Birmingham councillor Jack Deakin suspended by Labour Party over harassment claim

Birmingham city councillor Jack Deakin has been suspended by the Labour Party pending an investigation into a claim of harassment, which he categorically denies.

The council finance scrutiny chair is being investigated following a complaint he allegedly harassed a party employee, reports Birmingham Live.

According to the news outlet “sources say Cllr Deakin, who represents Allens Cross, intends to fight the complaint, which alleges he harassed a Labour party employee. The allegation is not related to his city council activities.”

The suspension pending investigation means the party whip has been removed and the councillor is temporarily ‘independent’ from their party as a result of any allegations that warrants investigation.

Cllr Deakin is the third member of the Labour group at the troubled council to face an inquiry, amid unrelated party pending investigations into Cllr Barbara Dring and Cllr Des Hughes.

Cllr Deakin has previously been left red-faced after being accused of nabbing a light fixture on a night out during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

A ‘drunk’ Deakin, who sat on the council’s chair of the Commonwealth Games scrutiny committee, was allegedly captured removing the lighting accessory from the Colmore Tap on CCTV footage in July 2022.

He later apologised for his actions and returned the light fitting. Following an investigation by the Labour Party, the matter was deemed closed.

The Labour group had not responded to a press request for an update on the current party investigation at the time of publication.