Supporters of the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn were elected to the executive of the newly formed Hove Constituency Labour Party last night (Wednesday 1 March).
Nine out of ten of those elected were on the slate backed by Momentum, the Corbyn-supporting political organisation. The tenth member to be elected has previously said that she is also a Corbyn supporter.
The elections follow the decision to break up the Brighton, Hove and District Labour Party into three constituency Labour parties (CLPs). Elections to the city party were voided and the party suspended after claims of irregularities.
Corbyn supporters won the key positions in Brighton Kemptown and Brighton Pavilion about a month ago but the Hove election meeting was postponed after a row about anti-semitism.
Some of those who have been elected have previously called for the Labour MP for Hove, Peter Kyle, to be deselected. He has criticised Mr Corbyn’s performance and policies.
But the new Hove CLP chair, Anne Pissaridou, who served as a member of Brighton and Hove City Council for four years, said: “There aren’t any plans to deselect anyone because there isn’t any such process as deselection.
“There’s a long drawn-out process to select a candidate and we will follow the rules.
“Boundary changes may throw everything up in the air but, if they do, our CLP will be following the rules.
“We’ve all been elected supporting our leader and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Mr Kyle said: “I’m really happy for everyone who won election to our committees last night. They have earned the privilege of serving our community and our party. I know they will put their hearts and souls into it.
“The Labour Party is the best vehicle for positive change that our community has and last night it renewed and re-energised itself for the challenges that lie ahead for all of us who live here.”
The new Hove party secretary James Ellis said: “I don’t think anybody has anything to fear.
“I don’t think Peter Kyle’s position is any more under threat than it was before our election.
“At times I’ve been openly critical about Peter, for example, his vote on Syria. Equally there are some things he’s done that have been really good like his work on domestic violence.
He recognised Mr Kyle’s achievement in winning the Hove seat from the Conservatives at the 2015 general election against the swing.
He added: “Peter did win with a particular strategy and we’ve got a lot to think about. Hove is very different to anywhere else in the country.
“There’s a lot of talk in the media about deselection. That’s not actually in the rule book. There’s a reselection process. It’s a waste of time talking about.
“My personal view is that there should be a mandatory reselection process. That’s more democratic. It shouldn’t be automatic.”
More than a hundred people turned out for the election meeting at the City Coast Church, in North Road, Portslade.
The other candidates to win a place on the executive committee were union rep James Ellis, who is the new secretary, Rebecca Massey, treasurer, Kate Knight, vice-chair for membership, and Carolyne McKinlay, vice-chair for campaigns.
The remaining members elected were women’s officer Danielle Spencer, plus Daniel Harris, Asa Jansson, Riad El-Taher and Anne Mitchell.
One of those present said: “Almost all of the new executive are hostile to Pete Kyle and the city councillors.”
The member described it as an “absolutely grim” night with lots of speeches along the lines of “when Jeremy is in No 10” with no mention of the by-election defeat in Copeland last week or the party’s position in the opinion polls.
Dont recognise the last persons comments, we are united in helping the vulnerable and people left behind, the word untied is key here.
We are now united across the city and in favour of policies like council housing and going after tax evaders and making corporations pay fairly into society.
The speeches were passionate from the left candidates, which is why they all got elected. This is a defeat to many and they are more paranoid about keeping power its deluded them, we care about the 10k people just removed of the council housing waiting list, we care about those suffering daily, we do not care about people within who have democratically lost and been rejected by the local party.
Onwards and upward. The real people to benefit will be those in Brighton and Hove ignored and taken for granted previously.
Or perhaps this will be the result that loses Labour’s support from those left-middle voters that valued Peter Kyle as their constituency MP.
Perhaps if you get your way via this “long drawn-out process” to post a “far left” Corbyn supporter (assuming he’s still leader by 2020), then hopefully Peter will stand as an Independent.
Unfortunately, all I predict is that you will end up splitting the Labour vote and allowing the Tories to regain power in Hove and Portslade.
There will be no ‘onwards’ and ‘upwards’ unless Labour Party members patch up their differences.
The so called ‘lost’ or ‘defeated’ members need to feel Labour is still their political home.
What you don’t need is a brain drain.
Say goodbye to Hove as a lone outpost of Labour.
If the Boundary changes go ahead, then it is likely that the Green vote in St Peter’s, Regenc will diminish the small Labour majority. And there is the continuing matter of Hove’s Carnegie Library which, for a second time, Labour tried to close down: a classic case of special damage.
And unfortunately due to the low support for Greens in Hove and Kemp Town it could well end up with all 3 seats ni the city becoming Conservative.
I’m sorry Christopher, but, I know you strongly believe that the Hove Carnegie is a major subject for voters (well it may be in your close circle of friends).
Unfortunately, for the majority of residents in Hove and Portslade I beleive it is of negligible interest, appearing low in the list of issues after things like sorting out council tax charges, road sweeping, pot holes, travellers, the homeless, parking charges and traffic congestion (caused by your previous council).
And in the case of the general election where subjects such as taxation, security (home and abroad), ISIS, the economy and BRexit, inflation, transportation (i.e. road, rail and air), and funding the NHS come to the fore, you can guess where I put maintaining a library in an outdated Edwardian building with mahogany hand rails on the electoral priority list.
“quote from Gerald WileyI’m sorry Christopher, but, I know you strongly believe that the Hove Carnegie is a major subject for voters (well it may be in your close circle of friends).
Unfortunately, for the majority of residents in Hove and Portslade I beleive it is of negligible interest, appearing low in the list of issues after things like sorting out council tax charges, road sweeping, pot holes, travellers, the homeless, parking charges and traffic congestion (caused by your previous council).”As a Central Hove resident I absolutely agree with you
So the Progress clique tried to stop the ordinary members taking back control of the Labour party and failed. No surprise there.
A completely split local Labour Party has shown itself to be an ineffectual foil to Tory cuts, secretive and unable to work with others for the best interests of the city, just as predicted. Many Labour councillors are closer to the Conservatives in outlook than Labour members and the chaos will continue.
Nationally and locally Labour is a disaster, a party long after its “sell-by” date. Time for people to move on.
Peter Kyle didn’t win against the national swing because there was a small swing from Tory to Labour at the last election and a small net gain in seats (2) – but not enough to offset the collapse in the Lib Dem vote, which is what helped the Tories into government.