It would appear that the issue surrounding the selection of candidates in the Labour Party is not exclusive to Stoke-on-Trent.
In this week’s Tribune, the magazine for Labour supporters, there is an article by Chris McLaughlin which exposes yet another example of candidates imposed or excluded against the wishes of the rank and file membership.
In this case it is the last remaining London seat to select a candidate Leyton & Wanstead.
Maybe the most telling passage in Chris’s article is: “A shortlist of candidates was due to be drawn up by a special panel of the party’s National Executive Committee on February 11, after Tribune went to press.
But concerns have been raised over the process used to eliminate candidates before the shortlisting meeting. At least three members of the London Assembly were rejected, one by email and without explanation within 48 hours of applying.
Of a longlist of nine, only two candidates were women, just one was from the constituency, but all are understood to have east London connections.
The rejection message was sent by a party official on behalf of the NEC’s special selections panel. No information has been issued about the method or criteria for the whittling down process, the total number of applicants or those involved in the elimination process. The panel appears to be operating an unofficial ban on any incumbent elected member at council, regional or city level.
Just what is going on within the party that claims to be representative of their grass roots membership?
Just how can this party attract new members when it is quite clear that the membership have absolutely no say on the candidates who will represent them.
The Labour party is facing a massive financial crisis and many commentators think that the party will struggle to finance the elections. You would think that the party would make sure that it sells itself to everyday men and woman and that they feel that the Labour party is an inclusive institution and offers the same opportunities to all it’s members.
We have just seen the British National Party act on a ruling by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to allow BME citizens to apply for membership of their party and yet it was passed by the house of Commons to allow the imposition of all women shortlists where parties feel that is is right to do so.
The Labour party have been openly accused of using all women shortlists to effectively stop candidate that the executive judge to be hostile.
Surely any discrimination is wrong, be it on race, colour, religion, gender, or sexuality?
Locally we have still to be informed who the official Labour candidates for the local elections will be. We have been told who won’t be standing and who the party’s executive have deemed as unsuitable or hostile.
There are more rumours circulating that there may well be an attempt to remove the Chair and Secretary of Stoke Central at the AGM this week. I have also been tipped that at least one branch will ignore direction and select their own candidate for the local elections.
NEC member Peter Kenyon is aware of what has gone down here in Stoke-on-Trent and he is also aware and concerned of what has taken place in other areas of the country.
Peter suggested that local party members should be allowed to observe the selection process in Leyton & Wanstead, this was rejected.
Peter said: “There is no transparency in the whole process.”
I think this comment sums up the actions of some members of the NEC selection committee, the regional officers [PAID] and members of the local hierarchy perfectly in the selection process here in Stoke Central.
Hardly a ringing endorsement for someone considering Labour Party membership is it?