Gay MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle ‘gutted’ after being suspended by Labour over complaint
Gay Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle has been suspended by his party over a complaint about his behaviour eight years ago. (Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)
Gay MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle has been suspended by the Labour Party after a complaint was lodged about his behaviour eight years ago.
The MP for Brighton Kemptown, who was first elected in 2017, was given an administrative suspension letter by his party which informed him that he won’t be eligible to stand at the upcoming UK general election on 4 July.
Russell-Moyle took to X/Twitter to respond, calling the complaint “vexatious and politically motivated” and “a false allegation” that he believes is designed to disrupt the election.
“There isn’t enough time to defend myself as these processes within the party take too long, so the party have told me that I will not be eligible to be a candidate at the next election. I’m gutted,” he wrote.
“I’ve spent the [past] decade of my life building one of the best campaigning CLPs [Constituency Labour Parties] in the country. I’ve been inspired by everyone pulling together in the [past] week and excited for the campaign to come. We have an amazing local party, and I am sorry for all of you most of all.”
He will “cooperate with the investigation process and expects to “fully exonerated” after it is completed, added the MP, who would have been defended a majority of 8,061.
In an emotional speech to parliament ahead of World Aids Day in 2018, Russell-Moyle spoke about living with HIV.
He was praised by then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who said: “Lloyd has shown enormous courage today. I know the whole Labour Party is proud of him. His dignity and hope will inspire people across the country and around the world – those with HIV, and those of us who will always stand together with them.”
And at the end of last year, Russell-Moyle drafted a bill to ban so-called conversion therapy.
A Labour spokesperson told the BBC: “The party takes all complaints extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.”
The Electoral Commission’s deadline for all would-be election candidates to register is 7 June. The other candidates standing in Brighton Kemptown are Khobi Vallis for the Conservatives, Elaine Hills (Greens), Stewart Stone (Lib Dems), Kellie-Jay Keen (The Party of Women), Valerie Gray (Social Democratic Party) and Elaine Ghoneim (Workers Party of Britain).
