RE-INSTATE MARC WADSWORTH

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2019 :: RMTnews 21 Big thanks to RMT for the wonderful support it has given my campaign for Labour Party reinstatement following the Paddington branch motion passed at the annual general meeting in 2018. RMT members have shown me what solidarity looks like in a comrade’s moment of need. That’s what trade unionism is all about, putting right injustice wherever it happens. In April a kangaroo court expelled me from Labour, which I had supported for more than 30 years, on trumped up charges of “bringing the party into disrepute”. My crime? Daring to get up at the launch of the Shami Chakrabarti report about anti-semitism and all forms of racism, defend Jeremy Corbyn by challenging a Labour MP, who was opposed to him, and speak out for greater African Caribbean and Asian representation in the party. That was in June 2016. Afterwards I had to wait almost two years before a Labour disciplinary panel heard my case, during which time I was smeared as an anti-semite and forced to face trial by media. This denial of natural justice and due process has yet to be rectified. My record stands for itself: a lifelong trade union and anti- racist activist who was chair of the Labour Party Black Sections, which helped put four of its members into parliament in the historic breakthrough of 1987. Six years later, as the leader of the Anti-Racist Alliance (ARA), I introduced the parents of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence to Nelson Mandela. That led to a breakthrough for the Stephen Lawrence Campaign for Justice. The ARA also helped get the fascist British National Party’s “nazi bunker” headquarters closed down and paved the way for laws to be passed making racial violence and harassment specific criminal offences. RMT senior assistant general secretary Steve Hedley recorded a video of support for me in which he said: “Marc has been thrown out of the Labour Party on the most ridiculous of charges. Before I met this man I heard about his anti-racist campaigning 20 years ago. Yet his accusers have come up with the line that somehow he’s a racist himself. It’s absolute rubbish. I’ve been on demonstrations with him against fascism, against anti-semitism. We should confront the real anti-semites. The 15,000 of them marching up the street for Tommy Robinson. And other islamophobes, some of them in the Tory party making ridiculous statements about how Muslim women dress. Marc is completely innocent and should be reinstated immediately”. It’s hard being victimised. Trade union activists, including the RMT’s Glen Hart, know what I’m talking about. Glen was suspended by management for two years after sticking up for employees in the workplace. The support of his fellow RMT members got him his job back. Glen has been tireless in his backing for me as my brilliant union campaign manager. Not a week has gone by without him going on Twitter to fight my corner. He and thousands of other supporters were appalled by the 50 Labour MPs and peers who marched on my disciplinary hearing organised by Wes Streeting MP. Had they ever marched to highlight the injustices of the Grenfell fire or Windrush scandal? No. In fact, their shameful record includes failing to oppose in parliament immigration law that created Theresa May’s infamous “hostile environment”. We must win back our party from this type of Labour politician who hijacked it during the reign of warmonger Tony Blair. I’m proud that my Jamaican aunt Queenie and late uncle Tommy as well as other relatives have worked on the railways and belonged to RMT. Mick Cash has met with me, after which he wrote to Jeremy Corbyn to urge he intervene to get me back in the party. The general secretary, who kindly gave me £20 out of his own pocket, has also said he’ll recommend the union donates towards the fighting fund that’s been set up to help me campaign to clear my name. It is more than half way towards reaching the £5,000 target. Here’s the link: https://uk.gofundme.com/justice 4marc. I hope RMT members will give what they can to my campaign with the generosity some branches and the London Transport Regional Council, where I was honored to be a guest speaker, already have. I would be delighted to be invited to speak at RMT meetings and can be contacted at: justice4marcinfo@gmail.com. RE-INSTATE MARC WADSWORTH Marc Wadsworth outlines his campaign for his re-instatement into the Labour Party