An Aberdeen public health expert has landed a seat at the top table of Scottish Labour, just a day before a controversial rerun of a vote on her candidacy for the city council.
Deena Tissera has been confirmed as the new northern Scotland representative on her party’s Scottish Executive Committee (SEC), promising to “come bearing change”.
News of her victory was confirmed 24 hours before asking members to back her once more, this time to run for city council in the George Street and Harbour ward.
Having already won the nomination once this month, she faces a revote in what some have branded “suspicious” circumstances.
One party insider claimed the decision to rerun the selection later today was a “clear attempt to cheat Deena out of a nomination she won fair and square”.
‘Internal gatekeepers try to block candidates like me’
And Miss Tissera’s account of ‘gatekeeping’ as she strived for an SEC spot, align with allegations of skulduggery.
She told The P&J that she would be pushing to increase representation at the top levels of Scottish Labour – after facing pressure to concede defeat, she claims, because of her race and gender.
Her drive would include separate positions on the SEC for reps from black, Asian and minority ethnic (Bame) communities, as well as for LGBTQ, disabled people and the student membership.
Working towards a PhD in public health at Aberdeen University, Miss Tissera – who featured among The Press And Journal’s Generation Next series – told us: “Women of colour struggle to get themselves elected and selected within Labour because of elected members acting as internal gatekeepers, who try to block candidates like me.
“It’s a struggle and it’s only thanks to my supporters who voted for me and back me that I have won this election.
“These internal gatekeepers tried to block my candidacy because I’m a young woman of colour. We not only face racism but intersectional issues: like racism, sexism and ageism.
“It’s very difficult when they try to block us – it’s interesting that they come to us for support in our wards but when we show an interest in candidacy, that’s when it starts.”
Miss Tissera – whose background ranges from tackling food poverty in some of Aberdeen’s poorest areas to humanitarian work in foreign warzones and competing for the title of Miss Sri Lanka – would not comment on the rerun of the George Street and Harbour selection.
But she did claim those “internal gatekeepers” were also present at a local level.
“Being a woman of colour, what I can say is there are blockages.
“I have been a very active member for a number of years and have done a lot of work in the George Street and Habour ward, yet the minute a woman of colour or person of minority casts their name as a candidate, that’s when the issues start.
“People have tried to intimidate me in different ways, asking me to stand down.
“But that’s not part of the journey I’m going to take. Fighting and going forward is what I want to do.”
The P&J understands Scottish Labour chiefs have asked members not to speak to the press about the process.
Rerun of selection vote could offer reprieve for long-serving Aberdeen Labour councillor
In securing her party’s – albeit short-lived – nomination to run in the George Street and Harbour ward, the Aberdeen Central constituency Labour party vice-chairwoman toppled stalwart Sandra Macdonald.
A bizarre vote was decided by the video-calling equivalent of drawing straws, after it ended nine apiece.
However, party bosses stepped in to void the giant-killing result as it transpired one voter had failed to pay their party subscriptions.
The declaration has been branded as “Trumpian” by one source within the Aberdeen party, who claimed the system for checking subs payments was down at the time.
We previously reported a growing split in the Aberdeen Labour party, exacerbated by the potential return of former council finance convener Willie Young.
Candidate selections for the Torry and Ferryhill race, where he is understood to be looking to run, were delayed until later this week because of the same administrative snafu.
But tensions were already high after the internal contention over the readmittance of the so-called Aberdeen Nine – who were meant to be suspended until after May’s vote for entering a coalition with the Conservatives against party orders.
Claims white male Labour candidate treated differently
The anonymous source, who requested not to be named for fear of party suspension, pointed to a similar situation in Edinburgh where voters were understood to be in arrears.
The victory of a white candidate was certified without investigation.
Scottish Labour was specifically asked to explain the difference between the two cases but refused to comment on selections.
A spokeswoman did say the party has “a proud record of standing against racism and discrimination and supporting minorities”.
Our Aberdeen Labour insider claimed: “It is obvious that this is happening as the chosen candidate of the ruling clique lost and an extreme level of credulousness is required to believe the excuse the party has presented.
“Members are expected to believe that, after the George Street and Harbour selection meeting and others that Saturday, a staffer took it upon themselves, without prompting, to double-check the procedures secretary made sure everyone who voted was eligible.
“Then they cross-referenced attendees with an up-to-date membership list, which they wouldn’t have access to because the party’s internal system was down; then decided unilaterally that the contest would have to be re-run without getting approval from the Scottish general secretary; and to do all this even though it meant disadvantaging a person for someone else’s mistake.
“All that, even though it’s not what the party had done previously when the exact same situation has arisen during this selection cycle.”
Attempts were made to reach long-serving councillor Sandra Macdonald, Miss Tissera’s opponent for the nomination, for comment.