Yesterday, Mr Steerpike reported that the founder of the left-wing campaign group Momentum, Jon Lansman, had been removed as a person of significant control from one if its two companies.
But it appears that there have been even more machinations going on behind the scenes at Momentum HQ. Today, the online listing of Momentum Campaign (Services) Ltd at Companies House was updated once again to show that after being removed as a person of control, Lansman has been reappointed as a director of the company. He had previously left the position in January 2017.
It seems as if he’s taken the place of Christine Shawcroft, who’s resignation from the position of director was also announced on Companies House today.
Shawcroft is no stranger to controversy herself. In 2018 she was forced to resign from the Labour Party’s disputes panel, after it was revealed that she had opposed the suspension of a Labour member accused of Holocaust denial. Shawcroft later resigned from the Labour party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
Despite this, Shawcroft continued in her position as a director of Momentum, and therefore remained an influential figure in Labour politics.
But it seems as if her relationship with Momentum had soured as well. In a Facebook post last month, Shawcroft alleged that she was now a ‘person non grata’ with Momentum, and they had wanted her to stand down as a director. She alleged that she had refused to resign until they promised to not withdraw their support for candidates the group had previously selected.
Shawcroft seemed to be alluding to Momentum’s decision to withdraw support for the activist Pete Willsman during the Labour party’s National Executive Committee elections in August last year. Willsman was dropped from the Momentum slate after he was recorded in a meeting criticising people who complained about anti-Semitism within the Labour party, and said sections of the Jewish community were ‘Trump fanatics’.
Shawcroft alleged that after Momentum denied her request to not drop future candidates, she had refused to stand down as director.
Now, as these documents show, Shawcroft has been terminated as a director of Momentum. It seems that Jon Lansman’s faction, which takes anti-Semitism complaints more seriously, may be winning the war to control the powerful campaign group.
Momentum have been contacted by Mr S for comment.
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