Woolas election agent faces Labour axe

Joe Fitzpatrick: fighting fund

Labour election agent Joe Fitzpatrick — whose call to “get white folk angry” helped to unseat former immigration minister Phil Woolas — could be ditched as a council candidate tonight.

He has been asked to appear before North-West Labour officials because they say his emails, and general election leaflets he published, could have damaged the party.

But he has already anticipated being kicked off the candidates’ panel and says he is prepared to fight the party’s decision in the courts.

The hearing is at the Labour offices in Church Lane, Oldham.

Mr Fitzpatrick, a former Labour councillor and long-serving agent, is on the panel of Labour candidates for May’s local elections, hoping to represent Waterhead.

Also short-listed are Ged Ball and Brian Ames.

But if tonight’s meeting finds he has damaged the party and is not suitable to be a candidate, he could be off the list.

He was called as a witness at the historic Uppermill Election Court in September which led to Mr Woolas being stripped of his seat for lying about his Liberal Democrat opponent Elwyn Watkins.

In court Mr Fitzpatrick defended statements in election leaflets including one called the Examiner, and the Labour Rose, saying he had committed “absolutely no offence”.

His comment about getting white folk angry was revealed during the court case in an email he sent to other election workers

Today Mr Fitzpatrick said he will be at tonight’s meeting but added: “I know it will be a kangaroo court. I am fairly certain whoever comes will have been told to throw me off the panel.

“I have already complained about this meeting to Andy Smith, the regional North-West organiser.

“I have been a Labour Party member for 40 years and know how this works. Someone in London will have told them to organise this.

“I will not be on the panel, I am resigned to that, then I will appeal, but the appeal will be heard after the elections.

“Then I will take them to court. I have a fighting fund set up.”

A North-West Labour source said while there is an ongoing process it would not be appropriate to make any further comment until after the meeting.