Labour city councillor suspended by party '˜for social media comments'

A Labour city councillor has been suspended by the party for social media comments, it has been claimed.
Cllr Angus EllisCllr Angus Ellis
Cllr Angus Ellis

Labour group leader on Peterborough City Council, Cllr Mohammed Jamil, confirmed that Cllr Angus Ellis, member for Bretton, has had the party whip removed.

Cllr Jamil said he was not aware what the comments were but that Cllr Ellis was far from the first Labour member nationally to be suspended during the ongoing leadership contest.

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“I’m aware that this has happened and the matter is under investigation,” Cllr Jamil said.

“Angus is an exceptional councillor and there will be an investigation as per party rules and hopefully he will be exonerated.

“Angus is not the only one. It seems to be quite a few across the country while this leadership contest is going on. People have said things which they might regret.

“I think people have to be very careful. No-one wants to offend anyone. If someone feels like they have been offended they have the right to air their grievance which they have done.

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“It’s on the back of what’s quite a nasty leadership campaign. As soon as its over we need to go back to fighting the Tories.”

Cllr Ellis was elected onto the council in May, coming first in Bretton with 916 votes.

Posts on Twitter show he is supporting Jeremy Corbyn against Owen Smith in the Labour leadership contest, with the winner to be announced on September 24.

Cllr Jamil said he had not been advised that any other member of the party in Peterborough has been suspended.

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A spokesman for the East of England Labour Party said it cannot confirm the membership status of individuals due to data protection rules.

Last year, former Labour parliamentary candidate Cllr Ed Murphy was indefinitely suspended by the Labour Party in Peterborough, with no reason given publicly for the decision.

However, minutes of a Labour AGM, accidentally sent to the Peterborough Telegraph, showed there were concerns about social media comments he had made.

The suspension was later lifted after an appeal was upheld.

The Peterborough Constituency Labour Party is backing Mr Corbyn to remain as party leader, having supported him when he was first elected to the post last year.

The Peterborough Telegraph was unable to contact Cllr Ellis.