Labour rejects Middlesbrough councillor’s bid to join party

Cllr Lee Garvey, who represents Berwick Hills and Pallister as an independent, applied to join the Labour Party in January.

Initially, he was accepted by the national party, he received a membership card and he has even paid two lots of subs of £4.67, however, he has since been rejected and it is thought his cash will be refunded.

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The independent has said that he will appeal the decision and has already been on the phone to Labour councillors to ask for a reference.

Cllr Garvey believes that it is local individuals who don’t agree with his past comments about them who have rejected him but said that it doesn’t change the fact that he is a socialist and he will be voting with the party going forward.

However, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that Cllr Garvey’s unsuccessful application is linked to previous allegations of anti-Semitism against him.

Social media posts from 2015 which have led Cllr Lee Garvey to be accused of anti-semitism Image from anonymous source (UGC). Credit Teesside Live

In social media posts from 2015, Cllr Garvey said the Rothschild banking family – a target of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories – was an “evil one fuelled by money and greed”, Jewish people were over-represented on American television and Israel was a “vile regime”.

Cllr Garvey said: “It wasn’t because I was anti-Semitic, it’s because I was a bit thick. I don’t have a prejudice against individuals.

"I am not racist or anti-Semitic, in any form.

"Apart from comments about Palestine and Israel, there is nothing that even suggests that I might be bigoted or racist or anti-anything.”

When asked about his comments about the Rothschild family, he said: “So you can’t have a conversation about a family just because they’re Jewish.

Anti-Semitic myths surrounding the Rothschild family have been circulated since the mid 19th century, including around the family plotting conflicts, causing the Holocaust and controlling the global economy.

Cllr Garvey said that he was raised a socialist and had been a member of the Labour Party between 1994 and 1997.

He said his previous criticism of the Labour council was misguided.

He added: “Three years into being an independent, I saw that the problem wasn’t the people we replaced, it’s a council-wide problem.

"The council is run by people, in my opinion, and we are talking about officers, who don’t understand certain areas of this town.

"The majority of stuff we try to get done, barriers are put up by officers and a lot of it is council responsibility.”

Cllr Garvey said that there had not been any action over Pallister Park Bowling Club which called for urgent repair work to be carried out in October last year.

At the time, a council spokesperson said that they were trying to bring in a specialist contractor to carry out the works.

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Cllr Garvey also took a swipe at the Middlesbrough Independent Group (MIG) and the Middlesbrough Independent Councillor’s Association (MICA).

He said: “The independent movement is frayed, it’s a bunch of individuals, which I thought was a good thing, but it’s a bunch of individuals all pulling in different directions. The next step needs to be a party-based system.”

He went on to call the MICA group “toothless” and said that MIG, his former group, was previously prominent and making headway until some members fell out with Mayor Andy Preston and now it was redundant. Former MIG leader, Cllr Anthony High, who switched to the Labour Party last month, resigned from Mr Preston’s executive in May 2021 alongside Ashley Waters (who is no longer a councillor), Cllr Dennis McCabe, Cllr Dorothy Davison and Cllr Chris Hobson.

An explosive letter following the resignations alleged “consistent poor conduct and behaviour” by the mayor, however, Mr Preston said this was “completely untrue.”

Cllr Mick Saunders, leader of MICA, said that comments about the independents being “toothless” and “directionless” were a reflection of Cllr Garvey’s ability as an independent councillor and former chair of the children and young people’s social care and services scrutiny panel.

He went on to add: “The strength of independent councillors is that they are independent, and are able to listen to their residents and consider what course of action to take and vote accordingly.

"They are not controlled by a party based in London, such as Labour, which has continuously failed this town for decades’.”

Cllr Saunders said the independent groups are currently working well together.

Cllr Garvey said that he was one of the most active councillors in the town and would “easily get re-elected tomorrow”.

Social media posts from 2015 which have led Cllr Lee Garvey to be accused of anti-semitism Image from anonymous source (UGC). Credit Teesside Live

Cllr Chris Hobson, leader of MIG, said: “The Independent groups will still be working together.

"The MIG Group is a really great group of councillors who work together help each other, meet very regularly and are a credit to their wards and the council.

“Just because we had a leader who walked away does not make us weak or vulnerable it makes us stronger and more determined to reach our goals.

"Independents are the future for Middlesbrough.”

In response to Cllr Saunders’ comment, Labour Group leader, Cllr Matt Storey said: “Sadly typical ignorance from local independents.

"I have never been directed to do or say anything by anyone. We make decisions locally and on behalf of local residents.

"And I’ll take no lessons on who has failed the town from one of Andy Preston’s hangers-on.”

He went on to add that Labour’s successes, which the party are “tremendously proud” of, include post-war homes in East Middlesbrough, modern art gallery MIMA, the Boho area, Middlesbrough Sports Village, TeesAmp, Holiday Inn, the Centre Square offices, the new Northern School of Art, upgraded school buildings and the Grade 1 listed Acklam Hall being back in use.

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