THE latest victims of Labour’s alleged witch-hunt against socialists urged the left to continue to speak out against the “oppressive regime” within the party today.

Local councillors Pamela Fitzpatrick and Jo Bird, who were expelled from Labour last week, were guests on the Not the Andrew Marr Show, hosted by Labour Grassroots’ Crispin Flintoff. 

Ms Fitzpatrick, who represents Harrow and is a former local Labour group chair, accused the right of the party of expelling her to protect the “small group of men” at the heart of the abuse.

She also revealed that her expulsion had been briefed to the media, despite Labour’s insistence that those expelled maintain confidentiality.

“We’ve got to encourage [people to speak up] because keeping your head down is not working,” she said.

Ms Fitzpatrick accused those running the party of “abusing our processes,” adding: “They have no grounds to expel me, but they’ve done it anyway.”

Ms Bird, a councillor for Bromborough on the Wirral in Merseyside, said that she was “delighted” to have finally been expelled from the party.

“I feel free, I’m free from this ridiculous oppressive regime that the Labour Party has become.”

Yesterday Labour national executive (NEC) members Laura Pidcock and Nadia Jama submitted a motion to the NEC pointing out that a ban on “support” for various proscribed organisations had not defined what support meant, and that retrospectively applying it to discipline members for actions prior to the ban contravened natural justice.

It calls for clarity on the grounds on which members can be suspended or expelled and for an end to retrospective punishment for “offences” that were allowed at the time.

The Labour Party has been contacted for comment.