Exclusive: Lambeth's deputy leader "laughed" along to "racist" jokes about Black colleagues
Councillor Daniel Adilypour remains silent as leaked messages expose “discriminatory” chat at Labour HQ
Lambeth Deputy Leader laughed along to “racist” jokes about Black and Asian colleagues, Black Current News can exclusively report.
Councillor Daniel Adilypour is facing calls to explain his role in a series of leaked Labour Party messages in which he appeared to mock Black and Asian colleagues and laugh as a white staffer suggested that working alongside them had made them racist.
The messages - taken from Labour’s internal chat system - date from 2014, when Cllr Adilypour worked as a political adviser at Labour HQ under then-Deputy Leader Tom Watson. Black Current News has seen the exchanges in full.
In one exchange, a white colleague who worked closely with the BAME Labour group at the time wrote: “I hate BAME Labour. I swear I wasn’t a racist before this job”.
Cllr Adilypour appeared to respond: “Haha, I reckon there’s always been a racist within you waiting to break out ;)”.
Formerly known as the Black Socialist Society until 2007, BAME Labour is a socialist society affiliated to the Labour Party that represents Black, Asian and minority ethnic members.
It organises events, policy discussions and campaigns aimed at increasing representation and tackling racial inequality within the party.
Later, Cllr Adilypour appeared to ask the same colleague: “How are the BAMEs behaving today?”
The staffer replied: “Very naughty indeed”
Cllr Adilypour appeared to respond: “Haha”
Further messages appeared to show him referring to “crazy people” when discussing members of BAME Labour.
The revelations come against the backdrop of continuing concern over Labour’s treatment of Black members and staff.
The 2022 Forde Report - commissioned by the party itself - concluded that many employees felt Labour had become an “unwelcoming place for people of colour” and described the organisation as “overwhelmingly white”.
The report also highlighted “serious problems of discrimination and bullying” within the party.
In the years since, a number of Black Labour Party members have publicly quit or voiced frustration over a perceived culture of exclusion, with communities pointing to double standards in how Black MPs like Diane Abbott are treated.
Cllr Adilypour’s name also appears 33 times in Labour’s internal antisemitism report, covering the period 2014 - 2019 and leaked in 2020, where he was cited for using “ableist and abusive” language towards members.
Despite this, the politician has risen to the top of Lambeth Council.
Community members have described the deputy leader’s remarks as “deeply offensive” and “emblematic of a wider problem with racism and discrimination within political institutions”.
These revelations fuel ongoing concerns about racism within the national Labour Party, given the seniority of those involved and the fact that this material remained undisclosed until now, despite existing on the party’s internal server.
Cllr Adilypour has represented the Streatham Common & Vale ward since 2014 - the same year these comments were made - and he was appointed as Lambeth’s Deputy Leader in 2022.
The politician has long positioned himself as a progressive voice within the council’s leadership.
He currently serves as Cabinet Member for Housing, Investment and New Homes, with responsibility for tackling housing insecurity, an issue that disproportionately affects minoritised communities.
In 2021, following the racist abuse of England footballer Jadon Sancho, Cllr Adilypour publicly condemned racism.
However, the leaked exchanges have sparked outrage among Lambeth residents and local activists, particularly given the borough’s large Black population and the council’s public commitments to anti-racism.
Around 43% of Lambeth’s residents are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, prompting some to question whether the deputy leader’s remarks show contempt for those he represents.
One concerned resident asked: “Is Cllr Adilypour fit to be a Labour councillor, let alone Deputy Leader of a council that presides over such diverse communities?”
Lambeth Council has positioned itself as “anti-racist” and pledged to “tackle deep-seated inequalities”.
Its website states: “Lambeth is one of the most diverse boroughs in the country and equalities is at the heart of our approach”.
In 2015, Lambeth was awarded an Excellence rating for its approach to equalities by the Local Government Association (LGA).
Despite approaches from Black Current News to both Lambeth Council and Cllr Adilypour for comment, neither had responded by the time of publication.
Following Black Current News’ approach to the council for comment, Cllr Adilypour’s Twitter/X biography appears to have been updated to include the phrase “Proud British-Iranian”.
The Labour Party has not yet issued a public statement addressing the leaked messages but privately warned Black Current News against publishing details from them.
The material referenced in this article originates from communications that are now publicly available through the book The Fraud: Keir Starmer, Morgan McSweeney and the Crisis of British Democracy by investigative journalist Paul Holden, released on Monday 13 October 2025.
Black Current News has verified the authenticity of these communications and provided all parties named with an opportunity to comment. This report has been published in the public interest to promote transparency and accountability within political and public-sector leadership.