After keeping off twitter for a whole week on holiday in August, Neil Coyle – whose team thought he couldn’t win the bet – was presented with a homemade cake by aides presumably delighted he kept out of trouble.
Last week, however, he returned to straight-talking form when he branded Boris Johnson a “d***” live on Sky News, while discussing the PM’s plans to suspend parliament.
Johnson’s opposition – including some Brexiteers – believe it is a tactic to streamroll No Deal past MPs.
Defending his latest outburst Coyle told the News: “Everyone says we want MPs to talk and sound like us.
“If you think that was very choice, fruity language, well I think that was fairly measured given how my constituents are describing him.
“Bear in mind this is the man who said: “F*** business. I’m trying to reflect some of the anger my constituents feel.”
Unusually, Coyle was firm in his support for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s tack, claiming the Labour Party was doing everything it could to win an extension or revoke Article 50 before having a general election, differing to what Corbyn has said on other occasions about backing a poll in any event.
Ladbrokes say the Liberal Democrats are favourites to regain Simon Hughes’ former constituency in an early election – looking likely for October.
Before then Coyle has to shore up his position as he fights an internal battle to keep his seat in the face of deselection by his own party.
Two affiliates have declared their support so far – including the Co-Operatives, and his local constituency party branches will meet next week to decide whether to kickstart an open contest.
He doesn’t speak for me. I support Boris 100%.