The Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD) has announced the bill for its upcoming fringe events during the party conference season.
CLPD works to support grassroots activity and party democracy – and supporting ordinary delegates at conferences is a key part of this. The events also provide an opportunity to discuss the future potential for greater democracy in the Labour party, as well as wider issues within the party and labour movement.
The CLPD fringe event at TUC Congress will take place at 6pm on Tuesday 11th September, at the UMI Brighton Hotel, near the conference centre. Speakers include CWU general secretary Billy Hayes; Jim Kennedy, convenor of the trade union caucus on the Labour party national executive (NEC); MPs Michael Meacher and Kelvin Hopkins; and more. The meeting is titled: “Why every trade unionist should be active in the Labour Party, the movement’s political wing.”
At Labour’s annual conference in Manchester, CLPD will hold two fringe events. The first will be a rally and delegates’ briefing, at 10.30am on Sunday 30th September, at Bar 38, Peter Street, adjacent to the secure area. Speakers will include NEC members Ken Livingstone, Ann Black and Christine Shawcroft; MPs Michael Meacher and Kelvin Hopkins; former NEC member Mohamed Azam; ASLEF’s Mick Whelan; and more. There will also be a special delegates’ briefing from Peter Willsman, secretary of CLPD.
The second event will be a conference assessment and discussion on the way forward for Labour. This will take place at 6pm on Wednesday 3rd October, also at Bar 38. Speakers include Tony Benn; John Cryer MP; Kate Osamor of CLPD and Unite; Cat Smith, chair of Next Generation Labour; and more.
At the North West Labour regional conference, CLPD will host a fringe on Saturday 8th September at 5.15pm. The discussion is titled: “How can members be fully involved in future Party policy making at Regional and National levels?” Speakers include Michael Meacher and Mohamed Azam, and the meeting will be chaired by Gaye Johnson, a former chair of CLPD nationally.
A fringe meeting is also planned for the London biennial conference on Saturday 17th November. Details will be confirmed soon.
Full details of CLPD’s fringe events can be found on grassrootslabour.net – alongside an extensive guide to annual conference from CLPD’s secretary Peter Willsman, and model contemporary resolutions for CLPs to put to conference.
