’50 Labour members quit’ in Faiza Shaheen’s CLP after deselection row

Around 50 Labour members are reported to have quit the party in protest over Faiza Shaheen’s deselection as their local candidate at the general election, and said they will back her independent run.

An open letter shared online suggests dozens of members in Chingford and Woodford Green, east London, resigned following the removal of Shaheen as a Labour candidate after a last-minute party probe into her social media posts.

Shaheen is now standing in the constituency as an independent. It comes after Brent council cabinet member Shama Tatler was appointed to replace her by the party’s national executive comittee, in a fast-tracked selection in ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith’s seat.

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An open letter with 50 names at the bottom reads: “Our democratically elected candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green, Faiza Shaheen, has been deselected in an appalling and unfair manner.

“Faiza was selected by the constituency members in a fair and open contest, accruing more votes than the other three candidates put together.”

They further described her deselection as a “cynical ploy” and threw their support behind Shaheen’s independent candidacy.

The letter adds: “We can no longer stay in a party that treats people in this way. Not only has Faiza Shaheen been betrayed, but so have all those in the local Labour Party who voted for her candidature and the ordinary members of the Chingford and Woodford Green constituency.”

Several of those named on the letter have shared it on social media.

Labour was not immediately available for comment.

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