Last night the SKWAWKBOX published the fears of Labour members in Lewisham Deptford constituency about anti-democratic moves to stack the local party’s AGM (annual general meeting) in favour of right-wing incumbents after a series of wins for the left at branch level.
This afternoon, less than five hours before the AGM was due to start, Labour’s London regional office sent an email to delegates advising them that the meeting was being postponed because of various concerns, including the ‘delegate rights’ of one of the branches that felt it had been manoeuvred out of its democratic – and left-wing – representation:
The SKWAWKBOX article was intended to put a spotlight on events in Lewisham, to restrict undemocratic attempts to take or retain control. Some officers have claimed that the regional office had already decided to postpone the meeting, but five hours beforehand is extremely short notice to cancel a gathering if the decision had already been taken before the publication of the article.
One Lewisham Deptford member told the SKWAWKBOX:
Word got around quickly and the article was the tipping point.
This blog welcomes the postponement and hopes that local proceedings around the country will be subjected to far closer scrutiny in future to ensure that the democratic will of members is properly respected.
No new date for the meeting has yet been set.
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Reblogged this on Hercules space.
You see this is the point of real journalism.
It effects change.
Nobody in the establishment media wants that, which is why real journalism like this article is so rare and precious to our democracy.
Good job, Skwawkbox.
Similar things have happened in High Peak, Derbyshire. They have reduced the number of delegates by what seemed to be an illegal vote that they say they got approved by the East Midlands regional office. Many other anti-democratic and bullying tactics have been used against new members too. A lot of new members are being put off being involved, which is a waste as well as unfair. Hope the democracy review can help.
Yup. I live there and it’s bad. I’ll stay away until it’s time to vote.
Another example of Skwawkbox getting it right
Great work skwawkbox. Hope you can also publicise our battle to restore democracy in Newham: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/newham-mayor-trigger-ballot-legal-challenge/
fine work by Squawkbox on this and other irregularities in AGMs
Reblogged this on Jaffer's blog.
Played, Skwawky.
Another small victory for democracy. They all count.
They tried to impose new standing orders in Chesterfield tonight but they didn’t like following the rule book. When they failed the chair threw her toys out of the pram and declared the meeting void.