Support Jo Bird for the NEC – #JoBird4NEC
It has been pointed out to us that, in all our concern to build the campaign against Jo Bird’s unjust suspension, we never reported that she had won!
She was informed simply that “The Panel found that your behaviour on this occasion did not amount to a breach of the Party’s Rules. For the avoidance of doubt, you are no longer administratively suspended and there are no restrictions placed on your membership at this time.”
So now is the time to build her campaign to win a seat on the NEC! It is in the hands of ordinary members of the Labour Party who will be balloted over the coming weeks. Our job is get as many votes for Jo as possible.
We repost here the brief Skwawkbox statement on her victory, her candidate statement, and her two-sided campaign leaflet. You can dowload it as a PDF below.
Download Jo Bird’s campagn leaflet for printing here
Bird reinstated to NEC by-election
Suspended councillor back on ballot after ‘spurious’ suspension
Birkenhead councillor Jo Bird, one of two candidates suspended by Labour during the nominations phase of the by-election for two National Executive Committee (NEC) places, has been reinstated after a meeting of the NEC disputes committee yesterday.
The nature of the complaint against Bird was never officially confirmed by the party, but was widely said to have been an antisemitism complaint. A source described the complaint against Bird, who is Jewish, as ‘pretty spurious’.
Bird has been reinstated to the list of candidates who has passed the nomination threshold for next week’s full ballot. In spite of the suspension and her temporary removal from the process, she received well over 100 nominations from local parties.
Candidate Statement
Supporters include Jewish Voice for Labour, Labour Left Alliance, Labour Representation Committee, Red Labour, Welsh Labour Grassroots and Skwawkbox – and thousands of members in well over 100 CLPs that nominated Jo Bird for NEC.
As your elected NEC representative I will support Labour through:
* Fairness and natural justice in complaints
* Open selection of Labour MPs, as for Labour councillors
* Freedom, justice and equality for all
* Members-led policy decided at a sovereign conference
My Jewish great grandparents were refugees from fascism in Europe. There is no place for antisemitism or any form of racism in our party. Our diverse society and world needs more understanding and less hostility.
Party members need fair disciplinary processes worthy of our Trade Union and Labour values –demonstrating better consideration for the wellbeing of the accused alongside natural justice. For example, part way through this NEC election nomination process, I was shocked to be suspended before investigation. I was reinstated 9 days later.
I lead by example. As Wirral Labour group secretary, I ensure Party rules are applied fairly to everyone. My positive messages about Labour often go viral, for example my Just Jews video has been viewed over 80,000 times.
#JoBird4NEC
What a grudging and miserable reprieval! “On this occasion” and “at this time” are entirely gratuitous and somewhat threatening, implying surveillance in the hope of there being another “occasion” and a “time” in the future when the result might be different. “For the avoidance of doubt” would be unnecessary were it not for the addition of “administratively” to “suspended”. Can the Labour Party suspend in any other way than administratively?
This undemocratic Kafkaesque process is harming everyone in the Labour Party. It’s beyond time for all of Chakrabati’s recommendations to be implemented in full and for definitions of “crimes” to be sharpened.
I am so pleased with the outcome. I wish I had spoken out publicly when I was admin suspended nearly a year ok in a similar way.
I was.standing for the district council elections and in danger of being the first Labour councillor in a traditional Tory town.
No enquiry. Fed to the right wing press with a vile article on Easter Sunday in the Telegraph then an article paraphrased in the Express with pictures. The Telegraph launched a hate campaign on Twitter. I felt and still do powerless. My own party put me at risk of harm. Margaret Hodge calling for my immediate suspension.
She got her wish.
I have kept a small council on my situation fearing that I would make matters worse.
Instead, I feel isolated.
Jo has given me hope.
I don’t know where to begin, but it has given me the confidence to move forward by speaking out.
Thankyou for all those who have supported Jo. This has gone someway in taking me out of a very dark place.
Any advice would be gratefully recieved.
Yes indeed! We need to get behind the wonderful Jo Bird more than ever!!!
Jo was nominated by Labour Left Alliance, who also nominated Mehmood Mirza for the BAME vacancy. Now Skwawkbox has reported that he in turn has been suspended and has disappeared from the list of nominations as if he never existed. Our sympathy and support must go to him too, especially as there will presumably not be enough time for his case to be resolved before voting starts. We must keep our fingers crossed that the ‘no restrictions placed on your membership’ dispensation lasts long enough for Jo to be on the ballot.
Solidarity with you Elaine. I don’t have any specific advice but members in places like Liverpool if they can be contacted might be able to help.
I heard today that Liverpool Riverside member Audrey White has just won substantial damages and legal costs against the Jewish Chronicle for their character assassination of her, declaring her to be a bully and amongst other things, forcing former MP Ellman from her seat because she was Jewish.
Everyone who is named is scared but we must stay united for the benefit of all
.
Sounds good