Analysis News

Two more resignations in Newham as councillors quit whip and party pettiness sees them expelled

Councillors resign over imposition of Fiaz and party ignoring antisemitism complaints

Newham Cllrs Murphy and Peppiatt. No better image of Cllr Murphy could be found.

The spate of resignations in Newham Labour party has continued this week with two serving councillors quitting the borough council’s Labour group.

Cllr Patrick Murphy has resigned the whip, blaming the party’s decision to impose Rokhsana Fiaz despite concerns raised by around a third or more of the borough’s Labour councillors about allegations of bullying.

Shortly after Murphy quit Cllr Rev Quintin Peppiatt also resigned the whip, citing the party’s failure to respond to complaints of antisemitism made by him and a colleague more than twelve months ago. A press release concerning his resignation states that:

Cllr Peppiatt has been on the Newham Council for twenty five years. He served as Cabinet member for Children and Young People Services for fifteen years.

He has stated as his reasons for resigning the Labour whip being the failure of the Labour party to investigate his complaint of anti-semltism made over a year ago before this week’s selection of Rokshana Fiaz as the Labour candidate for the mayor of Newham.

He is also a strong supporter of the ‘Save the City Farm Campaign’ challenging the recent decision by the Mayor to close down the Newham City Farm. He wishes to continue to campaign for reinstatement of the farm with local parents and children.

So much for Keir Starmer’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy.

Newham had already recently seen a string of resignations of elected party officers, including the chair of both the borough’s constituency Labour party (CLP) groups, the resignation of branch chairs and the resignation of at least one equalities officer. All of these resigned their membership of the party as well as their elected positions, in protest at the racism of the new regime and Keir Starmer’s Stalinist war on party democracy.

However, Cllrs Peppiatt and Murphy said they had simply resigned the Labour whip on the council. In petty fashion – and despite the complaints of the Labour right when fellow right-wingers lost their membership for resigning, the party regime appears to be insisting that resigning the whip means resignation or expulsion from the party altogether.

Newham is just one part of London – and England as a whole – that has seen resignations in protest and a general reluctance of those who remain to stand for election as party officers or even as council candidates, such is the disgust and embarrassment of many members to be identified with Keir Starmer, his conduct and his lack of political vision and courage.

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47 comments

  1. “Stay and fight” . ….Often used by former members of the Nazi party at the Nuremberg trials that they were only fighting for freedom and only supported the party to change it…?Keep feeding the parasites and see what happens.Your leader is a dangerous fanatic and so are his followers who feed on the hate of socialists..Whos paid for the re lauanch in the centre of london because its a a glitzy arena and that costs real money that Labour havnt got
    Foreign backers again because I doubt money bags Blair would cough up.!
    !These councillors if they are of the left will be forced out anyway.far better to fight on as independent Labour,you never know it might catch on.!

  2. Just came across the following article on CounterPunch:

    ‘Ocean Heat Killing Spree’

    The oceans of the world are undergoing a dangerous and damaging upheaval that manifests throughout scientific studies of late. Whether it’s the world’s fisheries of the Bering Strait or coral reefs of the Mediterranean Sea or emaciated Gray Whales along the Pacific coastline, study after study after study describes sudden, sharp downturns in all categories of marine life.

    https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/02/11/ocean-heat-killing-spree/

  3. Thanks Allan Howard….I have noticed for some time since living here and when I was in Kampot city that the fisherman were struggling with the catches on their fishing fleet that went out daily and now nightime because of fewer good catches in the gulf of Cambodia \S.China sea..The water temperature here has increased considerably in just a short time along with plastics polution..of the islands and coral reefs.Now I realise that for some years Malaysia and Indonesia were the worlds dumping ground especially from the West including the UK.This the fisherman here are blaming for their subsistence living furthur up the river in the jungles and mangroves and now the price of fuel which as doubled from sixty cents a litre to 1.doller twenty cents..a litre.ITs a matter of now whether the neo liberal system of greed and the ever increasing sewer that the neo liberals created for all of us in garbage dumps in our seas especially the Pacific region which will kill us all including the fish in the sea and the mammals on the land including the human apes.Thanks for the update and its certainly of concern especially when only last week I recieved a email from Caritas regarding the effects of polution and climate change on the poor especially around the warmer seas here in Cambodia and the Mekong river.
    The Irawaddy fresh water dolphins are struggling to survive in the heavily damned mekong river and may soon be extinct in Cambodia.ITs a warning that humanity have abused the poor along with the world itself and everything in it.

  4. Will Skwawkbox carry an article about the TUSC challenge in the May local elections?
    Or about Dave Nellist’s campaign in the Erdington bye-election?

    1. Amnon thanks for speaking out that Squawkbox needs to get behind Dave and all genuine working-class socialists who can make a difference and have proved and suffered for our beliefs in the invisible working-class people of Britain.T.U.S.C.united for the people.and of the people.

  5. BREAKING NEWS

    It is expected that later today ASLEF will announce that it disaffiliating from the Labour Party.

    1. What a spiffing job keefs’ doing.

      Even less moolah in the pot now. Best start digging deep, wee man….

      1. Oh well in that case it’s totally insignificant, isn’t it?

        I’m sure you’ll be more than happy to make up the shortfall, eh?

      2. Toffee – Not insignificant but we should maintain a sense of perspective.

      3. SteveH, about your comment ‘Not insignificant but we should maintain a sense of perspective.’ so what does it look like from your perspective when trade unions start to leave the party that was set up by trade unions? because it looks to me that the party is no longer fit for purpose, it no longer supports working people(as evidenced by the recent whips to abstain) nor is it supported by and trusted by most of the trade unions, and it seeks to alienate a large portion of its most ardent campaigners, and by using underhand backroom deals imposes rightwing candidates and removes any candidates who raise issue with this, thats not democracy.

      4. mrmoose66 – If the election turnouts for most Unions are any indication then most of their members couldn’t give a toss one way or t’other about the politics.

      1. goldbach – So you keep insisting. Given your age I thought that you would have appreciated that languages evolve, they are not set in stone.

      2. Indeed. You are quite right. Anyone who has studied linguistics will tell you that languages have developed and continue to do so. Words change their meanings and or the ways we spell them when we write. The structure changes. My point was simply to illustrate that I can be equally as pedantic as you. I suggest that, in future we both refrain from pulling each other up on perceived errors or typos.

      3. goldbach – Nice try at gaslighting but what did I say above that you thought was pedantic?

      4. You’ve got me there. “Gaslighting” is another of those more recent terms and I had thought it meant directing abuse at someone or making vile allegations about them. If that is what it means, then I contest your assertion vigorously. If it means something else, it would be useful to know.
        As for your pedantry – if you can’t see it already you never will and that would indicate that Toffee was right.

      5. goldbach – I’m surprised that you didn’t simply Google ‘gaslighting’ before you responded.
        Gaslighting is a colloquialism, loosely defined as making someone question their own reality.

        Are we to take it from your reply that on reflection you are now acknowledging that you couldn’t find an example of me being pedantic on this thread either but you are just too embarrassed to admit it.

    2. I understand that the ASLEF General Meeting, at which this motion will be considered, is not until May.
      Not sure of it’ll be before or after the elections.

      1. goldbach – You may well be right but I’m just passing on the news that ASLEF is expected to make an announcement about this later today. We’ll know in a few hours what that news is,

      2. That will be interesting. Will you let us know what transpires?
        I’m a little puzzled as to what they could be announcing. I’d be surprised if they announced disaffiliation today, given that the motion is due to be debated in May. I wonder if it will simply be a recommendation as to how to vote and why.

      3. It has been confirmed (what was already rumoured) that a motion proposing that the union disaffiliates from Labour is going to be put to ASLEF’s conference where the 80 delegates will consider and vote on the motion.
        The conference starts on 16/05/22.

