Labour leader must publicly guarantee that none of the former staff involved in leaked WhatsApp chats and obstruction of investigations ever hold any position in the party again

The SKWAWKBOX asked Keir Starmer the following yesterday. He has not yet responded:

In view of the Labour report now circulating publicly, will you confirm that Emilie Oldknow and others mentioned will not be considered for any form of party position, now or at any time? Anna Hutchinson, who participated in the WhatsApp chats, is still NW regional director. What will be done about her involvement? Please respond no later than noon on Monday 13 April.

He has not yet responded.

Emilie Oldknow has been touted as Starmer’s pick for the position of Labour general secretary, with the press claiming that incumbent Jennie Formby had failed to tackle antisemitism. It is now beyond dispute that the party’s failures on antisemitism were created and prolonged by the behaviour of right-wing staffers.

Oldknow’s comments in secret WhatsApp groups indicate that she was working against Labour’s elected leader, hoping to lose the 2017 election and encouraging other staff not to try to win key seats, as well as part of a group withholding information about campaign funds from the leadership for their own purposes.

In addition, Oldknow made abusive comments about colleagues that make her unsuitable for any party position:

Starmer must also confirm that he will permanently withdraw the Labour whip in the House of Lords from former general secretary Iain McNicol, who was also involved in the WhatsApp discussions working against Labour, so that he can never speak as any kind of voice of the party again. Starmer must confirm that a full and independent investigation will be undertaken and that those found guilty of undermining the party and/or obstructing disciplinary processes as outlined in the leaked Labour report will be expelled for life.

The new Labour leader owes these actions – at the very least – to the hundreds of thousands of Labour members who worked hard for victory in 2017 and again in 2019, against a campaign of media attacks fuelled by the actions of a right-wing faction that would rather see Labour destroyed than see a socialist government.

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