Trade unionist launches Labour discrimination case

Legal papers in a race discrimination case against the British Labour Party by a Belfast-based trade unionist were today lodged in a court in London.

Legal papers in a race discrimination case against the British Labour Party were today lodged in a court in London.

Belfast-based trade unionist and Labour Party member Andy McGivern has cited Tony Blair and party chairman Ian McCartney in the action which claims the refusal to allow members of the party in Northern Ireland to have constituency associations is racial discrimination.

The GMB member, who has the backing of his trade union for the action, said: “Labour members in Northern Ireland are treated entirely differently from Britain because people in the North are not allowed to set up constituency parties.

Mr McGivern last year succeeded in forcing the UK Labour leadership to overturn a 79-year ban on people in Northern Ireland becoming members.