Analysis Exclusive

Exclusive: ‘Anonyvoter’ system contract awarded by Labour to Evans’s ‘friend of a friend’ with no competitive bidding

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66 Comments on Exclusive: ‘Anonyvoter’ system contract awarded by Labour to Evans’s ‘friend of a friend’ with no competitive bidding

System appears to have been bought and implemented without competitive bidding – from firm on Evans’s ‘home patch’ run by supporter of prominent Evans fan

After the recent scandals of the take-over of Streatham CLP’s Annual General Meeting and the apparent early leak of results to a ‘pro-Keir’ organising group – and similar issues in Bristol – SKWAWKBOX can exclusively reveal problems with Labour’s purchase and implementation of its ‘Anonyvoter’ on-line voting system that appear to put the party on the same side as the Tories’ disgraced Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s contract awards. 

The software, which has been much criticised by constituency party (CLP) secretaries, appears to require multiple attempts to get ballots to members and, according to members in Bristol, was reported by their regional office to have a cap on the number of voters it can handle.  These problems have forced some CLPs to resort to after-meeting voting because of the extra time it takes to get ballots out and votes cast. The system was introduced in September 2020, without much explanation as to why the previous voting platform had been replaced.

Members of Labour’s National Executive Committee say that they had almost no information about the decision to switch to the Anonyvoter system – and it appears that no tender process was used to acquire the package to control the exercise of Labour’s 500,000 members’ their democratic rights. Sources inside the party say no bidding process was undertaken.

Anonyvoter is provided by Henson IT Solutions Ltd.  Only two directors are cited on Companies House: Madeline and Mark Henson, who Labour members in Croydon say are two well known right-wingers in the borough. Maddie Henson is a Labour councillor and Croydon’s ceremonial mayor.

Labour’s acting general secretary David Evans and his business have long been based in Croydon, where Henson is a councillor and known associate of discredited former Croydon council Leader Tony Newman, who last year publicly supported ‘old mate’ Evans for the general secretary position:

“Tony Newman, the increasingly beleaguered leader of Croydon Council, has given his backing to his old mate David Evans as he applies to become the Labour Party’s general secretary” – Inside Croydon, May 2020. Second image shows Maddie Henson and Tony Newman

Local newspaper Inside Croydon  wrote that Maddie Henson was one of a number of Labour Councillors not usually seen in ordinary CLP meetings, who turned up alongside Newman to vote down a motion of no confidence in Keir Starmer and David Evans. The paper says of Evans’s links with Croydon Council:

After helping Tony Blair win two General Elections, in the early years of this century Evans established a consultancy in Croydon… which from 2014, after Labour won control of Croydon Town Hall, received contracts from the council and the council-owned house-builders, Brick by Brick, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Earlier this month, according to IC, Maddie Henson was one of a number of councillors and other supporters of Tony Newman to ‘stage a takeover’ of a Croydon Labour meeting and vote in a ‘Newman-friendly’ right-wing slate of candidates to run the CLP.

SKWAWKBOX contacted Henson IT Solutions for comment on how the contract was awarded by Labour to use its system and whether there was any competitive bidding process. Maddie Henson told SKWAWKBOX that the process was Labour’s business and was the party’s ‘normal procurement’, but then confirmed that there had been no competitive tender process:

We had conversations, we proposed a contract and they accepted it, that’s how it works.

SKWAWKBOX contacted the Labour party yesterday to ask for comment on the award of Anonyvoter without a tender or other competitive process, but the party had not provided a response by the time of publication and was unwilling to commit to a timescale for doing so.

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66 comments

  1. That’s only ONE reason for SIR Starmer’s deafening silence re naming the Covid-19 BILLION pound Tory bandits of chums.

    Skeletons in Starmer’s closets. Not just several THOUSANDS of pounds worth of bespoke stitching and sewing☢️📍☢️📍☢️📍

    1. Starmer dare not NAME and CONDEMN – SERCO, Deloitte, G4S, the Irish Tory donor, nor the Russian ones.

      I dare SIR Starmer to name and demand details of the dealings re ANY of the above outfits.

