Enfield council saga continues
Last month, the SKWAWKBOX reported that Enfield council’s Labour group had been banned from meeting without ‘express permission’ of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
The ban was imposed as an investigation proceeded into allegations – by a broad spectrum of Labour councillors and officials – of serious ‘irregularities’ in the selection of councillors and of attempted intimidation of dissenting councillors.
In spite of denials and spin by some local officials, some individuals were referred for further investigation – and the NEC imposed special measures on the council Labour group and all Labour’s structures in the borough.
Those special measures included an instruction that the council leader – a position at the heart of allegations of ‘irregularities’ – must stand for election annually, instead of the usual practice of remaining in post for the full term of election.
But the NEC has been forced to intervene after the Labour group’s AGM (annual general meeting) was called with no provision for a leadership election. The meeting, due to take place this Monday, has been cancelled.
“NEC decisions are mandatory requirements, and there is no discretion on the part of your Labour Group about whether to implement the decisions.”
An email sent by Labour’s GLU (Governance and Legal Unit) to acting group chair Tim Leaver made clear why the meeting was called off – and delivers a stinging rebuke to the group:
Dear Tim,
(Emphases added by the SKWAWKBOX)
It has come to our attention that the Enfield Labour Group AGM notice that was sent out did not request members to self-nominate for the position of Leader.
As you will be aware the report of the investigation into the Labour Group conducted by the NEC stated as part of its recommendations to amend the Standing Orders of the group so that the Leader is elected annually. The NEC approved the recommendation, which gives it immediate effect. As this is a ruling by the NEC then the Standing Orders do not need to be approved by the Labour Group before it takes effect and therefore nominations for Leader must be taken at the upcoming AGM.
NEC decisions are mandatory requirements, and there is no discretion on the part of your Labour Group about whether to implement the decisions.
Therefore please rectify this by reissuing a notice of the meeting that needs to go out to all Labour Group members, with the addition of Leader to the list of nominations sought.
Council leader Nesil Caliskan has previously said that she does not wish to be contacted by the SKWAWKBOX for comment.
SKWAWKBOX view:
Previous disciplinary actions by the NEC have been denied or spun by senior elected officials, with ample cooperation from local press and London’s Evening Standard.
The wording of this email leaves no room for doubt that this action is being taken because the Labour group leadership on Enfield council has failed to implement a mandatory instruction from the party. It looks like astonishing arrogance and has been dealt with accordingly – but the saga continues.
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The NEC is the supreme body of the Labour Party. Its rulings will be obeyed. Labour members who do not abide by its rulings will be expelled.
It is also worth noting that the numerous trolls like SteveH, RH and others never comment on any articles unrelated to Brexit. This exposes them as People’s Vote campaigners whose only objective is to overturn the largest democratic ballot in British history.
They are not Labour. Their views are the same views as the Independent Group and Liberal Democrats.
Labour respects the views of the electorate. 17,400,000 people voted leave. The opinions of a few hundred thousand electorally suicidal remain zealots in Labour must be ignored or Labour will lose the next election and the Tories will remain in power.
Brexit is happening anyway, so what is the point of Labour remain members destroying the Labour Party for no reason? Their arguments are irrational, incoherent and represent an existential threat to Labour.
They are a disgrace and a danger to both the party and democracy.
Internal Affairs 27/04/2019 at 11:55 pm
“It is also worth noting that the numerous trolls like SteveH, RH and others never comment on any articles unrelated to Brexit.”
This is untrue, and you know it. I challenge you to prove your accusation.
“They are a disgrace and a danger to both the party and democracy”
We are not the ones completely out of step with the majority of the party’s membership and voters or trying to claim that allowing people to vote on their future is undemocratic. We, unlike you, are not afraid of democracy.
…. and as for obsession, you are the one that introduced Brexit and devoted over 86% of their comment to Brexit on a totally unrelated thread.
It is you who is out of step with the electorate, not me.
If you want to be part of a remain protest cult of a few hundred thousand people that is your choice.
I voted remain but as a democratic socialist I respect the referendum result. I am in step with 17,400,000 voters. I am in step with the electorate.
I will leave you to your purity tests and cult protests, my objective is to help Labour win power.
Internal Affairs 28/04/2019 at 2:28 am
“It is you who is out of step with the electorate, not me.”
What I said was that I was in agreement with the majority of Labour’s members and voters. As for the electorate as a whole, well all the polls and surveys indicate that it is you that is in the minority. I’ll tell you what, as it is undeniable that a lot has changed in the last 3 years lets have a referendum so that we all know once and for all where the country stands.
“If you want to be part of a remain protest cult of a few hundred thousand people that is your choice.”
It’s interesting that you refer to the membership and voters of the largest democratic socialist party in Europe as a cult whilst you slavishly support a ragbag from the RW consisting of Tommy Robinson, Boris, Fox, JRM, Farage and a collection of US NeoCons. You are in denial as to who is a supporter of a cult, you should try looking in the mirror
“I voted remain but as a democratic socialist I respect the referendum result. I am in step with 17,400,000 voters. I am in step with the electorate.”
