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Nick Brown, a seasoned Labour MP and former chief whip, has declared his resignation from the party, citing frustration with an extended internal disciplinary procedure that he characterized as "a complete farce."
In a strongly-worded and extensive letter, Brown outlined that he will not seek re-election in the next cycle, partly influenced by his age of 73 and his four-decade-long tenure in parliament. However, a significant factor in this decision is the "fundamentally, and inexcusably, flawed" nature of the ongoing internal disciplinary process against him within the Labour party.
Brown, who has represented Newcastle upon Tyne East since 1983 and served as chief whip for every Labour leader from Tony Blair onward, had his Labour whip suspended in September of the previous year following a complaint lodged against him under the party's independent complaints process.
In the letter, made public through the legal firm Carter-Ruck, Brown disclosed that the undisclosed complaint, originating from "a political rival within the party," pertained to an alleged incident more than 25 years ago.
Brown emphatically stated, "To be clear, the accusations against me were, and remain, entirely false, without even the faintest germ of any truth to them. Not only had they never previously been made in the ensuing 25 years, they had never been so much as hinted at, whether by that individual or anyone else."
Expressing dissatisfaction with the handling of the situation, Brown criticized the lack of proper corroborative evidence and the time taken by the Labour party in addressing the claims. Initially trusting in the party's disciplinary system, he lamented that the serious nature of the accusations warranted a thorough and timely examination.
Brown expressed his dismay in the letter, stating that the disciplinary process "has been structured, and conducted, in such a manner as to lack even the most basic of procedural fairness and evidential safeguards."
Providing examples, he pointed out that Labour had declined to conduct a disciplinary hearing in person and refused his legal team the opportunity to directly question the complainant. Additionally, he and his legal representatives deemed the evidence presented to be substantially lacking.
Despite hoping for a fair and just resolution based on "good sense, legal propriety, and basic natural justice," Brown concluded that it has become increasingly evident that he cannot expect a fair hearing, branding the entire process as a "complete farce."
Brown revealed that his legal team had informed him that, due to the party's refusal to adhere to even basic safeguards and procedural measures expected in any quasi-judicial process, they could not assure him of a fair hearing.
In conclusion, he lamented, "Things have reached a very sorry pass when the likely next party of government conducts cases of this gravity in a manner more akin to those of a mismanaged golf club."
In response, a Labour spokesperson stated, "The Labour party treats all complaints with the utmost seriousness. It has established an independent complaints process that ensures complaints are decided impartially and fairly."
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