EXCLUSIVE: Bungling officials in the misfiring local Labour party have been forced into an 11th-hour cancellation of a visit by the shadow foreign secretary, amid fears of further disruptive demonstrations over their pro-Israel stance. By STEVEN DOWNES
Doing a runner: David Lammy has legged it before the Croydon meeting has even started
Maybe Sarah Jones, the Labour MP for Croydon Central, couldn’t face the prospect of two love-ins with warmongers and supporters of Israel’s genocide in Gaza in the space of a week?
The MP this afternoon issued a last-minute notice to supporters that her planned big launch of the new Croydon West constituency party, with shadow foreign secretary David Lammy as guest of honour at Ruskin House, was being cancelled.
Lammy has been a target for much criticism over Labour’s continuing support for Israel’s on-going annihilation of Palestinians in Gaza. Labour’s posturing included most of their MPs, including Croydon’s Jones and Steve Reed OBE, abstaining in a vote that called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Meanwhile, other Labour MPs who have dared to criticise Israel, such as Kate Osamor, the MP for Edmonton, have had the parliamentary whip removed.
Ready and waiting: Croydon Labour’s organisation pulled out of its meeting
Last week, Lammy was chased off stage by pro-peace protestors. This week, he’s done a runner from his Croydon engagement just at the sight of a few online demo posters…
This afternoon, a message was sent out to those on Jones’s accepted list that said, “I wanted to let you know that we are moving tonight’s Croydon West campaign meeting online.”
Inside Croydon has obtained the Zoom link from Jones’s email message.
Lammy appears to be so frit of Croydon’s notoriously noisy pro-Palestine protestors that he’s not even making it to Jones’s online briefing.
“Sadly, David Lammy is no longer able to attend. However, we are still very excited to meet and hope to see you there.”
Croydon Labour has stumbled from one omnishambles into another clusterfuck of their own making.
Last week, Jones staged a fund-raiser off Surrey Street with Alastair “Dodgy Dossier” Campbell, where the venue microphones didn’t work and the demo volume outside was so loud, she and the audience were forced to move upstairs.
Late last year, a campaign dinner was cancelled by venue operators disgusted at Labour’s ceasefire abstention, and at the same time the selection of a parliamentary candidate for Croydon East remains stalled because of allegations of vote rigging by Croydon officials and errors with membership lists.
‘Genocide Jones’: Croydon Central’s MP with ‘Dodgy Dossier’ Campbell, dodging the awkward questions at their Labour love-in
The Lammy event was initially promoted by Croydon West Labour on Eventbrite with no restrictions on who could apply for tickets.
Then, after the Campbell debacle last Thursday, a requirement to be a Labour Party member was added. Inside Croydon has been contacted by a number of interested attendees who have had their tickets “cancelled” by Jones.
Last night, “Genocide Jones”, as she has come to be known among constituents, moved to ban Inside Croydon from attending.
Jones lied to try to cover up the administrative bollock that had been dropped by her office.
“Just to let you know that the invite went to members of the Labour Party in Croydon West only,” Jones wrote, undoubtedly in the knowledge that this had not been the case originally.
“As this event is only for paid members of Croydon West Labour Party, you won’t be able to attend on this occasion.”
Inside Croydon highlighted the untruth in Jones’s statement and invited her to retract it.
The MP has not responded.
Read more: #TheLabourFiles: MP Reed, Evans and the Croydon connection
Read more: Labour members ignored and disrespected over vote scandal
Read more: #TheLabourFiles: Whip letters prove they knew hack was illegal
Read more: Noisy Gaza protestors send Campbell’s audience scurrying
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ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: In January 2024, Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for a SEVENTH successive year in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine
