COUNCILLOR SUSPENDED
A former Sunderland mayor and senior councillor has been suspended from the Labour party pending an investigation.
It is understood that Coun Stuart Porthouse – a cabinet member on Sunderland City Council – has been suspended after sharing an interview from ex-Labour MP, George Galloway, on social media.
Mr Galloway spoke to Sky News last month, defending the Labour leadership over complaints around antiSemitism within the party.
In the interview, he likened what he called a media “black op” against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to the work of Nazi minister of propaganda, Joseph Goebbels.
Mr Galloway also spoke of “foul slander” against the Labour party in regards to antisemitism, stating the claims were “all a lie”.
Coun Porthouse is alleged to have shared a link to the interview on Facebook and wrote: “Always liked Galloway in small bits, this time he is spot on.”
This week, Sunderland’s Labour branch confirmed Coun Porthouse has been suspended from the party.
Chairman of the Sunderland Labour group, Coun Phil Tye, said: “We can confirm Coun Porthouse has been administratively suspended by the party, pending the results of an investigation.”
The social media post has also been removed from Facebook. Sunderland City Council said Coun Porthouse’s cabinet position for Housing and Regeneration will be taken up by other senior Labour councillors “until further notice”.
Leader of the Liberal Democrat and Others group on the council, Coun Niall Hodson, called for Coun Porthouse to “resign from his cabinet and councillor positions”.
Conservative councillor, Antony Mullen, added: “Stuart has the right to a fair hearing, but it’s difficult to see how that will be completed in time for him to be reinstated as the Labour candidate for St Chad’s this year”.
When contacted on the suspension, Coun Porthouse said: “I can’t comment while an investigation is ongoing.”
“Coun Porthouse has been administratively suspended” PHIL TYE