Former Labour MP insists he was stitched-up so a candidate from London could be imposed on Wales
Martin Shipton
Former Welsh Labour MP Geraint Davies has rejected claims by the party that he was treated fairly when disqualified from standing for re-election in the last general election.
Mr Davies, who represented Swansea West from 2010 to 2024 and before that Croydon Central from 1997 to 2005, says he was stitched up so that Torsten Bell, who now holds the seat, could be “parachuted” in from London.
Last month Mr Davies told Nation.Cymru he had been disqualified from standing for re-election because of delays in a complaints process overseen by a party official who was later “parachuted” into another safe seat in Wales himself.
Mr Davies was unable to seek re-election in Swansea in 2024 because of lengthy delays in investigating allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women which he denied. The allegations, which did not involve criminal conduct, were due to be considered by an independent panel. But when a general election held in July 2024 was called by then Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, no panel hearing had been convened during the previous year of his suspension, nor in the fortnight before candidate nominations closed, so his case remained unresolved and Mr Davies was barred from standing again as the Swansea West Labour candidate.
He later resigned from the party in frustration at what he considered to be an unfair and unjust process overseen by Labour’s then executive legal director, Alex Barros-Curtis.
Mr Barros-Curtis, a close associate of Keir Starmer who in 2020 was the director of a company set up to back the future PM’s leadership bid. He was the other Labour candidate with no connection to south Wales parachuted into a vacant seat where local party members were excluded from involvement in the selection process.
Suspended
Mr Davies said: “On June 1 2023, I was suspended from the Labour Party on the day anonymous uncorroborated allegations that I denied were posted about me on a political website and repeated across the media. I was suspended early that morning on the basis of a complaint apparently based on those allegations.
“Shockingly, I was never provided with a copy of that complaint, despite asking the party for it many times. On every occasion I was either refused or ignored.
“No allegation that has been posted in the media has ever materialised into a complaint. I was essentially put on a political death row by the Labour Party.
“I was gagged by the party from commenting in the media and told that if I did it would be used against me in the disciplinary inquiry.
“I was not able to say anything, resulting in speculation and gossip filling the vacuum locally and nationally. Consequently, I have been subjected to a witch hunt and trial by the media based on hearsay, while the party, for its part, apparently trawled for further complainants to make allegations against me. Understandably, this has had a serious impact on my mental wellbeing and that of my family.”
A Labour spokesperson insisted the party “assesses all complaints thoroughly in line with our rules and procedures. Any suggestion that a case would be delayed for political reasons is strongly denied,” they said.
It was also suggested that the party had proposed expediting Mr Davies’s case in February 2024, which he declined, and that a hearing proposed for May 19 2024 did not go ahead because his lawyer was unavailable.
Report
Mr Davies responded: “The party claims that the complaints were examined by an independent investigator. However no independent investigator’s report was ever provided to me despite my repeated requests nor was the identity of such a person revealed.
“After the election was called Diane Abbot’s candidacy was eventually confirmed and the party did consider whether to hold a paper-only hearing for me but decided it would not do so for political expediency. The party could have avoided a 23 week delay in providing any complaints and could have provided at least a paper-only hearing before the election but chose not to do so.
“I understand from Labour Party insiders that Torsten Bell was originally expected to be given Diane Abbot’s seat of Hackney North but when she decided to stand he became tipped for Cardiff West. Then when Swansea West became available, as I had not been provided with a hearing, Torsten Bell got Swansea West and the person administering my case Alex Barros-Curtis was gifted Cardiff West.
“In fact the then MP for Cynon Valley Beth Winter should have been given either the Cardiff West seat or the Swansea West seat. According to Welsh Labour Party guidance existing MPs should have be given priority for other seats should they not be selected in a contested seat which was the case for Beth. Instead London candidates Alex Barros-Curtis took Cardiff West and Torsten Bell Swansea West. This again clearly suggests a slap in the face for Wales as it once more gave precedence for London based parachutists over local candidates.”
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It was a stitch up.
Too many of Starmer’s mates parachuted in to Wales.
It has been the cynical arrogance of London Labour taking Wales for granted that has seen Labour marginalised in Cymru…probably for a generation, or more.
That and their own fawning subservience and unwillingness to break away and become a truly Independent Welsh Labour party.
I have zero sympathy. They made their bed and must now lay in it.
Tory party “we are the nasty party”.
Labour party, here hold my beer.
Wouldn’t be the first time the westminster parties have done this
This attitude towards Wales by the London based leadership, and accepted by their puppets in Cardiff, is one reason they lost so convincingly to Plaid.
Wales needs politicians who will stand up for the country and its people, not blow-ins with no interest.
Why is Geraint Davies whining about a candidate being parachuted in by his London puppet‑master? During the first sitting of the Senedd, Labour foisted Alun Michael on Wales against members’ wishes, who supported Rhodri Morgan. This is the party he has supported all these years. It is only when it affects his own career prospects that he calls out Labour in London.
The stitch up shows that Welsh Labour is not an independent and therefore should be called Labour. It cannot independently decide on selecting candidates who know the areas and stop parachuting of those from London favoured by the London Labour establishment it is about time that the Labour Party in Wales become independent of London and make a break with London instead of being its lap dog. They could not do this to Scotland as Scottish Labour does not answer to London. Welsh Labour Hold a referendum amongst its welsh Labour members for a proper Welsh Labour Party to stop… Read more »