Beyond Factionalism, but not today

Beyond Factionalism, but not today

I made a storify covering attacks on Momentum, it’s possible role in allowing new members to influence the party, the extent to which they should be listened. It finishes with a critical look at Burke’s “All I owe you is my judgement” and the way in which members of Labour’s PLP were preparing to use it to ignore Party Mandates.

This was written over the winter of 2015/16 and published in March 2016, and I have backdated it to that date. The optimism about Momentum might have been misplaced.

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CLPD’s 43rd AGM

clpd logo

Over the weekend, for the first time ever, I attended the AGM of the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, their 43rd it would seem. Much of the right wing media locate the intellectual and organisational engine room of Corbyn’s victory in this body. It’s been around for a while, over 43 years it would seem, but I think it underestimates the changes in society occurring over the last 10 years and the changes available to and needed by the Party, and they’re not alone.  The meeting was as those of with experience of the movement know, a mix of set piece speeches from in several cases very worthy individuals, the receipt and acceptance of reports, and debate around motions. At the end of the day, I left disappointed. …

Labour’s front bench and surveillance.

big brother is watching you

The Labour Campaign for Human Rights organised an event at which Kier Starmer, Labour’s shadow spokesman on the Investigatory Powers Bill, he introduced himself, and pointed to his record as a Barrister where he has been involved in a number of cases prosecuting the government, the police and the intelligence agencies and his time as DPP. He says his experience shows him the “the reality of the crimes to be fought”.  (This is not necessarily a scarce resource if you came to adulthood living in the UK in the eighties, or were working or travelling in London on 7th July 2005.) The rest of this article looks at the critiques made by the guest speakers and audience; it’s a piece of reporting, not a polemic, there’s plenty of those around. Basically the view in the room was it’s not fit for purpose, the new powers are too extensive, the old powers are too extensive, the proposed oversight remains too weak and the powers are not necessary, effective or proportionate. Those of us in the Labour Party can also add, the question where did this come from as Party policy. …

Spooks

Went to a meeting convened by the Labour Campaign for Human Rights in which Kier Starmer MP argued that without a new law, there are no [better] safeguards. But that’s only because the intelligence agencies are breaking the law with, at the best connivance, and at the worst encouragement of Government.

There’s a blog coming!

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The Snooper’s Charter again! :'(

The Snooper’s Charter again! :'(

The Tory Government, have republished the Snooper’s Charter, 😥 changed some of the words and it has been inching towards the House of Commons via three parliamentary committees of experts, all of whom have criticised the Bill as it stands. The Labour Party plans to abstain on the 2nd reading, and explains why here. The campaigning academic, Paul Bernal, has written a blog, welcoming Andy Burnham’s press release as the most pro-privacy comments made by a Labour Shadow Home Secretary and makes the following comments.  …