North East activists demand: Reinstate Ella Thorp!

This statement is being promoted by Labour activists in the North East. To add your name or for more information email edunison@gmail.com

We, Labour and Unison members are calling for Ella Thorp, who was expelled in June last year for working with Workers’ Liberty, to be readmitted to the party.

Ella is a widely respected Unison activist and campaigner as a union rep in the voluntary care sector and a student nurse.
She has represented Newcastle City Unison at Unison National Conference and Voluntary Sector Conference
She has campaigned locally against the scrapping of the NHS student bursary.
She was a delegate from Unison to Newcastle East CLP until her expulsion.
She was elected as a delegate to Young Labour Conference in 2016.
She campaigned for Nick Brown in the 2017 general election and has always supported Labour candidates in elections.

The party needs more young women in precarious work like Ella as members and activists.

Ella was treated terribly, expelled with no opportunity to answer charges, no evidence and no right to an appeal. She has never hidden her Marxist politics – such ideas are a legitimate part of Labour’s broad church.

The Labour Party is poorer without Ella. We call on the NEC to reinstate her immediately.

To sign email edunison@gmail.com
Signatories so far (all personal capacity)

Paul Gilroy, Unison Newcastle Branch Secretary / Unison NEC
Ed Whitby Unison Labour Link Officer, delegate Newcastle East CLP, Momentum Secretary
Joe Kirwin, Unison and Tynemouth CLP
Suzie Cooper, Unison delegate to Tynemouth CLP
Paul Connolly, Unison delegate to North Tyneside CLP
Rachel McGrath, Unison delegate to Newcastle East CLP
Charlotte Austin, Bishop Auckland CLP
Ben Sellers, Durham City LP and Red Labour
Benjamin Eckford, NE Rep Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform Exec
Rebecca Shatwell, South Heaton LP
Bridget Corcoran, South Heaton LP
Lara Ellis, South Heaton Labour Party
David Stewart, Unite delegate Newcastle East CLP
Nina Keen, Newcastle East CLP
Diane Jones, Newcastle Central CLP
Jane Byrne, South Jesmond LP and Momentum co-chair
Holly Sutherland, Newcastle Central CLP Political Education Officer and Unison Newcastle Steward
Mark Winskell, Newcastle Central CLP
Matty Lacey, Newcastle Uni Labour Club Disability and Mental Health officer and North Tyneside CLP
Jamie Driscoll, Vice-Chair, Newcastle North CLP and co-chair Newcastle Momentum
Steve Fairfax, Newcastle North CLP and Momentum Treasurer
Gerry Byrne, Tynemouth CLP
Joan Hewitt, Tynemouth CLP
Jamie Fozard, Tynemouth and Aberdeen Central CLP Youth officer
Harry Cross, Durham City CLP
Steve Cooke, Norton West LP Branch Secretary and Unite steward
James Doran, Darlington CLP
Pete Campbell, Stockton South CLP
Lawrence Welsh, Durham City LP and NHS campaigner
Tracy McGuire, Chair, West Branch LP, Darlington CLP and Darlington Unison
Tony Pierre, Joint Secretary, Bywell Branch LP and Unison retired member
Fran Pierre, Hexham CLP and Unison
Will Haughan, Sunderland LP
Steve Grinter, Hexham CLP
Bill Haylock, Secretary Hexham CLP
Connor Hodgson-Brunniche, Blyth Valley and York Central CLPs
Alan Maddison Houghton and Sunderland South CLP
