In a move that has stirred significant controversy, Faiza Shaheen has been deselected as Labour’s candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green at the upcoming general election. This decision, made by Labour’s national executive committee (NEC), has been criticized by many as part of a wider “purge” targeting the party’s left-wing candidates.
Shadow minister Darren Jones refuted these claims on the BBC on Thursday, stating, “this isn’t a purge,” and emphasized that candidates from across the political spectrum within the party, including those identifying as left-wing, are still standing for election. However, Shaheen’s deselection, alongside that of Lloyd Russell-Moyle the previous day, and the ongoing uncertainty around Diane Abbott’s candidacy, has fueled accusations of internal party strife.
Shaheen, who was selected in 2022 to challenge incumbent Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith, expressed her shock and dismay in an interview with Newsnight. “I was on doors, knocking, six weeks after my baby was born. I have put so much effort into that seat,” she said, describing the abruptness and severity of the decision. Shaheen had been informed via email that her candidacy was blocked, citing past social media posts.
The specific posts in question have not been publicly confirmed by the Labour Party. However, Shaheen disclosed that one involved liking a tweet that “plays into a trope” about Jewish people, for which she apologized during a disciplinary hearing. Another post referenced her personal experiences with Islamophobia. The Labour Muslim Network condemned the decision as “unacceptable,” arguing that using her tweets about Islamophobia as grounds for deselection was “utterly outrageous.”
The backlash against Shaheen’s deselection was compounded by the ongoing situation with Diane Abbott, a prominent left-wing figure within the party. Abbott’s eligibility to stand for re-election has been under scrutiny, leading to protests and significant support from her constituents and party members. Former cabinet minister Clare Short criticized Abbott’s treatment as “unforgivable,” and a LabourList poll indicated that a majority of readers believe Abbott should be allowed to stand.
Lloyd Russell-Moyle, another left-wing MP, was suspended from the party pending an investigation into a complaint, further fueling allegations of a targeted purge. A local Labour source from Russell-Moyle’s constituency expressed concern that replacing him with a more right-leaning candidate could backfire electorally.
Momentum, the grassroots movement supporting Jeremy Corbyn’s policies, condemned the deselections. “Left-wing women of colour like Diane Abbott and Faiza Shaheen are being targeted for deselection by Team Starmer, against the wishes of their local parties,” a spokesman said.
Jason Beattie, associate editor of the Daily Mirror, remarked on the broader implications of these moves, describing them as part of a “ruthless re-alignment” of the Labour Party under Keir Starmer. Beattie argued that Starmer’s strategy involved a more aggressive marginalization of the left than that undertaken by former leader Tony Blair.
Supporters of Shaheen within her constituency have voiced their frustration, with one source labeling the probe against her as “devious” and criticizing the timing of the allegations. They noted that Shaheen’s dedication, despite the challenges of new motherhood, had energized the local campaign, suggesting that her deselection was both unfair and strategically unwise.
A Labour Party spokesperson defended the NEC’s decisions, emphasizing the need for swift candidate selections due to the Prime Minister’s surprise call for a summer election. “We have selected a fantastic group of candidates in place for the General Election on Thursday 4 July. They will be campaigning across the country to bring Labour’s message of change to voters,” the spokesperson said.
While Labour officials maintain that the emergency procedures were necessary, the controversy surrounding these deselections highlights the deepening divisions within the party, as it prepares for a highly consequential general election.