  6. This is how Rokhsana Fiaz conducts ‘democracy’ in Newham …

    “12 Feb 2022 —

    Did you hear that the undemocratically reselected Mayoral Candidate Mayor Rokshana Fiaz denied the previously permitted SNCF deputation their chance of a presentation to Cabinet with only 90 minutes notice on Tuesday 8th February? We were originally invited to opt between Zoom and in person attendance and opted for in person. However, I had Covid and another delegate could only guarantee Zoom attendance from his workplace due to managing a Covid-related crisis there too. But our Mayor changed her own rules last minute to require in person attendance, impossible for me and extremely difficult for the other delegate?”

    https://www.change.org/p/rokhsanafiaz-keep-a-community-farm-in-newham/u/30202883

    @savenewhamfarm

    1. It’s as you would expect but I have no information about the date of the meeting that will decide whether or not to trigger a selection contest. Should be pretty soon though. Maybe another week or so.

  7. Returning to the topic – Do you think they will dare to expel Reverend Peppiatt for antisemitism?

    1. Goldbach.
      We both know that Starmer’s Labour couldn’t care less about genuine antisemitism – the varying degrees of real hatred, discrimination, harassment and hurt Jewish people come up against simply because they are Jews.
      In Starmer’s Labour “antisemitism” is the code word for socialism , antiZoinism/compassion and empathy towards Palestinians and for refusing to toe the party line in any way whatsoever so.
      So there is every chance that the Rev Peppiatt will be expelled for “antiSemitism”. After all Starmers Labour has expelled hundreds of Jews (who they would have us believe have simultaneously taken leave of their senses ) and who, as “antisemites”, now hate their Jewish families friends and neighbours. Why should they treat this good man any better?
      Just one other point – it is an indication of how controlled the BBC and MSM is when the absurd premise that hundreds of Jews can be Jew hating bigots goes unchallenged. In my opinion this is antisemitism in action and I genuinely worry where it may lead.

      1. Yes. These folk are feeding the dangerous notion of a “Jewish conspiracy” and creating the perception that hatred of Jews is endemic. Like many others I have never experienced such stuff coming from the members of the LP whom I have met.

    2. Rev peppiate will not be expelled if he declares that the earth is flat and partitions are a Labour saving device for enriching the lives of the Catholics.
      IS the Rev the guy with scary eyes.He hopfully will be available for baptisms in the new Labour church of the messia with a requirment for full immersion for socialists who sign an agreement to “do not resuscitate” …..Aslef whos needs em in the new church of latter day mps.?

      1. What on earth are you talking about Joseph?
        Your irony -if that is what it was – is beyond me.

        I thought Peppiate was one of the ones complaining
        about Fiaz – that she had been anti-semitic and
        other stuff?

        By the way for the person who did not
        understand “Gas-lighting” it derives from the film/play
        “Gaslight” which has a husband try to make his
        wife believe she is mad. It is worth googling ..

      2. Holby fm mw….And a lot is beyond me,such as how do we take any organisation seriously or support it when the last vestiges of its core belief system have gone forever..The members reflect that in voting for the knight which is a example of just how far a movement has removed itself from the working-class people whom it despises.
        The Labour party is corrupt from Top to bottom and operates no different from the conservative and unionist party and in fact its worse.Now holby you may wish to live in dreamland like the idiots that voted for this meltdown but I can only assume that you think that the enemy of the people is just a nice little social club it isnt and its certainly of no benefit for the working-class whom are the people I have always supported..I belong to a party that realises that you cannot support a system of knights,lords and monarchy and to do so whilst claiming to reoresent the working-class would be hypocritical beyond belief and illogical,.so if I get beyond you in my rambles then forgive me as I forgive you for belonging to a organisation thats “beyond me” and millions of others..

  8. Starmer funny this morning.
    According to The Independent he was on Radio Newcastle saying the UK has left the EC and is never going back and we must take advantage of “Brexit opportunities.”
    This from the man who many argue lost the GE for Labour by pushing for a 2nd PV, this from the the man whose Leadership pledge 6 was to give EC migrants a vote in General Elections (some suggest to Gerrymander a majority to rejoin the EC?) which with the rest was quickly dropped post contest.
    So the Electoral Suicide and millions thus suffering was all for nothing (or was it really all along to get rid of Corbyn?)
    The lazy Tories don’t do detail and had 2 years to sort things out.
    The Sunday Times reported that trade with the EC is down £20b since leaving, I argued we could have had Govt pay £10b a year to the EC so UK companies could trade tariff free (so we would have been £10b up!) and if JC had stuck to his instincts we could have been in power with a Better Brexit.