Elizabeth Griffiths – Chair, Bishop Auckland CLP and Unite
Paul Bannister – Bishop Auckland CLP
Tess Grey North Durham CLP
Paul Simpson, NW Durham CLP
Cathy Crowther, Berwick upon Tweed CLP, Unite Community
Keith Hussein South Shields CLP
Adrian Hedly, Secretary, City of Durham CLP and PCS Union
Angela Hankin Chair City of Durham CLP and Unison Labour Link Officer Durham Health
Jayne Little South Shield CLP and Unite Community
Tom Raeside, Penrith and Borders and Lewisham Deptford CLPs
Jo Land, Oxford East CLP and NHS campaigner (previously Northern Momentum NC Rep)
John Malcolm Branch Sec Unison Tees Esk And Wear Valleys Health
Andrew Berry, Unison Labour Link National Committee and Islington North CLP
Cllr Chris Spence, Secretary, Newcastle under Lyme CLP
Pete Firmin, TULO, Hampstead & Kilburn CLP
Nicola Waugh Unite and Bracknell CLP
Mick Holmes, British Steel Convenor, Branch Officer, Crookes and Crosspool Branch Labour Party
Patricia Sheerin Putney CLP
Catherine Muller – Unite and Vauxhall CLP
Leigh Stewart – Bradford West CLP
Barnaby Marder, Richmond Park CLP
Mary Lester, NE Bedforshire CLP
Brenda Stanton, Morpeth and Pegswood Branch LP
Joe Anderson, South Heaton Branch LP, Newcastle East CLP
Anthony English, South Heaton Branch LP, Newcastle East CLP
Martine Dellard, South Heaton Branch LP, Newcastle East CLP
Sue Dyer, Ouseburn Branch LP, Newcastle East
Roz Cusack, Ouseburn Branch LP, Newcastle East
Elliott Snook, Ouseburn Branch LP, Newcastle East
Eric Scarboro, Pelaw and Heworth, Jarrow CLP
Paul Anderson, Wansbeck CLP
Ross Collins, Gateshead CLP Campaigns Coordinator and GMB
Amy Cats, Newcastle Central CLP
Mo Akram, Dene Labour Party, Newcastle East CLP
Aisha Akram, Dene Labour Party, Newcastle East CLP
Lynn Gibson, Spennymoor Branch Labour Party and UCU
Alan Theasby Vice-Chair Central Branch, Middlesbrough CLP
Matthew Hall, Edinburgh Northern & Leith CLP
John Reed, Unison NTW NHS Branch and Newcastle Central CLP
David Bullock Durham Labour Students and Ellesmere Port and Neston CLP
Katy Smith, Newcastle Labour Students
Lisa Scorfield, North Tyneside CLP and Newcastle City Unison
Craig Woolf, North Tyneside CLP
Julie Armstrong, Gateshead CLP and Unite
Maxine McBeth Pelaw and Heworth ward, Jarrow CLP
Alex Blenkhorn, Denton and Reddish CLP and Stockport Unison
Brian Durham, Darlington CLP
Carol McGuigan, Vice Chair Berlin branch CLP – Labour International and GEW Union
Sylvia Tempest Easington CLP
Christopher Barnes, Jesmond branch, Newcastle East CLP
Gavin Thompson, Middlesbrough CLP and Unite
Ross Quinn, Wallasey CLP
John Sweeney, Islington Unison
Joyce Guthrie, Branch Secretary Northumberland County Unison and Blyth Valley CLP
David Ray, Darlington CLP and CWU
Michaela Griffin, Newcastle City Unison
Gail Ward, Hexham CLP
Victor Ball, Hexham CLP
Michael Lloyd, Blyth Valley CLP
Steve Wilson, Newcastle East CLP
Ellen McCourt – Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle CLP
Liam Forsyth, Worsely and Eccles South CLP
Isobel Hindhaugh, Sheffield Central CLP
Dave Ball, Barnet Unison and Finchley & Golders Green CLP
Vincent Gregory
Michael Reynolds, Newcastle Central CLP
Jonny Arnold, Blaydon CLP and NASUWT
Catherine Laing, Newcastle Central CLP
Amy Sellers, Bishop Auckland CLP
