This emerged from a Twitter spat on the subject of the Stop the War Coalition conference, from which Owen Jones announced he would withdraw if Syrian nun Mother Agnes remained on the platform. But it is essential viewing also for anyone who contends that fascists should be given a platform on grounds of ‘free speech’. […]
Young Labour committee votes to discuss policy no more than every two years
Nov 12th, 2013 by Conrad Landin.At October’s Young Labour national committee meeting, committee members, including chair Simon Darvill and NEC rep Bex Bailey, voted to reject two motions as agenda items: on the grounds that it was not the committee’s place to pass substantive motions, and that this should be left to the biennial policy conference. This has a very […]
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Fixing the annual upside-down spectacle of Labour conference
Nov 5th, 2013 by Conrad Landin.As this year’s Labour party conference fades into the abyss, I can’t help recalling a sentence spoken to me outside the Brighton centre on a bright morning towards the end of the week: “Our delegates find that the most interesting part of conference is the fringe.” The speaker was a newly-selected parliamentary candidate, and we […]
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Take action against the student loan book privatisation
Oct 10th, 2013 by Conrad Landin.Students have declared next week a “week of action” against the proposed privatisation of the student loan book. On Friday 18th October, students will gather outside the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills to protest the plans, which have worrying implications for students past, present and future. An Early Day Motion (no. 542) has been […]
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How Labour could still save the Royal Mail from privatisation
Oct 2nd, 2013 by Conrad Landin.It was all quite a shock. On Friday, as the government announced that potential shareholders in the privatised Royal Mail were already lined up, campaigners were pre-occupied with the ballot for an anti-sell off postal workers strike. A strike that will now come after the post has been privatised, if the government has its way. […]
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CAC election will be crucial, speakers tell conference rally
Sep 22nd, 2013 by Conrad Landin.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, […]
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Will future Labour conferences be as boring as the Lib Dems?
Sep 19th, 2013 by Conrad Landin.Why does the Liberal Democrat conference look so boring? In the bare basics of their procedures and practices, the Lib Dems probably crack down on dissent and debate less than Labour or the Tories. And yet as middle aged white men with horrendous jumpers take to the podium on TV, I can’t help thanking god […]
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Springsteen pays tribute to Victor Jara
Sep 14th, 2013 by Conrad Landin.In what is apparently pretty good Spanish, here’s Bruce Springsteen paying tribute to Victor Jara, the great Chilean guitarist murdered by the Pinochet regime shortly after the coup of 1973, the 30th anniversary of which was marked the other on 11th September.
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Searching for socialism in the New York mayoral primary
Sep 11th, 2013 by Conrad Landin.Primaries, primaries. All this talk of bringing in a public vote to decide Labour’s next candidate for London mayor, and we can easily forget that another large, multicultural city is routinely going through the process of primary selection right now. Bill de Blasio is now in the lead in the selection of the Democrats’ candidate […]
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Labour front bench takes the fight to Royal Mail privatisation
Aug 22nd, 2013 by Conrad Landin.For those of us who constantly despair over the Labour front bench’s failure to fight back against this government’s disastrous neo-liberal programme, today offers a glimmer of hope. The shadow cabinet are opposing a privatisation programme with more than vague platitudes – and initiating a campaign to save Royal Mail from the profiteers and asset-strippers. […]
