Labour in Exile Network
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Labour in Exile Network (LIEN) was launched on 27 February 2021 and aims to unite socialists unfairly suspended, expelled, or resigned in dismay from the Labour Party.
Contents
Plan for Change
LIEN's 3-point Plan for Change is aimed at thoroughly democratising the Labour Party. It was discussed, amended and agreed upon at the founding conference on February 27.
Democratise the Labour Party!
We need a system of democratic, open selection of Labour’s representatives at all levels, including MPs. The Governance and Legal Unit should be scrapped and replaced with a democratically elected body. We will campaign for the democratisation and accountability of the NEC, including a review of the voting system, and a sovereign Labour Party conference. Conference should have the right to initiate a leadership contest and we will mobilise to vote against David Evans at the next LP conference. We call on branches and CLPs to vote for no confidence in Keir Starmer, who has waged an all-out war against the left.
For free speech!
The right to free speech is coming under increasing attack in the world at large and can no longer be guaranteed. We will campaign for Labour Party members, branches and CLPs to have the right to discuss any issues they like, without the threat of censure or suspension. We urge branches and CLP to ignore instructions of issues being “not competent business” as unconstitutional. We campaign against the recommendations of the EHRC report, which demands that antisemitism cases are outsourced and which leads to a curtailing of free speech. We will campaign to overturn the party’s commitment to the so-called definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which conflates anti-Zionism and criticism of Israel with antisemitism in a number of its examples. Instead, we need a culture of open and free debate on all matters.
Stop the witch-hunt!
We will campaign for all cases of unwarranted suspension and expulsion since the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader to be reviewed in an unbiased and democratic manner, with a view to possible reinstatement. We will campaign for the party’s complaints and disciplinary procedures to be radically overhauled so that they are transparent, carried out in accordance with the principles of natural justice as set out in common law. This process should be time-limited: charges not resolved within three months should be automatically dropped and an accused member should be given all the evidence submitted against them and be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. [1]
"Not the Forde Inquiry"
| The full 2-hour "Not the Forde Inquiry” |
A year on and with no sign of Martin Forde's report, a "Not the Forde Inquiry” event was held on Saturday 5 June 2021 at 7:00pm, organised by the Labour in Exile Network.
Norman Thomas, one of the organisers, said the event would give people the chance to say in public what they would have told the inquiry if they had had the chance: “This explosive leaked report appears to be a shocking exposé of an attack on democracy at the heart of the Labour Party.
“This is far too important for the inquiry to be delayed any longer. We have to get these things out into the open now."
Mr Thomas, who was chairman of South Thanet Constituency Labour Party (CLP) until he was suspended for allowing members to debate the withdrawal of the Labour whip from Jeremy Corbyn, said: “I believe the Forde Inquiry’s findings are being suppressed because the party’s leadership simply wants to bury the truth.
“But we, the grassroots members, aren’t going to let that happen. We refuse to be silenced.”
Among those testifying to the inquiry were former Momentum vice-chairwoman Jackie Walker and ex-Labour MP Chris Williamson, who are both named in the leaked report.
Other speakers included Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) co-founder and ousted party member Graham Bash, JVL co-chairwoman Councillor Leah Levane, Labour Against the Witchhunt co-chairwoman Tina Werkmann and former Hove CLP chairwoman Rebecca Massey. The inquiry also heard a special message from film director Ken Loach.[2]
