Labour has come under fire for allegedly exhibiting ‘undemocratic authoritarianism’ after a local party’s intervention led to the cancellation of a Conservative-hosted debate due to the presence of gender-critical activist Kellie-Jay Keen.
The Tottenham Conservative Association had scheduled a debate titled ‘The Future of British Politics’ for 2 p.m. today at the Clissold Arms pub in Muswell Hill, north London. However, the venue informed organizers yesterday that the event would not proceed following complaints.
A letter from the Hornsey and Friern Barnet Constituency Labour Party executive committee, reviewed by MailOnline, claimed that Keen’s events frequently attract far-right groups, including neo-Nazi factions, as seen during her recent tour in Australia.
During her March tour in Australia, a rally in Melbourne saw men performing Nazi salutes. Keen clarified that these individuals were neither invited nor welcome at the event.
The letter further accused Keen, known as Posie Parker, of holding ‘extremely transphobic views’ and allegedly harassing transgender individuals, asserting that her participation would foster a ‘dangerous and hostile environment for local trans people.’
The committee reported receiving concerns from multiple LGBTQ+ residents in Haringey about Keen’s attendance and urged the pub to ‘ensure that Ms Keen is not invited to this event.’
Labour has been accused of being ‘undemocratic authoritarians’ after a local group pressured a venue into cancelling a Conservative-run debate over the attendance of gender-critical campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen (pictured at the Let Women Speak rally in Glasgow last February)
The Tottenham Conservative Association was due to hold a debate on ‘The Future of British Politics’ at 2pm today, but the Clissold Arms pub in Muswell Hill, north London , told organisers yesterday that they had to cancel it after complaints
Tories invited representatives from several political parties, and speakers would have included organiser and local Tory chairman Elliot Hammer, Ms Keen – from her Party of Women, ex-Lib Dem Lembit Opik and SDP mayoral hopeful Amy Gallagher.
The Party of Women was registered by Ms Keen and authorised by the Electoral Commission just last week on February 8.
Mr Hammer said representatives from Labour including Tottenham MP David Lammy were invited to the debate, but it is understood none were available. Mr Hammer also said he invited Liberal Democrats, Greens and Reform to take part in the debate but they had not taken the offer up.
Speaking to MailOnline, Ms Keen hit out at Labour, saying: ‘I’m no longer shocked when authoritarians shut down my right to speak. It’s why I host all of my #LetWomenSpeak events in the public square.
‘Why is the Labour Party so afraid of a woman who simply wants to keep men out of women’s spaces and transgenderism, a quasi religious cult, out of schools, the judiciary and all government institutions?
‘We must return to the time where freedom of speech was a principle we valued and upheld.’
But the ‘non-political’ Clissold Arms told MailOnline that there were ‘overwhelming overwhelming number of objections from local residents’ and that management was not told that the event was a ‘debate between different groups’.
An Let Women Speak rally lead by Kellie-Jay Keen on the Royal Dock in Liverpool in October last year
Organiser and chair of the Tottenham Conservative Association Elliot Hammer (pictured) said he expected the 50-capacity venue to be full, but that after the cancellation he has now had to refund all attendees their tickets
Ms Keen also criticised the accusations made against her in the letter, saying: ‘The accusations of “transphobia” simply boils down to not believing any woman has a penis and that we have a right to our own spaces, language and rights.
‘I have made comments about the harm of transitioning children, infertility, loss of sexual function and unsafe surgeries for years, I do think parents who subject children to this are evil.
‘Hope not Hate is not a serious organisation, it seems to be a left wing wannabe authoritarian crack-pot outfit that enjoys making silly lists. People across the entire political spectrum understand the harm of eroding safeguarding.’
She added: ‘Over the last few years I have organised free speech events all across the globe and the one thing guaranteed is that a swarm of masked faced, blue haired, flag waving trans activists will attempt to intimidate us into silence with their posh voices and violent threats.
‘I have to have personal protection and police attendance to ensure the safety of women. The trans activists are the dangerous and hostile element that they warn about, not a 5’1″ middle aged woman just wanting to speak.’
The cancellation was also criticised by campaigner Maya Forstater who, after Ms Keen revealed the event was cancelled, said on X, formerly Twitter: ‘This has to stop.’
Organiser Mr Hammer said he expected the 50-capacity venue to be full, but that after the cancellation he has now had to refund all attendees their tickets.
He told MailOnline that it was ‘deeply undemocratic’ for a party to stop debates attended by representatives from other political parties, adding: ‘In a general election year that’s very alarming.’
The cancellation was also criticised by campaigner Maya Forstater who, after Ms Keen revealed the event was cancelled, said on X, formerly Twitter: ‘This has to stop.’
Women’s rights activist ‘Posie Parker’ (real name Kellie-Jay Keen) during a Let Women Speak rally in Belfast in April last year
Social Democratic Party candidate for the London mayoralty Amy Gallagher (pictured), who was due to speak, hit out against Labour for forcing the events cancellation saying: ‘I was going to speak about the trans issue and women’s rights’
Mr Hammer said: ‘All the speakers were from political parties approved by the Electoral Commission.
‘If they [Labour] disagreed with any of Kellie-Jay’s politics they could have debated with here – that’s how democracy works, that’s what I was brought up to believe.
‘But it appears they want to deplatform and stop debate going on.’
Social Democratic Party candidate for the London mayoralty Amy Gallagher, who was due to speak, hit out against Labour for forcing the events cancellation saying: ‘I was going to speak about the trans issue and women’s rights.
‘As a woman in london I was going to speak about feeling less safe and police presence.’
Ms Gallagher said she was going to ‘speak with Posie Parker about women’s rights and that’s a great shame’ that she now cannot.
‘It’s completely undemocratic,’ she said. ‘Kellie-Jay Keen is from a registered political party and I’m with a registered political party.
‘It was going to be a very appropriate discussion about British politics. It would have given all of us to air our views on politics. The fact that this has been cancelled means people can’t air those views and hear them.’
Ms Gallagher said she blamed the Labour party or the events cancellation for saying Ms Keen’s presence would have been ‘dangerous’, adding: ‘I don’t know what danger would have been caused by four people discussing politics.
‘I blame the cancel culture in our society that allows people to think that they can do this.’
The Clissold Arms told MailOnline: ‘Due to overwhelming number of objections from local residents, the management of the Clissold Arms decided to cancel this event at our venue, but also because we were not informed that this was a debate between different groups
‘We are a much loved non-party political community gastro pub and we value our relationship with this amazing local community.’
The Labour Party has also been approached for comment.
