Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Labour Party Selection Fraud in St Ann's
After it was discovered at the St Ann's Labour Party selection candidate selection meeting that there were people present and voting who should not have been, I came home from the pub (where I'd heard about it) and wrote this article. It has subsequently been edited by site admins to remove the names of people who were embarrassed or in the final case where a journalist said it was potentially libellous. Well here I will attempt to summarise what we have subsequently found out and hopefully take people's attention away from my original appalling rant.
Back in May (The Ward AGM):
- The St Ann's Ward AGM was convened on Thursday the 23rd of May instead of the usual first Wednesday of June by the then Ward Secretary, Barbara Blake.
- Protests were made by members about this but they were rebuffed by the Ward Chairman.
- At this meeting The current Ward Secretary resigned and there was bloc voting to decide the new Ward Secretary.
- A person in the bloc opposing John Blake turned up late and was prevented from voting despite there being nothing about this in the Labour Party rules.
- John Blake was elected Ward Secretary by one vote.
The Selection Meeting:
- The meeting was run by The Secretary of the St Ann's Labour Party , and Steve Hart from Hornsey & Wood Green.
- A candidate who arrived early noticed the five members arrive with Ali Gul Ozbek, sensed that something was up and mentioned it to Barbara Blake. When the other candidate seemed unhelpful they mentioned it to Steve Hart. Then the candidate went looking for the five people but was barred from entering the room (3o minutes before the selection) by the Ward Secretary.
- By the time one member I have spoken to arrived, the five members were seated at the back of the room. Four men and one woman (who works in Ali Ozbek's Pharmacy).
- A blonde woman turned up before anyone had started speaking but was barred from entering the room by the Ward Secretary, despite remonstrating with him.
- Barbara Blake won in the first round (to select a female candidate) against Zena Brabazon and Emine Ibrahim by two votes. It was 11/1/14. Everybody voted.
- It is alleged that one candidate knew the questions in advance and had prepared answers.
- At the appropriate point in the meeting the secretary asked if everyone was OK with the others in the room and everybody laughed.
- There were various factions voting together in the room; the five new members, Charles Adje's family, Zena and David's people and the Ward Secretary's people.
- In the final round Ali Ozbek and Peter Morton were selected, beating Zena by one vote.
- Ali is a local chemist and businessman on Green Lanes who seemed very passionate about what should be done with St Ann's and spoke eloquently about the need to reduce business rates. He is also a property developer.
- At the time Peter worked as head of press for the Labour Party.
- Barbara is a trade union official and ex Ward Secretary.
After the Selection Meeting
- A fellow councillor calls David to commiserate with him.
- David Browne and Zena Brabazon did some investigation using the St Ann's Labour Party membership list and the electoral roll.
- They discovered that nineteen new members signed up that year did not actually live in St Ann's and that they had either given Green Lanes business addresses when they signed up or claimed addresses in the ward.
- Not one of these new members, many of whom were recruited on the 8th of July gave an address in the ward at which they are eligible to vote, which is required by party rules.
- Five of these members were "eligible" to vote because they signed up before the cut off date of the 30th of April, however they should have been barred from voting because they do not actually live in the ward.
- Zena and David wrote to their local Labour Party officials who sent their evidence on to the London Labour Party.
- Nobody can tell me for sure where Ali Ozbek lives but he claims an address in Finsbury Park Avenue.
- Ali Ozbek has donated money to the Labour Party.
- According to a twitter exchange with a Labour councillor in another ward, the membership list should have been gone through before the meeting by the person running it to make sure this kind of thing did not happen, it was certainly done in their ward.
- When one of the five members who voted was called at his home his partner informed the caller that he had been in Turkey for a while and was not due back yet.
- In Harringay several new Labour Party members were registered using Green Lanes business addresses but not before the cut off date.
- Barbara Blake has told local traders that it is OK to register as a member in the Labour Party from a business address (it is definitely not) and the Tottenham Membership Secretary has expressed a similar view in a meeting, only to be corrected.
The "Corruption in Haringey Labour" article.
- After I wrote the original article, in which I also made some allegations against Claire Kober, the only phone call to site admins was to remove the Secretary of the St Ann's Labour party's name from the discussion.
- There was a lot of comment on the original thread and as of Saturday the 12th of October it appears to have been viewed more than 7000 times, although I dispute that as a useful metric (I think the actual figure is much lower).
- After some badgering it was picked up by an overworked Stephen Moore at the Tottenham Journal, here.
Trying to get a re-run
- I have pushed the councillor who commiserated David on his loss on Twitter to join calls asking for a re-run of the election but they have resolutely refused, to the point where it's all a bit weird and "la la la, I can't hear you".
- As it stands the London Labour Party have agreed that the five people were not eligible to vote but they say that this was not picked up before or during the meeting so the result stands. Their investigation consisted of speaking to the Ward Secretary and Steve Hart. Steve Hart lied because someone did speak to him before the meeting.
- The London Labour Party have the attendance list and will not release it, presumably because it shows that people were not identified correctly and that at least two of the five were imposters.
- Appeals to the NEC have all been rebuffed, even with the full acknowledgement of what went on.
