Labour expels a councillor for allowed activity in 2016

[muriel_volestrangler]

This seems unjust, and worryingly intolerant and narrow-minded:

Portsmouth city councillor Cal Corkery was initially blocked from May's re-election due to a social media post, being arrested at a protest against the prorogation of parliament and his links with campaign group Momentum.
...
In a tweet on Saturday, Mr Corkery said the "sole reason" for the end of his party membership was because he shared an "innocuous" Facebook post in 2016 about the rise of Labour membership in Portsmouth.

The post, which has not been seen by the BBC, was from the page Portsmouth Socialist Appeal which was proscribed by the party in 2021.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said his expulsion was also due to his arrest, but gave no further details, and his links to Momentum.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-64292514

Link to tweet

I don't know exactly what the Facebook post said, but if the group was not "proscribed" until 2021, it would have to be specifically objectionable in itself to be something to be held against him. Getting arrested, but not charged, at a protest against prorogation should be a point of pride for a Labour representative, not a mark against them. And being a member of Momentum does not seem to be a reason for expulsion, even now.

This seems to be Labour shooting itself in the foot. Is this really the time to shrink the party?