Labour overturns decision to annul two heavy votes in favour of ‘triggering’ Ealing Southall MP
As the SKWAWKBOX reported, two overwhelming branch votes to force Ealing Southall MP Virendra Sharma – who already suffered a huge vote of no confidence by local members earlier this year – were annulled by Labour’s London regional office after Sharma complained of ineligible members voting and other breaches of process.
Members said the complaints were unfounded and as the SKWAWKBOX also reported, on the night of the two votes Sharma had no objections to the democratic integrity of the results:
Yeah, I mean this is the democratic system. There are five more [branches] left, let me see how they turn out. I’m disappointed, I won’t say that I’m not disappointed, but that is the democratic process.
The SKWAWKBOX can now report that the Ealing Southall trigger process has been restarted – and that the two existing results in favour of a trigger have been dramatically reinstated.
A local party representative told the SKWAWKBOX:
We’re delighted that our votes are now being respected and our democratic process can go ahead in a straightforward way after the false complaints were rejected. Ealing Southall members have been vindicated.
Only one further vote in favour of a trigger is needed to force Sharma to face a contest if he wishes to retain his seat.
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Very glad that the results of the branches have been reinstated and the members falsely accused of wrongdoing have been vindicated. No doubt there will be similar accusations in other cases but we have now made it absolutely clear that we will not obstruct CLPs in the re-selection process and democratic decisions will be implemented.
I’m sorry, but the Trigger Ballot process is now becoming farcical and this comedic episodes highlights this fact.
Again, and in the most simple manner, all this could have been avoided had the NEC adopted Open Selection/Mandatory Re-Selection with all CLP members getting a vote, indeed, even a postal ballot or digital vote, OMOV being preferable to factionalism and the fun and games this entails, instead, the ‘fix’ has resulted in farce, thus undermining the Party and its hopes for Office.
There are simply too many instances of conflict and incompetent management in the Party – from the handling of the ‘antisemitism/IHRA scam, through the incoherent policy on Brexit, through the incoherent handling of seminal aspects of Conference this year – and now this.
The term ‘Brewery’ comes to mind.
This is no way to prepare for an election with the headwind of an antagonistic media.
‘Kinell…
Either get rid of the process and replace it with mandatory reselection OMOV or spend a fortune having the electoral commision overseeing each & every trigger ballot.
It’s not a hard choice really, is it?
He voted for Trident replacement as well:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/19/trident-how-your-mp-voted
Somthing must have rattled the almighty to reinstate democracy?