The Labour doorstep in Harringay
- The St Ann's Labour Party have a great deal of trouble getting members to help them out with canvassing. A photograph has been tweeted showing more than 20 people out in Harringay Ward above the same session in St Ann's, with just two.
- When David Lammy, after a lot of badgering apparently, stepped out in St Ann's for the Labour doorstep he was met by a picket of local men calling on him not to support the St Ann's fraudsters. As I understand it he will not be going out with them again.
The Police are involved
- On Monday the 10th of February Haringey MPS made a visit to me on behalf of the secretary of the St Ann's Labour Party and his partner.
- It was alleged that I had called him filth on Twitter (which I have not, that was someone else) and that I said "I know I'm hassling you but...". I was served with a Notice of Harassment Letter which will now appear in extended CRB checks.
*An individual has asked that their name be replaced with their function in this post on the grounds that they are not seeking public office. This has been done.
Tags for Forum Posts: election2014, labour, st ann's labour, stanns
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
-
I don't think so but don't forget, every word I uttered on Twitter was being monitored heavily, they wanted to see what I was saying. My followers include Diane Abbott, Tom Watson and Douglas Alexander. People know.
-
Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
-
Occasionally, Mark, people do say nice things about me. Though not Nick Clegg. Or not yet.
But you're right that sometimes kind words come from an unexpected corner. And this evening that very pleasant thing happened. You may have seen a letter which was posted very briefly on HoL.
But for anyone who did read the letter before it vanished, I must correct the inaccurate impression it may have left. Because I cannot accept the praise lavished on me as the person who "primarily developed" the campaign on the St Ann's branch Labour Party selection meeting.
I wish that were true. But like everything else in this campaign, factual accuracy is vital. And the fact is that the campaign has been a cooperative effort in the best traditions of community organising and people power. Of course, John McMullan's work has been outstanding. But many dozens of other people are involved. Some are named on HoL; others unsung heroes.
And more people are involved all the time as the campaign becomes more widely known.
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
-
Permalink Reply by David Barry on
-
Yes, I saw the letter before it vanished. I wonder why did it vanish? Was its deletion requested by someone? This affair keeps adding dimensions.
-
Permalink Reply by Julie on
-
John's partner contacted the site admin and insisted, I understand. Quite right too. Shameful. Harrumph. Scandalous.
I have a copy because I am another person John Blake has complained about and it was copied to me. Sadly there's a long, long queue of people stretching through history who have upset John Blake. It was my turn once, and I'm not rash enough to hope that it won't happen again.
The doorbell just rang. That's probably the police. Do come and visit me in prison.
-
-
Thanks for that information, Julie. Probably important that we also show some solidarity for the site admin who may be having to make some difficult decisions. There can be no doubt that if site admin puts a legal foot wrong there would be consequences.
I am sure the members of this site will set up a rota for you and John, and the site admin to be visited. I suppose it would not be possible for you all to share the same cell as that would be much more convenient?
-
Permalink Reply by Hugh on
-
No Julie, the letter didn't disappear because someone rang me up and insisted. I chose to take it down because I feared it would expose me to legal action. Any of those objecting to its removal should feel free to publish it themselves. It's a free web.
Things only ever get removed from HoL if they're out of line with our policy which is freely available to view; part of that policy is that we don't host things that break the law.
To remind you all, Liz and I are personally liable for anything on HoL that breaks the law. And if you look at libel law it's a tough one to defend. Whilst it's never been tested on a hyperlocal site yet, the best interpretation of the law is that it's okay to have a non-premoderated site, but that the hosts become legally liable for content once it has been drawn to their attention. So, if something is drawn to our attention which probably could land us in court, of course I'm going to take it down. Some readers will remember the vet posting that nearly landed us in court. Through it I learned a lot about libel and, not wanting to end up in court for the content of a local website, I'm now more cautious than I used to be. However, if any of you feel strongly about republishing the email, the web is a free place, feel free to publish it on your own site.
-
Permalink Reply by Inkjetpack on
-
Hugh
You may already be aware, but the new section 5 guidance from the MOJ may be of use: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defamation-act-2013-guid...
-
-
I have received the below correspondence from my chosen solicitors:
Bindmans have estimated that their initial advice on the Prevention of Harassment Letter will be up to £1,500. Funds are needed in advance, before Bindmans can start work. If anyone wants to contribute, Bindmans’ bank details are: National Westminster Bank plc
Sort Code: 60 12 14
Client Account No: 30366658
When transferring funds, please use the reference JS McMullan.
I estimate that I've had about £1000 pledged so far and will meet the other £500 myself somehow. However this just has me at a point where they will say "yes we have a case/no we don't think we have a case". It also doesn't involve Phil yet.
Phil has suggested that this money could be spent in better ways. Perhaps a pamphleting campaign (that was going to happen anyway), donations to Syrian refugees or getting a lot of people drunk at the pub. I have actually had very little to do with these people since the Christmas party at the Salisbury and am quite happy to never have anything to do with them again HOWEVER: I suspect that many of you are pledging over the principle, not my personal Police record. Allowing politicians to silence dissent using this law is bad. But is it worth perhaps £4000 to get put right?
I am going away for half term and will decide on whether or not to proceed when I get back. Thank you again for the various pledges of financial support, I am humbled.
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
