Former JLM leader Peter Mason elected on to Labour's ruling NEC

As results of internal Labour elections announced, Momentum veteran Mish Rahman was ousted from the NEC

By Lee Harpin September 18, 2024, 7:01 pm Edit

Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor

Ex-Jewish Labour Movement national secretary Peter Mason has been voted on to Labour’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) in elections that maintained a decisive majority for the pro-Keir Starmer faction.

Mason, now leader of Ealing Council, was one of four candidates representing the Labour To Win slate of the party to be elected onto the body.

In a major blow for the hard-left Momentum faction, Mish Rahman, who had previously claimed antisemitism is treated more seriously than other forms of racism, was not re-elected, leaving the left slate one seat down on the new NEC.

Thanking party members for supporting him, Mason posted on X, “The Labour Party is truly changed, and we move forward to changing the country.Looking forward to playing my part…”

JLM also posted:”Huge mazel tov to Peter Mason, our former National Secretary, who has been elected to the NEC as a CLP rep.

“Peter was instrumental in bringing about our EHRC referral, which was key to making Labour a safe space for Jews once again. He’ll do a fantastic job on the NEC.”

Hard-left veteran Rahman, who was ousted from the NEC, had in Septmember 2021, been one of the rebels to voted against rule changes relating to disciplinary cases that were made a legal requirement for the party to implement following the EHRC’s report into antisemitism.

Last year he was prevented from standing for selection as a parlimentary candidate.

Despite Starmer’s decisive grip on the NEC, three left candidates Jess Barnard, Gemma Bolton and Yasmine Dar were re-elected, showing some membership backing for the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance, which includes Momentum and the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy.

But in a sign of Momentum’s increased weakness only the top candidate on their slate could muster enough votes from members to be elected.

In further good news for the Starmer wing, Abdi Duale returned to the NEC, along with Jane Thomas and Angie Davies on the Labour To Win slate.

Duale has previously been a staunch supporter of the community, and will take up an important role on a disciplinary complaint panel.

Respected NEC veteran Ann Black, backed by Open Labour, was also re-elected to the NEC, while Cat Arnold, was also victorious on a new Labour Women slate.

Luke Akehurst MP and Gurinder Singh Josan MP, two other allies of the community, had previously been elected onto the NEC as representatives of the parliamentary Labour Party alongside Melanie Onn MP.

Internal elections took place for nine positions as CLP representatives, on an NEC with around 40 members in total, including leader Keir Starmer, Deputy Leader Angela Rayner MP, and ministers including Shabana Mahmood and Ellie Reeves.

Meanwhile, in elections for Labour’s National Policy Forum, (NPF), which determines major policy decisions, Labour to Win candidates won 50 out of the 55 CLP rep posts up for grabs.

The results ensure that the Starmer wing of the party will continue to have the majority on votes over important matters, including issues around antisemitism.