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| The local Argus has been a propaganda sheet for the Labour Right and its undemocratic tendencies – it took the Argus 5 days to report the ‘takeover’ of the Labour Party by its members! |
Progress and the Labour Right Declare War on
Democracy
Democracy
It’s the Politics of Pinochet
Brighton and Hove
Labour Party has been suspended by the Disputes Panel of the NEC. I understand,
though it cannot be confirmed that this was at the instigation of the Chair Paddy Lillis of the right-wing USDAW trade union.
Labour Party has been suspended by the Disputes Panel of the NEC. I understand,
though it cannot be confirmed that this was at the instigation of the Chair Paddy Lillis of the right-wing USDAW trade union.
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| Warren Morgan’s false allegations were made with a view to the NEC overturning a vote by over 600 Labour Party members |
It was only last Saturday Brighton and Hove
Labour Party held their AGM. At the largest meeting of the party, over
600 people, voted out the old right-wing Progress
Executive Committee by majorities of approximately 2-1.
Labour Party held their AGM. At the largest meeting of the party, over
600 people, voted out the old right-wing Progress
Executive Committee by majorities of approximately 2-1.
Mark Sandell, formerly President of West Sussex
NUT was elected Chair, beating Mark Jackson by 376 votes (62 per cent) to 224.
NUT was elected Chair, beating Mark Jackson by 376 votes (62 per cent) to 224.
Claire Wadey, a previous member of the
Executive, was elected Treasurer, beating the previous Secretary, the
universally acknowledge incompetent and useless John Warmington by 374 votes to
226.
Executive, was elected Treasurer, beating the previous Secretary, the
universally acknowledge incompetent and useless John Warmington by 374 votes to
226.
Greg Hadfield, who previously edited the
Brighton and Hove Independent paper defeated Edward Crask to become secretary
by 393 votes to 213.
Brighton and Hove Independent paper defeated Edward Crask to become secretary
by 393 votes to 213.
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| A racial attack on a visiting Momentum speaker has been ignored by NEC apparatchiks Tweet by Seema Chandwani who was abused by friends of Council leader Warren Morgan |
Anne Pissaridou defeated the even more useless
Nicky Easton, the previous vice chair for campaigns by 391- 204 who had
distinguished herself by failing to engage people in a single campaign.
Easton had even opposed a resolution during the year which supported the
doctors’ strike and urged members to join the picket lines.
Nicky Easton, the previous vice chair for campaigns by 391- 204 who had
distinguished herself by failing to engage people in a single campaign.
Easton had even opposed a resolution during the year which supported the
doctors’ strike and urged members to join the picket lines.
Christine Robinson was elected unopposed as vice
chair for membership. [see Corbyn supporters
top poll for key posts on Brighton and Hove Labour party executive]
chair for membership. [see Corbyn supporters
top poll for key posts on Brighton and Hove Labour party executive]
Three of the additional five ordinary Executive
places, which are elected by STV, also went to supporters of Momentum.
places, which are elected by STV, also went to supporters of Momentum.
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| The only incident during the day was a racial attack by two Brighton LP members, one of whom is sympathetic to the BNP. The incident was witnessed by 2 Labour Councillors inc. Julie Cattell without any attempt to intervene |
Immediately Council leader Warren Morgan went
into overdrive to manufacture out of thin air allegations of malpractice and
intimidation. Morgan invented out of nowhere a spitting incident even
though there is no victim or any complaint. The only thing that happened
was that when security for the venue barred further people entering the
building at one time and then locked people into a room against all fire
regulations, there was some pushing and shoving. The security guard, when
asked later about the incident replied ‘what incident’.
into overdrive to manufacture out of thin air allegations of malpractice and
intimidation. Morgan invented out of nowhere a spitting incident even
though there is no victim or any complaint. The only thing that happened
was that when security for the venue barred further people entering the
building at one time and then locked people into a room against all fire
regulations, there was some pushing and shoving. The security guard, when
asked later about the incident replied ‘what incident’.
He also alleges that Peter Kyle MP was subject
to abuse which is the exact opposite of what happened. It was his
supporters who engaged in abuse. Kyle was perhaps miffed that people saw
him as a traitor to Party Jeremy Corbyn and didn’t want to speak to him but
failure to speak to someone doesn’t constitute abuse.
to abuse which is the exact opposite of what happened. It was his
supporters who engaged in abuse. Kyle was perhaps miffed that people saw
him as a traitor to Party Jeremy Corbyn and didn’t want to speak to him but
failure to speak to someone doesn’t constitute abuse.
