'Jamie Driscoll's resignation from the Labour Party is an understandable reaction to Keir Starmer's betrayal of all the pledges he made to get elected as party leader after Jeremy Corbyn', Ruth Styles told the Communist Party's political committee on Monday evening (July 17).

  'Starmer has dumped most of his policy pledges and launched a purge of the left after promising to promote party unity on a left-of-centre programme', she pointed out.

  Mr Driscoll had been excluded from the process to select Labour's candidate for mayor of North East England, despite his widely praised record and popularity as the mayor of North Tyne.

  His resignation from the Labour Party has come as Labour MPs are criticising Keir Starmer's u-turn decision to retain the two-child cap on child benefit should he win the next General Election.

  'Starmer and his minions are determined to make a future Labour government safe for big business and the City of London by preventing voters from electing socialists like Jamie Driscoll and Jeremy Corbyn as official Labour Party candidates', Ms Styles accused. 

  The CP chair also cited the Labour leader's backtracking on issues such as renationalisation, green energy investment, student tuition fees, free school meals and NHS privatisation.

  'He is dividing the Labour Party when he should be giving people hope and belief that a Labour government will be on their side, taking the steps necessary to raise people's living standards, invest in infrastructure and public services, devolve power and resources to the regions and local communities, and provide jobs and homes to all who need them', she insisted, 'because not being the Tories may not be enough to win the next General Election'.

  Ms Styles warned that 'Keir Starmer should not be surprised when working-class voters turn out to elect hard-working and principled independent socialists rather than nodding dogs who tamely do their master's bidding'.