Woman claims Labour discrimination

A woman with a form of dwarfism has told a tribunal the Labour Party discriminated against her by refusing her a job on the 1997 General Election campaign team.

Helen Garrod, from Helston in Cornwall, told the London employment tribunal her application to work for Tony Blair's team was rejected because of her disability.

Ms Garrod clams she suffered severe psychological problems as a result.

The 31-year-old was born with dystrophic dwarfism and arrived at the tribunal in an electric wheelchair.

Any reminder of it just made me too mad and still does

Helen Garrod

Ms Garrod said that in January 1997 she was deputy editor of a Labour-run magazine, Progress.

It had been set up by Derek Draper, a former aide to Peter Mandelson.

Mr Draper recommended Ms Garrod for jobs on the campaign trail to Anji Hunter, then Mr Blair's personal assistant, but Ms Garrod alleges that while a colleague was given a post, she was given nothing.

Ms Garrod told the tribunal: "Any reminder of it just made me too mad and still does.

"For years any mention of the election in 1997 would give me a really violent emotional reaction, which in many cases triggered blank-outs, or feelings of intense unreality or violent tremors."

In a letter to the tribunal, Mr Draper backed Ms Garrod's claims.

The letter said: "She undoubtedly deserved more of the Labour Party".

In a different letter, which is also before the tribunal, Ms Hunter said she had never met Ms Garrod and that she had not been given a job because the only remaining jobs were for bus assistance or for "menial" office jobs.

Too upset

The hearing on Thursday was to determine whether Ms Garrod's case could go ahead as discrimination charges usually have to be lodged within three months.

Ms Garrod has applied for an exemption to the rule.

She is backed by a consultant psychologist who said she has been too upset to take any action.

She said: "Simply think back to 1997 and the whole country was so pro-Tony Blair and New Labour, it would have been like walking through a tidal wave of public opinion to bring something like this."

Robin Lewis, representing the Leader's Office of the Labour Party, said there was no reason to grant an exemption to the rule.

He claimed a medical report showed Ms Garrod was not suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, as she claimed.

Ms Garrod, who is still a Labour member, has pledged to give any damages back to the party, minus her legal fees.

The hearing continues.