Lambeth Labour Party: Stop this witch hunt, again!

If the continued witch hunt of Adeline Aina, driven by a small group within the Lambeth Labour group, wasn’t real it would be laughable: A farcical script of a power hungry clique within the local Labour party hell bent –I used those last words carefully- on crushing a woman, a Black woman both politically and personally because, and here’s the punch line; she had the temerity to democratically beat her powerful opponent, Cllr Robbins.

But it’s not funny, and it’s not farce, although some of the actions are farcical. It is however, gut wrenchingly deplorable. A shocking abuse of power, scant regard for any notion of due process and fair play, and total disrespect to multicultural Brixton, and Black people in general.

Adeline Aina, a community activist who over the last decade sought to do what many of us ask of Black people: Be active citizens, engage in local democracy, and, if you have the energy, the passion and local community support, put yourself forward for elected office. Adeline began her political journey with the Liberal Democrats, but after sometime felt the Labour party were closer to her politics. Having applied to the Local party Forum to become a Labour Candidate, the Forum rejected her on spurious grounds. Undeterred she appealed to the local party and put herself forward for selection in direct compitition with Cllr Robbins.

She won. Nobody argues the democratic result it wasn’t the will of the party ward. Adeline had beaten a powerful politician fair and square. Miraculously, the department of the beaten Cllr –housing- had instigated a full blown investigation of the housing company Adeline has some association with.

Early last Summer as the report was being conducted, the Local Labour Forum, that had initially rejected Aina, stated,- based on the report that was not finished, much less public or contested- that her suitability for being a Labour councillor should be questioned and, as such she should be re-interviewed, by the Forum that had previously rejected her.

Local campaigners, including the Brixtonblog  and OBV viciously challenged the gross unfairness along with highlighting the direct link to the ‘inquisition’ and the defeated Labour Cllr. Labour Party Central agreed with campaigners and declared the Local party’s attempt to deselect Aina on the basis of an unpublished report was unconstitutional and unlawful.

Many thought at that moment that commonsense and decency had prevailed. But with the dirty politics of some in the Lambeth group, their fight to remove Adeline had hardened.

The report which finally came out, did not accuse Adeline of any personal wrong doing. But, nonetheless the housing organisation was put under a temporary supervision order. This was immediately challenged and suspended due to legal proceedings.

The Labour Leader Cllr Lib Peck, whilst acknowledging the report should not be used against Aina, she supported the position that Adeline should be re-interviewed because of the ‘political damage’ she - Aina- had caused.

The first witch hunt was wholly and solely based upon what Adeline’s detractors hoped would appear in Housing inquiry findings; ie that Aine would be found to be personally culpable for any short comings within Housing Association. The report cleared Aine of any personal gain or wrong doing. The fact they acted unlawfully to get rid of her before the findings came out is bad enough. But it now beggars belief that the same Local Labour party bosses are still hell bent to reinterview her in regards to her suitability.

And for what; ‘political damage to the party’? Any alleged damage caused to the party has more to do with unconstitutional practises for the sole purpose of getting rid of someone who was democratically selected. Surely questions of suitability should be levelled, not at Adeline, but towards those who are waging war on such spurious grounds against this Black woman.

If the local party can bring themselves to be both wise and decent, they would immediately stop the witch hunt and apologise to Adeline. Commonsense needs to prevail before this latest episode escalates even further. Lawyers on behalf of Adeline have already written to the council to advise them that Judicial review proceedings have been issued in the High Court against the Council. The party’s unlawful procedure-as identified by Labour Party Central- and potentially continued unlawful practice with their demand to re-interview Adeline must stop now.

But even more than the shenanigans and what many see as the abuse of power, the real ‘fall out’ is the damage this is doing to the Black community, and perhaps for those either seeking to be part of the Labour party, or others who just want to engage with politics in general.

If this carries on why would any Black person vote for the Lambeth Labour party, much less join and be an active member? If fairness and decency are not central to the local party both in words and deeds then democracy has been failed.

Stop the witch hunt, accept the democratic outcome and begin to work together for the benefit of the whole borough.

Simon Woolley

Operation Black Vote