A county councillor who was kicked out of the Labour Party for allegedly being a member of a banned group has told her appeal will not be heard.
Coun Holly Waddell has always maintained she had never been a member of the Socialist Appeal, and merely liked Facebook posts from friends that were deemed to be connected to the group.
The left-wing councillor, who won the Wylam ward on Northumberland County Council from the Conservatives in 2021, was expelled from the party in February 2022 and launched an appeal immediately.
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But she has now been informed that Labour will not hear her appeal - meaning she has been permanently expelled from the party. It comes after she joined the council's Independent Group in February, after waiting for news on her appeal for a year. Socialist Appeal is described as an "openly communist" organisation that was banned under new Labour Party rules introduced in 2020.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Coun Waddell said she would struggle to be a member of the party regardless of the outcome of her appeal.
She said: "It has dragged on a really long time from my expulsion last year. I did an appeal within 14 days and it has taken 17 months for the Labour Party to decide they're not going to look at it.
"They believe I am a member of the Socialist Appeal because I liked some photos on Facebook that friends had posted where they were holding a Socialist Appeal newspaper. I had never really heard of them before that.
"I would struggle to still be a member of the party knowing it is not a member-led organisation. The Labour Party Conference backed free school meals, which has been thrown out by the leadership.
"Labour members don't have the right to vote for a mayoral candidate in the North East in Jamie Driscoll. Members' views are not being considered - the party is being led from Westminister and from London."
Coun Waddell also accused the party of bullying her, and said the impact affected her mental health and forced her to take time off work.
She continued: "Left-wing members are targeted. My expulsion was leaked to the papers, it was in the national press. Very few people had that information.
"I was expelled the night before regional conference and was told if I attended I would be removed. I was told I had my expulsion coming because of my friends and my views.
"It was a difficult time. I took a period off work because I was unwell."
Coun Waddell is a close ally of North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll. Mr Driscoll himself was blocked from standing as the Labour candidate for the new North East Combined Authority which has been blamed on him sharing a platform with film director Ken Loach.
Mr Loach was kicked out of the party after controversial comments on Israel and the Holocaust.
Speaking at an event in Blyth on Wednesday, Mr Driscoll criticised Labour for refusing to hear Coun Waddell's appeal and revealed he had spoken directly to Labour Leader Keir Starmer on the matter
He said: "Holly is an example of a good local politician. She is a young woman, she was a girl guide leader, and she won a seat in rural Northumberland from the Conservatives at a time when Labour was struggling.
"Why wouldn't you want that person in the party?
"I spoke to Keir Starmer personally, face to face about this and he said he could not interfere but he would expedite it. She has now waited 17 months and what has come back was there was no grounds for appeal.
"She liked a picture on social media of a friend who had campaigned for her who happened to be holding a newspaper. That is not any sensible ground for a disciplinary offence."
The Labour Party was contacted for comment, but said it does not comment on individual cases.
A party spokesman added: “Socialist Appeal was proscribed in 2021 by Labour’s National Executive Committee as it is an organisation that is not compatible with Labour’s rules or our aims and values.”
A spokesman for Northumberland Labour commented: "Individual member disputes are between the Party and the individual. Each issue is different and dealt with by the national party.
"Northumberland Labour Group will continue to put forward a strong team at the next election who have all been through a vigorous selection process."
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