Complaint submitted to Iain McNicol, Labour Party general secretary, by Matt Tully on July 15, alleging Councillor Warren Morgan, leader of the Labour Group on Brighton, Hove and District Labour Party has brought the party into disrepute by repeatedly alleging there had been “spitting” and “abusive behaviour” of Brighton, Hove and District Labour Party. These allegations partly contributed to the City Party being suspended and the results annulled

This is the text of the formal complaint by Matt Tully, sent to Iain McNicol, the Labour Party’s general secretary:

Dear Mr McNicol,

As a member of Brighton, Hove and District Labour Party (BHDLP), I wish formally to complain about Warren Morgan, leader of the Labour Group on Brighton & Hove City Council.

I believe he has acted in a way that has brought the party into disrepute in contravention of the Labour Party’s 2016 Rule Book. I refer particularly to Chapter 13. Clause 2.D.iii (Rules for local government Labour groups on principal authorities):

“Members of the Labour group shall have a responsibility to take up such opportunities of training and development that may be provided by the council or the group or Party, in order better to carry out their activities as effective and influential councillors. Through their council duties and activities in the community, members of the Labour group should seek to promote Party policies and to represent and empower local people and communities, and act in a way that does not bring the Party into disrepute.”

Specifically, on Saturday, July 9, Cllr Morgan — whom I have never met or spoken to — made the first in a series of comments alleging that staff at City College Brighton Hove were “spat on” by party members attending BHDLP’s annual meeting at the college in Pelham Street, Brighton BN1 4FA.

These irresponsible allegations, which were quickly rebutted by others present, were nevertheless repeated, without any concern for natural justice or the complaint procedures of the Labour Party.

When I became aware of the much-repeated and widely-reported comments — first made on Twitter, but subsequently repeated in public statements elsewhere — I realised he was referring to an incident in which I was involved.

There were many witnesses to the alleged incident, the details of which were fabricated and distorted by Cllr Morgan. At least three other members of Cllr Morgan’s Labour Group repeated the allegations, assumed them to be true, and ignored my protestations of innocence.

I quickly identified myself to Cllr Morgan and other councillors on Twitter as the person involved; I denied his unfounded and uncorroborated allegations; and I asked him to remove the inaccurate and offensive tweets. He did not do so.

He subsequently said he hoped the new executive committee would investigate the incident, but I understand he did not submit any formal complaint.

Three days later, my attention was drawn to an article — headlined “Labour council leader speaks out after ‘takeover’ of Brighton and Hove party by Corbyn supporters” — on the Brighton and Hove news website (www.brightonandhovenews.org).

Appended to the article a was lengthy comment by Cllr Morgan, including the disclosure that complaints about my alleged behaviour had apparently been lodged with the Labour Party’s regional office.

I have had no formal contact from Cllr Morgan, nor from the regional office. Even though a paid party officer claimed there was CCTV evidence available and even though I have made myself known both to the police and to Labour councillors, I have not been contacted formally by Cllr Morgan or any Labour councillor, or anyone from the Labour Party’s regional office.

I have had it confirmed that no complaint has been made to Sussex Police.

Cllr Morgan’s malevolent allegations have caused me immense distress over a sustained period. Moreover, they have damaged — and continue to damage — the reputation of all 600 members who attended the annual meeting and brought the party into disrepute.

I want the Labour Party’s NEC to undertake an urgent inquiry into Cllr Morgan’s irresponsible actions, contrary to party rules.

Statement by Matt Tully, written on Sunday, July 10, after he made himself known to Councillor Warren Morgan, the leader of the Labour Group on Brighton and Hove City Council who alleged there had been “spitting” and “abusive behaviour” at the annual meeting of Brighton, Hove and District Labour Party. These allegations partly contributed to the City Party being suspended and the results annulled;

Complaint submitted to Iain McNicol, Labour Party general secretary, by Matt Tully on July 15, alleging Councillor Warren Morgan, leader of the Labour Group on Brighton, Hove and District Labour Party has brought the party into disrepute by repeatedly alleging there had been “spitting” and “abusive behaviour” of Brighton, Hove and District Labour Party. These allegations partly contributed to the City Party being suspended and the results annulled;

Selection of tweets: Councillor Warren Morgan, who quickly became aware that the allegations he aired first on Twitter were denied by Matt Tully, the alleged culprit;

Councillor Warren Morgan’s initial press statement;

[A reminder of Cllr Morgan’s secret email to “friends”, sent a week before the annual meeting]

Selection of tweets: Matt Tully, the young man accused of “spitting” at the AGM at City College;

Statement by City College Brighton and Hove;

Selection of tweets: Councillor Emma Daniel, who claims she was the first to hear about the “spitting” at the AGM at City College;

Selection of tweets: Sue Teddern, who helped organise the AGM and says she was spoken to the staff member who was “spat on”

Selection of tweets: Nicky Easton, a member of the outgoing executive committee (vice-chair, campaigns) who was defeated at the AGM; she was subsequently re-instated after the results were annulled and the Brighton, Hove and District Labour Party suspended by the party’s NEC;

Selection of tweets: Councillor Caroline Penn responded to tweets by her friend Cllr Emma Daniel. Like other councillors who exchanged tweets within 24 hours of the AGM, Cllr Penn did not make a complaint to the newly-elected executive committee;

Selection of tweets: Many eyewitnesses took to Twitter on Sunday — and in the subsequent days — to give their view of the AGM and the “spitting” and “abusive behaviour”;

Selection of photographs: Taken either in the annual meeting in the main hall or outside City College in Pelham Street.