Brighton Labour conference: Greg Hadfield expelled from party

Greg Hadfield, a Labour member for 15 years, was automatically kicked out of the party for organising Resist at The Rialto, which has been taking place this week.

The event features banned organisations Labour Against the Witchhunt, a campaign against what it regards as politically motivated allegations of antisemitism, and Resist, a group founded by former Labour MP Chris Williamson.

The former chairman of Brighton and Hove Momentum has faced a number of suspensions from the party over recent years, but was finally expelled earlier this month after announcing he was organising the event on Twitter.

Despite this, he was given a pass to attend its conference which has been taking place since Saturday.

The conference is the first since a report by a human rights watchdog claimed the Labour Party was responsible for “unlawful” harassment and discrimination of its Jewish members.

Security at the Brighton Centre stopped Mr Hadfield outside the gates this morning.

He was told that a Twitter post he made last night, signalling he was due to attend Keir Starmer’s final speech, had been spotted and guards were placed on the look-out.

Security then took his pass before he could into the conference for the Labour leader’s address where he said the party can "win the next general election".

Mr Hadfield said: "After waiting 14 months in the hope of a hearing about still-unspecified charges, I have now been excluded simply because of a tweet about helping to organise a three-day meeting of socialists - both inside and outside the Labour Party - I have been arbitrarily expelled with no right to a hearing or to an appeal.

“Clearly, Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party there is no safe space for socialists to meet and talk about issues that - ironically - included free speech as well as social justice, support for Palestinians, and fake allegations of anti-semitism."

Resist! at The Rialto as been taking place at the venue in Dyke Road since Sunday.

Mr Hadfield said he started planning the event in March and April – before, he says, the two banned organisations were proscribed.

It has featured speeches from Chris Williamson, an ex-Labour MP for Derby North who was suspended from the Labour Party for comments about the party's response to criticism over its handling of allegations of anti-semitism.

Former Labour Party member Jackie Walker, who was expelled from Labour for “prejudicial and grossly detrimental behaviour against the party”.

And former Labour activist Tony Greenstein, who was expelled from the party over allegations of anti-semitism.

“It’s been magnificent,” Mr Hadfield said.

“Days of discussion about socialist politics, free speech - both in politics and in academia - and fake allegations of anti-semitism that have plagued the Labour Party.”

In October 2020, a report by the UK's human rights watchdog found Labour to be responsible for "unlawful" acts of harassment and discrimination during Jeremy Corbyn's four-and a-half years as party leader.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) investigation identified serious failings in leadership and an inadequate process of handling anti-Semitism complaints.

Its report said the party was responsible for three breaches of the Equality Act: political interference in anti-Semitism complaints, failure to provide adequate training to those handling anti-Semitism complaints and harassment.

In a statement, it said: "The equality body's analysis points to a culture within the party which, at best, did not do enough to prevent anti-Semitism and, at worst, could be seen to accept it."