Labour councillor accuses own party of age and sex discrimination over mayoral election race snub

A Labour councillor who was culled from the shortlist of nominees for metro mayor by a selection panel has submitted a formal complaint against his own party, claiming age and sex discrimination. Cllr Ian Scott, 61, a longtime trade unionist and activist, was among six local politicians hoping to be Labour’s candidate in the West of England mayoral election next May.

But he was dropped from the race at the first hurdle along with the other South Gloucestershire councillor on the list, Cllr Sean Rhodes, a senior cabinet member on the local authority. Cllr Scott, who has been a member of the party for more than 40 years, says he was given no reason why he was “blocked” before having the chance to put his nomination to a ballot of the region’s members.

He says the decision was undemocratic and echoes “McCarthyism”, referring to the inquisition of suspected communists in the US led by Senator Joe McCarthy in the 1950s amid largely unfounded fears of Soviet espionage and infiltration of American institutions. Labour members currently have a choice of just three of the original six contenders, chosen by the selection panel, in a vote that opened for 14 days on Wednesday, November 6.

Cllr Scott told BristolLive: “The only two people blocked at this stage were the two eldest males, of which I was one and blocked with no reason provided, which provides evidence that I have been discriminated against on the grounds of age and sex. I do not mind being rejected by Labour members, that is democracy, but being blocked with no reasons and no right of appeal by a small Labour panel is not democracy.

“I called this out four years ago when Labour blocked other established applicants who, like me, had already served as public representatives of the Labour Party, and I call it out now. The same happened in 2022 when I put my name forward to be the Filton & Bradley Stoke prospective Labour candidate.

“The three eldest candidates were blocked from reaching a Labour members’ vote. Labour appears to have a problem with age discrimination.”

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Cllr Scott said Keir Starmer had previously made a commitment to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission for an independent process to investigate such complaints against the party about discrimination towards people with protected characteristics and that his grievance should be subject to that. He said: “Being a left-wing Bennite, I am never surprised Labour blocks me but they cannot defend blocking Sean because he was the only current cabinet member in the race, making him the most senior sole decision-maker.

“No reason given. McCarthyism in simple terms.” The exclusion of Cllrs Scott and Rhodes by the selection panel left four hopefuls in the race – Bristol City Council opposition Labour group leader Cllr Tom Renhard, two other former city councillors and cabinet members in ex-mayor Marvin Rees’s cabinet, Nicola Beech and Helen Godwin, and Bath & North East Somerset Cllr Lesley Mansell, the party’s 2017 nominee who finished second in the inaugural West of England mayoral election behind Conservative Tim Bowles.

Cllr Mansell was subsequently also eliminated from the current race, leaving the three Bristol contenders. A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Labour Party has a rigorous process in place set out in the party’s rule book so that we have the highest quality candidates selected for our elections.

“As part of that process all candidates for this selection were offered an interview.”