A POLITICAL veteran of the Labour Party will now be forced to sit as an 'independent socialist' county councillor, after an official investigation by the party determined that he should be expelled - forcing him out of both the Labour Party nationally and Penrith and the Border Constituency Labour Party, his local party since 1993.
Alan McGuckin, 68, became a trade union member at 16 and a shop steward a year later. He joined the Labour Party two years later in 1973 before going on to forge a successful career as a full-time official with the T&GWU union.
Mr McGuckin – always a vocal supporter of the party’s controversial left-leaning former leader Jeremy Corbyn - said party officials initially told him he was being investigated because of a letter he wrote for Militant Magazine in 1978.
After he pointed out that this was essentially him criticising the group, he was told his expulsion was linked to Facebook comments he posted in 2019 and 2020 on a page run by Left Labour Alliance.
That group was this year banned by party chiefs.
In his official letter confirming his expulsion on July 29, officials told him he had 'demonstrated support' for an organisation that has been banned by the party.
But he insists his comments were simply inoffensive opinions about the left-wing activism of the group involved.
Officials say he 'actively participated' in the group and this was the main reason for his explusion, though he does have a right of appeal.
Mr McGuckin said what had happened was 'disgraceful'.
FULL STORY: 'Witch-hunt' claims after veteran Labour councillor kicked out of party
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