Batley and Spen 2021 by election

If it turns out that the allegations in the leaked report are true, do you think such a small group of staffers could have had much impact on such a complex network of semi-independent systems as a national party election campaign?

(I thought by the way the staffers in question had mostly departed, by the time of the 2019 campaign.)

The employees and line managers working within the Labour Party Central Office have access to all information and communication going to and from the leader's office and party in general. They also are charged with the distribution of affiliation and general funding into and out of the Labour Party centrally and affiliation funding from trade union branches etc made towards specific chosen constituency and district parties that those branches have taken out extra affiliation to.

Therefore many of those in central office are, and were in at the time of Corbyn's leadership, in the perfect position to divert funding and misuse communication and information to or for purposes that had not been authorised by any in authority within any of the above bodies.

Therefore the allegations of undermining of the type laid out above at Central office were being investigated by Jenny Formby in her role as General secretary prior to her being brought down by serious illness. The partly concluded report was leaked to the press following Corbyn standing down as Labour leader and an independent investigation into the leaking and allegations was set up and its findings long concluded.

That report has been with Starmer for nearly six months now but he refuses to release it to the Labour party, broader movement or the media which huge sections in the affiliated membership feel speaks volumes in itself.

Many of the staff remained at Central Office until Starmer gave them compensation for stress and damage to their reputations for the allegations contained in the leaked report despite being informed by the Labour Party legal department that the party held a very good defensive case in the matter.

That caused Len McCluskey to state the now famous words regarding Labours administration quagmire and nightmare, "put your claim in over there and collect your compensation over here......no questions will be asked.
 
Many of the staff remained at Central Office until Starmer gave them compensation for stress and damage to their reputations for the allegations contained in the leaked report despite being informed by the Labour Party legal department that the party held a very good defensive case in the matter.
Are you sure you're accurate there?

I thought the claims for compensation around the allegations in the leaked report were still unsettled.

As for the compensation that was paid out under Starmer, this related to the claims made in a Labour press release relating to whistleblowers interviewed on Panorama. The apology can be found on the Labour Party website. It's a while since I read the leaked report, but I'm not sure it's exactly the same set of names as are involved in (e.g.) the WhatsApp messages.

All the Labour leadership candidates had agreed to settle the cases. As I understand it from the statements of Nandy and others at the time, this related to the anomaly of Labour attacking and defaming whistleblowers, rather than the strength or otherwise of the Labour defence.

ETA: You say "many of the staff remained at Central Office till Starmer gave them compensation", but this article makes clear it that those involved in the Panorama programme (i.e. those who received compensation) were former staff:

After the documentary aired on Wednesday, a Labour party spokesperson said several of the whistleblowers involved held political grudges against Corbyn.

“These disaffected former officials include those who have always opposed Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, worked to actively undermine it, and have both personal and political axes to grind,” the spokesman said.
 
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I feel the below guardian report explains the link between the allegations in the leaked report and the payment of compensation to Central Office employees.

However, until the results of the enquiry into the leaked report are released, which will probably be never while Starmer is leader, we will all equally never know the full truth of what went on at Central Office during the Corbyn years.

I feel sure that there is much more to this whole saga that has yet to come to light. Example:- the allegations of a link between the undermining of Corbyn and the GMB union leadership which was at that time opposed Corbyn as leader and had membership in Central Office.

However, like many, I doubt that such matters will now ever be investigated and matters truly come to light at any time in the foreseeable future.

The real injustice in all this is to the many hundreds of thousands of trade union affiliated members who paid the voluntary political levy throughout that period, often directly from their wages and salaries. Those persons unknowingly may have had that money used for purposes that it was not given for, or even used directly against them and their wishes.

Guardian report begins here:-
 
I feel the below guardian report explains the link between the allegations in the leaked report and the payment of compensation to Central Office employees.

However, until the results of the enquiry into the leaked report are released, which will probably be never while Starmer is leader, we will all equally never know the full truth of what went on at Central Office during the Corbyn years.

