When Peter Willsman was re-elected onto the Labour NEC this month, there was a sense of shock in the party. It wasn't that it was surprising a Corbyn ally had beaten a moderate in a party vote – that's now the status quo. Instead, it was curious that Willsman was elected despite being recorded saying that Jewish 'Trump fanatics' are 'making up' anti-Semitism allegations within the party. The incident led Momentum to revoke their endorsement of his candidacy.
So, with Willsman back on the NEC, questions had remained as to how the party would handle his re-election, with many MPs calling on him to stand down and spare the party (any more) blushes.
But it seems there was no need to worry about a cold welcome for Willsman. It turns out that he is listed to share a platform with Diane Abbott at this month's conference. The Corbyn-aligned Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD) is to kick off Labour Party conference with a “Conference Lift Off!”. The event will see Willsman join forces Diane Abbott, Margaret Greenwood and Dan Carden:
Mr S wonders whether Willsman will be able to find the time the next morning to attend the Jewish Labour Movement rally. Perhaps not.