Though Mr Dugher said the selection of the shadow cabinet was “entirely a matter for the leader” the article was widely interpreted as a coded warning to Mr Corbyn.
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He added: “I’m afraid that there is a sort of natural impetus among the hard left who want to tighten their control”.
In his first interview since his dismissal from the Labour shadow team with Sky News, Mr Dugher said the real casualty of his demotion was Mr Corbyn’s promised approach to politics.
Mr Dugher said he thought it was only right to speak up for “good, hardworking” colleagues and accused those employed by Jeremy Corbyn of “systematically trashing” members of the shadow cabinet.
She said he wanted to “realign” the shadow cabinet so it was a better match with the party. I am a Labour MP and proud to be Labour.
There is a gentle flurry of speculation that Shadow Welsh Secretary and Llanelli MP Nia Griffith could be a contender.
“I said despite all the stuff you’ve read in the newspapers: I don’t think Jeremy Corbyn is a man motivated by revenge, I didn’t think he’ll do these mass sackings as an act of revenge over Syria that we’ve read about every day, every week, for several weeks”.
Some believe the scope of the changes will end up narrower than mooted, as the leadership could face a major backlash in the parliamentary party if moderates are frozen out.
“If he doesn’t want people in his shadow cabinet who spend more time attacking the Labour Party leadership than the Tory benches opposite us, then he is perfectly within his rights to do that”.
“I tried to do my best in delivering some straight-talking and honest politics and I think it was a little too much for him”.
“Reshuffles are always hard because you always have people who have given good service to the party who get moved on”.
“I think you have all worked out you’ve got an albatross at the head of your party”.
He said he couldn’t stand by and let his colleagues in the shadow cabinet have their reputations “trashed” in the press, because of media briefings coming out of the Labour camp over the Christmas period.
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“But we ought to be able to do it in an atmosphere of respect where we listen to one another and we reach positions”.
