Labour’s purges are demoralising activists

REF your article “Eight Labour officials in Wales suspended in wake of anti-Semitism report”, thousands of us have been suspended nationwide since 2016, me being one of them.

You quote a Labour Party spokesman: “The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures.”

Yes, indeed, meaningless words. A year into my suspension I was neither told of why I was suspended nor was offered a hearing. I didn’t renew my annual membership. There are members who are waiting for up to four years to find out why they have been suspended. Generally, the Party treats its members with contempt.

I was what you refer to as a “lay official” in that I was chair of my local branch, which I’d reinvigorated after many years of lying dormant and it was relatively buoyant. The branch has now returned to dormant in that many of its members resigned when I was suspended and there was no-one willing to take on the officer’s roles.

The right wing of the Labour Party, in Wales and England, would prefer a dead branch than having the wrong type of members in it and they are doing a good job of eliminating their foot soldiers in this exercise. What happened in my branch and constituency – our chair is one of those you mention who has also been suspended – is being replicated nationwide.

Activists are demoralised whilst the millionaire donors are being feted at Starmer’s inner circle.

Sean O’Donoghue

Hay on Wye