      Come on Sir Starmer, make a written request for details in writing re the Covid-19 contracts, from the Prime Minister. AND Ask questions of the PM at PMQs re: SERCO and Deloitte contracts. ALSO, who supplied materials for the £66 MILLION Birmingham NEC Nightingale 2000 bed field hospital???
      It is being closed without having treated a SINGLE patient. Not one patient cared for.

      A decent opposition leader a minute trace of integrity would have asked SPECIFIC and SUSTAINED questions re the above. Starmer however WON’t for fear of drawing attention to his dealings with Evans and sinister foreign entities interfering in UK politics.
      ☢️⚠️☢️⚠️☢️⚠️

      1. Have you been on the sauce again,Steve H.You really are becoming increasingly a embarrassment on here.The ships sinking and you say “Labour will launch” .what a lifboat?.You might think that interrupting and distraction are good Tactics but you and your cowardly propoganda are on borrowed time…

      2. Joseph – My comment was intended for Labour party supporters

        As you are no longer a member and you have your own agenda your negative response isn’t a surprise. It’s just a surprise that you would think I care what you are bleating about from the far corner of the next field.

      3. I think in your confused reply saying that I have no longer any right to comment is a little bit “rich “coming from a paid shill intoxicated half the time mr Steve H davidh ..sh.I ..The only person on here thats an imposter is you of the right wing.Apart from posting from your Caribbean bolt hole like a lot of the misfits and criminal fraternity you spend most of the time canvassing on here for the second rate tory tribute act.So whos more right to comment an ex Labour councillor,political education officer and vchair of the Labour constituency..or you a washed up drunk deadbeat that praises the true enemy of the people Sir keir Starmer,and aids him to destroy the socialist Labour party.I would love to know how many people welcome your slithering comments.

  2. $tarmers notion of socialism is the same as the Conservatives ,,, only for themselves and their cronies Rob the 99% , never has the corruption been more blatant

      1. considering who / what owns 99% of MSM and most of social media ,,,no surprise

    2. £22 BILLION to date on Dido Harding’s Test & Trace. £15 BILLION extra planned by end of this year = £37 BILLION.

      Thirty-seven BILLION pounds on a failed fraud of Dido Harding’s scandal. Check my posts many months ago naming Dido Harding, SERCO and Deloitte in particular.
      “Consultants” not medical but “management consultants” have been paid £6500 per DAY on this horrendously greedy group of vultures.

      QUESTION – If i could have posted and repeated this URGENT issue happening right here right now on Skwawkbox.org, then why has SIR Starmer to date REFUSED to name the above even ONCE❓❓❓

      Why is Starmer so afraid to ask – Into whose pockets HAVE THESE BILLIONS been stuffed❓❓❓

      1. windchimes – The rot goes deep. I thought you might find this interesting

        Amazon and Serco were invited to apply for gongs in the New Year Honours list – despite being criticised for profiting from the pandemic.
        The tech giant and outsourcing firm were among a number of industry figures and firms asked to nominate staff for honours from the Queen in a list accidentally revealed by the Business department.
        The Government confirmed the leak after the Sun reported that Rupert Soames, chief executive of outsourcing giant Serco, was among those to have received the email.
        Labour criticised the development as “unbelievable”, seizing on the invite to Serco to criticise the Government’s recommended 1% pay rise for NHS workers during the coronavirus crisis.
        Others said to have received the invite from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis) were Capita, BlackRock and consultancy giants McKinsey, PWC and Deloitte.
        https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/serco-amazon-invited-apply-new-23671281

  4. It would be very easy indeed for the owner/developers to have reports exclusive to them that they share with their own faction whilst a poll is in operation … e.g. how people have voted.

  5. The Chumocracy is no longer the sole representative of The Conservative & Fascist Party, enter the little dragon, The Labour & Zionist Party.

  6. I wonder if Starmer’s in house Israeli spy had anything to do with either the software or the contract? Keeping it ‘between friends’ is one way of hiding any dodgy goings on. Me, cynical – never?

