THE entire committee of Copeland’s Labour group has resigned in a furious row over the selection of parliamentary candidates.

The Copeland Labour Party executive met on Monday night and it was passed that every member of both the executive committee and the parliamentary selection committee would be resigning with immediate effect.

A standoff between the national and local party has seen long-serving Copeland Constituency Labour Party secretary and Cumberland councillor, Joseph Ghayouba kept off the longlist.

This has sparked anger among members of Copeland Labour’s executive committee, who have branded it a 'shameless disregard for democracy'.

Concerns have also been raised over evidence put to Cllr Ghayouba during a due diligence interview, which included a photograph published by former Labour councillor, William Kirkbride, who is currently in prison for a child sex offence. 

It is understood that Cllr Ghayouba's opposition to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which he allegedly described as ‘problematic’, was given as a reason for not being included on the longlist.

A resignation statement on behalf of Copeland Labour Party Executive Committee and Copeland Parliamentary Selection Committee, said: “In 2020, after he became Labour Party Leader, Sir Keir Starmer said that local Labour members should be able to select their candidates, and that 'the party should be at the forefront of championing diversity.'

“What we’ve seen, in reality, is the opposite.

"Local members in Copeland have been denied a vote and a voice by the National Executive Committee.

"Members in Copeland have been denied a fair selection process, and will not get to choose their own candidate.

“The national party has blocked our long-serving Copeland Constituency Labour Party secretary, Cllr Joe Ghayouba, from the long-list of candidates.

"Joe is not only a popular local councillor. As secretary he led us to a landslide Cumberland election victory in the 2022 local elections. Joe is a Muslim of Egyptian descent.

"He fits firmly into the 'BAME' group as defined by the Labour Party, for whom rules state there must be at least one representative on any Prospective Parliamentary Candidate long-list.

“Considering that just a few days ago it was reported by Channel 4 News that Black Labour MPs fear speaking out on issues of race within the party, we should be doing all we can to support members and candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds, rather than blocking them when they stand.

“We are particularly disturbed as a CLP Executive Committee to learn that 'evidence' brought up at Joe's due diligence interview centred on a photograph taken by a criminal former Labour councillor.

"It is beyond comprehension that Labour’s national executive gave credence to such 'evidence' in an internal Labour Party selection.

“As a result, and in the face of this shameless disregard for democracy and the rights of local members, we feel we cannot give legitimacy to an illegitimate process by continuing to serve on the Copeland Labour Party Parliamentary Selection Committee, and are also resigning with immediate effect from our roles as members of the Executive Committee of Copeland Labour Party.”

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Cllr Ghayouba said: “Two pieces of evidence were put forward at my Due Diligence interview which blocked me. One a screenshot from a criminal councillor and  screenshots of a conversation I had regarding the IHRA definition and examples, a discussion that broke no Labour rules.

"As someone of Middle Eastern background with Palestinian family it is not unusual for us to discuss topics that mention and involve Israel. Nothing I said in that discussion broke Labour Party rules."

A statement on Joseph Ghayouba's Facebook page said he was 'incredibly disappointed and 'quite frankly angered' by this 'undemocratic decision' by party officials.

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A Labour spokesperson said: “Working people, families, and pensioners in Copeland deserve a Labour MP and a Keir Starmer-led Labour government to deliver a fairer, greener future for Britain.

“We are pleased to be able to confirm that a longlist of strong candidates has now been drawn up and Labour’s candidate to contest the general election will soon be selected by local party members.”