Shaun Lawson

"I expected better of you Shaun". "Can't believe you're doubling down on this Shaun". Folks, please: take me off whatever pedestal you've got me on NOW. I'm a human being like you. I have feet of clay like you. Newsflash: we'll sometimes disagree on things.

Stop waving Shaun pompoms when you agree with me and wildly overreacting when we disagree. It's ridiculous. This isn't about me.

You know that mad adulation all political leaders get at their Conferences? When people stand and applaud forever like they're in the presence of some kind of deity? I've always known what I'd do in that situation. I'd put my hands up and gesture for it to STOP, immediately.

Because it wouldn't be about me and it wouldn't be about you either. Politics are about ALL of us. Each and every one of us. Not some cult of any individual; not personality either. But policy, substance, making a positive difference for millions of people by all working together

Similarly, you know what I'd do if I were manager or CEO of an organisation? In the event of a failure, I'd take everyone out to get drunk. In the event of a success, I'd urge people to calmly reflect on how things went right... and not throw some mad celebration.

I wouldn't judge people for getting things wrong - BECAUSE WE ALL GET THINGS WRONG ALL THE TIME. And I wouldn't act like some sort of genius was why things had gone things right either. In the event of things going wrong, the test is how people respond. Whether they keep going.

And yet, having said all that, sure: the personal is the political. We all have our own reasons for believing all sorts of things. In my case, I once gave someone I cared about a huge amount a hard time during her pregnancy. It was complicated; there was fault on both sides.

Everything worked out fine with her baby. But I ended up losing her friendship over what happened. And I've never quite forgotten it. I didn't do anything terrible, don't get me wrong - I was stressed and anxious. But at a time she needed my support the most, I was crap. Awful.

There have been other friends I wasn't there for either. Again, complicated; again, fault on both sides. Those friendships are fine now. We got through it. But it left an indelible impression on me. That's not 'mansplaining' pregnancy; that's me trying to learn from mistakes.

In Berger's case: it's fairly well known to anyone who reads my waffle that I'm not a fan of her as an MP; and defend the right of local parties to choose their candidates absolutely. But this particular situation? It's a mess, a huge one.

The very nature of how she became Liverpool Wavertree MP in the first place clearly got her off on a very bad footing. Then came accusations of bullying the following year. And more latterly, she's had all sorts of horrendous abuse online.

Luciana Berger is not going to look at those experiences and feel like she belongs, or that she's supported - EVEN IF she's been at fault (which she often has), EVEN IF that abuse has come from non-Labour members and supporters (which it very often has).

Similarly, the members of her local party and the people of Liverpool Wavertree aren't going to look at her behaviour and feel much sympathy either. There's been a total breakdown in communication across the board. Both sides consumed by a sense of overwhelming righteousness.

I don't *blame* (a word I hate using, because blame gets people absolutely nowhere and ignores that every one of us makes mistakes all the time) Liverpool Wavertree CLP for being so infuriated and frustrated by Berger's conduct. It's completely understandable.

Especially so given all the horrific injustices which the people of Liverpool experience every day thanks to this disgraceful government: injustices on which Berger almost never comments. She has to reflect on that. She MUST reflect on that.

But when someone's eight months pregnant, and the individual putting down the vote of no confidence is himself a conspiracy theorist with some seriously far out opinions, I can't blame her for despairing of it all too. There's more than one side to every story. Never forget that

I don't even blame that individual for having those conspiracy theories. People are human. Human beings try and join the dots: try and find simple explanations to complex things. It doesn't make them evil or something! Just flawed, like we all are.

And now, let's get to the nub of it. I've said many times that I strongly believe that antisemitism on the left is being weaponised for political purposes. I've provided plenty of evidence to prove it. But the narrative around it all has become very powerful.

When I publicly challenged individuals most responsible for spreading that narrative - and countered it with data, with facts, and by shining a light on their own behaviour - all I did was give them more oxygen! Gave them a prominence they didn't warrant.

Labour understood all this quite some time back. The only way to defeat AS is to call it out wherever it exists. And the only way to assuage the Jewish community's very real fears is to show, day by day, week by week, month by month, that Labour stands with them against AS.

So given that, imagine what the no confidence vote looked like to Labour's most vehement critics. "She calls out AS... so you want to deselect her? She's eight months pregnant... and you want to deselect her? Are you coming for her baby too?"

And yes, absolutely: that is a wild oversimplification. A hugely offensive oversimplification to the vast majority of good, caring people in Liverpool Wavertree CLP, who just want their MP to campaign against the Tories and for Labour. Who want her to be accountable too.

My heart goes out to all those in Liverpool Wavertree who feel bitterly let down over all this. Smearing them as 'antisemitic' is disgusting. I certainly stand with all of them.

But *in these particular circumstances*, calling a no confidence vote in an 8 months pregnant woman is just stupid. Incredibly stupid politics - because of what it LOOKS like. This is politics. Perception is so often reality.

That doesn't mean I don't think the needs of the poor in Liverpool Wavertree shouldn't be prioritised. Of course they should. That doesn't mean I don't think Luciana Berger should do infinitely more to prioritise those needs. Yes, she should. She absolutely should.

But I'll tell you: if any boss fired any worker when they were 8 months pregnant, I wouldn't think much of them. Same here. You can call me 'patronising', you can tell me I don't understand, you can say 'pregnancy is not an illness Shaun' (yes, I know). But that's how I'd feel.

And how I'd feel is based on my experience of friendships with 8 months pregnant women. Remembering how stressed and anxious they were. Remembering how, because they're human beings, they had one sole priority. Their baby, and everything working out OK.

Please note: I don't have this view because Berger is pregnant. I have this view because she's EIGHT MONTHS pregnant. Remember, women are eligible to claim maternity leave from up to 11 weeks before the due date. And there are good reasons for that.

And sure: she hasn't claimed it herself. Being heavily pregnant hasn't stopped her hitting the airwaves and castigating Corbyn and Labour. I get that. But arranging a vote of no confidence in her NOW? It's the worst look imaginable, and I'm glad it was withdrawn.

I'll be frank about this. I think maternity and paternity leave should both be a lot longer than they already are. There is pitifully little long term support for parents or parents-to-be in the UK. And above all, for their children.