardian’s Politics Weekly podcast, Mayor Andy Burnham of Greater Manchester recognized the important role that Sue Gray played in improving the relationship between his team and Keir Starmer’s team. He stated that they are currently in a positive state, regularly meeting and collaborating effectively. According to Burnham, the improved working relationship can be attributed to both Starmer’s leadership and the efforts of Sue Gray.
The Labour party has been contacted for a statement.
Source: theguardian.com
