Thread by @BrexitRage

For some months I have attempted to resolve a worrying problem with a concerted smear campaign against me by Grassroots for Europe and The European Movement. I have had no reply in private from CEO Anna Bird, so I have decided to go public. Here is the summary 1/

@euromove

The WhatsApp group where much of this smearing takes place is overseen by Anna Bird and Lord Andrew Adonis. Andrew does not like uncomfortable truths and blocks people who he disagrees with. Thus I have no route to resolution with him. 2/

#Labour #Grassroots #Europe #Brexit

The 'mob' also follow the leader, sometimes without knowledge of what actually took place. This is not without consequence. For example, I am blocked from attending the March to Rejoin, was blocked from attending a meeting with @gavinesler. 3/

The 'mob' also asked that professional EM groups and affiliates in Sussex and Merseyside 'deplatform' me from speaking at events and so on. I mean, WTF are they frightened of? 4/

I actively promote pro-European and anti-Brexit views and am perhaps more vigorous than many at a grassroots and strategy level, so I cannot understand their desire to silence me, but then again, I have worked on this for 6 + years and I 'get' organisational illnesses etc. 5/

I'm hoping that Anna Bird will now make this nonsense stop and remove the ringleaders from power. 6/

Here are some examples of the online smearing - it is persistent and wearing.

I cannot write to Richard Wilson to deal with the matter quietly, as he also adopts the Vote Leave strategy of blocking people he does not agree with. 7/

It's possible to see the level of confusion in these groups. Lynne Armstrong manages to confuse me with another person, but it does not stop her from condemning my work. 8/

Other European Movement execs appear to join in with the 'herd impunity'. For example, Emma Knaggs admits that she know anything about my work, but, of course, feels she must agree with those in power

She is also badly informed 9/

I am Chair of EM Mid Kent. Following a review by the Council chaired by Dominic Grieve QC I was confirmed. My removal was an exec decision made by Anna Bird, without approval or authority of the EM. This, of course, mirrors the approach of @Conservatives re #Brexit

In my professional life, I work with chronic organisational problems like this. When politics / egos and so on are added to the complexity, these issues become insoluble. I had offered my services to EM way back to help make them match fit but, of course, they refused

cc @MODEMUK @KatKatisha @Euro_Justin @rachturpin @HereBeProof @ElwynLloydJones @JulieTaylorLan1 @JudithS34405616 @MikeCashman1 @brexitcarnage

Ostrich thinking and Silos are not good enough if we are to build a movement fit to take Vote Leave on

Some 'Remainers' will say that it is unhelpful to air organisational problems in public. I disagree. We failed to build a cohesive movement because of conflict avoidance.

The subtext here is "loose talk costs lives". No one dies from this.

Organisational problems are like boils - they fester and cause more infection if ignored.

These groups have spread this urban myth for years. Now, people who don't even know me begin with an impression of what I do / don't do.

cc @YvonneWancke Any thoughts on this Yvonne?

@SusannaML @Nigel_Farage

It seems that many of the messages were deleted. Just to recap, Anna Bird, CEO of Euromove and Andrew Adonis, Chair of Euromove oversee this WhatsApp group and are therefore complicit in what happens on here. Richard Wilson leads the conversations.

Unsurprisingly Yvonne has no views. Previously she allowed another smear campaign to occur in a fraudulent election so I'm not surprised.

@YvonneWancke