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Jeremy Corbyn axes ‘disloyal’ Europe minister Pat McFadden ahead of EU referendum

 

Pat McFadden has been sacked by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

Mr Corbyn swung the axe just months before a possible referendum on Britain’s membership of the controversial European Union.

Mr McFadden was appointed by previous leader Ed Miliband in October 2014 and vowed “make the hard-headed, patriotic case” for Britain to stay in Europe.

Labour sources said the MP for Wolverhampton South East will be replaced by another Europhile – Pat Glass, co-chair of pro-EU group Labour Yes.

He is thought to have been sacked for comments made in Parliament in the wake of the Paris massacre on December 13.

Mr McFadden said: “May I ask the Prime Minister to reject the view that sees terrorist acts as always being a response or a reaction to what we in the West do?”

He added: “No one forces them to kill innocent people in Paris or Beirut.

“Unless we are clear about that, we will fail even to understand the threat we face, let alone confront it and ultimately overcome it.”

Pat McFadden

He was appointed by Ed Miliband in October 2014

Mr McFadden is the latest casualty of a Shadow Cabinet “revenge reshuffle” – just four months after Mr Corbyn was elected Labour leader.

Earlier Michael Dugher announced he had been sacked from the culture brief, tweeting: “Sacked by Jeremy Corbyn for too much straight talking, honest politics.”

He has been replaced by Maria Eagle, the Shadow Defence Secretary, who in turn is replaced by anti-Trident MP Emily Thornberry.

Maria Eagle

Maria Eagle has replaced Shadow Culture Secretary Michael Dugher

A host of Labour MPs have attacked the decision to sack Mr McFadden on social media.

Ian Austin said the move to axe a “serious, credible [and] popular shadow minister” was “vindictive and stupid”.

And John Woodcock tweeted: “If you can’t state these views [about the Paris attacks] and be a shadow minister then our party really is being driven off a cliff.”

via : Daily Express