I feel sure that there is much more to this whole saga that has yet to come to light. Example:- the allegations of a link between the undermining of Corbyn and the GMB union leadership which was at that time opposed Corbyn as leader and had membership in Central Office.

However, like many, I doubt that such matters will now ever be investigated and matters truly come to light at any time in the foreseeable future.

The real injustice in all this is to the many hundreds of thousands of trade union affiliated members who paid the voluntary political levy throughout that period, often directly from their wages and salaries. Those persons unknowingly may have had that money used for purposes that it was not given for, or even used directly against them and their wishes.

Guardian report begins here:-
How many people in Batley and Spen raised any of this on the doorstep?
 
How many people in Batley and Spen raised any of this on the doorstep?
What kind of question is that? Equal to, how many people in Batley and Spen were aware that Boris 'got a journalist beaten up' before they voted Tory.
 
What kind of question is that? Equal to, how many people in Batley and Spen were aware that Boris 'got a journalist beaten up' before they voted Tory.
I'm just highlighting that this thread is meant to be about Batley and Spen, not a general rant about internal Labour factional in-fighting.
 
I feel the below guardian report explains the link between the allegations in the leaked report and the payment of compensation to Central Office employees.

However, until the results of the enquiry into the leaked report are released, which will probably be never while Starmer is leader, we will all equally never know the full truth of what went on at Central Office during the Corbyn years.

I feel sure that there is much more to this whole saga that has yet to come to light. Example:- the allegations of a link between the undermining of Corbyn and the GMB union leadership which was at that time opposed Corbyn as leader and had membership in Central Office.

However, like many, I doubt that such matters will now ever be investigated and matters truly come to light at any time in the foreseeable future.

The real injustice in all this is to the many hundreds of thousands of trade union affiliated members who paid the voluntary political levy throughout that period, often directly from their wages and salaries. Those persons unknowingly may have had that money used for purposes that it was not given for, or even used directly against them and their wishes.

Guardian report begins here:-
Sounds like another conspiracy theory. I think the real injustice is that we've got all this going on in the country (covid, Brexit) and yet the focus of the people who claim to be on the side of working people is internal nonsense like this that none of the electorate cares about.
 
So, to the right in the Labour Party the undermining of Corbyn and the leaked documents are just a conspiracy theory, but one in which their worshipped idol Keir Starmer was "forced" to set up a high powered enquiry into. However, and as usual, the right in the Labour Party do not realize the true implications for the PLP and how the matter may affect the future of the Labour Party and its ability to fight elections.

Little data has been officially given out, as far as I am aware, since the start of the pandemic regarding trade union membership and within that the numbers paying the Voluntary political Levy which is subscribed entirely to the Labour Party.

However, if reports are true there has been a huge drop in the number paying the political levy which is seriously impacting the finances of the party and has been the biggest factor in creating the largest financial crisis in its history.

It takes very large amounts of money to fight elections (especially general elections) which has been a major factor in the Liberal Democrats never polling well in such ballots. Therefore, should it be that the grievances of the trade union political levy subscribers remain unresolved the ability of the Parliamentary Labour Party to meaningfully fight such campaigns will be drastically reduced?

But of course, the right in the Labour Party, as is usual, just want the whole matter "swept under the carpet" with no thought for the future, or it could be (and as many suspect) that wrongdoings exposed, within the leaked documents report may have landed very close to Starmer's front door.
 
I feel the below guardian report explains the link between the allegations in the leaked report and the payment of compensation to Central Office employees.

...