  7. Absolutely no difference between the blue and the red tories and their detestable behaviour.

    1. George, it’s called corruption, I’ve mentioned it many times. By the way, why did Gordon Nardell resign?

  9. ‘Oh what a tangled web we weave/When first we practice to deceive….

    No tendering system, no procurement management process records, friends of friends of friends being awarded contracts and – ultimately – no shame at being part of a corrupt system.

    Labour’s ‘New Management’: MORE than just lackies for the billionaires.

  10. Anyone surprised?

    No. Thought not.

    But some will STILL say stay and fight; regardless of what sort of pernicious sleaze they manage to get away with tomorrow.

    1. Toffee I have not resigned yet though I have been thinking about doing so since Jeremy was suspended and then later when he had the whip withdrawn. I am still a member because in the event of a leadership election I want to be able to use my vote for any socialist candidate who is standing but this latest is totally sickening – what is the point of being a Labour member if we re no different from the Tories. I am presently genuinely torn about what is the best course to take and I feel totally ashamed to say that I am a member.

      1. I too have the same dilemma. I have joined Mr Corbyn’s Peace Initiative and was hoping that the left leaning socialists in Labour would follow him and start a new political party. Labours rise to the right has taken my breath away. I truly had no idea that so many councillors and party members were not socialists. I have taken my Red card and scissors out a number of times. Will I renew my membership? I honestly do not know. I have been a Red Clydesider all of my adult life…I still live on the banks of the Firth of Clyde.

      2. Steady
        This is how it works
        Those who are outside the tent rejoin and vote in leadership contest whi ch should come no later than October
        Put up or shut up, its getting tedious listening to your bleatings
        Better for a lion than a lamb

      3. There is no dilemma.

        Ask yourselves this, how many more blows to the face can you endure? How many hooves between the thighs?

        They need you more than you need them. To get a true socialist party (if that’s actually possible (infiltration etc)), first Labour has to die. The bi partisan scam requires a death before someone else can fill the void.

      4. Sadly then you are supporting this behavior. They take your membership as acceptance of this behavior. The only thing that these scum will listen to is most of the membership leaving. I believe many members are like you hanging on in the mistaken belief that even if a socialist is allowed to run and that is very debatable that they will be allowed to run and if even then will be allowed to change anything.

        We had the best chance with JC when members had real power and what changed? NOTHING the cult of new Labour plotted and deceived and then took over as soon as they could with lies and deceptions. The next day after useless was elected I cancel my membership. I won’t vote Labour until it’s socialist or we have a socialist party to vote for I have had enought of appeasement and acceptance.

        We need a socialist only party with socialist MP’s not like the socialist in name only MP’s we have that are to scared to say a damn thing about this cult. Until then they get nothing no money , no help and especially no vote!!

        I beg all current socialist members please stop supporting this cult it’s not Labour that has died. Accept it and lets get it right this time stop wasting your time, money and sanity on this lot!

      5. Reply to NVLA
        I understand exactly what you mean and feel the same but I do want to have a say, even a very small one, in any leadership election. I agree with Doug that Starmer probably won’t last beyond October and if he resigns who we get in his place will be up to us. We can’t vote if we are not members.

      6. Reply to Disabledgrandad
        Please see my reply to NVLA – I would make the same comments in reply to your post.

      7. @Smartboy

        Sorry, but you’re deluding yourself buddy. You’re shouting into the wind, talking to a dead body, communicating with broccoli.

        Your voice is irrelevant if no one is listening, and the Labour party is _not_ listening.

        There are two possibilities if Irk Streamer goes.

        1) He is replaced by David Milliband or similar.

        2) A token socialist takes the reigns.

        Ask yourself which is more likely. Then ask yourself what happens to the token socialist when they take over?

        We both know what happens, we’ve just had a masterclass. It will be another establishment endorsed operator.

        I wish I was wrong, I really do. I know many people worse off than me who desperately need change.