Vin Wynne, Whitley Bay branch, Tynemouth CLP
Daniel Nichols, Political Officer Romford CLP and Unison
Allan Verth, Heworth and Pelaw branch delegate to Jarrow CLP
Billy Floyd Darlington CLP
Stephen Luke, Gateshead
John Burgess Barnet Unison Branch Secretary and LP member
Caroline Powls, Brent Unison  and Finchley and Golders Green CLP
Veronica Killen, Hexham CLP
Robert Milor, Hexham CLP and Unison
Yvonne Hardman Secretary NW Durham CLP and NEU Rep
Tony Glover Bywell Labour Party, Hexham CLP
Lee Crane, Unison Manchester University branch
Vikki Brannagan, former Unison H&S Rep Newcastle City Branch, current Unite member
Brenda Stephenson, City of Durham CLP
Rob Turbull, Hexham CLP
Rob Higgins, Hexham CLP
Maria Bagnall, Women’s Officer, Charnwood CLP
Mick Riley, Middlesbrough CLP
Paul Baker, South Heaton, Newcastle East CLP
Daniel Kebede, NW Durham CLP & NEU
Cllr Nigel Todd, Newcastle Central CLP
Lewis Roberts, Newcastle Unison steward, Ouseburn branch, Newcastle East CLP
Barbara Campbell, Stockton North CLP
Anne Marie Forster, Blaydon CLP GMC and Unison
Kevin McHugh, Dene Ward, Newcastle East CLP, Deputy President PCS
Sylvia Copley, Newcastle Central CLP and Unison Newcastle
Denise Robson, Chair Gateshead CLP and Unite
Daphne Gilbert, Hexham CLP and Unite
Rob Denison, North Heaton branch, Newcastle East CLP
Vicki Gilbert, Tynemouth CLP
Liliana Ghilardi Labour Newcastle North CLP.
Shaun Dunlop Vice Chair (membership), Gateshead CLP
Brenda Stephenson City of Durham CLP
David Thorman, Newcastle East CLP
Hugh Jordan, Barnet Unison Labour Link officer and Chipping Barnet CLP
Lee Turner, South Heaton Labour Party
Lee Shepherd Weaver Vale CLP
Chris Turner City of Durham CLP
Joanne Smith Finley, Tynemouth CLP (Preston Ward), Universities and Colleges Union (UCU)
Paul Mellor, Blyth CLP
Gemma Lockyer Turnbull, Chopwell and Rowlands Gill Branch, Blaydon CLP
Paul Daly, Sedgefield CLP Chair
Clare Gamble, Billingham Central Branch Secretary, Stockton North CLP
Craig Johnston, Carlisle CLP & RMT Relief Regional Organiser (north)
Sally Hoban, Newcastle East CLP
Donna Summerson, North Durham CLP
David Farrell-Banks, Newcastle Central CLP
Jane Milor, Hexham CLP
Amanda Hill, Branch Secretary NHSP Unison branch and Labour Party
Richard Heaven, Unison Rep and Branch Chair, South Branch, Darlington CLP
Andrew Dowson, Darlington CLP
Simeon Mulligan, North Durham CLP and Unite
Lisa Johnson, North Tyneside CLP
Vin McIntrye, City of Durham CLP
Elizabeth Greener, North Durham CLP
Simon Kennedy, Blaydon CLP
John Harrison, Benton Labour Party.
Emma Rowell, Women’s Officer Bishop Auckland CLP
Patrick Hunter, Barnet UNISON Housing Convenor, Vice Chair Hendon CLP
Dave Webb, Central CLP
Martin Challender, Bolton West Labour Party, Trade Union Liaison Officer
Christine Chailloux, Gateshead CLP
Stephen Thomas, Hartlepool CLP and Unison
Martin Challender, Bolton Unison officer
Deborah Milligan, Gateshead CLP and Unite
Kevin Joyce, Sedgefield CLP and CWU member
Lisa Pidgeon, Charnwood CLP
Maxine Linnell, Charnwood CLP
Emma Ward, Loughborough CLP
Lawrence Maloy, South Shields CLP
Duncan Pringle, South Shields CLP
Gary Codling, South Shields CLP
Janet Waterworth Davies, Newcastle Central CLP

To sign email edunison@gmail.com