Guardian report begins here:-
I would say that's exactly what the Guardian report doesn't do. It principally explains the background to the claims against the party which followed the leaking of the "Governance" report in April 2020:

They say the officials plan to take legal action against Labour over data protection issues and libel as well invasion of privacy and, for some staffers, breach of contract and employment, and will seek substantial damages.
In passing, it alludes to the then "recent" payouts to ex-staffers and John Ware for defamation, following the Labour Party comments about the Panorama programme in July 2019:

The party has recently paid significant damages to seven former party workers who spoke to the BBC’s Panorama programme about antisemitism in the party under Labour, who were accused of being anti-Corbyn, and it is braced for similar claims.
"It is braced for similar claims" – i.e. the claims for damages around the leaked report will be similar to the successful claims around Labour comments about the Panorama programme.

It's understandable that people will conflate the two processes, as the material is complex, but they relate to completely different cases. As mentioned, the Panorama defamation payments were made to officials who were "former" as of July 2019. So they weren't involved in the 2019 election.

I'm just highlighting that this thread is meant to be about Batley and Spen, not a general rant about internal Labour factional in-fighting.
That's fair enough. I expect the factionalism and narratives about "betrayal" played some part in the Batley and Spen result, but they probably belong more in the Starmer thread.
 
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So, to the right in the Labour Party the undermining of Corbyn and the leaked documents are just a conspiracy theory, but one in which their worshipped idol Keir Starmer was "forced" to set up a high powered enquiry into. However, and as usual, the right in the Labour Party do not realize the true implications for the PLP and how the matter may affect the future of the Labour Party and its ability to fight elections.

Little data has been officially given out, as far as I am aware, since the start of the pandemic regarding trade union membership and within that the numbers paying the Voluntary political Levy which is subscribed entirely to the Labour Party.

However, if reports are true there has been a huge drop in the number paying the political levy which is seriously impacting the finances of the party and has been the biggest factor in creating the largest financial crisis in its history.

It takes very large amounts of money to fight elections (especially general elections) which has been a major factor in the Liberal Democrats never polling well in such ballots. Therefore, should it be that the grievances of the trade union political levy subscribers remain unresolved the ability of the Parliamentary Labour Party to meaningfully fight such campaigns will be drastically reduced?

But of course, the right in the Labour Party, as is usual, just want the whole matter "swept under the carpet" with no thought for the future, or it could be (and as many suspect) that wrongdoings exposed, within the leaked documents report may have landed very close to Starmer's front door.
Why not start a new thread to discuss your views on all the things the Labour Right are doing wrong?
 
I was thinking of starting a thread regarding the drastic shortage of HGV drivers which is threatening all of us in any number of ways.

If I do launch the thread I will be asking why Starmer as the leader of the Parliamentary opposition has not spoken out loud and clear on the matter.🤔😂
 
I will be asking why Starmer as the leader of the Parliamentary opposition has not spoken out loud and clear on the matter
To be fair, he does have quite a few things not to speak out loud and clear about at the moment.
 
I was thinking of starting a thread regarding the drastic shortage of HGV drivers which is threatening all of us in any number of ways.

If I do launch the thread I will be asking why Starmer as the leader of the Parliamentary opposition has not spoken out loud and clear on the matter.🤔😂

Starmer speaking out loud and clear on the matter would be misconstrued by the right as Starmer aiming to rejoin the EU evsn though he's already ruled out a referendum to rejoin if elected PM next election.

Speaking out about it doesn't equate to a referendum. Starmer doesn't have to talk about the EU or ask questions about the EU to Johnson at PMQ's.
 
Starmer speaking out loud and clear on the matter would be misconstrued by the right as Starmer aiming to rejoin the EU evsn though he's already ruled out a referendum to rejoin if elected PM next election.

Speaking out about it doesn't equate to a referendum. Starmer doesn't have to talk about the EU or ask questions about the EU to Johnson at PMQ's.

interesting as on another thread the extension of HGV driver hours is being argued as ridiculous
 
Starmer speaking out loud and clear on the matter would be misconstrued by the right as Starmer aiming to rejoin the EU evsn though he's already ruled out a referendum to rejoin if elected PM next election.

