"Chinese for Labour" is trending on Twitter after Lisa Nandy secured her place on the Labour leadership final ballot upon receiving support from the party-affiliated organisation on Wednesday.
Chinese for Labour's stated aim is "to promote the interests of Chinese people in the Labour Party and improve the quality of life of the Chinese community in Britain.
Supporters and Nandy herself welcomed the endorsement.
As someone of mixed heritage, I'm incredibly proud that it is Chinese for Labour who have secured my place on the ballot paper. They do incredibly important work to ensure we are a representative and inclusive party that can truly speak for modern Britain. https://t.co/Nt5d7BC9PD
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) January 22, 2020
Chinese for Labour have made the correct endorsements.
— Matilda Carter (@MatildaCarter92) January 22, 2020
Nandy-Butler is the way forward! https://t.co/2EPlnQxrLW
Many users on Twitter however seem completely oblivious to the group's existence and made their shock well known.
There's a Chinese For Labour affiliate?
— Sue Marsh (@suey2y) January 20, 2020
Huh. I did not know that.
That is a conference fringe I'd have tried to get a ticket to.
Some netizens seemed to think it was some sort of food order:
Chinese For Labour? My missus had a beef curry herself. Worked a treat. Still, whatever does the job for you. pic.twitter.com/R6CE5Obwc1
— The French Letter (@abugorowies) January 22, 2020
WTF is Chinese for labour?!!
— BJ is not my PM, I've never voted Tory :) (@Tinkerbell32112) January 22, 2020
I thought they were having a takeaway or something similar but no, some group I've never heard of are able to put a candidate on the ballot paper?
I knew labour was up the spout without an umbrella but this is getting sillier every day
Others seemed to conflate the minority representation group with the Chinese government, which it has no association with.
Chinese for Labour nominates Lisa Nandy to be the next party leader. Good to know. pic.twitter.com/9y2S6FIS4w
— George Smiley (@364690) January 22, 2020
The legacy of revolutionary Chinese leader and founder of modern China, Mao Zedong was also invoked.
Mao was very much in favour of Chinese for labour.
— Rudy Rocker (@rocker_rudy) January 22, 2020
Nandy has already won the endorsements from the GMB and NUM trade unions and is now the the second Labour candidate to make it on to the ballot of members, following Sir Keir Starmer who is the current frontrunner.
The Wigan MP, who herself is of mixed heritage, received support from the chair of Chinese for Labour Sarah Owen, who became the first MP of East Asian background in 2019.
The 4 candidates vying to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader require endorsements from trade unions and party affiliates to be a contender with the final vote being cast by party members in April.
