Rhea Wolfson blocked from NEC by old new Labour

Ken Livingstone is out of Labour's NEC race 2016 but who will replace him. Well it will not be NEC hopeful Rhea Wolfson following a Constituency Labour Party meeting. Over to Rhea:

STATEMENT FROM RHEA

"Over the past few weeks, I have been delighted to receive support for my candidacy for Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) from a broad spectrum of opinion within the party, including nominations from dozens of Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs). It is clear that many members want to see me elected to the NEC.

However, I am now concerned that a faction of the party are trying to take that option away from the membership. To appear on the ballot I needed to secure, amongst other things, the nomination of my home CLP.

Last night Eastwood CLP, where my family home is, met to nominate candidates for the NEC. It was proposed that, given I am currently a member of the CLP, there would be a straight vote for or against my nomination. I made my case and answered questions from the room. I was then asked to leave the room while they discussed my nomination further. Once I had left, the ex-leader of Scottish Labour, Jim Murphy, appealed to the CLP to not nominate me. He argued that it would not be appropriate to nominate me due to my endorsement by Momentum, which he claimed has a problem with anti-Semitism. The constituency has a large Jewish population. The CLP then voted to not endorse me, before re-inviting me back into the room.

Needless to say, this is hugely disappointing. It is disappointing because I am the only Jewish candidate in this election, because the wide range of organisations endorsing me includes the Jewish Labour Movement, and because I have a long record of challenging anti-Semitism and have in fact faced it on a daily basis since my candidacy was announced. But above all, it is disappointing because I know there are many members who want to vote for me, who could now have lost that opportunity. I am considering my options going forward."

Labour internal struggles real, perceived, created and works of fiction continue.

Labour Party members have a chance to vote for candidates who will make up the party's policy making NEC.

Make no mistake they want a return to Blair politics.

Accusations of anti-Semitism have some links to the NEC elections.

One candidate Luke Akehurst regularly posts pieces calling Jeremy Corbyn's credibility as party leader into question.

Akehurst has links to the weapons industry, BICOM, Friends of Israel and is just back from a 'holiday' in Israel.

He is at odds with Corbyn.

The conclusion then has to be he yearns for a place on the NEC for dubious reasons.

Some old 'new Labour' supporters are stuck in the Blair years.

This week they have been showing their heads above the parapet again. Could that be as parliament is in recess and some senior politicians are away on holiday?

According to the Huffungton Post "Eastwood CLP declined to nominate Wolfson after party members felt that Momentum was too ‘factional’ and expressed concerns about “its role within the party”, local members told HuffPost.Under party rules, anyone who fails to win their own local party’s nomination cannot stand for the NEC."

Yes the old guard cling on.

Further reading pertinent to allegations of anti-Semitism follow:
Labour Friends of Israel in the House
Open Democracy
NEC candidate Luke Akehurst calls on Corbyn to resign
Open letter BDS and NEC hopefuls