SIR Keir Starmer was accused of “McCarthyism” today after a socialist member of Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) was blocked from seeking to become the party’s parliamentary candidate in Wolverhampton West.

Mish Rahman, a vice-chairman of Momentum and leading Muslim voice for the party who had won the backing of seven trade unions, decried the “anti-democratic” figures running Labour.

The contentious decision came a day after North Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll, a fellow leftwinger, resigned from the party and announced that he would seek to become mayor of the new North East Mayoral Combined Authority as an independent after he too was blocked from standing for Labour. 

In a statement, Mr Rahman said that his barring was “not a shock,” attributing it to his opposition to certain changes in the party’s disciplinary processes following the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s report into anti-semitism within the party.

“This was a position shared by an array of NEC members, including trade union representatives,” he added.

“Being blocked for casting a vote in a democratic process should be a serious concern for all of us in the Labour Party.”

Mr Rahman highlighted that he is now the third graduate of the Bernie Grant Leadership Programme, aimed at empowering BAME Labour members to stand for office, to have their candidacy blocked by the party bureaucracy.

He said: “We were told the party would support us towards leadership positions as black and ethnic minority activists, yet after this long-listing process, nothing has changed.”

Mr Rahman also pointed out that the decision means he is perversely allowed to long-list candidates as an elected member of Labour’s NEC but not to be long-listed himself.

He thanked the FBU, CWU, Aslef, TSSA and Unite unions and the Socialist Education Association, Socialist Health Association and other affiliated socialist societies for their backing, adding: “I am not planning on going anywhere.”

Momentum, which accused Sir Keir of McCarthyism, branded the decision “shameful” and said it marked a setback in the party’s fight against Islamophobia and a lack of independent processes under Sir Keir’s leadership.

“A committed anti-racist with a strong campaigning track record and experience at Labour’s highest levels, Mish fully deserved a chance to put his case before local members,” a spokesman for the left-wing grassroots group said.

Labour has been approached for comment.

The Morning Star understands that Labour-affiliated unions are refusing to donate to the election costs of the party’s North East mayoral candidate.

Mr Driscoll’s crowdfunding election appeal is meanwhile expected to smash its original £25,000 target and reach £55,000, with RMT and bakers’ union BFAWU said to be among the unions supporting him.