Huge incumbency advantage tells as challengers had only 3 hours to seek postal voters

Margaret Hodge during Barking Labour’s AGM, which had to be abandoned

Barking MP Margaret Hodge has been reselected as the constituency party’s candidate after a bizarre meeting in which the right-wing candidates all (bar Hodge) spoke in favour of Jeremy Corbyn and Hodge talked of her support for Palestine.

A local member told the SKWAWKBOX:

The right-wing candidates were total charlatans to the point of embarrassment.

Another called the proceedings ‘farcical’.

Hodge enjoyed an enormous incumbency advantage, having a lengthy period to canvas for and collect postal votes, while challengers only knew they were on the shortlist three hours before the deadline for casting postal votes. There were also complaints that the postal ballots were being collated by a Hodge ally.

Hodge was also involved in ‘absolute mayhem’ at the local party’s annual general meeting earlier this month, which had to be abandoned and which resulted in a member threatening to call the police if Hodge didn’t stop pushing her.

Contrary to media claims, Hodge was ‘triggered‘ by the local right, not by left-wingers.

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