In a case that is unprecedented to our knowledge anywhere in the country, Darrall Cozens has been suspended from his CLP, Coventry North West, for three and a half years, without any due process and with none in sight. Below is the text of an appeal that Darrall has written to those other Labour Party members in his area and around the country who he knows personally, and we reprint his letter below. Labour Party members around the country should take up Darrall’s case, quoting his membership number and a few of the salient facts, notably the fact of his suspension for such a disgracefully long period of time.
The Suspension from the Labour Party of Darrall Cozens – Membership Number A 512211
Dear Sisters, Brothers and Comrades,
You are aware that I have now been suspended from the LP for more than three and a half years. I have been a very active member of the LP for 55 years joining in October 1964 in my hometown of Swansea.
During my time as a LP member I have fought against a capitalist system which exploits and subjugates our people, working class people. The capitalists and their political representatives, mainly but not exclusively in the Tory Party, have been my main enemy.
However, in the fight to get rid of capitalism and bring about socialism I have also fought for changes in our LP, basically fighting for three things:
1. Our LP to have policies that will benefit working class people and for me those policies must be socialist policies to get rid of capitalism.
2. The right of ALL members of our LP to participate in and determine LP policies.
3. The right of ALL members of our LP to select candidates who will fight for socialist policies at all levels of the LP including councillors and MPs.
During all of my time in the LP I have only on one occasion tried to stand for an elected position and that was to be a councillor. I was interviewed and selected to be on the Panel but the then right wing of the Labour Party in Coventry colluded with the then existing regional officials to remove me from the Panel, not on the basis of anything I had done but on the basis of what I MIGHT do as a councillor.
I was condemned for something that may or may not happen at a future time!
Since my suspension on March 9th 2016, I have been in political limbo as that time in my political life has been stolen from me and can never be brought back.
Despite my suspension I have turned out in every election, local, regional and national, to campaign and work for our LP and its candidates. I have delivered leaflets and campaigned on the doorstep as well as encouraging people to join our LP.
I have now come to a crossroads. I have been let down by our LP nationally and locally. Below you will find the rules of our LP for dealing with disciplinary matters. The rules are clear yet they have been ignored locally and nationally.
In particular my CLP, Coventry NW, (NWCLP) has in the past ignored the rules for CLPs and the present CLP officers also ignore the rules by not allowing my case to be discussed at CLP meetings despite the rules giving them the RIGHT, in black and white, to discuss disciplinary issues.
I apologise for sending you matters concerning rules. I have always preferred to discuss politics and policies but since my suspension I have had to resort to knowing our LP rules. And what has become crystal clear is that unelected LP paid officials as well as elected LP officers at local and national level can ignore and bypass the rules of our LP when it suits them.
My time will come. I will be exonerated from false allegations. I will return to our LP and will continue the fight for socialist policies, socialist councillors and socialist MPs.
With fraternal greetings,
Darrall Cozens
Coventry, October 3rd 2019.
Disciplinary Rules in the Labour Party.
Labour Party Rules 2019.
Chapter 6
Disciplinary Rules
Clause I. National action by the Party
1. The NEC shall take such disciplinary measures as it deems necessary to ensure that all Party members and officers conform to the constitution, rules and standing orders of the Party. Such powers shall include:
A. In relation to any alleged breach of the constitution, rules or standing orders of the Party by an individual member or members of the Party, the NEC may, pending the final outcome of any investigation and charges (if any), suspend that individual or individuals from office or representation of the Party notwithstanding the fact that the individual concerned has been or may be eligible to be selected as a candidate in any election or by-election. The General Secretary or other national officer shall investigate and report to the NEC on such investigation. Upon such report being submitted, the NEC may instruct the General Secretary or other national officer to formulate charges against the individual or individuals concerned and present such charges to the NCC for determination in accordance with their applicable procedures. Without prejudice to Chapter 1.VIII.5 (*See at end), the powers of the NEC and General Secretary under this sub-clause may be exercised, as the NEC deems appropriate, through such persons as may be designated.
Comment by Darrall Cozens on Section A.
I have been suspended for more than three and a half years and my suspension was authorised by a member of the National Constitutional Committee as per the rules of the Party above.
