Tagged with Conference 2014

Ann Black’s report from Labour’s executive in September

NEC Report ABNational Executive Committee, September 2014

September was a strange month, with the lead-up to annual conference dominated by suspense over Scotland. The NEC meeting scheduled for Tuesday 16 September was moved to Glasgow so we could all pitch in, and then cancelled as bad weather disrupted travel. Many staff and activists came straight from the campaign to Manchester. Opening the women’s conference on Saturday Harriet Harman welcomed Scotland’s decision, and said that independence was backed by 54% of men, but only 43% of women: whether the difference relates to caution about financial risks, dislike of personalities or something else has yet to be explained. She mounted a strong defence of all-women shortlists, the only method that had worked in lifting women’s representation in parliament from 3% when she was first elected to around one-third today. The day went well, particularly the sessions where members queue at the microphones – no having to “catch the Chair’s eye” – allowing a wide range of issues to be aired including food banks, the NHS, domestic violence, the gender pay gap and job-sharing for MPs. Continue reading →

Convince me, Ed, by convincing Josephine and Xiomara

Miliband Hope imageLabour could elect a leader equipped with movie star sex appeal, a double first in applied astrophysics, Churchillian oratory, the ability to juggle three flaming torches simultaneously and serious talent as a hard bop tenor saxophonist. And still the first thing the Tory media would say about her is that she was ‘unconvincing’.

Such is the designation that the Quentin Letts of this world have made stick to everyone who has held the top job throughout my adult lifetime. Variously they have been lambasted as donkey jacketed coffin-dodgers, Welsh windbags, staid Scottish bank managers, satanically-possessed crypto-communists or closet autistics who only bother to get up each morning to advance their own prime ministerial ambitions.

Whatever today’s variation, the charge has been that “Labour is out of touch”, and that those who head it understand average voters about as well as they understand colloquial Swahili. The latest victim is Ed Miliband, routinely portrayed as the Sheldon Cooper of British politics, a geeky loser with all the stage charisma of those I-speak-your-weight machines once found at tacky 1960s seaside resorts. Chin up, mate. It kind of goes with the territory. Continue reading →

Investment, jobs, growth must be Labour’s policy, not austerity

Miliband Hope imageLabour has had a successful party conference, Ed Miliband made a powerful speech with a strong commanding narrative of Labour’s objectives for government, but the only let-down was in the crucial area of economic policy.

Ed Balls’ embrace of the the right-wing Tory orthodoxy of prolonged austerity until at least 2020 is as unbelievable as it is indefensible. He clearly must believe that the voters don’t trust Labour because it’s profligate so we must at all costs prove to the electorate that we’re fiscally sound and hence be at least as tough as Osborne in pursuing austerity to cut the deficit. But the record shows that Labour has not been reckless with public expenditure.

The last Labour Government’s biggest deficit in the pre-crash years was 3% of GDP, yet the Thatcher-Major governments ran deficits bigger than this in 10 or their 18 years. So who was the more profligate? But anyway from my personal experience what disgruntled voters complain about isn’t that Labour is profligate, but rather: why should I vote for Labour when it’s no different from the Tories in pursuing endless spending cuts? – exactly what Ed Balls is committing to. Continue reading →

Labour must commit to rebuilding the NHS

4612313248_169x174The 999 Call for NHS is the people’s campaign for the NHS inspired by a group of local mums from Darlington. Joanna responded to the Emergency Call for NHS and the 999 Call for the NHS campaign was launched at the first rally in Darlington July 2013. Since then the 999 call for NHS have joined thousands of NHS campaigners across the country who are all responding to the 999 call for NHS.

Now, in the run up to a lobby of Labour Party conference in Manchester tomorrow, they have linked with NHS, trade union and Labour Party activists from around the country in calling on Labour to act. They have backed a statement which they urge others to sign. It reads as follows: Continue reading →

Cancelling Labour’s conference if Scotland votes Yes would insult party & voters alike

Labour Conference 2013Mehdi Hasan, political editor of the Huffington Post, last night reported that Labour’s conference could be severely curtailed in the event of a Yes vote in Scotland and the recall of parliament on Monday which seems likely. Although this report is unconfirmed, Mehdi is widely respected and I am not inclined to ignore his report. It would not, after all, be the first time that important decisions about party matters were taken in the Leader’s office without consultation with Labour’s executive (whose meeting in Glasgow on Tuesday was cancelled). Mehdi reported as follows:

Speaking on condition of anonymity, senior Labour sources confirmed that the party high command would cancel all speeches and fringe events, with the exception of the keynote address from Labour leader Ed Miliband next Tuesday, if the Scots vote for independence this coming Thursday.

Continue reading →