NEC members submit motion for a new independent complaints process

Five members of Labour’s ruling body, the national executive committee, have submitted a motion for debate at the next meeting on Tuesday 23rd.

The proposal calls on the NEC to bring forward rule changes to Labour conference 2019 that would establish an independent complaints process for claims of racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia or transphobia.

The motion also supports the idea – endorsed last week by Tom Watson and Keir Starmer – of automatically excluding members in cases where there is “irrefutable” evidence of racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia or transphobia.

LabourList understands that unless the NEC chair, Wendy Nichols, refuses to accept the motion, it will be debated and voted on next week.

Below is the full text of the motion.

The NEC believes the Labour Party is an anti-racist party committed to equality and building a better, fairer future for all.

We are fully committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish community and implacably opposed to anti-Jewish racism and racism in any form.

Members who express racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic views have no place in the Labour Party.

We need radical change and fresh thinking in our disciplinary rules to swiftly and fairly root out the evils of racism in our party and restore confidence in our processes.

The NEC notes the statement on antisemitism in the Labour Party by Labour Tribune MPs on 14 July 2019 and the letter from the Labour group of peers dated 15 July 2019.

The NEC therefore resolves to bring forward rules changes to this year’s conference that:

– automatically excludes a member from the party where there is irrefutable evidence of racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia or transphobia.

– establishes an independent process to deal with disciplinary matters involving all forms of racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia or transphobia. This is to also include the process for overseeing auto exclusion of members and any subsequent member appeals. We will invite the Bar Council, or another appropriate body, to appoint a person wholly independent from the Labour Party to devise the detail of this scheme, consult with Jewish and other communities and report back to the NEC.

Cllr James Asser
Cllr Nick Forbes
George Howarth MP
Cllr Alice Perry
Tom Watson MP