Wallasey Momentum on accusations of homophobia against Angela Eagle: ‘Evidence first – verdict later!’
![Almost 400 people crowded Wallasey civic hall at a meeting to discuss the local Labour party's suspension [Image: Liam Murphy on Twitter].](https://voxpoliticalonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/160803-Wallasey-Labour-meeting.jpg)
Almost 400 people crowded Wallasey civic hall at a meeting to discuss the local Labour party’s suspension [Image: Liam Murphy on Twitter].
The response, below, was originally published on Wirral In It Together, along with a comment on behalf of that blog. This Writer recommends that you visit that site and read the comment there, in order to gain further insight into the situation.
The Momentum comment mentions This Blog and the Skwawkbox blog, both of which have already published articles about the report to the NEC – saying Momentum does not endorse all the comment and analysis we have provided. That’s fine – these are all opinion pieces. The more points of view are available to the reader, the more likely it is that they will reach an informed opinion.
Here’s what Wallasey Momentum has to say, published as on Wirral In It Together:
The consequences of Angela Eagle’s disastrous decision to resign from the Shadow Cabinet and launch a botched attempt to challenge Jeremy Corbyn continue to be played out in Wallasey. The attempted coup did massive damage to Labour’s standing in the polls. Locally, the continued trashing of the Party’s reputation may come to bite Labour in marginal Council seats and in the general Election across Wirral.
The next move by those trying to defend Angela is an inaccurate report on the local Party. Just one example will give the flavour: “A small number of members held a public meeting to discuss their concerns about the suspension of Wallasey CLP”. The Liverpool Echo live streamed this meeting called by Wirral TUC. The Echo reported that over 400 people attended. Prior to Jeremy’s election the normal attendance at all member CLP meetings was 15 to 20.
The “confidential” report was immediately leaked to the Liverpool Echo. Local Party members first saw it in the media. It has now been published online by a blog Skwawkbox. There is analysis on that blog and also on Vox Political. It’s worth reading but Wallasey Momentum does not endorse all the comment and analysis.
The enquiry concludes that it is highly likely that the brick incident was related to Angela’s leadership challenge. But the very specific allegations by Angela’s supporters, never contradicted by Angela despite being offered a chance to do so on national TV, were that it was a Wallasey Labour Party member, at the behest of Jeremy Corbyn, who threw the brick. No evidence is produced to support those wild allegations. However the report says that calls for members to be disciplined if they can’t substantiate their allegations are “intimidation”.
All this is bad enough, but for a Party that stands for fairness, the most worrying aspects are how the allegations of homophobia are treated.
In the leaked report, under “Allegations of homophobia” it says “The investigation has found that some members have truthfully claimed that homophobic instances occurred during the AGM. Others truthfully said that they were not aware of those instances. It is possible for the events to have occurred without the knowledge of all members. The allegations are not that the CLP is institutionally homophobic or that members were aware of homophobia but took no action, but are specific to individuals. These allegations will be reported to the next meeting of the Disputes Panel regarding individual disciplinary action.”
Party members who are interested in truth and justice should study this passage carefully.
They will see that the investigation has reached a verdict before any individual has been charged. They conclude “Some members have truthfully claimed…” But no allegation has yet been put to anyone. No-one has had no [sic] chance to respond, and to call witnesses. How can the enquiry have concluded that the allegations are true? It is like the trial scene from Alice in Wonderland.
Even worse, the Labour Party is apparently going to move to “individual disciplinary action”.
There is no mention of having a hearing, looking at the evidence, or of any process at all for the accused. At the time of writing, months after the alleged incident, no-one has been informed by the party that they are the ones about whom the secret allegations have been made. When they are informed, they will know that they have already been publically [sic] convicted – by the National Executive Committee!
So where does this leave the Labour Party if the evidence does not in fact support the allegations?
The central claim made in the media was that someone used an offensive homophobic term about Angela Eagle. If it is true, that would be an outrage deserving of disciplinary action.
However, in order to test the validity of this claim, the person or persons eventually accused will need to know who their accuser is. They will then know where the accuser was sitting in the room.
And the people sitting near the accused, near the accuser, and in between, can then be asked for their version of events. If none of those people heard the abuse, as the Party report suggests was the case for most people present, how credible is the accuser’s claim?
As we have stated for months now, what is being alleged is a hate crime. Labour Party procedures tell complainants in these circumstances to report the matter to the Police. Officers of Wallasey CLP responded to the initial reports by asking the complainants to do just that. It appears they did not do so.
Party procedures then require that the Labour Party report the issues to the Police. Again, that does not appear to have happened. Why might that be? It is essential that the Police are now brought into this since the NEC sub-committee has concluded that there was homophobia.
The worry must be that having reached a verdict, the Labour Party will now feel obliged to stand by it whatever the evidence shows. A finding of homophobia against an individual could cost them their job. If there is no reliable evidence, it will be libel. This could all end up in court. Have the Labour Party NEC and its full time officials thought this through?
We should add that Wallasey Momentum is not behind the reported “crowd funding” of legal action –and we don’t know who is. It could be a hoax. But legal action is clearly possible if and when an individual is accused.
The Labour Party NEC must urgently reconsider the train of events that they seem to have set in motion. A proper independent investigation of the allegations must take place, with a fair hearing, and the conclusion following the evidence. The Party procedures are clear and fair – but they have not been followed. Any specific allegations against individuals must be shared with them, and that should happen now, not in January 2017 or Spring 2017. An unbiased interviewer who has not already decided the result should question the accuser, the accused, and their witnesses. An independent panel should then consider those facts, and there should be a right of appeal. It is going to be hard for the Party to recover from this massive procedural blunder, but they must try.
Evidence first – verdict later!
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hmm like children but then the truth of the matter well its made up why because they dont want their mp deselected by their peoples back home yet on it goes a great saga of lies yet the nec isnt true labour but blairites who still control it strange nah untill these people are shown the door then more and more will they stir untill they get their desired affect riding themselves of corbyn on it goes the great farce
Frankly the complaint of Angela Eagle should be referred to the police to investigate these homophobia allegations. It is the law & the NEC nor the party should not try to take its place. Ms Eagle has been vocal that the abuse happened even though she was not present. She must name these ppl who reported the allegations. The Wallasey has been accused & more or less judged unfairly with absolutely no proof but her word. Involve the police directly & let them get to the bottom of the truth.
Angela Eagle’s allegations of abuse are, it seems, the current vogue in all politics, stemming from the arrogance of disillusioned wannabe’s of all persuasions. A rout is long overdue, Social conscience has never been a trait of these, or at least long lost, where career politics is now replaced with personal avarice for power. To them Momentum & Co. is hard core, yet they fail to recognize their own divide. Using their maligned influence to adjust public opinion in their favour is splitting society and fragmenting all they are supposed to represent. These are the war mongers of the future given the chance, and their invocation and abuse of process must be challenged to expose them. With a single application of justice, perhaps of this instance, some deterrence of their abusive actions can stop the flow. It must be incumbent on them to prove the atrocious criminal allegations they make, by formal legal investigation. Should they be proven correct, albeit unlikely, then due process should follow. Should they be exposed as lies, then their abuse of process, and more, can teach those who choose this path that exposure is not without consequence. Angela Eagle should be aware, the lid is loose on this can of worms, and she is becoming the candidate of first choice in a most ironic turn, that should have visited other politicians long ago.