Speaking out about it doesn't equate to a referendum. Starmer doesn't have to talk about the EU or ask questions about the EU to Johnson at PMQ's.
As someone who has worked in and allied to the road haulage industry for nearly all my working life, I have to state that Britain rejoining the European Union would make little or no difference to the critical HGV driver shortage the Haulage and distribution industry faces now.

The problem the industry faces emerged at least three decades back and has been growing ever since. It has been the following that has brought the industry and Britain to the situation it faces now.
That being:-
Poor pay.

Very Unhealthy working environment.

Dangerous working conditions as HGV driving is the third most dangerous job in Britain.

Lack of training. The industry has become highly reliant on agency employers who never carry out any training of new drivers to the industry.

Over reliance on agency employers and employment.

Very long working hours. Eight hours is the maximum driving time per day, but drivers work very often on average ten to twelve hours per day in total.

Very unsocial working hours.

Greed by agency employers has led to an over reliance on European workers who have now gone back to their home countries, but that happened well before Brexit came about.

Up to fifteen thousand European based drivers per week however are now refusing to carry out journeys to Britain as they have not been trained in the paperwork required since Brexit and fear long delays if that paperwork is not correct.

Likewise, many British based drivers that are available are refusing to carry out European Journeys as they also fear long delays at the ports if that paperwork is not correct.

Therefore, if Starmer researches the situation with drivers in the haulage industry he would have plenty of ammunition to throw at this government when it would be impossible to infer by those in the government that he was making a case for Britain rejoining Europe.

Britain rejoining Europe now would only eliminate the paperwork problems at the ports and nothing else. The European based drivers would not return as plenty of work is now available in Poland and Romania where many European drivers did originate from.
 
Interesting post, Grandad1943. Concurs with a Youtube I watched a few days ago:
HGV Driver Crises

The working conditions certainly seem rank and the tricks employers pull on drivers are diabolical.
 
Interesting post, Grandad1943. Concurs with a Youtube I watched a few days ago:
HGV Driver Crises

The working conditions certainly seem rank and the tricks employers pull on drivers are diabolical.

The situation with the shortage of drivers is very likely to deteriorate still further as the peak of the summer and Autumn holidays arrive. Many employed in the industry have been asked to defer booked time off through the first six months of this year due to the driver shortage and therefore a large backlog of holidays are now due to these drivers and has to be taken under legislation.

The Road Haulage Association have spoken in outright condemnation of the emergency extension of the drives hours legislation announced by the UK government in response to the crisis, stating it was a very serious safety issue being brought to Britains roads.

Tesco has stated that the driver shortage is now impacting on the availability of products in their distribution system and other supermarkets must be in a similar position which is where this situation is now beginning to impact all who live in Britain.

Surely Starmer and the Labour Party as (supposedly) a major political party with direct affiliation to workers in numerous sectors of British industry should be at the forefront of the condemnation of how this key worker group has been treated by their employers over a long period of years.

Instead once again. Starmer states nothing and it is left to the road haulage association to speak out for the industry and employees to the government.

Totally Disgusting.
 

George Galloway

@georgegalloway


SEE YOU IN COURT | I’ve started legal action to have the Batley and Spen by-election result annulled. Not because I’m claiming I won – although some observers say I was ahead until votes in bin bags turned up – but because democracy has to be seen to be done.

THE FIRST BLOW | The returning officer in a by-election is bound to allow a recount when the winning margin is less than 1%. It was, but it wasn’t allowed. That’s the first blow I’m striking in the case I’m bringing over the Batley and Spen result.


Cant see him getting anywhere but it seems there are some questions that need answering not least the meteoric rise in postal votes cast in just 2 years.

Year % Postal Votes

2019 21% Batley & Spen General Election
2021 42% Batley & Spen By-Election
 
George Galloway
@georgegalloway

SEE YOU IN COURT | I’ve started legal action to have the Batley and Spen by-election result annulled. Not because I’m claiming I won – although some observers say I was ahead until votes in bin bags turned up – but because democracy has to be seen to be done.

