Starmer embroiled in Labour bullying row as members bemoan ‘chronic factionalism’
SIR Keir Starmer has been dragged into a bullying row by Labour members as his allies last night accused supporters of Rebecca Long-Bailey of orchestrating another “smear” against him.
The front-runner to become Labour’s leader was accused of standing by while “Right-wing” members in his local constituency party subjected Corbynistas to “hostility and abuse”.
The “chronic factionalism” has now spilt out into the open, with 31 members of his Holborn and St Pancras branch writing to Labour’s general secretary Jennie Formby to demand that she intervene.
In their letter, obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, the members allege that while Sir Keir has made unifying Labour’s warring factions one of his key leadership priorities, “he has not tried to foster unity within our CLP [constituency Labour party].”
Urging Ms Formby to step in, they claim that “socialist members” have been “marginalised and made to feel unwelcome”, adding that they have “grave concerns” that if Sir Keir is elected “all socialists in the party will be treated as we have been”.
Hitting back, an ally of Sir Keir dismissed the allegations as a “desperate and naked attack” from the “far Left” at a “crucial stage in the campaign”.
“One thing that all of us know about Keir is that he plays by the book and is committed to justice and fair play,” they added. “The campaign that is being run against him really is in the gutter at this stage.”
However, the Left-wing members claim that their efforts to contribute to Sir Keir’s local party have been met with “obstruction and aggression” by “powerful” individuals close to the shadow Brexit secretary.
One female member said she had been subject to verbal abuse, and in one meeting was called a “b----”, while friends we branded “idiots”.
Their grievances have been aired in a number of blog posts, in which they claim they have been branded names such as “the loony Left”, “Trotskyites” and “Stalinists” during meetings.
In an article published on the website Camden Labour Left, they claim to have been shut out of officer positions and delegate roles for national events.
In another, a former BAME officer for the local party wrote that “more and more Left-wing people are resigning from posts and refusing to go to branch and CLP meetings as they find the atmosphere toxic.”
In a letter to the Camden New Journal in January, a third member described the atmosphere “as very hostile” adding that there was now “not a single Left-wing representative on any of the constituency committees.”
However, despite requesting to meet Sir Keir to discuss their concerns, sources say he has “never reached out to Left-wing members”.
In their letter to Ms Formby, the members write: “Keir Starmer presides over a constituency Labour party riven with chronic factionalism, in which socialist members are marginalised and made to feel unwelcome.
“Time and time again, as Left-leaning members we have been subjected to hostility and abuse, including bullying comments, swearing, shouting, intimidation and physical aggression, including by individuals who are close to Keir Starmer.
“Attempts have been made to raise these concerns with Keir Starmer but he has not made any effort to end the factionalism and disunity. We are writing to you, as the General Secretary, to ask for the Party to intervene to end this hostility and abuse in our CLP.”
A source close to Sir Keir said: “We don’t recognise the content of these comments, which have been shared with the media. Keir was proud to have been reselected by his local party last year. The campaign he is running for leader is about unity and bringing talent from across all wings of the party.”