        There is an interesting piece on Streamer over at Rachael_swindon’s blog. It highlights how little chance you have.

        Happy trails, for what it’s worth

      8. Reply to NVLA
        Thanks for that. I feel so disheartened and disgusted by what has been going on and so powerless to do anything about it.
        I have been a socialist all of my life. I lived through the Thatcher years, so I know all about her viciousness toward the working class especially the miners good decent men who were demonised by the MSM and beaten to pulp by the police. I foolishly rejoiced when Blair was elected but left the party after Iraq. I re-joined it because of Jeremy Corbyn. I have since been called scum, a dog, an antisemite, a thug. a homophobe, a Marxist ,a Trot ,a bully etc by the careerist bullies and racists in the PLP who aren’t fit to clean the boots of any socialist. I am presently on the verge of walking away and am still undecided about what to do for the best bearing in mind all the comments above.

      9. -Smartboy – ” I have since been called scum, a dog, an antisemite, a thug. a homophobe, a Marxist ,a Trot ,a bully etc by the careerist bullies and racists in the PLP”

        What on earth did you do to attract so much personal attention.

      10. Reply to Steve H
        Very simple Steve H -I supported Jeremy Corbyn

    2. As per Bevin pre signed resignation letters i will resign on October5th if there is no challenge
      What the Larry Lambs must do now is
      RaV

    3. Reply to Barriereid
      A poster on an earlier thread said that the Right want us to leave the party so that they can control it. I think this is probably true and I always think of Tony Blair saying (in 2016 during the coup)that he would rather we lost an election than won it on a socialist platform. I think Starmer and Co agree with him and are happy to remain in perpetual opposition rather than allow the left a voice in government.

      1. I’m 61 it’s taken this long for internal report to draw the line
        I dont care what went before, you are a completely useless implement if you do not rejoin and vote, I hope your ancestors jump out of their graves and kick your heads in

      3. Dad has been dead for thirty years now. If he was able to come back, I’m sure he wouldn’t be impressed with me or my attitude.

        But I’m also sure sure that after thirty or so minutes of being brought up to speed, he’d agree with my attitude. I’m sure he’d noticed the similarities between Corbyn and Foot (villified), and I’m sure (thanks to the internet) he’d be gutted at the consistent history of labour shitting on the many.

        Who is more the fool? The fool? Or the fool that follows?

    2. Erm erm They are has bent as the other lot.Has anyone thought of that old you put your signature and a human being counts it…quantum leaps in discovery yes…!

  12. Anonyvoter….IS there an hidden message in that system for voting .Their are many secret society that demand the victims are told their fate.The Legal profession is full of masons,INNS Temples and dressing up in wigs and gowns for little boys to play.How could you have voted for this monstrosity to rule over you..And on the corruption charges…well as a ex Labour councillor in next door Reigate and Banstead its just part of the everyday life of a Labour party councillor.You either join the club or bugger off…I bailed out.

  13. The local MP Steve Reed (OBE) and others “close to the leadership” are under investigation by the Electoral Commission for non disclosure of donations.

    Keep an eye on David Evans other business venture The Campaign Company, which also has dealings with Croyden Council,

    “Companies House records show McSweeney was secretary of Labour Together from 2017 to April 2020, the time when Sir Keir became leader of the Labour Party. For two years, from 2007 to 2009, McSweeney worked for The Campaign Company, the Croydon-based consultancy set-up by David Evans, who is now the Labour Party’s general secretary”.

    What is that almighty stink? Oh yes, the smell of corruption.

    https://insidecroydon.com/tag/the-campaign-company/

    1. only the tip of the StarmerEvansBliarMandy & Cabal SH**berg ☢️⚠️☢️⚠️☢️⚠️

    2. Steve Reed – I’d forgotten about him. Seems like the GLU have too. Wasn’t he the fellow the BoD complained about for saying that some donor or other to the Conservatives, who happened to be Jewish, was “pulling the strings” of the Conservative Party. Or maybe they quietly expelled him. Answers on a postcard.

