Local press will carry article tomorrow. Asked for comment, CLP chair chosen at region-controlled meeting responds that she is on holiday and will not comment
Members of Ken Loach’s Bath CLP (constituency Labour party) have responded with outrage to news of the veteran film director’s expulsion from the party for supporting purged members – and have issued a public statement of solidarity against the ‘incomprehensible aberration’ of his expulsion and a demand for an urgent ‘all-member meeting’ to discuss a motion in Loach’s favour, together with a request for those willing to face the party leadership’s potential retribution to add their names to an open letter of support:
Its hard to think of a contemporary figure, other than Ken Loach, who, over a life time, has so consistently and graphically displayed his credentials as a sincere and thoughtful man determined to expose social injustice and nudge society towards fairness and equal opportunity, by democratic means.
Both current and past Executive Committee officers of Bath Constituency Labour Party (CLP) have not hesitated to ask for, and been delighted to accept, Ken’s generous endorsements of their campaigns over the years. But for several days, there has been complete silence in response to scores of members asking when a statement of solidarity will be issued following Ken’s expulsion.
Other CLPs have followed Brighton Pavilion CLP’s lead in their condemnation, but the membership of Bath, who know Ken best, and are anxious to lend weight to redress this incomprehensible aberration, cannot understand why they are being ignored.
Bath CLP members are therefore demanding that the Executive Committee call an urgent “all member” meeting to consider and vote through an emergency motion in support of a much loved comrade and friend.
Please sign this open Letter to the Labour Party Leadership in support of Ken Loach.
The group will also appear in tomorrow’s local Bath Chronicle, with a statement from left members supporting Loach and calling on the now right-run CLP’s ‘exec’ to do so as well.
However, asked for comment the chair of the CLP – elected at a recent, regional office-controlled meeting – responded that she was on holiday and would not be commenting. The CLP’s Facebook group, which is now also run by the party’s right, has seen ‘dozens’ of messages calling for support for Loach. However, members say that ‘old and dull’ articles are being reposted to keep forcing the pro-Loach calls down the group’s timeline – but that each time more calls are posted to the group.
Note: a chat poll is not the same as a full poll on the YouGov website and the data are unweighted. The respondents had previously answered that they thought Keir Starmer should resign.
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