Labour suspends Brighton branch amid accusations of improper ballot

Labour has suspended its biggest constituency party and annulled the result of a vote that installed officers supportive of Jeremy Corbyn in key posts.

The suspension of Brighton and Hove Labour party happened after accusations of abusive behaviour and an improper ballot at the annual general meeting last week, where leftwingers were elected to a number of offices.

Concerns were also raised with Iain McNicol, the party’s general secretary, about entryism by people who had stood as candidates for the TUSC/Socialist party against Labour.

In response to complaints, the party sent a notice to Brighton, which has 6,000 members, saying it was subject to “administrative suspension” and would have to rerun the contest.

A statement on the local party’s social media said: “The Labour Party National Executive Committee have suspended the Brighton, Hove and District Labour party, and annulled the results of the AGM. The 2015/16 Executive remain in place until a new AGM is held. This does not affect Labour councillors, individual members or their ability to vote in the NEC or Leadership elections.

“We will be making no further comment pending the investigation, and all enquiries should be directed to Labour South East Regional Office.”

The decision in Brighton has sparked a furious backlash among some supporters of Corbyn, who believe the party has contravened democratic principles by suspending the branch.

The meeting had elected Mark Sandell as chair and Greg Hadfield as secretary, who wrote on Twitter that “democracy in Labour just died”, with suspension of Brighton and Hove “days after biggest vote to #KeepCorbyn in biggest party unit in country”.

Hadfield also said the newly elected executive committee would issue a statement as soon as practicable and proceed with its inaugural meeting regardless, despite posts officially reverting to their previous officeholders.

Asked about the suspension of the Brighton branch, a Labour party spokeswoman said: “No abuse of any kind by Labour party members or supporters is tolerated. Any complaints of bullying or intimidation and allegations of misconduct are always taken very seriously.

“We would encourage anyone who has been the subject of threats to inform the party and contact the police.”

The suspension comes at a time of heightened tensions between many constituency parties and MPs, who voted overwhelming that they had no confidence in Corbyn after the EU referendum.

Over the last few days, Labour members have been in revolt over restrictions imposed by the party’s ruling national executive over the leadership contest between Corbyn, Angela Eagle and Owen Smith.

The Guardian has received numerous reports of unofficial meetings in some branches in defiance of an edict from the central party. At the same time, Momentum, the grassroots group of Corbyn supporters, is mobilising to defend the position of the leader.

Unite, the party’s biggest union donor, has also raised the prospect of mandatory reselection, meaning MPs could be under threat of losing the right to stand for Labour at the next general election if they are not in tune with their local membership.

It is understood a series of meetings in Hull have already taken place about a strategy to deselect some or all local Labour MPs – Alan Johnson, Diana Johnson and Karl Turner.

A source told the Guardian of weekly meetings between unions and Labour activists with the objective of promoting Corbyn and working on strategy to pack wards and pick off MPs who were not sufficiently supportive of the leader.

Hadfield told the Guardian that Brighton was “at the epicentre of a battle over the future of the Labour party” and said allegations of bad behaviour were “unfounded and malevolent”.

“The annual meeting should have been a historic moment when 600 people on a Saturday afternoon turned out and behaved impeccably throughout. It was a real example of Labour party democracy at is best - the biggest party unit in the country, with the biggest turnout, with the biggest vote.

“Sixty-six percent of the vote came to me as secretary and I am a Jeremy Corbyn supporter. Jeremy Corbyn supporting candidates won senior places in the party with 60-66% of the vote. We should be celebrating that level of engagement.

“What we’ve had since Saturday is smears, unfounded allegations, [about behaviour at the meeting] uncorroborated with no evidence or recognition of due process or complaint to me as secretary.”