    1. The Brexit so-called deal its a complete mess but all
      I have heard is a push to rejoin the EU from some
      organisation whose name I forget. There is NOTHING
      from the Labour Party as to how the situation can be
      revealed …

      Now given that there always was a decent Brexit deal
      proposed by Labour (eg Stephen Kinnock) why do we
      not return to that? REV2 was only supposed to be
      an “if all else failed” proposal.

      Goodness*** knows where the decent deal went ….
      but I suggest that it is now obvious that Brexit is
      not sensible without us belonging to the Single
      Market. The current deal – with Northern Ireland
      in the single market and us outside it is plain
      ridiculous.

      *** Well that was slightly tongue in cheek – but
      the slight of hand was very devious because
      I was not aware of it.

      1. Holby central .mw fm…….. Stephen Kinnock?How dare you mention that treacherous dog 🐕?or do you think that the Kinnock brood are somthing to be promoted as now the majority of the Labour party membership have gone.?….That brood have done as much damage to the socialist movement and the working-class than even your knight of the realm.and over a much longer period than the knight.You dont get away with slipping in praise for scum like them and hope to get away with it.

  9. SteveH
    Temporary Embarrassment confirms there isn’t a snowballs chance of us rejoining the EU
    Now remind us who this man’s base is, just in case he needs to appeal to them during a General Election

    1. Doug – You’re the one who feels the need to bolster your assertions with childish name calling and you’re the one who is still obsessing about the EU.

      1. I voted Labour Leave to implement commitments in our manifesto
        The EU project thing, how’s it going

    2. SteveH
      The General Election bit, you do know I was having a f7cking giraffe I hope

    3. Doug perhaps Starmer is now clearly exposed.
      Socialists have beliefs and we stand by them even if the powerful try to make them unpopular, for example we stand by the poor re benefit cuts and counter the dominant Right Wing Narrative on Welfare whilst Right Wing Labour runs away?
      Perhaps Mr Starmer changes his beliefs to follow what he thinks is popular?
      We try to lead public opinion, Right Wing Labour politicians perhaps follow!

      1. At the moment the people are being asked to choose between two Tory parties, democracy has failed, time to press the reset button

    4. So why must I not mention Stephen Kinnock? was he or was he
      not one of the people who pushed for a proper Brexit deal in
      preference to REF 2?

      I disagree with him for many things – but on this occasion
      he was right.

      Many support the current Labour Party – but not Starmer – just as
      those who opposed the Soviet regime on the quiet because
      that was only option- hence Samizdat. A new Socialist Party
      would go the same way as other new Parties – such is our
      Election systeIt has been pointed out that in 2015 the Labour
      Party had been going increasingly right-wing –
      but lo and behold – Corbyn came to the fore. Next time we
      will know what to do ..

      I am currently supporting my local Labour party but not
      providing extra funds to the Central Party. I have to do what
      I can NOW – those who have left make their own decision
      as I have mine.

      1. Okay Holby I “absolve you from your sins” say three hail marys and two “our fathers and one for luck…..you will need it.!and remember that using the name kinnock in positive terms only perpetuates the negative and feeds back into promotion of that miserable family.who have a lot to answer for..
        ..Political education in your branch must be severly lacking…no wonder the knights having a field day playing around with you lot….

  10. Joseph – we never talk about these things in
    our branch – or rather not openly .. a nod and
    a wink suffices.

    Just as in Stalinist Russia – walls have ears and it
    would be too dangerous.

    However our time will come ..

    Meanwhile – our Councillors and all the Labour Party
    does their best for the Community ..

    AS does everyone really – mucking in as we say
    in the North. It is the PEOPLE of the country who
    have got us through this pandemic – and it makes
    me sick to hear Johnson claim otherwise.

    Just as some profited through the pandemic –
    others turned their small businesses into making
    PPE and disinfectant, others using their spare
    time.

    People got together to collect clothes, money etc
    for the Afghan refugees who were in most cases
    just dumped without resources around the country ..

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