THE FIRST BLOW | The returning officer in a by-election is bound to allow a recount when the winning margin is less than 1%. It was, but it wasn’t allowed. That’s the first blow I’m striking in the case I’m bringing over the Batley and Spen result.


Cant see him getting anywhere but it seems there are some questions that need answering not least the meteoric rise in postal votes cast in just 2 years.

Year % Postal Votes

2019 21% Batley & Spen General Election
2021 42% Batley & Spen By-Election
There is a theory that the number of postal ballots for the Tories might've been a lot less if they voted in person as that would've been after the Matt Hancock shennanigans. So a re match could result in a much larger Labour win. Mind you, as Harold Wilson said "A week is a long time in politics" who knows what scandle can break against what party between now and George's dream re-run?
 
There is a theory that the number of postal ballots for the Tories might've been a lot less if they voted in person as that would've been after the Matt Hancock shennanigans. So a re match could result in a much larger Labour win. Mind you, as Harold Wilson said "A week is a long time in politics" who knows what scandle can break against what party between now and George's dream re-run?
I would be staggered if he achieved a re run but I think some things do need looking into especially the accusation that he and the Tories were refused a total recount if it was their legal right to request one.
 
George Galloway
@georgegalloway

SEE YOU IN COURT | I’ve started legal action to have the Batley and Spen by-election result annulled. Not because I’m claiming I won – although some observers say I was ahead until votes in bin bags turned up – but because democracy has to be seen to be done.

THE FIRST BLOW | The returning officer in a by-election is bound to allow a recount when the winning margin is less than 1%. It was, but it wasn’t allowed. That’s the first blow I’m striking in the case I’m bringing over the Batley and Spen result.


Cant see him getting anywhere but it seems there are some questions that need answering not least the meteoric rise in postal votes cast in just 2 years.

Year % Postal Votes

2019 21% Batley & Spen General Election
2021 42% Batley & Spen By-Election
Rise in postal votes a reaction to Covid?
 
George Galloway
@georgegalloway

SEE YOU IN COURT | I’ve started legal action to have the Batley and Spen by-election result annulled. Not because I’m claiming I won – although some observers say I was ahead until votes in bin bags turned up – but because democracy has to be seen to be done.

THE FIRST BLOW | The returning officer in a by-election is bound to allow a recount when the winning margin is less than 1%. It was, but it wasn’t allowed. That’s the first blow I’m striking in the case I’m bringing over the Batley and Spen result.


Cant see him getting anywhere but it seems there are some questions that need answering not least the meteoric rise in postal votes cast in just 2 years.

Year % Postal Votes

2019 21% Batley & Spen General Election
2021 42% Batley & Spen By-Election

I wouldn't be surprised by increase in postal votes during a pandemic. Galloway is playing the Russia/ Trump playbook of trying to undermine democracy and sow mistrust in the electoral system. It is all very predictable.
 

George Galloway

@georgegalloway


SEE YOU IN COURT | I’ve started legal action to have the Batley and Spen by-election result annulled. Not because I’m claiming I won – although some observers say I was ahead until votes in bin bags turned up – but because democracy has to be seen to be done.

THE FIRST BLOW | The returning officer in a by-election is bound to allow a recount when the winning margin is less than 1%. It was, but it wasn’t allowed. That’s the first blow I’m striking in the case I’m bringing over the Batley and Spen result.


Cant see him getting anywhere but it seems there are some questions that need answering not least the meteoric rise in postal votes cast in just 2 years.

Year % Postal Votes

2019 21% Batley & Spen General Election
2021 42% Batley & Spen By-Election
Covid means people wanted a postal vote so they could avoid queues at polling stations.
 
I would be staggered if he achieved a re run but I think some things do need looking into especially the accusation that he and the Tories were refused a total recount if it was their legal right to request one.
Did the Tories ask for a recount or is it just Galloway mouthing off?
 

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