A former Labour frontbencher whom Leader Keir Starmer sacked after appearing on a picket line despite leadership asking frontbench MPs not to speak at the picket line has been deselected by his local party.
Sam Tarry has been the party’s MP for Ilford South since 2019 but will not be the Labour candidate at the next general election.
He was defeated by local council leader Jas Athwal by 499 votes to 361 votes in the party members’ meeting last 10 October 2022t.
Athwal said: “Today means Ilford can focus on the future and ensure that Westminster delivers for Ilford, that Ilford gets the investment it needs and deserves.”
Tarry’s defeat comes just three months after he was sacked as shadow transport minister after standing on a rail picket line in London.
Starmer later insisted he lost his job for conducting a round of unauthorised media interviews and “making up policy on the hoof”.
After the result came in, Athwal said: “My family, my local party, has supported me through thick and thin in recent years. I could not be more grateful for their belief in me. Our positive campaign is what I will be taking into the next election as Labour ends 13 years of Tory misrule.”
Tarry said: “I’m incredibly disappointed in this result, mainly for all my committed volunteers and the wonderful people of Ilford South. “I intend to issue a further statement on the process and outcome.”
Labour MP Wes Streeting, a prominent backer of Athwal, welcomed the result.
He said: Jas would be a superb representative for Ilford South. His is an Ilford story – the boy who came from Punjab and built an education, thriving businesses, and a wonderful family here.
He’s led Redbridge Labour to three unprecedented victories because he’s a resident who fights as hard for our community as he would for his own family.”