Letter released by Momentum and signed by 30 members to protest at the omission of its candidate Mike Hedges from the original shortlist, drawn up by the elected selection committee in Watford after interviews

We are writing to you as members of Watford constituency Labour party in order to register a formal complaint about the outcome of Watford’s selection committee shortlisting meeting.

No nominations were able to be made by CLP branches. This was despite the fact that the selection procedures guidance says branches can meet and nominate. Many members wanted to convene branch meetings in accordance with the Labour party rulebook and procedure guidelines but we were prohibited from doing so by the selections committee. We would like to know if that ruling was correct.

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In the absence of branches not being permitted to nominate it puts more responsibility onto the selection committee to ensure that the best choice of candidates are shortlisted to select from. We do not believe that was done.

Mike Hedges has substantial support in the CLP including but not limited to the signatories of this letter. This is evidenced by the range of nominations and support he won from affiliated organisations.

We note that the guidance states that the shortlist must be of the highest possible quality. In a situation where a candidate receives all of the support and nominations declared we believe that this makes it clear, as members of the CLP, that Mike Hedges fulfills the criteria and we are perplexed that the selection committee has chosen to disregard him at this stage.

It is of widespread concern to members of the CLP that the selection committee has not been acting in the interest to select the best possible shortlist and so give members the best possible choice of candidates who can win the seat for Labour at the next election, but have instead been working towards an outcome that members of the committee had already determined before the process started.

We are furthermore concerned that two members of the selection committee were not able to participate in the shortlisting and that there are other procedural irregulars that warrant further investigation and outside scrutiny.

As of course I am sure we all agree we will fight the best possible campaign that we can in Watford, we are desperate for a Labour government and a Labour MP to represent our seat. That is why we want the best possible choice of candidate and a selection process conducted with integrity and that commands respect from members and voters alike so that we can move forward united and campaign together whoever should be selected as the candidate.