Warwick Labour rebrand sees resignations amid accusations of ‘undemocratic’ decision-making

The decision to rename Warwick Labour Movement has been approved unanimously by its executive committee following the resignation of three of its members.

External Campaigns Officer Josh Balabanoff, Sports Officer Cianan Sheekey, and LGBTQ+ Officer Connor Summerell all resigned from their exec positions, citing their continued commitment to the Labour Party, with the latter two criticising what they called “undemocratic decision-making”.

All three have now taken up exec positions at a new ‘Warwick Labour’ society, with Balabanoff as Chair and Sheekey as Deputy Chair.

The vote now formalises the split of Warwick Labour Movement from any association with the parliamentary Labour Party, as it will instead “look to campaign for both Councillor Grace Lewis and Zarah Sultana MP, as well as other political candidates we deem to hold the same socialist principles as our own”.

The Chair of Warwick Labour reached out to the SU and was given permission to provisionally change the society name to Warwick Labour Movement following a challenge from the national Labour Party

Adam Skrzymowski, VP Societies, Warwick SU

The decision to announce the “rebranding” of the society was taken by the Chair, Ed Swann, prior to the meeting where he announced that the society was “delighted to support our former Chair” Cllr Grace Lewis in her decision to resign from the Labour Party in support of Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana and MP Jeremy Corbyn.

Cllr Lewis had been the former Chair and Treasurer of the society in 2022 and 2023, and resigned from the Labour Party on 1 August, citing the failure of Coventry City Council “to stand up for working people”.

In a statement made on the society’s Instagram on 1 August, Swann noted: “Since becoming Chair of this society, it had been a constant battle to justify to my members and myself my involvement in the Labour Party – a party so far out of touch with its values that it remains complicit in the genocide of Palestinians, enablers of rising inequality through its austerity-lite policies, and silencers of party democracy.”

Adam Skrzymowski, Vice President for Societies at Warwick SU, told The Boar: “The Chair of Warwick Labour reached out to the SU and was given permission to provisionally change the society name to Warwick Labour Movement following a challenge from the national Labour Party.

“This is subject to the membership of the society voting on this change at an EGM [Extraordinary General Meeting] in the coming weeks, where they will have the opportunity to discuss or democratically challenge the decision.”

It has since been confirmed that the EGM will take place on Thursday 21 August, where members will also be able to decide on the society’s new logo, alongside voting in by-elections for the vacated positions of Sports Officer and LGBTQ+ Officer.

[One member said that,] while they had not been previously informed of the decision, they ‘welcomed it nonetheless’

The society’s rebrand was welcomed by many, with one current member, who wished to remain anonymous, telling The Boar that, while they had not been previously informed of the decision, they “welcomed it nonetheless”.

This sentiment was, however, not unanimously shared. Sheekey, who resigned as Sports Officer, told The Boar: “The shift away from the Labour Party was entirely carried out in an undemocratic fashion. No prior communication was given to the executive committee about the plans.”

Sheekey noted that the actions of the society leadership “had led to us landing in serious hot water with the Labour Party itself, resulting in us no longer being allowed to utilise Labour branding, effectively forcing a rebrand”, which he said at the time had “already begun” before the exec could vote on the issue.

Further to concerns about the “irreparable” relationship with the Labour Party, Sheekey claimed that “decisions being taken without the consent of members of the executive committee have become commonplace in the society, despite it claiming to be a democratic and collectively-run organisation”.

“Particular values have been prescribed as society-wide, despite not being so, leading to a rising dearth in communication, collective decision-making, and debate.”

The society has become, to an extent, more of a campaigning group for Grace Lewis and Zarah Sultana

Warwick Labour Movement exec member

He recalled one instance when a “senior figure once urged a member ‘to go to PolSoc [Politics Society]’ for their beliefs despite their being a committed member of the Labour Party”.

“This individual was then frequently bypassed regarding decisions that ought to have been in their remit.”

Another member of the exec claimed to The Boar before the exec vote that “Zarah Sultana and Grace Lewis hold disproportionate influence over the workings of the society, and this rebrand is the ultimate influence of this. The society has become, to an extent, more of a campaigning group for Grace Lewis and Zarah Sultana.

“The rebrand was not put to a vote. It will instead be put to a vote at the next exec meeting, but the initial decision to support Grace Lewis was not even mentioned to most of the exec.”

The Boar has seen messages confirming this, with Chair Ed Swann writing in the exec group chat after the public announcement that “it’s been very difficult to keep it secret”, although he stressed the importance of the forthcoming exec meeting to hear “your approval/general views”.

The initial steps to align with this organisation, which led to us receiving a cease-and-desist order from the Labour Party, were made without the knowledge of the executive committee

Cianan Sheekey, former Warwick Labour Sports Officer

Connor Summerell, former LGBTQ+ Officer, told The Boar: “It has become increasingly clear that, far from being a constructive critic, the society now seeks to damage the Labour Party and the government that many of us worked incredibly hard to elect last year.”

“For me, the recent support of a local defection from Labour to a new party that little is known about, co-led by a man who was thrown out of the Labour Party in disgrace, was the final straw. Warwick Labour Movement is a society full of passionate and intelligent people who want the best for this country as much as anyone. While I do not wish their politics success in the future, I do wish each member nothing but the best.”

Sheekey echoed this, stating: “Your Party, […] is co-led by a former Labour Party leader who left in more than acrimonious circumstances, and had proven a repeated electoral liability.” He claimed that the society had received a cease-and-desist order from the Labour Party following its initial steps to rebrand, and that these were made without the knowledge of the executive committee.

“The culmination of undemocratic leadership, allegiance against the Labour Party, and disregard for dissenting views has forced my resignation. The individuals involved are not malicious, nor do they have ill intent. They are well purposed and have the best wishes of the nation at heart. Regardless of their goodwill, their changes [to the society] do not inherently reflect this, and have left some members questioning their future. Several of us have decided there is no future to question.”

It is only fair to admit that the events of last Friday saw errors on my part, which I have addressed to the executive committee and apologised for. Criticism of the manner of how the rebrand is being conducted is fair and understandable.

Ed Swann, Chair, Warwick Labour Movement

Ed Swann also spoke to The Boar, on behalf of Warwick Labour Movement and with the executive committee’s approval.

Swann told the The Boar: “I can confirm that following an Exec Meeting there was a vote to approve the society’s intentions to rebrand.”

The three resignations “were amicable”, Swann said, “and I would like to thank them for their professionalism throughout, as well as the work they have done while on the executive committee. The committee members that resigned did so because of their commitments to the Labour Party and therefore their disagreement with the decision to rebrand.”

Swann added: “It is only fair to admit that the events of last Friday saw errors on my part, which I have addressed to the executive committee and apologised for. Criticism of the manner of how the rebrand is being conducted is fair and understandable. It would be wrong for me to pretend that the events since Zarah Sultana’s decision to leave Labour and start a new party have gone completely to plan – this is mostly due to a lack of preparedness on my behalf, caused by unpredictable events out of my control, a lack of availability due to timing, and frankly errors of my own doing.

“Despite the challenges of the last few weeks, I’m incredibly excited to get to work on this rebrand and moving this society, with an incredible legacy behind it, in a new direction. I cannot praise the executive committee enough for their work since being elected, and I believe that together we can make the society a place for hopeful and impactful policies.”