Fred dropped from elections

A POPULAR councillor won't be allowed to stand in next year's council elections amid claims of a "personal vendetta".

Cllr Fred Barns has been de-selected from standing as a councillor for Thames ward in the 2010 elections after the Labour party chairman used his casting vote to strike him off the list at a meeting.

He had first been de-selected in March but he won an appeal before an independent assessment panel.

At the meeting for all Barking ward party members last Thursday evening, twelve members voted on whether Cllr Barns should be allowed to stand in the 2010 council elections or not.

Six members voted to keep Cllr Barns, while the other six voted for his de-selection.

Julie Munroe, of Great Fleet Residents Management Company, said George Shaw, the Chairman of the local Labour Party, had used his casting vote to make the final decision to de-select Cllr Barns.

She said: "This is a personal vendetta against Fred. Why does George Shaw get to have the pick for the public?"

Ms Munroe has been campaigning on Cllr Barns' behalf since his de-selection first emerged in March.

She said a thirteenth member, who would have voted for Cllr Barns, was not allowed in because her card had expired, although she could apparently prove that she had re-applied for a new card by showing copies of postal orders sent to Labour Party headquarters.

Micky Lincoln, Chairman of Barking and Dagenham Tenants' Federation and Labour Party member, was there and confirmed this.

He also said he knew that this member would have voted for Cllr Barns to stay.

He added: "It's unfortunate that other people should not be able to put their voice across."

Cllr Barns was not allowed to attend the meeting himself, but Mr Lincoln said other 2010 candidates had been there.

When the Post contacted George Shaw about the de-selection, he did not wish to comment.