The Labour leader of Birmingham City Council has accused Labour's national ruling body of an "an affront to the basic principles of democracy".

Coun Ian Ward, along with more than 70 other council leaders from across the country, signed a letter demanding the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) stop trying to tell Labour-run councils what to do.

It comes after the NEC voted to ask Haringey council, in north London, to halt a controversial public-private housing scheme.

The letter said: "Labour Local Government wishes to make it clear to all members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) that they have no right or justification to interfere in or influence the legitimate actions of locally elected representatives."

It was also signed by Sean Coughlan, Leader of Walsall Council, and Roger Lawrence, Leader of Wolverhampton Council.

Birmingham City Council Leader Coun Ian Ward.
Birmingham City Council Leader Coun Ian Ward.

The Haringey scheme, called the Haringey Development Vehicle, is designed to build 6,400 new homes in the borough. But it is opposed by some Labour politicians and activists, including the Momentum group which backs Jeremy Corbyn, partly because it involves transferring £2bn of public assets fund partly managed by a major property developer.

Council leaders such as Coun Ward are not backing or opposing the scheme, although they praised Claire Kober, the leader of Haringey council who has come in for criticism.

But they are opposed to the idea that Labour's national ruling body should give instructions to local councils elected by residents.

They said: "It is a vital and long-standing rule of the Labour Party that individual Labour Groups, consisting of democratically elected Labour councillors, are sovereign bodies.

"As such, they have the ability, within available resources, party rules, and the law, to determine the most appropriate policies to serve their local communities.

"Labour Local Government wishes to make it clear to all members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) that they have no right or justification to interfere in or influence the legitimate actions of locally elected representatives.

"Such actions are not just outside of the party’s rules, but an affront to the basic principles of democracy.

"We are extremely disappointed at the circumstances in which an issue in Haringey was brought forward and discussed by the NEC.

"Haringey Labour Group was not informed that such a discussion would take place, no advance notice was given, and no papers were produced, meaning the NEC discussion took place based on opinion and speculation rather than facts.

"This sets a dangerous and alarming precedent and we ask the NEC for categorical assurances that such circumstances will not arise again in relation to this or any other Labour Group.

"Labour councillors around the country are deeply concerned that, in seeking to mitigate Tory austerity by proposing radical new solutions, we face calls for disciplinary action against us.

"Such calls are uncomradely, disrespectful, and wilfully ignore the difficult and challenging role that we play in doing our best to protect the most vulnerable in our communities."

A Labour spokesperson said: “HDV is deeply unpopular in Haringey.

“Following a request from 21 local councillors for the NEC to intervene, the NEC unanimously agreed to advise Haringey Council to pause the plans if mediation processes do not bring about a resolution.”

Labour’s NEC includes party leader Jeremy Corbyn, Deputy Leader Tom Watson and other front-benchers, as well as leaders of the Labour Party in Scotland and Wales. It also includes backbench MPs and representatives from trade unions and constituency Labour parties.

The Labour left has a clear majority on the NEC following the election in January of three candidates backed by Momentum in a ballot of party members.