SIR KEIR Starmer’s Labour Party was embroiled in a new racism and bullying row after a councillor quit saying she had been victimised over a drive to get more black councillors elected.

Marcia Hutchinson, one of only three black councillors on Manchester city council, said that she was hounded out following a “bullying pile-on” by white colleagues in which she was accused of being the racist.

The row broke on the day a new leader took over at the town hall, after 25 years under the leadership of Richard Leese.

In a stinging five-page resignation letter, Ms Hutchinson referred to three recent occasions in which Cllr Leese, and other leading councillors had written to all 94 Labour councillors accusing Ms Hutchinson of stoking a “toxic atmosphere” and other claims.

One of her colleagues, Cllr Tina Hewitson, is said to have written to fellow councillors calling Ms Hewitson “uncomradely and racist.”

Ms Hutchinson, 58, who was elected to the Ancoat and Bewick ward six months ago, resigned as a councillor after she continued to face disciplinary proceedings despite her doctor signing her off sick with stress.

She faced a new hearing but does not know the details of the complaints against her.

Ms Hutchinson, who received an MBE for her service to cultural diversity, was supported by the only other black female councillor in the city, Cllr Ekua Bayunu.

Cllr Bayunu, who was also first elected earlier this year, is herself facing an internal investigation for allegedly breaking the rules when challenging Cllr Leese for leadership of the city council. Both Cllr Bayunu and Ms Hutchinson are seen as being on the Left of the party.

Ms Hutchinson told The Voice: “I’ve been a campaigner for years and the racism started when once I started campaigning for more black councillors.

“When I moved here, I was shocked to discover that in a city like Manchester, with 15% of the population being black, only had one visible black councillor, a Somali [Mahadi Hussein Sharif Mahamed]. I talked to people and they said we need to do something about this, so set up the Pipeline Project, which got funding from the national Labour Party.

“And as soon as I set the project up the comments came, saying ‘she’s being racist against white people’ from councillors who I think feared for their seats. Three of us were elected this year.

“I found that people who hold power in the party are being actively racist, and actively working to prevent black people being elected through tactics in the selection procedure. So then I get colleagues accusing me of being racist.”

In her resignation letter, released on social media, Ms Hutchinson accused Cllr Leese of writing to all 94 Labour councillors and some senior officers stating: “I have never experienced one member causing so much anger in the group and I want them to know that something is being done about it. Marcia is one of a small number that complains about a toxic atmosphere in the group. I’m inclined to agree with her, but it wasn’t like that before they ‘joined’ us.”

Ms Hutchinson says she then failed to get responses on council business from fellow councillors and town hall officials.

Other letters sent to all Labour councillors included one from Cllr Pat Karney, in which he is said to have written that he had “been accused of bullying and racist behaviour [by Ms Hutchinson] which has upset me greatly.”

Ms Hutchinson’s resignation letter also quotes Cllr Tina Hewitson writing to all Labour councillors saying: “Marcia speaks about diversity and the Group, yet she wants to remove a councillor of African origin, where is the diversity in that, to me that is uncomradely, and racist”. 

That last allegation is believed to refer to a situation in which a local branch had already decided to have an open selection contest in a seat where the sitting councillor is black. One participant on Ms Hutchinson’s Pipeline Project then put themselves forward in that contest.

On a separate occasion, Ms Hutchinson was complained against after tweeting congratulations to a Pipeline Project participant on being shortlisted for a selection. 

Ms Hutchinson said that any complaints should be handled privately with the Whips Office and that she has a right to know what the complaints were about in order to defend herself.

She added that the sending of letters to all councillors and senior officials amounted to bullying, intimidation, and racial stereotyping.

The party’s North West region, and even the local People’s Momentum branch, had not been helpful, she added.

Cllr Ekua Bayunu is currently under investigation over the claim she broke an election rule when challenging Cllr Leese for Leader of the Council, by offering to send colleagues a copy of her election manifesto if they requested it.

Cllr Bayunu said all the claims in Ms Hutchinson’s resignation letter were true.

She told The Voice: “I’m quite devastated and incredibly angry at what’s happened. I’m still a councillor but I don’t know for how much longer. 

“I’ve said it was time they stopped this bullying of black women councillors, and what I got in response was a third and final warning, before the Whip is withdrawn. 

“A climate of fear and bullying and racism is sort of completely normalized. 

“Marcia has taken the action where she feels that she can serve our community better outside the council, and that’s tragic. It’s tragic for that community. It’s tragic for her, it’s tragic for people who care in that group. 

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures.”

Cllr Karney said he had nothing to add beyond what he had told the Manchester Evening News. He is quoted as saying: “There’s no toxic culture in the Manchester Labour group. 

“We’ve got 90-odd councillors who are dedicated to working for their local communities.

“These mini-dramas don’t solve the problems of residents in Manchester.”

Cllr Karney is also quoted as saying that the Labour group’s diversity “’reflects modern Manchester” with a “large number” of black, Asian and minority ethnic members, and a female majority.

According to the 2021 population census, 11.3% of Manchester is black African, Caribbean and black mixed heritage. Proportionally, that equates to at least 10 black councillors. Following the resignation of Ms Hutchinson there are now just two.

Cllrs Leese, Hewitson and Reeves all failed to respond to enquiries from The Voice.