Labour activists demand inquiry after banned Iranian TV station ‘infiltrates’ no confidence vote
1 min read
Labour activists have called for an inquiry after a banned Iranian TV station shared footage of a local party meeting passing a no confidence vote in a pro-Israel MP.
Press TV shared the clip online after it was filmed at a heated meating in Joan Ryan's Enfield North constituency. It also added the hashtag #WeAreEnfieldNorth.
The motion of no confidence was passed by 94 votes to 92, leaving Ms Ryan facing the prospect of deselection.
The local party chairman, Siddo Dwyer, said that filming was not allowed in the room and that he would be making a formal complaint to the channel.
He wrote on Twitter: “Warnings were issued about filming, including a direct warning to the member in question.
“It didn’t occur to any of us at the time that they were from a state broadcaster.”
Deputy party leader Tom Watson said the clip “made a farce of the proceedings” and it was “not how the modern Labour Party should conduct its affairs”.
In a statement, a Labour spokesperson said: “Filming of local Labour Party meetings is not permitted, and Enfield North will be reminded of this fact.”
Press TV had its licence to broadcast in the UK revoked by the media regulator, Ofcom, in 2012, over claims that editorial decisions were being made in Tehran.
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