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Labour’s National Policy Forum: slight shift to Left

In the contest for places on the Labour’s national policy forum, there was a slight shift to the left, a net gain of one place. The Left did especially well in Yorkshire, gaining two places, plus one each in London, the East of England and the South West, plus an additional councillor. However, three places were lost in Scotland and one each in the North and North-West. The detailed results are shown below. Sitting candidates are indicated by an asterisk (*); “E” indicates that the candidate was elected.

East Midlands

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
E Julie Brookfield (Right) * 2,010 4,720 14% 23%
E Dawn Elliott (Ind) 1,473 11%
Marietta Farnsworth (Right) * 1,363 3,718 10% 18%
E Andrew Furlong (Right) * 2,399 4,239 17% 21%
E Mark Glover (Right) * 2,096 3,949 15% 20%
Julie Lowe (Left) 1,382 10%
Adam Mohammed (Left) 1,931 14%
Charmaine Morgan (Left) 1,304 9%
TOTAL 13,958 24,843

The Right loses one seat to an independent. But for the women’s quota, the seat would have gone to Left candidate, Adam Mohammed, who also very narrowly lost the selection for Nottinghamshire’s Police commissioner candidate.

East of England

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
Russell Cartwright (Left) 1,627 1,926 13% 7%
Katie Curtis (Right) * 1,417 3,648 11% 13%
E Jenny Holland (Left) * 2,143 2,902 17% 10%
E Alex Mayer (Ind) 1,888 15%
E Lorna Trollope (Left) 1,851 1,823 15% 6%
James Valentine (Right) * 1,379 3,204 11% 11%
E Daniel Zeichner (Ind) * 2,267 3,645 18% 13%
TOTAL 12,572 28,515

The Right lose both their places in this region, one to an independent, Alex Mayer, popular agent/organiser, and a second one for the Left. James Valentine was a member of the Education policy commission. Daniel Zeichner also strengthens his position – althouigh an independent, he has been critical of the establishment position on the NPF, notably on housing. He is also a Unison political officer.

London

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
E Nicky Gavron (Ind) * 5,717 13,312 21% 19%
Gary Heather (Left) 2,971 5,485 11% 8%
Catriona Ogilvy (Right) 2,650 10%
E Alon Or-bach (Ind) * 3,815 8,811 14% 12%
E Alice Perry (Left) 4,411 16%
Joan Ryan (Right) 3,295 12%
E Fiona Twycross (Right) * 4,068 7,368 15% 10%
TOTAL 26,927 70,542

The Left in the shape of Islington councillor, Alice Perry, gain the seat vacated by right-winger, Joanne Milligan, who went off to contest but fail to win an NEC place for Progress. Fiona Twycross, undoubtedly assisted by the email that was circulated on her behalf by right-wing regional director, Hilary Perrin, hangs on to her place – her share of the vote increased but this was partly because she was  elected last time as an independent, having previously been Deputy Director of the London Region. On that occasion she sent an illicit text message to all members. Alon Or-bach, though he campaigned as an independent is seen by many as on the centre-left, and Nicky Gavron, though described as an independent, was in the electorally fortunate position of being supported both by Progress and by London Labour Left.

North

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
E Nick Forbes (Right) * 3,208 4,725 23% 21%
Veronica Killen (Left) * 1,980 3,110 14% 14%
Michael Mordey (Left) 1,950 14% 0%
E Brynnen Ririe (Right) 2,057 2,933 14% 13%
E Liz Twist (Right) * 2,657 4,691 19% 21%
E Nick Wallis (Right) * 2,402 4,520 17% 20%
TOTAL 14,254 22,819

Although voting shifted very little in this region, Veronica Killen narrowly lost the seat for the Left that she narrowly won last time. She was outspoken last weekend at the NPF in Birmingham, and will be missed.

