News / Politics
‘Toxic’ Labour meeting ‘close to bullying’
Labour colleagues are rallying behind Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire after reports of feisty exchanges at her local party AGM over her decision to criticise Jeremy Corbyn.
Local councillor and council cabinet member Craig Cheyney and former prospective MP Jo McCarron were among a handful to use the #ImWithThangam hashtag following a meeting which was reportedly dominated by angry exchanges with members of Momentum, the grassroots movement which supports Corbyn.
Ruth Davies, a former co-chair of Bristol Labour Students, described in a blog how she and a fellow long-term Labour member were left in tears following the exchanges.
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Read more: ‘Labour meeting left me in tears’
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Ruth, who said she voted for Corbyn to be leader but now questioned his leadership, said: “The atmosphere was absolutely toxic, and for the first time in my dealings with the Bristol Labour Party I felt threatened.”
She added she was called a “traitor and a conspirator” in a meeting which included threats which “felt dangerously close to bullying”.
Corbyn activists were also left dismayed at the meeting. According to one witness, 90 per cent of people showed support for the Labour leader after Debbonaire had made a speech explaining why she had resigned from his team.
Another witness told Bristol24/7 that the majority of people at the meeting were left frustrated as they saw attempts for a vote of confidence in Corybn flounder.
Debbonaire told Bristol24/7 the party had anticipated that around 100 members would attend, but over 250 people turned up, meaning the meeting was spread over two rooms.
She added: “Most people, no matter what their views, tried hard to listen to each other and to me, and to engage in constructive debate. Unfortunately, a noisy minority were determined to disrupt the meeting. Some people have told me they could not hear, or were afraid to speak, or felt threatened.
“I want everyone to be welcome and heard in Labour Party meetings. I’ve spoken to the newly elected chair of Bristol West Constituency Labour Party and we’ll work closely together to try to make future meetings enjoyable and constructive for everyone.”
Corbyn supporters took to the streets last week after all three of Bristol’s Labour MPs gave their support to a vote of no confidence in their leader.
Chair of Bristol’s Labour Party Eileen Means called for calm in an email to members, seen by Bristol24/7, last week amid claims of members being “demonised” and “threatened” for airing their views in the row over Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
Bristol24/7 has contacted the offices of Momentum and Debbonaire for a response.
Read more: ‘Labour meeting was overwhelmingly civil’
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