BAKERS berated Labour bosses yesterday after a number of party members found themselves expelled for their links to a far left sect.

 

The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers’ Union (BFAWU) condemned the “witch-hunt” of socialist members of the Labour Party.

 

The expulsion of five supporters of the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty  (AWL) was an attack on democracy, claimed the Labour-affiliated union.

 

BFAWU general secretary Ronnie Draper said: “We need to unite the broadest forces in the party to build a stronger labour movement that can take on and defeat the Tories.

 

“That means Labour maintaining and strengthening a democratic culture where differences can be discussed in a comradely way while we unite in campaigning.

 

“That is why we are opposing the expulsion of these comrades and calling for them to be reversed.”

 

In a statement, the union expressed suspicion that the expulsions were connected to “the frustrations of some who were not happy with the results of the leadership election.”

 

Vicki Morris, Gemma Short, Ian McNulty, Daniel Randall and Sacha Ismail were barred from attending their local branch’s meetings due to their associations with the AWL, which identifies as Trotskyist.

 

A statement demanding the reinstatement of the five was supported by local Unison secretary John Burgess, Young Labour under-19s officer Rida Vaquas, NUS welfare vice-president Shelly Asquith and RMT women’s committee chair Becky Crocker.

 

The Labour Party was not available to comment on the union’s remarks.