Tagged with Rule Changes

Labour right seek to curtail council selections and leadership electorate

The FixersLabour First calls itself the voice of Labour’s “moderates” dedicated to keeping the party “safe from the organised hard left, and those who seek to divert us from the work of making life better for ordinary working people and their families.” Yesterday its secretary, Labour national executive candidate Luke Akehurst, announced in a letter to supporters  that it is setting up local groups across the country. Unlike Momentum, whose local groups have a public campaigning role and seek to bring new members into the party, Labour First‘s objectives are purely factional – euphemistically explained as “a space where Labour moderates can meet up informally and build networks with like-minded people.”

It also announced that it intends to promote dramatic changes to Labour’s rule book to: Continue reading →

Democratic changes up for decision at Labour’s conference next week

Conference PreviewAt Labour’s conference in Manchester next week, delegates will be debating and voting on a number of key changes to the party’s rule book, tabled both by the national executive and by constituency parties. Grassroots proposals, under an obscure convention (known as the ‘1968 Ruling’) have been delayed for a year but the executive can agree rule changes one week and have them voted on by conference the following week!

It is vital that delegates ensure that constituency party proposals are given a fair hearing not brushed aside. Last year, in addition to the rule changes from that have been accepted by the conference arrangements committee for debate this year, there were no fewer than eight further rule changes proposed by  14 constituencies (Bermondsey & Old Southwark; West Ham; Bolsover; Runnymede & Weybridge; Maidstone & The Weald; Bridgend; Great Grimsby; Meriden; Newport West; Saffron Walden; Wirral West; Bracknell; Epsom & Ewell and Redcar) ruled out of order. Continue reading →

Young Labour: “any weakening of the union link should be opposed”

Save the Labour-Union LinkThe national committee of the Labour Party’s young wing, Young Labour, vowed on Wednesday night “to defend the right of trade union members through their affiliated trade union to take part in the selection of candidates at every level of the party”.

Young Labour joins scores of grassroots activists and party units in expressing concern over recent weeks at the potential for the historic relationship between Labour and the trade unions to be fundamentally weakened in the wake of the Falkirk selection crisis. The motion passed at Wednesday night’s national committee meeting is an amended version of one passed at the youth wing’s biggest regional group – London Young Labour – last month.

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How to make Labour more democratic

When the local election are over, dedicated Labour activists have time to reflect on Labour’s conference and what changes are necessary to give Labour’s members the voice that Ed Miliband promised but which Refounding Labour failed to deliver. Apart from making sure you have a good delegate and your constituency party nominates for this year’s elections, you can also make sure it uses its chance to submit a rule change by 21 June. Continue reading →

Can Labour revive its democracy?

All hail, Arnie Graf. Once again, the press are heralding a new “guru” for dear leader Ed Miliband.

Graf, like Maurice “Blue Labour” Glasman before him, says he offers fresh ideas to make the Labour Party vibrant once more.

His “community organising” and “Obama mentor” repertoire is ideal – here’s the man steeped in the US president’s most exciting campaign tactic, the man who will save Labour’s structures from their desert-like state.

Graf is completely right in his diagnosis of what is wrong with Labour. “The party sets its policy from the top to the bottom, rather than bottom to the top … the members weren’t seen as leaders but people to do tasks,” he says. The reality is that Labour has yet to recover from its hollowing out over the past 20 years.

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