By Pamela Fitzpatrick

Martin Forde KC, in his report on the Labour Party, describes its disciplinary processes as being not fit for purpose. He raises concerns at factionalism, manipulation of process, long delays and in particular the sanctions applied to those deemed to support newly proscribed groups.

I am one of many people caught up in the Labour Party’s unfair practice of applying rules retrospectively. I am a long standing member of the Labour Party, served two terms as Labour Councillor from 2014-2022, most of this time being the Chair or vice Chair of the Labour Group, and was the Chair of the Planning Committee. I was a Unite-backed PPC in Harrow East in 2019.  In May 2020 I was long-listed and interviewed for the position of General Secretary of the Labour Party.  In June 2021 I was elected to serve on Labours National Women’s Committee by a significant majority.

In early July 2021 I was notified by Labour’s Governance and Legal Unit that a complaint I had made of harassment, which included intrusion into my workplace, was finally going to be heard by a panel. I was invited as the victim to attend and give evidence to the panel.

However, that hearing never took place. Instead, in August 2021, I received a notice of investigation threatening me with expulsion from the party for having given a video interview to the socialist organisation Socialist Appeal in May 2020. The NEC had proscribed Socialist Appeal in July 2021 and the Party were applying its new rule retrospectively to me.

I was subsequently expelled from Labour on 19th November 2021. I have appealed and have been awaiting my appeal for almost a year.  I have written several times to the Party, asking for an update but have had no acknowledgement. I have also made subject access requests but have had no response.

I am aware that I am but one of many who have been treated this way.  No party that aspires to be in government can continue to operate in this way. There must be fair processes that are transparent and applied to all equally. That is not the case at the moment.

I am therefore looking at what legal remedies I may take to resolve my situation and that of the many others affected by what Forde rightly describes as a dysfunctional and factional disciplinary process. To do so, I have instructed Bindman’s, one of the leading firms in public law and human rights. However, access to justice is prohibitively expensive for ordinary working class people. I have therefore set up a crowd justice page. If you can afford to, please contribute to the fund.  Any amount, however small, will help.

The link to my page is here.