Brighton & Hove Momentum Affiliates
to Labour Against the Witchhunt and Opposes the False Anti-Semitism Witchhunt
to Labour Against the Witchhunt and Opposes the False Anti-Semitism Witchhunt
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| The AGM called by acclaim for Labour’s National Executive to immediately reinstate Riad, who is dying of cancer, to the Party. He was unjustly auto-excluded under McNicol’s regime as a consequence of having been gaoled for a short time for defying the sanctions regime on Iraq which is held to have killed up to a million people. The informer in his case was former Hove MP Ivor Caplin, Southern organiser for the Jewish Labour Movement |
After more than 16 months Brighton
and Hove Momentum finally held its Annual General Meeting at the Friends
Meeting House in Brighton tonite. The meeting was co-chaired by Sarah Pickett and Greg Hadfield. A lot
of things have happened in that time as Anne Thompson set out in a verbal
report on behalf of the previous Steering Committee.
In July 2016 all 3 constituencies
were suspended after Momentum supported candidates were victorious in the
District Labour Party elections. At that
time all 3 constituencies came together in one DLP.
were suspended after Momentum supported candidates were victorious in the
District Labour Party elections. At that
time all 3 constituencies came together in one DLP.
 |
| The lies of Warren Morgan that led to Brighton & Hove District Labour Party being suspended and the election results overturned |
Led by Council leader Warren
Morgan, vicious lies were spread about members having spat at and abused the
staff at City College where the AGM were held.
All of these allegations were false and demonstrably so, since we
managed to get hold of CCTV footage of where the incident took place. Morgan has since been forced to resign as a consequence
of his ill-fated call, after the Labour Party Conference last September, that
they would not be welcomed back in Brighton on account of ‘anti-Semitism’. Morgan finally got the message that he is
not wanted, even in the ward, East Brighton, that he has represented for far
too long.
Morgan, vicious lies were spread about members having spat at and abused the
staff at City College where the AGM were held.
All of these allegations were false and demonstrably so, since we
managed to get hold of CCTV footage of where the incident took place. Morgan has since been forced to resign as a consequence
of his ill-fated call, after the Labour Party Conference last September, that
they would not be welcomed back in Brighton on account of ‘anti-Semitism’. Morgan finally got the message that he is
not wanted, even in the ward, East Brighton, that he has represented for far
too long.
The Labour Party under its previous General Secretary, crooked Iain
McNicol set up an Inquiry under the equally crooked Karen Buckingham who, when
faced with the possibility of having to declare that Councillors Warren Morgan,
Emma Daniels and co. were liars refused to look at the CCTV footage for reasons
of ‘data protection’. It always amazes me how McNicol’s
foot soldiers never hesitated to breach the Data Protection Act by leaking
details to the national press but when needs must take refuge in the same
principles. The details of what happened
can be found in Greg Hadfield’s CCTV
proof: There was no spitting, shoving and barging, or abusive behaviour at
Brighton and Hove and District Labour Party’s annual meeting at City College on
July 9 and The
battle goes on in Brighton and Hove
McNicol set up an Inquiry under the equally crooked Karen Buckingham who, when
faced with the possibility of having to declare that Councillors Warren Morgan,
Emma Daniels and co. were liars refused to look at the CCTV footage for reasons
of ‘data protection’. It always amazes me how McNicol’s
foot soldiers never hesitated to breach the Data Protection Act by leaking
details to the national press but when needs must take refuge in the same
principles. The details of what happened
can be found in Greg Hadfield’s CCTV
proof: There was no spitting, shoving and barging, or abusive behaviour at
Brighton and Hove and District Labour Party’s annual meeting at City College on
July 9 and The
battle goes on in Brighton and Hove
The
meeting started with an announcement that a member of the Steering Committee Riad el-Taher has been diagnosed with cancer and is not expected to live many more
months. Riad was a member of the Hove Labour
Party Executive when, as a result of a leak to the press by the former Defence
Minister under Blair and a junior war criminal, Ivor Caplin, Riad was
auto-excluded from the Labour Party on account of a previous, spent conviction
for breaking the sanctions regime on Iraq, where he comes from, for
humanitarian reasons. The meeting agreed
my acclamation that the new Steering Committee should immediately contact the
Momentum representatives on Labour’s National Executive Committee to get them
to propose that Labour makes amends and reinstates Riad immediately to
membership of the Party. It would be
even nicer if they were to suspend the informer in this case, Ivor Caplin, for
his uncomradely behaviour.
meeting started with an announcement that a member of the Steering Committee Riad el-Taher has been diagnosed with cancer and is not expected to live many more
months. Riad was a member of the Hove Labour
Party Executive when, as a result of a leak to the press by the former Defence
Minister under Blair and a junior war criminal, Ivor Caplin, Riad was
auto-excluded from the Labour Party on account of a previous, spent conviction
for breaking the sanctions regime on Iraq, where he comes from, for
humanitarian reasons. The meeting agreed
my acclamation that the new Steering Committee should immediately contact the
Momentum representatives on Labour’s National Executive Committee to get them
to propose that Labour makes amends and reinstates Riad immediately to
membership of the Party. It would be
even nicer if they were to suspend the informer in this case, Ivor Caplin, for
his uncomradely behaviour.
