Wimborne-Idrissi removed as NEC member following expulsion from party

Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi has been removed as a member of Labour’s national executive committee (NEC), LabourList understands, following her exclusion from the party over alleged support for proscribed groups.

Wimborne-Idrissi said in a statement today that she had been informed by email that her “membership of the party stands terminated” after an NEC panel concluded she had “demonstrated the type of support for REIST [sic], LIEN and LAW prohibited by chapter 2, clause I.5.B.v of the rules”.

Wimborne-Idrissi was suspended from the party in September for appearing at an event organised by a proscribed group. She had been elected to Labour’s ruling NEC earlier that month but was not allowed to attend meetings following her suspension.

LabourList understands Wimborne-Idrissi – a co-founder of Jewish Voice for Labour – has now been excluded from the Labour Party for support of proscribed organisations and, as result, is no longer a member of the NEC or the party.

Wimborne-Idrissi told LabourList that the NEC’s ruling was “unjust” and “counterproductive”. She confirmed that she will appeal the decision but said she expects to be “ignored” by the party, alleging that many people who appeal receive no acknowledgment.

Wimborne-Idrissi told LabourList that she took part in an event on McCarthyism and Keir Starmer’s Labour Party held in September 2021. It was organised by three groups that had been proscribed by the party in July 2021.

She said she believes the implementation of her suspension was “factional” and argued that the conclusions of the Forde report are “not being taken seriously”. She suggested that the decision to expel her was an attempt to “expunge” her views from the party. “Can’t be a dissenter in the Labour Party,” she added.

She told LabourList that the party “has questions to answer” and claimed that there were reports of her expulsion on Twitter prior to her being made aware of the decision. Jewish News reported on Thursday evening that Wimborne-Idrissi had been expelled from the party.

In a statement released on Twitter this morning, Wimborne-Idrissi said “details of internal disciplinary cases continue to be leaked to external media in breach of [Labour] rules”.

Her statement continued: “My treatment demonstrates the hostile campaign to which LW Labour Party members are being subjected, including disproportionate numbers of Jewish members…

“Expulsion follows my suspension in September, within weeks of being elected to Labour’s [NEC]. Charge was, by taking part in discussion a year earlier organised by proscribed groups, I had demonstrated support for them – a “prohibited act”. I dispute this interpretation and will appeal my expulsion.”

Labour’s rules say “proscribed acts” include “possessing membership of, providing financial assistance to, sitting on the ruling body of or otherwise supporting (as may be defined by the NEC) any political organisation that the NEC in its absolute discretion shall declare to be inimical with the aims and values of the party”.

The NEC voted to proscribe four groups – Socialist Appeal, Labour in Exile Network (LIEN), Labour Against the Witchhunt (LAW) and Resist – at a meeting in July 2021.

NEC members proscribed three further groups – the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty (AWL), the Labour Left Alliance (LLA) and the Socialist Labour Network – in March 2022. Supporters of the groups were automatically expelled.

The Labour Party has been contacted for comment.