However, the rules also state that an investigation should be carried out and the results of the investigation be reported back to the NEC. No time limit for this process is given in the rules. No investigation has been carried out. The GS or other national officers have had three and a half years to carry out an investigation and report to the NEC. Why have they not obeyed the rules of the LP?
Clause II. Action by CLPs
1. It shall be the duty of the General Meeting of a CLP to take all necessary steps to enforce the constitution, standing orders and rules of the Party within its constituency and to safeguard the programme, policy and principles of the Party within its constituency. A CLP shall take such action as it deems necessary for such purposes in accordance with the following provisions:
A. Any complaint or allegation made of breach of the constitution, rules or standing orders of the Party shall be made in writing to the secretary of the CLP either by a Party branch or by an organisation affiliated to that Party, or by a member of the CLP. Such complaint or allegation shall state that the complainant wishes disciplinary action to be considered.
Comment by Darrall Cozens.
To my knowledge the NWCLP was NEVER OFFICIALLY informed of my suspension. The individuals who made the allegations against me completely bypassed the CLP. Yet one of the two individuals who made allegations against me was once Chair of the NWCLP when his close friend was Secretary. The latter, secretary until recently, on no occasion brought my case to the NWCLP despite knowing of my suspension. Did he act out of ignorance of the rules or did he act with a malicious intent in preventing my suspension being discussed?
I contend that although the NWCLP was not officially informed of my suspension, the officers at the time knew about my suspension and could have raised it at any time at the CLP. Why didn’t they? Why did they not inform the CLP of my suspension? Why did they keep CLP delegates in the dark? What did they have to hide?
The NWCLP failed in its DUTY as Clause II, subsection 1, above.
As the officers failed to officially inform the NWCLP of my suspension, the provisions below relating to the role of the CLP EC and the CLP General Meeting in investigating and discussing any complaint were bypassed by those making the allegations.
Nevertheless, there is nothing in the rules that prevented the NWCLP from discussing my case THEN or NOW.
B. Upon such complaint being made, the secretary shall refer it to the Executive Committee of the CLP who shall decide by resolution whether the complaint calls for investigation.
C. Any resolution of the Executive Committee shall be reported to the General Meeting which shall decide whether to authorise the recommended investigation.
Comment by Darrall Cozens.
In order for the NWCLP GM to make any decision about whether to authorise an investigation it would mean that the issue had been discussed by the NWCLP EC and then taken to the NWCLP General Meeting with a recommendation! It is only after this has happened that the GM has to decide whether the complaint calls for an investigation. By not bringing the issue to the EC and the GMC the NWCLP effectively did a Pontius Pilate and washed its hands of the whole issue which has left me in political limbo for more than three and a half years!
D. Where there is not an Executive Committee in place within the CLP, the matter shall be referred direct to the General Meeting which shall decide by resolution whether the complaint calls for investigation.
E. Any person proposed to be the subject of such an investigation shall reside or be registered as an elector within the constituency or shall have been resident or registered as an elector within the constituency at the time of the actions subject to complaint. If that person is a member of the General Meeting and/or Executive Committee s/he shall have full rights to participate and vote in the meetings of the committee of which s/he is a member when this matter is considered.
Comment by Darrall Cozens.
My rights to attend any meeting that discusses what action if any is to take place is enshrined here. However, by bypassing the constitutional role that the CLP EC and GM should play, those making the allegations against have sought to not only remove the RIGHT of the EC and GM to discuss my case, but also MY RIGHT to be present when my case is discussed.
F. The secretary shall immediately following any such resolution contact the regional office of the Party to ensure the correct implementation of the disciplinary procedures at all stages, including the formulation of any charges.
Comment by Darrall Cozens.
At no time in the whole of this process was there the “correct implementation of the disciplinary procedures at CLP level or regional level.
At all levels and at all times local LP officers in the past and now as well as regional and national officials have ignored the rules of our LP and ordinary members like me have NO RIGHTS to seek redress for the way that we have been or may be treated.
This situation MUST be changed if we are to have a democratic LP worthy of the name where every member is valued equally.
For after all does our LP card not state that our Party is a “democratic socialist party”?
Coventry.
3 October 2019.
