Labour snubbed by firm it tried to boycott

By LABOUR has been forced to ask a security company it had pledged to boycott to help police its annual conference – only to be rejected.

G4S, which has provided security at the event for 20 years, is understood to be concerned about staff safety after Labour voted for a boycott over its prison contracts and links to Israel.

It follows a warning from Len McCluskey, the head of the Unite union, that the conference could be cancelled unless a provider is found urgently.

Sources close to G4S warned that the short notice it was given and previous incidents, including staff being spat at and verbally abused, made it impossible to accept.

It leaves the party without a security provider and facing the possibility of cancelling the conference or calling the police in to help at great expense, because of an ongoing row with Showsec, the only other provider in the running. The GMB union has warned its members will picket the conference and stage a walkout if Showsec is awarded the contract because it has not signed a formal recognition deal with the union.

No other security firm has put forward a bid to police next month’s conference in Liverpool, leading to fears it could be cancelled.

Eric Alexander, the managing director for events in the UK at G4S, said: “Safety for delegates and our staff is our priority and at this late stage and with our teams committed elsewhere, we are not in a position to step in and provide security for the conference.” A Labour Party spokesman said “We don’t comment on commercial arrangements.”

John McDonnell, Mr Corbyn’s closest ally, has accused Labour officials of mounting a “rigged purge” of his supporters in an attempt to disadvantage his leadership bid.

Mr McDonnell, who chairs Mr Corbyn’s leadership campaign, vowed to write to the General Secretary to complain about members who have been suspended.