Elections
took place to a new Steering Committee, after an attempt to move to a
resolution challenging the reduction in the number of places had failed. Nine people were elected, most unopposed but
in two out of the three contested elections candidates from the left of
Momentum were victorious but overall the Committee retains its bias to the
Lansmanite wing of Momentum.
took place to a new Steering Committee, after an attempt to move to a
resolution challenging the reduction in the number of places had failed. Nine people were elected, most unopposed but
in two out of the three contested elections candidates from the left of
Momentum were victorious but overall the Committee retains its bias to the
Lansmanite wing of Momentum.
Before
the resolutions were taken there was a talk by Rachel from the Momentum
national office on the Democracy Review in the Labour Party and then a series
of questions and answers.
the resolutions were taken there was a talk by Rachel from the Momentum
national office on the Democracy Review in the Labour Party and then a series
of questions and answers.
A
resolution that I moved on the witchhunt, which was amended to call for
affiliation to Labour Against the Witchhunt was passed against nitpicking
opposition from Lansman supporters. These people never oppose the principle but find 101 reasons why some word or other is out of place. However as I stressed in my summing up, we are not passing legislation but a policy thrust.
resolution that I moved on the witchhunt, which was amended to call for
affiliation to Labour Against the Witchhunt was passed against nitpicking
opposition from Lansman supporters. These people never oppose the principle but find 101 reasons why some word or other is out of place. However as I stressed in my summing up, we are not passing legislation but a policy thrust.
This
resolution, which I initially submitted, was proposed in the name of the
Steering Committee having been extensively discussed yesterday evening. Despite it being a resolution of the Steering
Committee a number of its members voted against the resolution despite trying to amend it up to the final minute. Despite this dishonesty it was still
passed by 20-14 votes.
resolution, which I initially submitted, was proposed in the name of the
Steering Committee having been extensively discussed yesterday evening. Despite it being a resolution of the Steering
Committee a number of its members voted against the resolution despite trying to amend it up to the final minute. Despite this dishonesty it was still
passed by 20-14 votes.
A
second resolution which I moved on democratising Momentum nationally was even
more controversial. This was discussed
in the wake of the coup that took place at the beginning of last year when Jon
Lansman tore up the democratic structures of Momentum, abolished all the
liberation strands (Black, Asian, Gay etc.) abolished the regional structure
and national Committee and took all power into his own hands. The resolution was opposed by Stephen Smith
and supported by Jonathan Bellos from the floor. When it came to the vote it was passed by
18-15 votes. Let us hope the new
Steering Committee, the majority of whom opposed the motion take it to heart.
second resolution which I moved on democratising Momentum nationally was even
more controversial. This was discussed
in the wake of the coup that took place at the beginning of last year when Jon
Lansman tore up the democratic structures of Momentum, abolished all the
liberation strands (Black, Asian, Gay etc.) abolished the regional structure
and national Committee and took all power into his own hands. The resolution was opposed by Stephen Smith
and supported by Jonathan Bellos from the floor. When it came to the vote it was passed by
18-15 votes. Let us hope the new
Steering Committee, the majority of whom opposed the motion take it to heart.
It
is clear that there is now a sharp division in Brighton and Hove Momentum
between supporters of Lansman’s dictatorial leadership nationally and those who
believe in campaigning politics and opposing the witchhunt in Labour in
particular. One of the resolutions we
moved which wasn’t take was on anti-racism and the Grenfell Fire Committee. It is to be seen whether or not the new Committee
will take these campaigns on board.
is clear that there is now a sharp division in Brighton and Hove Momentum
between supporters of Lansman’s dictatorial leadership nationally and those who
believe in campaigning politics and opposing the witchhunt in Labour in
particular. One of the resolutions we
moved which wasn’t take was on anti-racism and the Grenfell Fire Committee. It is to be seen whether or not the new Committee
will take these campaigns on board.
There
were less than 40 people at tonights AGM compared to about 70 at the one 15
months ago. This is despite there being
over 500 members of Momentum in Brighton and some 2,000 people on the contact
list. It can only be hoped that the new
Steering Committee, which I decided I didn’t have time to stand for, will be
more successful in involving people.
Nonetheless our record over the past 15 months, including winning the
leadership of all 3 parties in Brighton and the Local Campaign Forum shows that
the Right is still on the retreat.
were less than 40 people at tonights AGM compared to about 70 at the one 15
months ago. This is despite there being
over 500 members of Momentum in Brighton and some 2,000 people on the contact
list. It can only be hoped that the new
Steering Committee, which I decided I didn’t have time to stand for, will be
more successful in involving people.
Nonetheless our record over the past 15 months, including winning the
leadership of all 3 parties in Brighton and the Local Campaign Forum shows that
the Right is still on the retreat.
Tony
Greenstein
Greenstein
Posted in Blog
