Shadow minister sacked for standing on picket line de-selected as Labour candidate

Sam Tarry was sacked from Labour’s front bench after giving interviews from RMT picket line

Sam Tarry, the former shadow transport minister, on the picket line outside Paddington train station (PA)

A former Labour shadow minister was de-selected from his constituency yesterday.

After weeks of campaigning in the safe Labour seat of Ilford South, Sam Tarry failed to see off a challenge from the leader of Redbridge council, Jas Athwal.

Mr Athwal will go forward as the party’s candidate at the next general election.

Mr Tarry was sacked from Labour’s front bench after giving broadcast interviews from an RMT picket line earlier this year.

The vote came after his local constituency branches opted to trigger full reselection proceedings.

While candidate selection can be a fraught issue internally within Labour, it is relatively rare for a sitting MP to be de-selected by their local party.

Mr Tarry had described himself as “very humbled and excited” ahead of Monday’s hustings.

Mr Athwal, a well-known figure locally, was running to stand in Ilford South in 2019 before he was suspended by the party over a serious allegation. He was later fully cleared.

Wes Streeting, the party’s shadow health secretary and MP for Ilford North, was among the first to offer congratulations to Mr Athwal.

He praised his “resounding victory”, which he said reflects his lifelong commitment to this borough and “his outstanding leadership for Redbridge Labour”.

“Jas will be a superb representative for Ilford South. His is an Ilford story – the boy who came from the Punjab and built an education, successful businesses, and a wonderful family here.

“He’s led Redbridge Labour to three unprecedented victories because he’s a local resident who fights as hard for our community as he would for his own family.

“I look forward to working with Jas as Ilford South’s next Labour MP.”