North West

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
E Azhar Ali (Right) 2,802 4,053 13% 10%
E Mike Amesbury (Right) * 3,289 5,037 15% 12%
E Theresa Griffin (Right) * 4,608 8,265 21% 19%
James Groves (Left) 1,849 8%
E Joanne Harding (Right) 3,496 16%
Elaine Jones (Left) 2,328 11%
Rhiannon Lowton (Left) 1,353 6%
John Wiseman (Left) 2,398 5,006 11% 12%
TOTAL 22,123 42,629 100% 100%

The Right had done very well at nominations stage, and this is a poor result for the Left, losing the place previously won by Kath Fry who sadly died during her term of office, perhaps party because the Left slate lacked any candidate from Greater Manchester. However, the Left vote did slump from 47%  to 36% in this region. However, Elaine Jones, in particular, did well to achieve 11% at her first attempt.

Scotland

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
E James Adams (Scotland First) 1,460 15%
Pam Duncan (Scotland First) 1,134 12%
E Maria Fyfe (Left) * 1,590 5,214 16% 20%
Ann Henderson (Left) * 1,071 3,185 11% 12%
Jim Mackechnie (Left) * 901 3,242 9% 13%
Gordon McKay (Left) * 1,053 3,156 11% 12%
E Ian Miller (Scotland First) 1,359 2,480 14% 10%
E Katrina Murray (Scotland First) 1,241 13%
TOTAL 9,809 25,838

This is also a very disappointing result for the Left in a particularly low poll, though again it reflects a poor showing at nomination stage. Overall the Left vote fell from 57% to 47%, resulting in the loss of three places to “Scotland First”. Only Maria Fyfe, benefitting from greater name recognition, hung on to her place and still topped the poll, albeit with a reduced share of the vote.

South East

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
Marjory Broughton (Left) 1,751 3,232 10% 8%
E Simon Burgess(Right) * 2,779 4,618 16% 12%
E Deborah Gardiner (Right) * 2,618 6,185 15% 16%
E Karen Landles (Right) * 2,544 4,563 15% 12%
E Martin Phillips (Right) * 2,877 4,699 17% 12%
Joyce Still (Left) 2,293 3,685 13% 9%
John Tanner (Left) 2,155 13%
TOTAL 17,017 39,639

The Left came slightly closer to winning a seat in this region, reducing the winning margin of the lowest elected right-winger from 2.2% to 1.5%. All four sitting candidates were returned although Simon Burgess was on this occasion not backed by Progress – thought to be his choice rather than theirs.

South West

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
Razvan Constantinescu (Ind) 1,045 9%
Ray Davison (Left) 900 8%
Keir Dhillon (Right) * 1,569 13%
E Glyn Ford (Right) * 1,913 3,126 16% 13%
E Clare Moody (Right) * 1,463 3,071 12% 13%
E Douglas Naysmith (Left) 1,590 2,704 13% 11%
Ann Phillips (Left) 1,040 1,595 9% 7%
Helen Rosser (Left) 914 8%
E Brenda Weston  (Right) * 1,531 2,779 13% 11%
TOTAL 11,965 24,303

Former centre-left Bristol MP, Doug Naysmith, gains one seat for the Left, deposing Keir Dillon, member of the Britain in the World policy commission thanks to the women’s quota which ensured the re-election of Clare Moody.

Yorkshire & Humberside

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
Richard Burgon (Left) 2,242 11%
Rebecca Charlwood (Right) 1,981 10%
E Ann Cryer (Left) 3,799 19%
Jamie Hanley (Right) * 2,044 4,359 10% 13%
E Emma Hoddinott (Right) * 2,528 4,648 13% 14%
Mahroof Hussain (Right) 2,162 2,939 11% 9%
E George McManus (Left) * 2,446 3,302 13% 10%
E Denise Thursfield (Left) 2,344 12%
TOTAL 19,546 32,848

This is the best result this year for the Left — two gains in a tightly fought contest, displacing sitting Progress candidate Jamie Hanley. Well done to George McManus for keeping the flame flying and to the Winning Labour team, including Richard Burgon who was not far behind. Former MP Ann Cryer topped the poll.

Wales

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
E Nick Davies (Left) * 2,087 3,752 14% 14%
Margaret Hanson (Right) 1,512 10%
E Annabelle Harle (Left) * 1,896 3,900 13% 15%
Anthony Hunt (Right) 1,271 9%
E Donna Hutton (Left) * 1,987 13%
Jeremy Miles (Right) 1,211 8%
Christina Rees (Right) 1,699 11%
Hamish Sandison (unknown) 895 2,632 6% 10%
E Darren Williams (Left) * 2,381 3,839 16% 15%
TOTAL 14,939 26,086

Another clean sweep by the Left in what has become the Left’s best ‘region’ in UK Labour. All-Wales voting clearly benefits the Left since it does not do as well in the regional board elections which are conducted on the basis of four quartiles.

