Background is Anderson stepping down under police investigation for corruption, which he denies, alongside 'unnamed' (court restrictions) others. Government have an investigation going on to see if they're going to send commissioners in to run the council if it isn't under competent new leadership. Labour initially shortlist three candidates. Then late in the process the national party says they need to do additional scrutiny of the candidates. End result is party deciding not to put any of the three forward, with only vague reasons given, and to reopen applications at the very last moment instead. Cue immense amounts of fume because it looks like the most recent 2019 MP shortlist mess of imposing outside candidates against local party wishes. And further proof that a fair chunk of the Labour party membership is quite happy to hold any position on an issue depending on whether they think their faction will benefit from it.
The problem I have with the process is that the three candidates were selected, and just before the ballots were due to arrive, they recalled the candidates for re interview.
We were told that the interviews would be held and new nominations announced if required with ballots now arriving on Monday.
Monday passed by, and midway through Tuesday, an email landed which said the candidates had been effectively been barred from running as Labour candidates. It then went on to say that anyone wishing to stand would have to have their application ready for a closing date on Thursday.
No reasons given.
Effectively saying to the three candidates you are not fit to be candidates after selecting them calls the process into question.
To then try and find alternatives in two days seems to be crazy. Unless of course there are already people lined up, in which case they have an unfair advantage over anyone seeking to write and apply over the next two days.
Regardless of the political leanings or the allegations of corruption, the process reflects badly on the party.
No doubt there will be some spin which paints the leadership as fighting extremism or corruption, but i fear it will only pour more fuel on the PR dumpster fire caused by whoever is making these decisions.