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?
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Wow, that McKenzie guy is a real a-hole.
My God! What a perverted creep. Got his number. We’ll take him down then.
We must of course let due process take its course.
But saying that, if I were in charge of the process he would already have been expelled from the Labour Party for his disgusting and unacceptable behaviour.
He is a complete disgrace. There is no place in the Labour Party for people like Ian McKenzie.
I am baffled as to why the disgusting tweets about Thornberry went under the radar during the great purge/s? Hypocrisy and double standards are not a good look.
WHAT ‘Great purges’ ?
Gobshites like mckenzie STILL infest the party at every level.
He seems like a really horrible character but I am not suprised – horrible people in the party are very good at clinging on to power as they don’t care about undemocratic behaviour. Fair enough that he doesn’t approve of the leadership, but actively discouraging people from campaigning when they are giving up their free time for the party demonstrates he is not suited to his role. Labour First accuses Momentum of being factional when Labour First is one of the most factional and sectarian groups in the party.
What’s the mouthpiece phillips’ ‘hot-take’ on this, do we know??
No, didn’t think we would.
Labour HQ can’t let this disgraceful behaviour go on surely? What a nasty individual to tweet such bile, there’s no need for it!
Akehurst has been supporting him – surely that’s news for you too? Akehurst has also been defending Israeli massacre. Just look at some of his tweets PLEASE