Member refused entry at conference with no apology after seven-hour rail trip

A student member who travelled from Aberdeen to Liverpool for conference had his pass revoked just hours before it began without an apology, LabourList can reveal, leaving him hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

He said it felt like the party “doesn’t value” young members and one senior Labour figure called for an investigation, saying members were the “lifeblood of our party”.

George Taylor applied last July to attend conference, and received an email last month confirming he had been granted a £65 pass. He said he then booked his £82 train tickets and £145 accommodation, as well as turning down an £83–a-day shift at work.

He made the seven-hour journey from Aberdeen last Thursday to volunteer helping to set up fringe events.

The 25-year-old told LabourList he had been planning to go to Scottish Labour Students, Scottish Young Labour and Scots Night events within the conference zone.

But early on Sunday while he was getting ready to attend the first full day of conference at his youth hostel, he noticed an email from “Team Labour”.

It informed him: “Due to the high number of applications and visitors…your application has not been processed. Any pass that has been issued will be deactivated and will not allow entry into the conference site.”

No apology from party

The email encouraged him to check Labour’s website for 2024 conference to “avoid disappointment”. There was no apology in the email, and he claimed he did not receive one either from staff at the conference site itself when he went on Sunday to seek further explanation and challenge the decision. He also claimed he was told he had been randomly selected, and there was no way of reversing the decision.

Taylor told LabourList: “I have taken a week out of work and studies, and I’ve spent a substantial sum of money on travel, accommodation and food.

“For this to happen without any proper explanation and apology is frustrating. Young people give up our time, effort and wages to attend conference.

“Conference is an opportunity to show the public what Labour’s values are, but all this shows is that Labour would rather gift passes to big business than allow young members to engage with the party. It makes us feel as if Labour doesn’t value us either.

“This is again a case of young people are being disenfranchised and blocked from representing ourselves within Scottish Labour. This also means there were no young members from Aberdeen at conference.”

He noted that the party had also voted through rule changes at conference that mean Constituency Labour Parties with youth officers no longer have to include the postholders on their executives. Some members protested over the changes.

The party email said that “if applicable, your refund has been processed”, but he said he had not received it as of Friday afternoon.

The Aberdeen Labour youth and students officer said he initially suspected he may have been blocked because he is an “outspoken” member of the left-wing Campaign for Socialism group. But he said he is now unclear what lies behind it, as he had since heard of others being denied access who were not on the Labour left.  He said they were other young members though.

LabourList has not corroborated this or spoken to anyone else affected, however.

We asked the party if it wanted to comment, apologise or confirm how many more people if any had been similarly turned away, but a spokesman declined to comment.

Mish Rahman, a member of Labour’s national executive committee, said: “This is shocking news and requires an immediate investigation to determine the facts and any response necessary.

“Members and not big business are the lifeblood of our party – and their democratic rights have to be respected at all times.”

More than 15,000 people were due to attend conference this year, which has been described as the highest ever turnout.

Labour also generated record income from fringe events, exhibition stands and sponsors at this year’s conference, and worked with record numbers of business leaders.

More than 200 organisations held events for the first time and demand from business and non-governmental organisations for stands was so high the party created five “overspill” areas.

Did anything similar happen to you or anyone you know? Get in touch at [email protected], anonymously if needed.