A veteran Labour councillor has dramatically quit the party, claiming he was "thrown under a bus" after blowing the whistle on a WhatsApp group containing deeply offensive racist, sexist, and homophobic jokes among local members.
Councillor Leo Pollak, who had served for over eight years in Southwark, south London, tendered his resignation with a scathing letter accusing the party leadership of failing to adequately address the toxic culture he exposed.
A Culture of Offensive 'Banter'
Pollak revealed he had reported a cache of messages from a local Labour WhatsApp group that included:
- Vile racist stereotypes and imagery
- Crude homophobic and transphobic 'jokes'
- Deeply misogynistic and sexist content
- Offensive material passed off as mere 'banter'
Despite his efforts to report the behaviour through official channels, Pollak alleges the party's response was severely lacking, leading to his decision to leave.
'Thrown Under a Bus': Whistleblower Speaks Out
In his resignation letter, Pollak didn't mince words. He stated he had "no faith left" in the party's leadership or its commitment to rooting out prejudice, feeling utterly abandoned after doing what he believed was right.
"I raised complaints about a culture of racism, homophobia, and misogyny among a group of Labour party members in Southwark," he wrote. "Rather than address these issues properly, I feel I have been thrown under a bus."
His departure marks a significant blow to a party that publicly champions equality and anti-racism, raising serious questions about the gap between its public values and internal practices.
Labour's Response and the Fallout
A Labour Party spokesman confirmed they enforce a robust code of conduct but stated they do not comment on individual cases. This response has done little to quell the concerns of those who see this case as symptomatic of a wider problem.
Pollak's resignation underscores a critical challenge for modern political parties: policing the private digital spaces where local activism and toxic behaviour can increasingly collide, often away from public scrutiny.
