Ian McKenzie is Chair of Lewisham East CLP (constituency Labour party), secretary of Lewisham LCF (Labour local campaign forum) and a die-hard anti-Corbyn factionalist.
In the wake of yesterday’s candidate selection for the Lewisham East by-election, McKenzie has been claiming two-time Corbyn voter Janet Daby as a win for the right, even though the right’s candidate Brenda Dacres stood down.
McKenzie has also been attempting to rub salt in supposed left-wing wounds by tweeting that the left should steer clear of the by-election campaign – even though Labour’s left-wing campaign and manifesto saw previous incumbent Heidi Alexander increase her majority in the constituency by over twelve points in last year’s General Election:
McKenzie has also been acting as a trainer on behalf of hard-right faction Labour First, visiting different parts of the country to teach right-wingers how to gain or maintain control of local Labour structures in spite of the party’s left-wing membership majority:
Pride, as they say, goes before a fall.
Ian McKenzie’s social media history looks set to come back to bite him, as a particularly vile pair of tweets – including one referring to Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry – have become the subject of a large number of complaints to Labour’s HQ.
The tweets, dating back to late 2015 and early 2016, make unpleasant references to ISIS sex slaves, the sale of women, gang rape and beheading:
McKenzie has recently been appointed to a post working for Newham elected mayor Rokhsana Fiaz – as a ‘political advisor’, believed to be a ‘politically restricted’ position. Ms Fiaz’ vetting procedures presumably did not pick up the tweets.
The SKWAWKBOX contacted Ian McKenzie for comment. He has not responded so far.
This blog also contacted Labour First secretary Luke Akehurst, because of McKenzie’s energetically-promoted training activities for that organisation. Mr Akehurst was aware of the tweets but declined to comment.
The SKWAWKBOX understands that a considerable number of complaints have been made to Labour’s HQ and the matter can only be looked at promptly and seriously.
McKenzie is also the subject of an outstanding complaint in relation to alleged rule breaches during local election candidate selections.
Comment:
There have been calls for McKenzie to resign from all his positions and the party. His position is certainly untenable and if he doesn’t do it immediately the matter should be quickly be taken out of his hands. Will the Newham Mayor also act?
The SKWAWKBOX needs your support. This blog is provided free of charge but depends on the generosity of its readers to be viable. If you can afford to, please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal. Thanks for your solidarity so this blog can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about.
If you wish to reblog this post for non-commercial use, you are welcome to do so – see here for more.