It’s in all the mainstream media that Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) – or, more correctly, a sub-committee named the Disputes Panel, has upheld Labour MP Angela Eagle’s allegation against her own CLP (Wallasey) that she was subjected to ‘homophobic abuse’. Wallasey CLP’s suspension, already in force for some months, has been extended indefinitely.
Ms Eagle has been quoted in all the major media today saying
It is now clear and accepted by the NEC that homophobic abuse was perpetrated by some members of the local party; I will simply not tolerate it, and I know I have the backing of both Jeremy and union leaders when I say that there is no place for it in the Labour movement either.
The SKWAWKBOX has spoken to a number of members of the CLP who are outraged at both the egregious nature of the slur, which amounts to an allegation of hate crimes, and at the implication that officers – who include members with gay children – failed to deal with, or even encouraged, ‘abuse’.
This writer understands that a number of CLP members are taking legal advice with a view to an action against Labour’s Disputes Panel and against Ms Eagle personally for defamation concerning the latter’s allegations of ‘homophobic abuse’ and will be seeking crowdfunding for the legal action in view of the huge financial support shown by Labour members and others for the court case brought by members disenfranchised during the recent leadership election.
One long-standing and well-regarded member told this blog,
Angela appears to have forgotten that Parliamentary privilege [protection from legal action for MPs under certain circumstances for things said during parliamentary proceedings) does not extend to party hearings or to things said outside official proceedings at Westminster. She is therefore liable for defamation of character if she makes untrue accusations and not simply free to make things up for whatever purposes she has in mind. We’ve been slurred as a group, but also as individuals, as the expulsion and other sanctions threatened by Angela against members clearly show.
We’re fuming – she’s claiming she suffered homophobic abuse at a CLP meeting chaired by a woman with a gay daughter and whose CLP secretary has a gay son, both of whom they fully support.
What’s more, she wasn’t even at the bloody meeting – and there were absolutely no complaints about homophobic comments in her absence. She was at a meeting later that she described as ‘bullying and intimidating, but I was at that meeting and everybody was completely civil throughout.
As for that brick allegation, there’s no proof there even was a brick, let alone that it was thrown by a Labour member and nobody has been arrested, so the NEC’s opinion that it was targeting her office is just that, an opinion.
She has personally made accusations, including again today in the news, that have seriously damaged our collective and individual reputations, painting us as hateful bigots. But her claims just don’t stand up to scrutiny – how can they, when anyone who knows us knows they’re nonsense and the room was packed with witnesses who can confirm that.
We can’t let her get away with slander in front of the whole country just to get herself off the hook. If you look at what they’ve done to Brighton and Hove[1] as well when the evidence shows clearly that there was no misbehaviour, it’s as plain as day that it’s all about silencing people and shoring up their own positions. It’s a stitch-up by the old party Establishment.
The ‘off the hook’ comment relates to what appears to be an absolute conviction among members that Ms Eagle confected the accusations with the specific aim of getting her local party suspended just before a meeting at which a vote of no-confidence was to be held and was expected to be carried by a landslide.
[1. Brighton and Hove District Labour party has now been told that it will be broken up into 3 separate groups and that executive committee election results, in which pro-Corbyn candidates swept the board, will not be respected. The elected Chair, Mark Sandell, has been expelled from the party.]
A different member told this blog,
At least two thirds of our branches [ward-based sub-groups of the overall CLP] are around 98% in favour of deselecting her. She’s got the support of a lot of councillors but the members are disgusted with her and have been since she ignored a huge vote asking her to support Jeremy Corbyn during the coup. She must have known the vote of no confidence was a done deal and made up all this nonsense to get us suspended and then to try to get people expelled to prevent the vote.
Those supporting Ms Eagle’s accusations may also be included in the suit. The SKWAWKBOX understands that at least one previously pro-Eagle councillor may be considering testifying against the accusations in return for exemption from legal action.
A UK lie-detector company has offered free lie-detector tests to Wallasey members to help them clear their names. CLP deputy chair Paul Davies challenged Ms Eagle and those corroborating her version of events to take the test alongside him, but she reportedly declined.
The daughter of the CLP Chair wrote an article for the New Statesman shortly after the accusations were first made, explaining the support and kindness shown to her by her family and their CLP colleagues, which I recommend you read in full here. Here is what she said about Wallasey Labour party:
There is zero tolerance of homophobia in Wallasey CLP. My mother would come down on it like a tonne of bricks. My dad, a branch delegate, would do the same. Kathy Miller, the Secretary and proud mother of a gay man, would do the same. Other Wallasey CLP members are LGBTQ themselves and would do the same. I don’t believe anybody in Wallasey CLP, Corbyn supporters or otherwise, would allow homophobic abuse or gesture to go unchallenged in any meeting.
A crowdfunding page is to be set up shortly and details will be posted on this blog and elsewhere. I urge you to support it.
Reblogged this on Declaration Of Opinion .
The slander was repeated by James Benette of Wavertree CLP, in an interview on a local news station last night. A quick scan of the content of his Twitter feed reveals that he is a member of Progress.
Here’s a link to a factual timeline of events sourced from Wallasey CLP, covering these issues:
https://wirralinittogether.wordpress.com/2016/08/03/wallasey-branch-of-constituency-labour-party-timeline-to-wallasey-clp-suspension/
Brilliant, thank you – I’ll reblog shortly to make sure people see it
You can rely on my support for funds, in clearing their names.
I will chip in. Democracy demands I do.
Eagle has not been truthful. Would be good to know the names of this ‘Disputes Committee ‘.
The Establishment always close ranks. I will be happy to help crowdfund this good cause.
It would, but I can’t find it anywhere. It’s chaired by the deeply disappointing Ann Black, but that’s all that appears to be on the public record
Tom Watson and Ian McNichol are both members of the committee.
No surprise – nor the result, then.
Momentum has killed the Labour Party. I hope you’re all happy to be ruled by Tories.
Quite
The lying, slandering, undermining MPs and party functionaries killed Labour as a real alternative to the Tories years ago. Momentum – for whom I don’t speak, btw – and Corbyn are trying to resuscitate it.
well said giselle97
Reblogged this on The Greater Fool.
Let me know the moment that crowdfunding page is up.
Will do. Shouldn’t be long..
We stand together! Wallasey CLP End the suspension now!!
You really are a disgraceful, sad bunch.
Grow up and stop playing stupid, student trot games
Happy to approve this comment, as it says more about you and those like you than about the real left.
Reblogged this on MAL's MURMURINGS.
The police could not establish what happened about the vandalism, so how on earth could the disputes committee.
Lower standard of evidence, I guess. Below-zero low, apparently.
It is the onus of any prosecution to provide hard evidence. Where there is none, the NEC could be acting illegally in terms of the human rights act at least, in preventing the freedom of people to engage in political life and assembly. It must be pursued. I would be prepared to donate to a secure site.
I would love to know how many people who throw out the word ‘Trot’ as some sort of insult, actually know anything about Leon Trotsky or Karl Marx for that matter? Or do they just repeat what their masters tell them to?
More than happy to contribute to this. It’s not for the first time true Socialists have had to part with a few bob to ensure Democracy in recent history
I`ll support this