Martin Mayer: Anger over prominent Sheffield trade unionist's suspension by the Labour Party

The Sheffield branch of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has criticised the suspension of Martin Mayer, a well known far-left activist who has served as secretary of Sheffield TUC since 2013. Mr Mayer was suspended by Labour earlier this month for addressing a meeting of the controversial ‘Labour Against the Witchhunt’ group in 2018.

‘Labour Against the Witchhunt’ has attracted criticism for its denial of antisemitism in the Labour Party under former leader Jeremy Corbyn and its belief that complaints of antisemitism were politically motivated smears against Mr Corbyn from the right wing of the party. The group was proscribed by Labour last year as part of Keir Starmer’s crackdown on antisemitism in the party – but Mr Mayer’s supporters point out that he addressed a meeting three years prior to this.

A statement from the Sheffield TUC said: “Martin is a life-long trade unionist, internationalist and socialist with a proud record of active service in the Labour and trade union movement. The reason for the expulsion was simply for addressing a Labour Against the Witchhunt meeting in 2018, three years before it was proscribed in 2021.

“Martin does not dispute the fact he spoke at the meeting, as an invited external speaker, to explain what he had witnessed as a UNITE delegate to the Labour NEC regarding the role Iain McNicholl and the Central Office staff had played in undermining Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, targeting Corbyn supporters for expulsion and/or suspension particularly during the leadership elections to deny them a vote.

“Sheffield TUC gives wholehearted support to Martin and calls upon the Labour Party to reinstate Martin to full membership of the party.”

Mr Mayer has previously attracted criticism for claiming that ‘the Israel lobby has manufactured the antisemitism crisis in the Labour Party’ and expressing solidarity with former Labour MP Chris Williamson, who was suspended for antisemitic comments. He later apologised for these comments, expressing ‘regret’ for the words that he used and admitting he would ‘not use them today’.