AN INVESTIGATION is set to be launched into the Labour councillor who aggressively dragged out a protester by the neck during the party’s conference in Liverpool.
It was a moment that dominated coverage of Rachel Reeves’ maiden speech as Chancellor last week.
A protester, who does not want to be named, and a fellow activist from campaign group Climate Resistance, unfurled a banner reading “Still backing polluters, still arming Israel – we voted for change."
He could be heard shouting – only to then be dragged out aggressively by the neck, leaving visible red marks (seen in video below).
Coverage of the incident at the time described the man involved as a security official but it was later revealed by The Canary to actually be Wolverhampton Labour councillor Harbinder Singh (pictured below with local MP Pat McFadden).
When The National first approached the Wolverhampton Labour Group last week to confirm whether it was Singh, who represents the city's Ettingshall South and Spring Vale ward, we were repeatedly told: “No comment.”
The National understands that Wolverhampton Council (and Labour Group) leader Stephen Simkins sent an email to all 45 Labour councillors last week urging them not to speak to the press about the incident.
But after being approached by The National again today (Tuesday), the Labour group has since “formally referred the matter to the council’s monitoring officer”.
“This matter is currently going through the appropriate procedures,” they added.
Local independent (and former Labour) councillor Celia Hibbert – who first outlined on Twitter last week that Singh may be the man responsible – told The National that she has been attempting to get the council to start an investigation since last week.
“If somebody was to do that to me, I would expect the council to be proactive in dealing with this issue,” she said.
“I wouldn't expect them to wait until they have been literally dragged to do it.”
Hibbert added, however, that there were also “layers of failings”.
“It's [also] a failing from the national party, who are supposed to make the conference a safe place for everybody – for those who agree with them and those who do not agree with them,” she said.
“Rachel Reeves [above] actually witnessed what happened. She herself should have raised an issue about it.
“The conference is a working environment. Are you telling me if this were to happen in a school, where another teacher is strangling another teacher, it's accepted? It's not going to be accepted.”
Hibbert added that it’s “not a coincidence” it was someone from Wolverhampton Council involved – telling The National that there is a general culture of “bullying and intimidation”.
The protester who was dragged by the neck (below), meanwhile, told The National that this kind of violence is "unacceptable".
"Especially from a Labour councillor," he added.
"But it unfortunately seems to reflect the Labour Party's general attitudes towards voices of opposition – especially those speaking from a humanitarian standpoint.
“Whilst the Government continues to sell arms to Israel, there will be mounting pressure from civil society on them to stop.
“Scenes like the one at the Labour conference only reaffirm the belief that the Government is desperate not to let opposition be heard. Could this be because it has no justification for its continued actions?”
A City of Wolverhampton Council spokesperson said: "In line with its usual practice the Council does not comment on individual code of conduct complaints until such time as a formal finding of a breach has been made."
The Labour Party and Councillor Singh have also been approached for comment.
