One of Labour’s most senior frontbenchers appeared to throw Wes Streeting under a bus this morning over the Shadow Health Secretary’s controversial tweet about the Tories’ London mayoral candidate.
Pat McFadden, Labour’s national campaign coordinator, said he disagreed with Mr Streeting’s widely condemned attack on Ms Hall and her supporters, suggesting his frontbench colleague has questions to answer.
GB News’ Camilla Tominey raised Mr Streeting’s controversial tweet, in which he claimed that a win for the Tories’ Susan Hall would be a “win for racists, white supremacists, and Islamophobes the world over”.
She demanded to know whether Mr McFadden believes that the 812,397 Londoners who voted for Susan Hall are “racists, white supremacists, and Islamophobes”.
Mr McFadden argued that elections “are often heated” and he’s “very relieved and pleased that Sadiq Khan won, I always thought he would win”.
He continued: “I never believed any of this panic that thought he was in serious jeopardy.
“The big question I think about this is if the Tories thought they had a chance in London, I think they should have taken it more seriously.
“I don’t want to be unkind to anyone but I don’t think if you were taking it really seriously that Susan Hall would have been the candidate and I can’t understand if they thought they had a real chance they would have picked her to run”.
Pressed to answer the question about Mr Streeting’s tweet, Pat McFadden said he “would not describe the electorate in that way”.
Asked if that implies Mr Streeting was wrong to say what he did, Mr McFadden said if Ms Tominey wants to ask about his comments “I suggest you get him on your programme”.
He claimed it’s “up to him” when pressed on whether the shadow health secretary should apologise.
“As I said, if you want to speak to Wes you can get him on the programme”.
Mr Streeting’s tweet sparked fury, with Lord Frost calling on voters to back Ms Hall to “help put this kind of politics in the dustbin where it belongs”.
Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho slammed Mr Streeting, warning Labour will “shame you until you do as you’re told”.
“They called you a ‘bigot’ if you questioned whether women had a penis.
“Then, a ‘flat-earther’ if you want to stop ULEZ.
“Now you’re a ‘racist’ if you vote for Susan Hall.”
Reform UK’s Richard Tice said: “Wes a truly disgraceful tweet that is beneath you.
“Pot & kettle….. Labour still riddled with antisemitism & Sadiq Khan has presided over collapse in law and order in a now dangerous London
“Get your own house in order before whining about others”