There was one serious racial incident which
occurred after the Momentum meeting when one of the speakers from Tottenham
CLP Seema Chandwani and a friend Michael Calderbank were subject to
racial abuse by 2 Labour Party members and supporters of the Right. The
incident was covered in Monday’s Morning Star. They were told to ‘get the
fuck out of Brighton now, scum’. These same racists had wrongly
identified another Black person in the pub as the Momentum supporters and
attacked him first! Sitting in the pub and giving their approval to the
action of their ‘comrades’ were two Brighton Labour councillors including
Progress councilor Julie Cattell for Preston Ward. The names of the two
individuals are known. One of them combines Labour Party membership with
support for the BNP and is an ardent Zionist! This incident however was
not the subject of Warren Morgan’s complaint.
occurred after the Momentum meeting when one of the speakers from Tottenham
CLP Seema Chandwani and a friend Michael Calderbank were subject to
racial abuse by 2 Labour Party members and supporters of the Right. The
incident was covered in Monday’s Morning Star. They were told to ‘get the
fuck out of Brighton now, scum’. These same racists had wrongly
identified another Black person in the pub as the Momentum supporters and
attacked him first! Sitting in the pub and giving their approval to the
action of their ‘comrades’ were two Brighton Labour councillors including
Progress councilor Julie Cattell for Preston Ward. The names of the two
individuals are known. One of them combines Labour Party membership with
support for the BNP and is an ardent Zionist! This incident however was
not the subject of Warren Morgan’s complaint.
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| Council leader Warren Morgan – Progress supporter and former Lib-Dem |
The only complaint I know of is against Warren
Morgan for making the false allegation of spitting. It was made by an
unnamed Labour Party member to Iain McNicol, Labour’s General Secretary.
This was made yesterday, shortly before notice was received by Greg Hadfield,
the new Secretary, of the suspension of Brighton Party. Mention should
also be made of the fact that news of the suspension was leaked to the press
before party officers were officially informed and that is how Greg first
learnt of the suspension.
Morgan for making the false allegation of spitting. It was made by an
unnamed Labour Party member to Iain McNicol, Labour’s General Secretary.
This was made yesterday, shortly before notice was received by Greg Hadfield,
the new Secretary, of the suspension of Brighton Party. Mention should
also be made of the fact that news of the suspension was leaked to the press
before party officers were officially informed and that is how Greg first
learnt of the suspension.
What is clear is that national Labour Party
officers are willing to flout the basic norms of democracy in the Party now.
Banning meetings, stopping over a hundred thousand people voting, imposing high
financial penalties on those who do vote and now suspending parties. In
Brighton they have even gone as far as reinstating the old Executive despite
the fact that they were democratically voted out. This is the democracy
that Warren Morgan and his Progress acolytes believe in.
officers are willing to flout the basic norms of democracy in the Party now.
Banning meetings, stopping over a hundred thousand people voting, imposing high
financial penalties on those who do vote and now suspending parties. In
Brighton they have even gone as far as reinstating the old Executive despite
the fact that they were democratically voted out. This is the democracy
that Warren Morgan and his Progress acolytes believe in.
The time has long gone when Momentum should
indeed take the gloves off to these protégés of Blair and Brown. Their
contempt for basic party democracy is visible for all to see. On the
basis of spurious and untested allegations, properly conducted election results
are overturned on the say so of one individual.
indeed take the gloves off to these protégés of Blair and Brown. Their
contempt for basic party democracy is visible for all to see. On the
basis of spurious and untested allegations, properly conducted election results
are overturned on the say so of one individual.
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| Peter Kyle MP – one of the leaders of the anti-democratic right-wing Progress |
What We Can Do
Firstly the elected Executive should continue to meet and Labour Party members
should have nothing to do with the old Executive.
Secondly party meetings should continue as before and the National Executive’s
dictat should be ignored.
Thirdly we should lobby members of the National Executive, including Momentum,
to have the NEC meet not only to overturn Brighton & Hove’s suspension
but to overturn the decision to bar 130,000 new members of the Labour Party
from having a vote and to reduce the amount supporters of the Labour Party have
to pay from £25 to £3 again.
Fourthly – we should urge the Labour Party to urge that those members of the
Labour Party who attacked Seema Chandwani and those who were present but did
nothing, including Cllr. Cattell, should be suspended forthwith pending
investigation.
Tony Greenstein
Posted in Blog
