Thread by @AndrewJPelling

The removal of long-standing supporters of a Directly Elected Executive Mayor (DEEM) as @CroydonLabour candidates in the local election is route 1 to Labour losing. My candidature being #rescinded for re-interview, @JamieAudsley being removed as cllr & not being allowed to be 1/6

considered in a Labour members' postal ballot, as a very good Labour candidate for Mayor, after being the by far leading male candidate in terms of votes at well attended constituency party meetings & the blocking of DEMOC activist & former candidate Ranil Perera 2/6

reveals a #Labour party entirely unreconciled to having a Directly Elected Executive Mayor. Voters, quite reasonably, will take the view "If Labour don't like the job. Let someone else do it." 3/6

The expulsions or barring from the 2022 Croydon Labour Group reflect how #Croydon #Labour have not recovered from the disastrous anti Mayor campaign with burning £20 notes on their literature reminding us of the council financial crisis and conspiracy theories that it was all 4/6

a Tory plot. It was a real residents' campaign with tepid Tory support, except from strong constituency Tory MP @CPhilpOfficial . Result was, a leaflet that directly told Tory voters that they vote yes to Mayor, irritated independents who had supported a Mayor as residents 5/6

& embarrassed Labour voters into staying at home & thus abstaining. The same authors of that misfortune are now going through the process of removing my Labour #Waddon candidature despite our Waddon members voting for me. Referendum was 2nd highest ever vote for a Mayor 80.2% 6/6