From the Campaign Against Africaphobia
The much delayed Forde report into claims of racism, sexism, anti-Semitism and bullying in the Labour Party revealed “serious problems of discrimination” and racism.
The report was commissioned by Keir Starmer in 2020 after leaked WhatsApp messages showed damaging factionalism and racist comments directed at black MPs, an organised plot against then leader Jeremy Corbyn and the deliberate sabotaging of the. 2017 and 2019 election campaigns.
The report said there was “undoubted overt and underlying racism and sexism” in the WhatsApp messages exchanged by senior staff members.
Model motion
Please find below a model motion referencing the Forde Report Allegation 6, further we would like to encourage CLPs, Branches/Wards to pass the attached motion. (Please feel free to edit or amend as required.) It would be great to have it submitted as a motion to LP National conference.
Demonstrate Friday 2 September
There is currently a letter being signed and a demonstration being held on 02.09.2022 at 5pm Parliament Square.
Moreover, at National conference there will be an open rally to demand action on *Forde Allegation 6 and to the ensure the recommendations are implemented.
Here is the link to the petition letter, if you would like to share it.
With your support there are currently over 380 signatures from over 90 CLPs. Including MPs, Councillors, Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic members & Allies.
Emergency motion
Re Forde report Allegation 6
250 words
The Forde Report was clear about the anti-Black racism and Islamophobia which exists within our party (Allegation 6), and the terminal damage inflicted on minoritised members has not disappeared despite Party attempts to install processes and policies in advance of the report’s release.
HNSN MP was cited as being subject to expressions of visceral disgust, drawing on racist tropes, with there being no restorative actions on the part of our Party; contra to the experience of her White peers there was no visible support from our leadership.
Black members up and down the country are still waiting for their complaints to be addressed, many already leaving the Party as a result of the racism they face. All the while our Party remains silent on the damning judgement that the Labour Party “ignores” some “forms of racism and discrimination” in effect perpetuating a hierarchy of discrimination.
In a radio interview (25 July) our Leader faced questions on the findings of the report, while he talked up the work the party has rightly taken to tackle antisemitism, demonstrative of the disregard our Party machine has for addressing all forms of racism there was, shockingly, not an utterance in respect of anti-Black racism.
Black members exist within a Party which perpetuates a hostile environment and a leadership that fails to publicly acknowledge this uncomfortable truth, or adequately address their needs.
We demand an urgent public apology, steps taken to address the issues raised in report submissions with all perpetrators subject to disciplinary action.
(HNSN Hackney North & Stoke Newington)
In solidarity
#FordeAllegation6 Team
