is the labour party going to eat itself
Four more Labour moderates quit Haringey as Momentum marches on in London
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Four more Labour moderates have quit Haringey Council
Three Labour councillors from the same Haringey ward today blamed a “poisonous” climate of “anger, cynicism and distrust” as they simultaneously quit in response to an attempted Left-wing takeover of the town hall.
A fourth councillor, in a neighbouring ward, also announced his decision to step down ahead of threatened deselections.
So far 17 have either withdrawn or been deselected by activists and Haringey is poised to become the first council to be run by Jeremy Corbyn’s Momentum group after borough elections in May.
In a joint statement, Jason Arthur, Natan Doron and Sarah Elliott, who represent Crouch End, said: “We do not believe that our views will be heard with an open mind, nor our track-record assessed in a fair manner...
"The current climate of Haringey Labour politics feels factional and poisonous — anger, cynicism and distrust now shape too many debates within the local party.”
The bitter dispute between centrist and Left-wing party members has its roots in the authority’s decision to set up the Haringey Development Vehicle (HDV) — a £2 billion transfer of council assets to a 50-50 partnership with Australian developer Lendlease.
The council has said the partnership is the only way it can afford to build 5,000 new homes in the borough.
Council leader Claire Kober last night broke her silence on the deselections, tweeting: “Sad times. Three talented councillors who’ve made a huge contribution since 2014.”
Labour MP Caroline Flint tweeted: “Purging of decent hardworking councillors is bad for @UKLabour, bad for democracy and bad for local communities.”
Councillor James Patterson, who has announced his withdrawal from Alexandra ward, said Momentum was using the HDV as a “Trojan horse” and flagged up the Eighties war between Labour moderates and Militant, which led to the expulsion of Liverpool’s hard-Left deputy council leader Derek Hatton: “Given their tactics to date, I can only imagine that a local authority they controlled would be like Liverpool council during Derek Hatton’s heyday.”
Momentum said “it’s no secret” that activists are appalled at the council’s plans to push through HDV.
Labour grandee Roy Hattersley said Momentum posed a far more serious threat to Labour than Militant did thirty years ago.
He urged members to “challenge the subversion” and fight for democratic socialist values, adding: “The threat to Labour’s future is real and obvious.” Tonight Haringey council meets in full to discuss a key stage in the roll out of the HDV scheme.
A row erupted in Watford with claims that Corbyn supporters are trying to ensure their ally, Unite’s Mike Hedges, becomes Labour’s candidate for the seat in the next general election.
