Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Councillor Gideon Bull Suspended
Below is the email sent to party members. His crime? He asked questions about the risk to old people if the Haven Day Centre closes.
Democracy is officially dead in Haringey.
Dear redacted
Re: Suspension (removal of the whip) of Councillor Gideon Bull
Please see below emails (verbatim) from the Chief Whip of the Haringey Labour Group regarding the suspension of Councillor Gideon Bull.
I am conscious that the Tottenham CLP has many new members and there maybe confusion about what this means. By way of a brief explanation and foresee questions you may have:
- The CLP only deals with the disciplinary of members if the case they have been accused of is in regards to their membership of the Labour party.
- All Councillors belong to a Labour Group (as well as a CLP), in Haringey they belong to the ‘Haringey Labour Group’ as Councillors are borough-wide based on the geographical boundaries of Haringey Council. (i.e. there is no such thing as a Tottenham Labour Group as Tottenham is a Parliamentary Constituency boundary not a Local Council Boundary).
- If a Councillor is subject to disciplinary based on their role as a Councillor (not as a member of the party), then the case is dealt with by the [Haringey] Labour Group.
- The Labour Group can impose action on the membership of Councillors to the Labour Group and not his Labour Party membership.
- As Councillor Gideon Bull’s case is about his role as a Councillor it has been dealt with by the Haringey Labour Group.
- Councillor Gideon Bull’s suspension is a suspension from the Haringey Labour Group and not from the Labour Party. Gideon still remains a full member of the Labour Party.
- A suspension from the Labour Group means he is still a Councillor for the London Borough of Haringey as he has been elected to serve for 4 years.
- The technical term for this action is called the “removal of the whip”.
- The ability to remove Councillors from their role is covered by the Local Government Act and Representation of the People Act which has specific rules when Councillors can be removed from their role as Councillors.
- The decision to ‘remove the whip’ (suspend) is not an action that can be taken by one person, it is subject to a vote by the whole of the Haringey Labour Group. In this case the vote concluded to suspend Councillor Gideon Bull.
- The local MPs, the Assembly Member and MEPs have no vote and no decision making powers over the removal of a whip of a Labour Councillor.
As Gideon is still a full member of the Labour Party, he remains the Vice Chair of the Tottenham CLP and Secretary of the White Hart Lane Labour branch.
Councillor Gideon Bull has the right to appeal the decision to London Regional Board. If Councillor Gideon Bull decides to appeal and is successful then the suspension is withdrawn and you will be informed.
I hope my attempt to explain has helped.
As this is a decision by the Haringey Labour Group and not by the Tottenham CLP, I cannot not respond to any questions about the decision and I am writing to you solely to share the information.
Regards
Seema Chandwani
CLP Secretary | TottenhamEmails from Liz McShane - Chief Whip of the Haringey Labour Group To Be Shared With Members.
(Please note there are two emails)Dear Seema
This is to formally notify you that the whip has been removed from Cllr Gideon Bull, following the Special Labour Group meeting on Thursday 21st January, where the Labour Group voted for the recommendation.
The period of suspension is for 3 months, from 21st January 2016 to the end of the day on 21st April 2016.
I have written to Cllr Bull to confirm this and to formally notify him of the terms of his suspension.
Regards
Liz
Second Email [Following Request for Reason]:
Dear Seema,
You can say it's because of Gideon’s intervention at the Cabinet meeting on 10th November, where he spoke out against an agreed group decision, that the Labour Group voted on a recommendation to withdraw the whip based on concerns about comradely behaviour and collective responsibility in accordance with the Party’s rules and our own group standing orders.
Regards
Liz
Link to the meeting http://www.haringey.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/191461 the relevant part is 1 hour and 22 minutes.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Zena Brabazon on
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Looks like this has become a cause celebre for those campaigning for vulnerable adults across the world.
Not very good PR for Haringey and its new brand vaules!
An international petition is up and running. See here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/669/215/547/demand-that-cllr-gideon-...
Zena Brabazon
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Permalink Reply by Justin Hinchcliffe on
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Gosh! I agree! Another first! And they have have managed to unite you, Alan, Gideon, Seema and Sheila. That's quite something. Let's see how long it can last, though. I hear Joe is signing up members of the Orthodox community in a bid to save his seat (bacon wouldn't be appropriate!).
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Permalink Reply by Cllr Emina Ibrahim on
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What you just said is really not appropriate Justin
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That's why I said seat, silly.
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And then felt the need to make the point about bacon following comment about Orthodox Jews knowing Joe is Jewish.
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Permalink Reply by Lydia R on
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Don't be so utterly ridiculous Emina, stop trying to whip up another one of those ridiculous shut-up racist lines.
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Lydia, we mustn't invade her "safe space". She has the right to use it to close down any debate or comment which *she* feels uneasy with. Anyone who ever mentions race or religion - let alone, Heaven's forbid - immigration, is a racist, dontcha know? Btw, wonder if she's still boycotting Israeli goods? Isn't it time comrades at the Civic passed a motion on the matter?
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Yes and you have the right to extrapolate and read between the lines of what I said when I say something is not appropriate ? Who used the word racist ? Hmm not me - I said its inappropriate, which it is at the very least and also a stereotype in my view. By the way I don't eat bacon either. Would I feel comfortable in someone posting a comment alluding to that ? as part of a wider point about Muslims being mass recruited ? No I don't think I would? But hey that's just me and I really ought to stop living in my north London PC bubble!
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Dear God! Poor Harringay ward.
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Permalink Reply by Antoinette on
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It was in poor taste, Emina...but don't give him the satisfaction of rising to it
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I don't know about poor taste, Antoinette, I have been told that bacon tastes delicious (speaking as a totally unoffended non-bacon eater upon whose behalf Emina chose to bloat into such irrelevantly towering indignation). The only poor taste in this whole conversation is the gusto with which Ms. Ibrahim tried to deflect criticism of Stalinism--oops, "uncomradeliness"--in Haringey Labour with implications of racism. No-one is fooled by her use of the word "appropriate" in this context. So, Emina, what do YOU think of Gideon's suspension: tell me, do you believe it is appropriate or inappropriate?
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We can surely agree that talk of bacon undermines the seriousness of the discussion topic
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