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.
*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
Just a reminder of house rules, folks. If you join a political debate and you hold an elected position in a political party or are a prospective candidate seeking election, we would ask you to make that clear at the end of your posts.
For examples, see Alan Stanton's declarations of interest on his posts.
Tried to slip one under the wire, personal agenda first.
Thank you for sharing that with me.
Keith, we haven't met and I hope you won't mind if I say that race and ethnicity are not the key points in this. I agree that such issues do need serious discussion online and - probably more productively - face to face. In Tottenham of all places these issues can't and shouldn't be an invisible "elephant in the room".
But with the St Ann's selection, it seems to me that the central point is the evidence of rule-breaking. Which has implications about fairness, trust, and the credibility of Labour's candidates. The Labour Party has clear rules about joining, which are spelled out in this and Part 1 of John McMullan's thread. When people join they must give their home address; and be on the electoral register at that address.
Incidentally, thanks for your kind comment about my partner Zena Brabazon. However, in my personal view, the issue now goes well beyond Zena, David Browne and Nilgun Canver the three sitting councillors. It's now about whether or not the National Labour Party will step in - after it has been given substantive and detailed evidence of rule-breaking to alter the outcome of council candidate selection,
Ed Miliband called for people to: "Speak up for decency in British politics." I agree. The Party's National Executive Committee can overrule its apparatchiks and let some fresh air, sunshine and decency into Haringey's Labour politics.
And while I'm at it, can I also speak up for Emina Ibrahim. Well before the St Ann's selection I met and talked with Emina and I thought she'd make an excellent local councillor. In discussions following the St Ann's meeting, Emina has been one of the brave and principled people. Strengthening my positive view of her. Harringay ward residents please take note.
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor. My partner Zena Brabazon is one of the two deselected councillors for St Ann's ward. The other is Cllr David Browne.)
Alan. I understand your concerns about the selection process but the problem I have is that it can be exploited in its present form and with complete impunity until there are proper stops , checks and balances in place. My axe to grind is simple: St Anns Ward is stagnating because of personal agendas and a lack of commitment to the WHOLE community, wherever that lack comes from for whatever reasons. Someone has to say it and I did , and if I identify it again, which is easy with most candidates and councillors I will. If they want my vote they can thundering well demonstrate that their personal agendas do not lead to discrimination in favour of one group of people because that discriminates against the rest of us, and that is not fair either. I think those who took offence to my Martian metaphor knew exactly where I was coming from.
Elected officers - whether councillors, MPs, prime ministers, chair of tea trolley dept, have to represent not just their 'core constituency' but the whole of that population - including those who voted against them. Could it be that this sometimes gets forgotten?
Pamish-in my experience it does not get forgotten at all as it was never the intention in the first place. I promote as an individual, the WHOLE of St Anns Ward, not just a bit that suits me, not just my bit where I live or where my neighbours are but the WHOLE community regardless of their race , creed, colour ethnic origin or anything else. There are those who do not like my Martian argument because I have hit a raw nerve. Tough.
I've been following this for a few weeks now. I have no great insights or knowledge, but as someone who has often voted Labour in local council elections I'm really really put off by this - it stinks. As do some of the responses you've got to your digging John, I'm still wondering - for instance - how racism comes into the equation.
I don't live in St Anns so I'm not directly affected. If I did I would seriously consider not voting for any of these candidates, no matter how well-meaning any of them are. I'll be interested in how our local Labour candidates respond to any questions about this - I'll certainly ask, should any visit.
Like others here, I too would welcome knowing the logic behind the decision that the selection process was fair.
Oh but you ARE affected Alison. Peter Moreton, who was selected to stand in St Ann's was also shortlisted for Harringay if he did not get in there. He is the Labour Party's "Head of Press" nationally and so a nice big cheese that may have been a cabinet member, something Harringay desperately needs.
There are other implications but that is the one that bothers me.
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