West Midlands

2012 vote 2010 vote 2012 share 2010 share
E Shaukat Ali 2,517 4,965 20% 19%
E Stephanie Peacock 2,909 6,152 23% 23%
E Sandra Samuels 2,686 5,285 21% 20%
E Lucy Seymour-Smith 2,425 5,822 19% 22%
James Watkins 2,313 4,541 18% 17%
TOTAL 12,850 26,765

Not much changes in the West Midlands. This is the weakest region for the Left, not least because of the suspension of labour parties in Birmingham.

Other Positions

There were elections for youth representatives in only three regions, and for the first time, only members of Young Labour were entitled to vote. In London and the North West, Left candidates Sally Hussain and Chris Hughes retained the seats previously held by the Left, the latter by only six votes, one fewer than the margin by which Left candidate Alex Hay failed to win a seat in the North that had previously been held by the Right. Positions in all other regions were uncontested.

In the contest for councillors’ representatives, the Left increased its share of the four places from one to two, Steve Swift joining Angela Cornforth. The full resuts were:

BROOKS, Nicki 967
CADBURY, Ruth 1,323
CORNFORTH, Angela 1,363
LAWRENCE, Roger 1,024
MARTIN, Sandy 1,002
PAYNE, Michael 1,005
SWIFT, Steve 1,132

Related posts:

  1. National policy forum elections – a close race and hard to call
  2. Left loses places on Executive but gains 18+ on Policy Forum
  3. National policy forum – at last, things are getting better
Jun 20th, 2012
by Jon Lansman.

Posted in: Activism, CLPD, Labour, Politics.
Tagged: ·

7 Comments

  1. James says:
    June 20, 2012 at 11:06 pm

    Alex Hay lost his NPF Youth Rep election by just 5 votes, not 7 as the article suggests.

  2. representingthemambo says:
    June 21, 2012 at 5:36 pm

    Does anyone have any info about what’s going on in the Mids in terms of addressing the problems that we have?

  3. Joe M says:
    June 22, 2012 at 11:12 am

    Any reason turnout is down so much from 2010? Membership slump? From my count 2012 total votes = less than 180k (presumably out of ~250k). Have Ed’s new recruits jumped ship?

    1. Jon Lansman says:
      June 22, 2012 at 11:28 am

      No Joe. It’s simply that last time the turnout was very much higher than usual for the NEC elections because a leadership election (and in London the mayoral selection) was conducted simultaneously. It was actually the first time the NPF election was conducted by one member one vote. The previous election was conducted at conference with voting by conference delegates who were briefed by party officials to vote for the most right wing candidates. They were all elected. I think turnout is broadly similar to the previous election.

  4. Luke Akehurst says:
    June 22, 2012 at 5:25 pm

    A factual historical correction Jon, the final set of NPF ballots held at Conference before OMOV came in were not all won by the right. I lost in the vote for London NPF reps to Alon Or-Bach.

    1. Jon Lansman says:
      June 22, 2012 at 9:19 pm

      Thank you Luke for that correction. Alon, of course, has always stood as an independent, though the Right’s slatemakers, like many others, may regard him as being on the Left. I should have said that every one of the Centre-Left slate lost as a result.

  5. Edward Carlsson Browne says:
    June 26, 2012 at 3:06 pm

    Looking at this from a left/right perspective is to oversimplify somewhat. It’s not always possible to tell which is the left slate and which is the right slate based on the booklet members receive. I wouldn’t have known in Scotland if I didn’t know about the frankly fairly obscure Labour First.

    I also think much of this is down to the activity of reps rather than their politics. My CLP only nominated Maria Fyfe for the NPF, because she was the only person who asked to be nominated in time. And one candidate certainly didn’t help his cause by putting no contact details in the booklet – exactly how is he supposed to represent us if he’s impossible to contact?

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