Labour’s ruling body has begun an investigation but it is not yet known what the complaints relate to, reports James Cracknell

Enfield Labour's 2022 candidates — Enfield Labour candidates for the previous 2022 local election

The selection process for Labour candidates ahead of next year’s Enfield Council election has been paused following “a number of complaints”, the Dispatch has learned.

Labour members from across Enfield yesterday (Tuesday 27th) received an email informing them that the process had been halted by the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) pending the outcome of an investigation.

With under twelve months to go until the 2026 local election, Enfield Labour had begun the long process of selecting its candidates for next year. It is a two-step process, with anyone wanting to be a candidate – including existing councillors – required to pass panel interviews to determine whether they meet a set of minimum standards, before the shortlisted candidates are subject to a vote by party members at selection meetings held for each of Enfield’s 25 wards.

The Dispatch understands that at least one serving councillor in Enfield has failed their panel interview stage. However, it is not known if the complaints submitted to Labour’s NEC relate to this decision or to something else.

The email sent to party members states: “We are emailing you to provide a key update regarding the local government selection process in Enfield.

“The NEC of the Labour Party has received a number of complaints regarding the process of selecting candidates for the 2026 local government elections in Enfield. Until these complaints have been investigated, the selection process will be paused.

“As such unless you receive communications otherwise, you should assume the shortlisting and selection meetings on the schedule that was previously advertised will not be going ahead.”

Seven years ago, following the 2018 local election, a number of complaints were also made about the Enfield Labour selection process, prompting an investigation which eventually resulted in the group being rebuked by the NEC, with a warning that future selection processes should include party membership checks at meetings to ensure non-members are not involved.

Enfield Labour declined to comment.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that selection meetings for 2026 candidates had yet to commence.

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