“An operation worthy of Joe Stalin”: The full list of Labour councillors pushed aside

In an email to local party branches, the Labour Party’s regional director, Richard Oliver, said the National Executive Committee (NEC) moved to deselect the councillors because of “concerns about the process.”

Strikingly, Labour deselected 58 per cent of its BAME councillors in Leicester, compared to 18 per cent of its white councillors. Approximately 40 per cent of its councillors in total were barred from standing. Local Labour Party members were not consulted.

Ross Willmott – who has been a councillor for 38 years and has represented Rushey Mead Ward for 16 – called it an “an operation worthy of Joe Stalin.” In response to a Facebook post which said Labour “would reap what you sow. I predict a terrible election for Labour, no canvassers, no idea and not a single principle.”

Earlier this month Rita Patel was among some councillors who were suspended by the Labour Party for six months for backing a motion to abolish the role. She has since resigned from the party. Patel, a councillor for the Rushey Mead ward, announced in a video posted to social media that she will stand as an independent candidate for mayor. If elected, she aims to scrap the role.

Thurncourt councillor Stephen Gee said: “As of today I’ve resigned from the Labour Party because of the undemocratic way that I have been deselected because the Labour Party members in Thurncourt branch wanted me to stand again.

“I’ve also resigned due to the way that the NEC panel conducted their interviews. I have ADHD and anxiety and don’t come over well when I’m in an online meeting with the Labour Party who were only willing to conduct interviews online, even when the disabilities officer emailed the regional director asking why reasonable adjustments weren’t being made. She never received a reply which would breach the Equality Act of 2010.”

Patrick Kitterick, councillor for Castle Ward, has defected to the Green Party, giving them their first seat on the council for over a decade. In a statement on Twitter, he said, “Ever since being elected as a councillor for Castle Ward, I have always sought to do the right thing.” As a Green Party candidate, he will stand for Castle Ward in the upcoming election. The Greens enjoy their most support in the neighbourhood, and Kitterick could hold on to his seat.

Sharmen Rahman, councillor for the Stoneygate ward, said she felt “betrayed and hurt” by the national party's decision. “I’ve given up my time with my family to fight for Labour. It feels like despite all the time and energy we’ve put into the party, we’re disposable,” she said. “It is absolutely undemocratic. The grassroots of the party, none of them have had any say in this process.”

The full list of sitting Labour councillors deselected are:

1. Ruma Ali – Humberstone and Hamilton
2. Padmini Chamund – Belgrave
3. Luis Fonseca – North Evington
4. Stephan Gee – Thurncourt
5. Rashmikant Joshi – North Evington
6. Shahid Khan – Evington
7. Patrick Kitterick – Castle
8. Kirk Master – Stoneygate
9. Jacky Nangreave – Westcote
10. Rita Patel – Rushey mead
11. Hemant Rae Bhatia – Beaumont Leys
12. Sharmen Rahman – Stoneygate
13. Gurinder Singh Sandhu – Humberstone and Hamilton
14. Deborah Sangster – Castle
15. Nita Solanki – Belgrave
16. Aminur Thalukdar – Stoneygate
17. Mahendra Valand – Belgrave
18. Paul Westley – Beaumont Leys
19. Ross Willmott – Rushey Mead