Cllr Jas Athwal suspended after review of anonymised investigation by independent body
Jas Athwal, Redbridge council leader and hopeful in the contest to replace quitter MP Mike Gapes as Labour’s candidate in Ilford South has been dramatically suspended the day before local Labour members were due to vote on their candidate for the next general election.
Athwal, considered on the right of the party, was mentioned recently in a complaint during the selection campaign that membership cards were being handed out in bulk to non-members at a branch nomination meeting. The Labour Party annulled the results of the meeting.
The SKWAWKBOX has been told that the suspension was not related to the incident with the membership cards, but rather to an investigation into ‘serious allegations’ that had been going on for some months.
Mr Athwal’s supporters predictably described the suspension as a ‘stitch-up’ and demanded that the selection be suspended, while neighbouring centrist Wes Streeting complained that proceeding would “confirm our suspicion” that the suspension was politically motivated.
However, the suspension resulted from an anonymised review by a Labour panel of a report by independent investigators, so the panel did not know that the subject of the investigation was due to stand for selection.
The party did not suspend the selection process. However, the SKWAWKBOX understands that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn asked the remaining two candidates whether they would object to a postponement in order to allow members a wider choice and to avoid any appearance of impropriety. Left candidate Sam Tarry agreed, as presumably did Syeda Momotaz Rahim.
Bringing in additional applicants will mean a significant delay in the selection of Labour’s candidate for the general election.
Cllr Athwal has been contacted for comment.
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I hope this is not a case of throw membership a carrot and let the Tom Watson school of dramatic art get on with planting another moderate warmonger…..cynical yes but can you blame me?
One comment FAO weaselly screeching.
Many many members suspect your hounding out of Marc Wadsworth, was politically or racially motivated, or both.
Would you care to confirm their suspicions?
No? Thought not. In that case, button it.
Wes Streeting screamed with outrage in Diane Abbotts face about something or other and now you say he hounded Marc Wadsworth. Both are people of colour. Coincidence? Maybe but I think he should set the record straight and explain his verbal attack on Diane and spell out exactly why he hounded Marc. We wouldn’t want people to think he was a selective racist ie one who condemns only certain forms of racism.
Racism aside it takes a really brave man to stand toe to toe with a middle aged diabetic woman but that’s Wes for you – totally fearless LOL.
Yes indeed, Smartboy. I’ve been hinting about as much for a while now.
philips the mouthpiece had a problem with diane abbot and I also read about another black woman she had a beef with (Jackie Walker?)
john mann did sod-all when I gave him evidence of greasy’s casual racism after promising to rid the party of ‘racism’. Just as well I didn’t mention greasy’s boyfriend’s overtly abusive racist diatribe against Jackie Walker…(I wasn’t aware of it at that time tbh)
It appears ‘racism’ only applies to anti-israeli sentiment to that type of ‘labour politician’.
Also, those three names are the ones who scream ‘antisemitism’ the loudest.
Are any of them jewish themselves?