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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 | Tottenham

Emails 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.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Philip on January 30, 2016 at 19:12
Before the likes of Lydia and Justin feel free to comment, I think they really need to justify their governments heartless and vindictive cuts which target the most disadvantaged and needy. While it is true that Haringey Council is led by arrogant right wingers the real criminals are in Westminster.
Permalink Reply by Lydia R on January 30, 2016 at 19:57

"Before the likes of Lydia and Justin feel free to comment..."

Let's keep to the subject, should we?  We are talking about the nature and practice of "comradeliness" in Haringey Labour.  We are not talking about Westminster, the E.U, the U.N., the Confederation of Planets or the Galactic Empire.  We are not talking about the omnipresence of God or the infinite aeons of His existence.  We are not discussing the Big Bang or the expansion and age of the Universe.  

We are talking about Gideon Bull making a speech in the Council chamber and his punishment for being slightly less than reliable in the arse-licking department.

I know there is so much to distract the likes of you, but do try to apply the likes of concentration in the likes of this particular issue.

Permalink Reply by Gordon T on January 30, 2016 at 20:02

The issue is ultimately the reduction in central government funding (2010 -2020) that is constraining London borough councils' funding choices. Local squabbles apart, that is the big issue.

Permalink Reply by Justin Hinchcliffe on January 30, 2016 at 20:33
Ah, yes, the horrible Tory government which wrote out a £250,000 cheque to Chicken T0wn, spent £85, 000 rebranding the council's logo, had to hand back grants because they forgot to use them, employs more people earning more than the PM than any other authority, spends millions on costly legal battles (eg Ward's Corner), messed up with TechFresh, lost millions in Icelandic investments, sends councillors to Cannes, keep Haringey People alive to the tune of half a million, collects below the national average in Council Tax and flogs off buildings to their friends well below market rates. Need me to go on? Still in the SWP or have you joined Corbyn's Labour Party? :)
Permalink Reply by Gordon T on January 30, 2016 at 21:28

Rant read, meh.

2010 - 2020 funding issues, as above?

Not a party political animal, by the way.

Permalink Reply by Lydia R on January 31, 2016 at 0:29

"2010 - 2020 funding issues, as above?"  

No Gordon, the issue is about a ruling party in the Council which cannot tolerate dissent and turns internal criticism into a witch hunt.  If it stayed within the Labour Party, I wouldn't bother commenting on it, but ultimately it is about the sort of mistakes that happen when an inner circle makes decisions which cannot be balanced by discussion.

Permalink Reply by Gordon T on January 31, 2016 at 7:31

Commenting on JH's digression only - I agree with you re the original issue and your analysis of it.

Permalink Reply by Lydia R on January 31, 2016 at 14:27

"Commenting on JH's digression only - I agree with you re the original issue". 

Appreciated, Gordon. 

As far as I am concerned all of Haringey Labour could lock themselves in the Council chamber and chew each others' legs off but unfortunately it is not as simple as that because when they make ill-advised and autocratic decisions, it affects me and all of us and all of our grandchildren as well. 

The Grainger/Wards Corner issue is a gleaming example but there are dozens of others.  Instead of modifying proposals with genuine debate most of the bums-on-seats in the Council chamber nod their heads in "comradely" solidarity and then those wrong choices turn into expensive legal fights with outraged citizens.  Everyone loses--the Council loses money better spent on the social services they are cutting and the People lose time and effort in fighting them.

This latest uncomradely fiasco may have swayed nothing, but it has exposed Haringey Labour for what it is and although I disagree with him politically, I have great admiration for Gideon Bull.  In the words of a local hero, "in the Soviet army it takes more courage to retreat than to advance".

Permalink Reply by Justin Hinchcliffe on January 31, 2016 at 17:30

Factual, I'm sorry to report.

Permalink Reply by John McMullan on January 31, 2016 at 17:20

What was it he said that Sheila Peacock didn't that he had the whip withdrawn and she didn't? Just more careful with her words or something else going on here?

Permalink Reply by Lydia R on January 31, 2016 at 17:24

"What was it he said that Sheila Peacock didn't..."

I believe that he named names.

Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on January 31, 2016 at 19:35

CLLR. Bull was at a Cabinet meeting and unsurprisingly, he addressed the Cabinet.

In the course of which, he addressed individual Cabinet Members by name. Cllr. Bull was serious, he did not shout nor swear and nor was he rude. He did however, address individual Cabinet Members by name.

I suspect this may have been the grounds for the (absurd) charge of uncomradeliness.

All of this can be seen and heard on the 'tape' and residents and citizens may judge for themselves.

Gideon Bull is owed an apology.

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