  14. Well we’ll soon know how ‘anonymous this system is when the stammerites start sacking/expelling people someone else for not voting the way keith wanted…

    1. Dunno where the ‘someone else’ came from ^^^ 🙄 At least I don’t remember typing it?

      1. I have sometimes found comments made by me are changed by bots; especially when I used Facebook and Twitter, which I no longer use, in some small way which makes me look stupid.

  15. So the cult of new Labour 2.0 has taken a Tory scumbag method and given a plum contract to a mate!

    They have produced this shit voting software that conveniently seams to allow access to the information of course to the cult of new Labour.!!

    So doubly scummy and just another sad example of right wing ‘chumocracy’. Yet another reason to never trust them again sadly!

    This is what the once great Labour party has become Tory-lite garbage with scumbags in charge that think this is acceptable behavior.

  16. “Tory corruption is as common as breathing.” Evans and Sir Keir are just showing the billionaires and miscellaneous sponsors that a future Labour administration (sic) would NOT hold its breath.

    Starmer NEVER comments that the Conservatives have turned Covid19 into “a billion pound industry of Tory corruption”

    https://ducksoap.wordpress.com/2020/10/21/covid-19-is-a-billion-pound-industry-of-tory-corruption/

    He never comments on how Matt Hancock has suspended public procurement practices so he can unaccountably and invisibly award hundreds of £millions public funds to the businesses of sponsors and friends. (see ducksoap link, above).

    Do we truly expect the current leader of Labour to highlight this dishonesty when he and Evans are emulating tory corruption so effectively within the Labour party they are determined to keep under curfew?

    We need to rid Starmer, but, you know, it might just be easier to pack our bags and start again.

    1. @qwertboi

      What you write about above isn’t only happening here. It’s near global.

      It is the beginnings of the 4th reset.

      Expect to see far worse.

      1. Yes nvla, it’s near global – but REVERSIBLE.

        Happily, democratic socialism might provide the heeavy equipment (intellectual and human) to counter this neoliberal corporatist corruption, but the mighty fine LIBERAL tradition (in which many democratic socialists have a foot) i.e. the very epistemology/belief system in which capitalism evolved) needs to reverse this carcinogenic process too. Mass indiscriminate surveillance (‘surveillance capitalism’) is the unifier of socialism and liberalism.

  17. “It’s not the people who vote that count. It’s the people who count the votes.”

    – Comrade Keif Starmlin

  18. What kind of a system allows candidates to keep their donors secret until after the polls close, in Starmers case he received £50,000 pounds from Trevor Chinn Recently published data shows Labour leader Keir Starmer received a £50,000 donation from pro-Israel lobbyist Trevor Chinn – information which was kept secret until the polls closed. Starmer is a liar, a cheat and the biggest apartheid supporting scumbag you could wish to meet.

    1. Were the rules agreed by all the candidates?
      Did Keir Starmer break the rules?

      1. You feeling okay centrist dad?

        Wondering why “BUT COOOORRRRRBBBBYYYYYYNNNNN!” is missing from your post?

      2. Joseph – I note your disappointment but I’m struggling to see how mentioning Corbyn would have been relevant.

      3. Clearly you aren’t feeling okay…

        Or is it macular degeneration?

      4. Steve H you are confused 😕 again..this is not never voting Labour ,again Steven lad 👦 have you been at the sauce again?.Not everyone is the same,we are real people although the opinions expressed are very simular especially about you and your knight.Can you leave the drink for at least one night or seek help.

  20. The Tories have stolen (at least rhetorically, if not in practice) a number of Corbyn’s policies. Clearly it’s now payback time – we’ll steal their system for awarding contracts.

  21. Was this dodgy software systems in operation and used for the election of Sir keir Rodney Starmer?and others We know that both Evans and starmer are into rigging and I have always thought somthing was not kosher with the vote for the knight??..These two characters have shown that they are capable and devoid of any form of human decency.

  22. My memory is not always spot on these days but I seem to recall that, in voting for CLP officers last year, Anonyvoter was used. Mmmmm.

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