Which just goes to show the idiocy of your current stance. Why would you turn your back on the majority of the largest socialist party in Europe in some misguided attempt to prove what a good democratic socialist you are by supporting a RW project that will make all your fellow socialists worse off. Where’s your backbone and principles. As oft repeated and undeniably true after 3 years none of us knows for a fact what the electorate thinks but it is also undeniable that every academic survey and opinion poll strongly indicates that the views of the electorate have taken a decided shift towards remain and that there is a strong demand for a confirmation vote. (and that’s before you include the change in demographics).
The only way to find out what the electorate think is to ask them. Why are you and your fellow Brexiteers afraid to ask the public what it thinks and more to the point who the f do you think you are to try and deny them the opportunity on the ridiculous notion that you are defending your own little misguided minority view of democratic socialism. The fact is that the vast majority of democratic socialists in this country disagree with you.
SteveH
86%, eh? That’s a curiously precise figure, indicating you actually did a word-count on IA’s comment and worked out the percentage.
And you say it’s IA who’s obsessed!
I.A. It’s noteable that you are trying to stir up disagreement where none exists. This is a sure sign of an inveterate phoney.
“Labour respects the views of the electorate. 17,400,000 people voted leave.”
Hi, Nigel. Caught any dead fish lately?
“Labour respects the views of the electorate. 17,400,000 people voted leave.”
And more than that didn’t.
Hi Nigel. Caught any dead fish lately?
The heads of the people’s vote trolls SteveH, RH and JackT’s will probably explode when they read this.
It looks like Labour will drop the second ref in return for the Tories dropping their red lines.
An excellent negotiating position. Very elegant indeed, very clever.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/28/labour-hints-at-backing-brexit-deal-without-promise-of-referendum
Things really are falling apart for the right in Enfield and not before time.
Smartboy 28/04/2019 at 1:49 am
It was inevitable that this day would come, the Enfield power-base is like that of many other Blairite CLPs built on very shaky undemocratic foundations.
Let’s all hope that the domino principle well hasten the demise of the rest.
The only additional thing to say is that ‘Blairite’ isn’t really the term. Although Blair has been adopted by the right, its history stretches far back before him as a patronizing conservative and dictatorial strand within the Labour Party – often, sadly, built on union-based caucuses that dominated branches and constituency parties.
RH 28/04/2019 at 2:39 pm
As indicated by the unions undermining the members wishes on OMOV Mandatory Re-Selection
What an odd and completely unconvincing comment for you of all people to make SteveH.
You are a part of the Blairite cult which is trying to overturn the largest democratic mandate in British history even if it means the sabotage of a socialist Labour government.
He is your messiah, you attack anybody who doesn’t pass your Blairite remainer purity test, so don’t take the readers here for idiots by suggesting otherwise.
What a shameless two faced fraudster you are!
Do bloody shut up Internal Affairs,this is about the Blairites in Enfield finally being called to heel.A bit of welcome good news in very dark times.The only place where the Blairite scum has any influence now is in in the corporate media,please direct your bile at them.
I have to say reading this far down the comments I agree that I.A ,, although on some topics does contribute some good points ,, this in this instance is one that should unify most of us on this blog
The removal of the Blairites from control and leavers of power in Labour is to be welcomed and supported .By all means fight yourselves to oblivion over Brexit but in getting the Blairites back in the box and under control or just out of the Party is something we all on the Left should be in agreement and unity with each other .
Internal Affairs 28/04/2019 at 10:41
Well at least you are consistent, you can be relied on to continue being the gift that keeps giving.
I have always made my contempt for Tony Blair clear and I challenge you to prove otherwise.
It’s bad enough that you are unpleasant to anyone that doesn’t want to follow you down your rabbit hole but you’ve now left yourself so bereft of any meaningful or cogent ideas that all you have left to support your unicorns is outright lies.
It would be helpful if you stopped responding to his,Internal Affairs, posts SteveH
Thanks for you input and I can to some extent understand where you are coming from but I will continue to point out when his posts are inaccurate (which they frequently are) and running away from those who fancy themselves as a playground bully seldom works out well.
eg Take a look at the very first comment on this page.
https://skwawkbox.org/2019/04/27/nec-cancels-enfield-council-lab-group-agm-after-council-leader-ignores-instruction-to-face-election/#comment-103490
Amen to that!
IA’s post 🙂
The Toffee (597) 28/04/2019 at 4:50 pm
Prove it!
Don’t need to. It’s self-evident.
Largest democratic mandate in British history
Largest democratic mandate in British history
Largest democratic mandate in British history
Largest democratic mandate in British history
Largest democratic mandate in British history
Largest democratic mandate in British history
Largest democratic mandate in British history
Internal Affairs, I thought you must be running out of these so I made you some more.
You’re welcome.
I think that is a very important democratic point to make. Thank you for repeating it for me.
While people’s vote trolls like you treat democracy with contempt I treat it with respect.
If you don’t like democracy why don’t you go and live in Saudi Arabia? The dictatorship in that country doesn’t like democracy either. You will be at home there.
Ps. You must be getting paid by people’s vote to troll this site. Judging by the volume of comments you guys must be getting paid per post. At least you’re not completely wasting your time. But you are wasting everyone else’s.
Ha! Nice one, David! (No offence, IA) 😂😂😂
Sunday Politics North West:
“Labour should be cleaning up”
“Labour should be 20 points ahead”
Here we go again.