By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
A Broxtowe Labour councillor said the committee she chairs felt “absolute powerlessness” amid accusations of the national party ‘imposing’ candidates to become the borough’s next MP.
Political parties are currently putting forward candidates ahead of a General Election which is expected next year.
But Broxtowe Labour said their choice of a local candidate had been ‘blocked’ by Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee.
Greg Marshall, Deputy Leader of Broxtowe Labour Group and Broxtowe Borough Councillor for Beeston West, who missed out on the longlist, said he felt “huge disappointment”.
Cllr Teresa Cullen (Lab), chair of the Broxtowe Labour executive committee, said it was “upsetting” that a local candidate was not put forward – and added that the committee “feel like we have been stitched up”.
A Labour Party spokesperson said “robust due diligence processes” had been used to select the shortlist candidates.
Conservative Darren Henry is currently Broxtowe’s MP.
The Broxtowe Labour selection committee released a statement on Tuesday saying they were resigning from the process.
And on Tuesday evening the Broxtowe Labour executive committee also released a statement saying it resigned from all officer positions and claimed that the NEC had “purposely blocked local councillor Greg Marshall”.
Hopeful candidates must first get onto a longlist, selected by Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
A shortlist is then provided before constituency members pick their candidate.
But Cllr Cullen said that the NEC provided a longlist of only three candidates – excluding Cllr Greg Marshall.
Cllr Marshall unsuccessfully stood as the Labour candidate in 2017 and 2019.
It is understood that the three shortlisted candidates are Juliet Campbell, Jamie McMahon and Anna-Joy Rickard.
Cllr Cullen told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “This is imposing a candidate on us.
“The select committee felt a decision had already been taken nationally.
“We had an emergency meeting in the executive committee and there was collective heartbreak.
“We couldn’t be treated this way and we don’t have to be so we resigned as a committee. Everybody felt like they didn’t want to continue.”
Cllr Cullen said she has been a member of the Labour party for almost 40 years and has “never witnessed this locally”.
She said: “It was astonishing and a feeling of absolute powerlessness.
“We have run a consistent campaign about Darren Henry not being local and now we are in the same boat.
“It’s embarrassing and humiliating.”
Responding to Cllr Marshall’s comments, a Labour Party spokesperson said on Tuesday: “Thanks to Keir Starmer’s leadership, Labour is now a serious, credible government in waiting and our candidates reflect that. Robust due diligence processes have been put in place to make sure everyone selected is of the highest calibre and for that we’ll make no apologies.
“Labour has changed. Keir believes that politics can be a force for good, and that his government can restore the faith in it that 13 years of Tory government has carelessly eroded.
“The public rightly expect anyone asking to hold office is of the highest standard, and with Labour they can. We’re really pleased that outstanding Labour candidates have already been selected in constituencies across Britain, and that work continues.”
The Labour Party have been contacted for further comment following the committee’s statement.
