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‘A great event in parliamentary history to honour a very remarkable MP’
The Morning Star reprints an account of the event to mark Corbyn’s 30th anniversary of being an MP, from Wednesday September 4 2013, by then parliamentary correspondent ROGER BAGLEY
Jeremy Corbyn at a surprise event held by the Speaker of the House of Commons to honour a 'very remarkable MP' on the 30th anniversary of his election, 2013
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ANYA COOK reports from the Newcastle citizens’ assembly, where over 240 people gathered to create a people’s manifesto ahead of next year’s local elections – part of former mayor Jamie Driscoll’s Majority movement
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ALAN SIMPSON warns that Starmer’s triangulation strategy will fail just as New Labour’s did, with each rightward move by Labour pushing Tories further right
CAMPAIGNING left MP and scourge of the Establishment, Morning Star columnist Jeremy Corbyn was hoodwinked into a spectacular secret rendezvous on Monday night.
Commons Speaker John Bercow was at the centre of the plot to lure Mr Corbyn into a surprise celebration of his 30 years as MP for Islington North.
When Mr Corbyn arrived inside the Speaker’s Commons house for “a meeting,” he was suddenly greeted by 150 applauding peace and human rights activists, trade unionists and fellow MPs.
It was a historic parliamentary moment as a rebel army of assorted left-wing campaigners feted a tireless scourge of the Establishment under the sober gaze of past Speakers staring out from large portraits around the ornate walls.
Many members of Mr Corbyn’s family also joined the event in the Speaker’s opulent State Rooms.
Addressing the gathering as “colleagues and comrades,” Mr Bercow expressed his “huge and unstinting admiration for Jeremy Corbyn.”
He added: “The Speaker certainly does not have to be impartial as between those who fight their corner and stand up for their principles no matter what, and those who frankly wilt and cave.”
Mr Corbyn always spoke up for his constituents and, “because he is an internationalist and a socialist, people whose human rights are regularly trampled on and denied right across the world have got a feisty friend.”
Among others delivering warm tributes to Mr Corbyn were veteran campaigner Tony Benn, John McDonnell MP, and peace campaigners Bruce Kent and Lindsey German.
Mr Benn hailed the gathering as a “great event in parliamentary history” to honour “a very remarkable MP.”
Braving the hornets’ nest of reds was leading Tory MP David Davis, who was personally congratulated by Mr Benn for voting against military action in Syria.
Mr Davis confessed that he greatly admired Mr Corbyn as a parliamentarian.
In an emotional speech, left MP Mr McDonnell said he had known Jeremy, “my closest friend and political ally,” before he was an MP.
“I was a NUPE union shop steward when Jeremy was a NUPE official.
“He was a legend in his own time. When Jeremy turned up, you knew there was going to be a strike.”
Mr McDonnell declared: “Jeremy, you are the finest socialist I have ever met.”
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