A packed rally heard last night that delegates have a real chance to re-claim Labour conference for members and meaningful discussion – the election of the conference arrangements committee (CAC).
At CLPD’s opening fringe meeting, delegates heard from CAC candidates Pete Willsman and Katy Clark MP, alongside Diane Abbott, Michael Meacher, Young Labour’s Michelle Collins, ASLEF’s Tosh McDonald and Christine Shawcroft, who sits on Labour’s executive, and others.
“We want a conference that is democratic,” said Clark. She and Willsman are being challenged by two parliamentary whips, in party HQ’s two-fingered salute to the notion of representing grassroots members.
A detailed briefing on the arcane practices of conference was given by Willsman alongside Islington North delegate Gary Heather, who closed the rally. They reiterated CLPD’s offer of assistance to first-time delegates, and explained mechanisms used against grassroots delegates, such as the “three-year rule” and arbitrary rulings as to whether a motion is “contemporary” or not.
Tosh McDonald, of ASLEF, drew applause from delegates after stating that the police should never have been called in to investigate the Falkirk selection debacle, in which the Unite union has now been exonerated by both the party and the coppers.
Diane Abbott, the firebrand MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, said that Labour would gain no votes in tacking right on immigration.
The conference arrangements committee election will take place tomorrow. Conference delegates should, if their constituency branch voted to nominate or mandate, vote for the candidates they are mandated for – as they cast one vote for each member of their CLP. If delegates are not mandated, we simply pose the question – how can two parliamentary whips, whose job is to represent and enforce the views of the leader, empower the rank-and-file? Pete Willsman’s unrivaled experience in party structures, and Katy Clark’s energy and committment to a distinct anti-austerity agenda mean make them the ideal team to champion members in arranging party conference.
Is admitting that labour deliberately got as much immigration as it could to change the demographics, hoping that they’d vote Labour, left wing?
And for those who’ve had different cultures like Shaira law thrust on them in inner cities and feel that this is wrong. Right wing, letting I n cultures that are homophobic, anti semetic, and sexist, is hardly left wing
Labour by admitting that the reason we welcomed immigration wasn’t for ecenomic reasons but to try to get votes, or the way Ed has said this wothout Dog whistle tactics to appeal to the Daily mail,is hardly trying to get votes from the right
And anyway when Blair said of the left ,they have no where else to go, and Abbot regularly likes to point out that some white working clas men, in labour areas have gone to the BNP, haven’t they gone their for that very reason,
For those of us who arn’t at the Labour Party Conference it would be helpful for you to provide copies of National Policy Forum and other key reports which have been provided for delegates.
That’s is one hell of a rant John good old fashioned New Labour clap trap mate.
Having a go at the left did the Tories kick you out for being what to Conservative. You and Blair go well together.
Did you actually read what I sad, it was New labour that got unlimited immigration, to change the demographics, new labour is over, and the current labour lot are saying “we (New labour)got it wrong on immigration” and that’s why we let the working class vote, but we didnt lose it to the Tories, and whatever you think of new labour or the current opposition,the view of mass immigration of new labour wasnt “conservative”
John have a look at how many Thatcher left in, I do not know what to say to you anymore your a sectary of a local labour party and your talking and standing up for the Tories.
Labour problem is simple they had an open door, no problem, but you have to then build to allow these people decent homes decent school and give to the health boards and HP a chance, labour did not. 3000 council houses in total these people placed pressure on housing on education and the local health boards.
That the problem not that people came here although to day I’d say MIliband talking of caps is laughable it was the pressure they placed on the infrastructure, housing and rents especially in London and the big cites.
But heck if you think the Tories did not do anything ok mate it was your lot then Blair and his beloved one nation labour party
I’m not standing up for the Tories,it was new labour that brought a lot of immigration in, not for ecenomic reasons which ,would have been justified,but to try to get mor labour votes and its Ed miliband who says this was wrong, and it’s not those who feel labour ave encouraged estates to have such new cultures changed by the influx of immigration resulting in the indigenous population not knowing their own estates, and the ex Abour voter,didnt stop voting labour and started voting Tory, they either abstained or voted BNP,
I’ve also stopped being secreatry of my party to concentrate on the elections, where is saying that Ed M, saying Labour got it wrong on immigration and saying he’s saying that, not to appeal to Tories,but because he genuinely means it, appealing to the Tories?
“indigenous population not knowing their own estates”, good god do you really believe that tripe.
The valleys in Wales a different to Leicester,Birimingham or the East end of London
If you say so John, I will take your word for it,
You don’t to take my word, google sharia law grooming gangs or gay free zone ,see how many are in the south of wales’
John I do not bother reading the BNP or EDL web sites, we have the same amount of Asian is my area most are hard working and run our local shops we have mosques just as we have churches.
Your really sounding like your closer to the BNP these days.
Who said anything about Asians,I was talkin about sharia law, I don’t think the immigration on mass to change the labour vote that we engineered, was Asisn people either,
Sorry John your right you did not say anything about Asians, you were obviously talking about Catholic Sharia law.
No I was talking about a religion, not 2 religions or any race,
What colour is the woman from England believed to have blown up the shopping mall ,abroad yesterday,
“google sharia law grooming gangs ”
Well, if you do that the first site you get is the edl, then you get kafircrusaders. It should go without saying that far-right racists are not a good source of information for socialists (or anyone with human decency for that matter). Rob’s description of John’s words as tripe is accurate (and pretty gentle on him).
Try looking at more than one site on google ,are you saying that they don’t exist, as Islam isn’t a race pointing out that their are sharia law gangs isn’t racist, but carry on believing that because some sharia law people hate the west and Isreal,it’s something for far left socialists to admire,but as long as you overlook all the homophobia,sexism anti semeticism,wife beating
The hole is getting bigger and bigger, take a ladder with you. otherwise you’ll never get out.
Still feel all my points are valid,and I dot need to defend myself,unless you can find a fact wrong with what I’ve said