Left members of the Labour Party’s National Executive have called on newly appointed Blairite General Secretary to explain and justify a ‘gagging’ email he sent to every local party.
General Secretary David Evans compiled a list of four subjects he claimed members were not allowed to discuss even less express an opinion about on the grounds that he said they were not “competent business.”
The NEC members have disputed the general secretary has the right or power to issue any instruction about what can or cannot be discussed by members and they also wish to know if he discussed the contents of the email with Sir Keir Starmer or anyone else before sending it.
Mr Evans ordered party secretaries and chairs not allow debate on:
- Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to pay the gang of renegade party bureaucrats £600,000 to end their libel case against the party;
- A leaked report detailing the gang’s work to prevent a Labour general election victory in 2017;
- The ongoing investigation into the party’s alleged antisemitism;
- Expressing any opinion or support for members facing a disciplinary inquiry and possible expulsion.
Mr Evans is known to have a very low opinion of rank and file involvement in the party having once complained he would like to see democracy within the party eradicated.
On the day the email was sent a barrister party member, Duncan Shipley-Dalton, immediately Tweeted that it was his professional opinion that Mr Evans had acted beyond his rights and powers as laid out in the party’s constitution.
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