Fury as not one local makes it on to party’s election list
THE SELECTION process for a new Labour General Election candidate in South Yorkshire has been branded an “illusion of choice” after the leaked shortlist did not include anyone who lived there.
Sir Kevin Barron, Labour MP for Rother Valley, announced earlier this year he would retire at the next General Election.
But the selection of his replacement has caused fury among local party members.
Sir Kevin addressed Jon Lansman, Momentum founder and member of Labour’s National Executive Committee, on Twitter.
He said: “As a vocal supporter of local member-led democracy, why did you think it was appropriate to not shortlist ANY local members for the upcoming selection in Rother Valley?”
The shortlist for Rother Valley is Chair of Elmet and Rothwell Labour Luke Farley, Mayor of Witney and West Oxfordshire councillor Duncan Enright, former MEP candidate for Yorkshire and the Humber Alison Hume, who lives in York, and Sheffield councillor Sophie Wilson.
Amy Brookes, a local councillor and chairwoman of Rother Valley Constituency Labour Party (CLP), had put herself forward, alongside fellow councillors Gordon Watson, Dominic Beck and Eve Rose-Keenan.
Only Ms Rose-Keenan made the long list – and was the only constituency candidate – but did not make the shortlist, although candidates from neighbouring constituencies did.
A Labour source said: “There are candidates on the shortlist from the local area.”
Ms Brookes said: “I think the process is the real problem here, it’s been an illusion of choice. We’ve had a member with true local roots and that’s what we want now –- that’s the one thing we want, another local candidate.”
Ms Brookes said the CLP was not allowed to see the long list and the one CLP member allowed on the selection panel felt their voice could not be heard.
She said: “Rother Valley has had 100 years of Labour candidates. We know what kind of candidates can win and we want to win.”
Ms Brookes said: “Rother Valley would have had plenty of time to organise their own selection process should the NEC have allowed it, as Sir Kevin Barron announced his intentions in well enough time – yet we’ve been deliberately railroaded and members are unhappy with the false choice now presented to them.”