LRC supporter Keith Henderson, the secretary of Clacton Labour
party and parliamentary spokesperson has been suspended from
holding office following undisclosed allegations made against
him by persons unknown.
The following press release has been issued by the LRC:
LRC supporter Keith Henderson, the secretary of Clacton Labour
party and parliamentary spokesperson has been suspended from
holding office following undisclosed allegations made against
him by persons unknown.
More significantly this debars him for standing for public
office as a Labour party candidate. It is no coincidence that
Keith was on the approved list of prospective candidates for
the Essex County council elections in 2013, much to the
annoyance of right wing elements in the party closely
connected with the Progress organisation.
The policies that Keith told the interviewing panel of lay
Labour party members included his beliefs that there is a need
for a council house building programme to supply affordable
and secure rented accommodation, linking up with the
co-operative and other progressive organisations to organise
the funding of such a project. Putting building workers back
to work and providing proper apprentiships would set an
example.
He also advocated linking up with the co-op to promote their
new energy project which aims to provide electricity at a much
cheaper cost to who would also receive a stake in the
dividend. The more money left in consumers pockets the better
for the economy of Essex he argued.
On transport he argued that anyone anywhere in Essex should
have access to public transport with no longer than a half an
hour wait maximum, single fares should be capped at £2 and
returns at £3. Free transport for under sixteens and
pensioners.
It is no surprise then that a young man with such progressive
ideas and such an enthusiastic approach should be suspended
from office and suspended from standing for public office as a
labour candidate following undisclosed allegations.
The General secretaries office has suspended him under rule
6.1A which stops him from holding office internally or
standing for office externally until the investigation has
taken place.
A cynic might also point to the fact that no time limit has
been put on the length of the investigation or the fact that
the previous secretary of the party has been allowed onto the
list of approved candidates for the Essex County Council
elections in 2013. This despite getting his application in
well over a month after the interviewing panels had finished
the interviewing process and even longer after the deadline
for applications had closed.
It is also purely coincidental that this individual is a
progress supporter and a personal friend of progress supporter
and Eastern Regional Director of the Labour party Alan Olive.
Alan Olive is the party official carrying out the
investigation despite the fact that Keith has made a formal
complaint to the General Secretaries office in relation to the
biased and unprofessional way the investigation is being
undertaken.
Having been denied the fundamental right to natural justice
Keith is seeking to secure an high court injunction but as his
own union has refused to help him he will have to fund this
himself.
This is why we are putting out an appeal for financial help to
every individual genuinely on the left who is disgusted by the
undemocratic centralisation that has increasingly stifled the
development of the Labour movement over the last generation.
Keith Henderson can be contacted on 07501495332 or by email
at henderson.keith1985@googlemail.com
