The LP NEC is having an away day to discuss reforming its rules and internal democracy, mainly in the light of the massive increase in membership to more than half a million members. Here’s my manifesto for a member led party, I hope to supplement it with some ideas on the use of IT to aid in policy development and expressing the membership voice, but in terms of rules reform …
Another thought on Labour’s rules, anyone with a conviction for breach of election law requires special permission from the NEC, to become a candidate for elected office. This may put Iain McNicol, the Party General Secretary in a difficult position since the Electoral Commission have decided that Labour broke the law when reporting its election campaign expenditure. Fortunately for him, this rule does not apply to being an Officer of the Party, but it does expose once again the fact that the complaints and disciplinary procedure needs review and a reinforcement of the segregation of duties. Apart from the weaknesses identified by the Chakrabarti report, we can see that we need a specific process for complaining about the General Secretary. …
Special Meetings of Labour Party General Committees must be called at the on the written request of at least one third of the affiliated organisations and Party units which are or would be entitled to send delegates to this CLP under a delegate structure. (That probably includes the Co-op, but excludes Young Labour, who do not send delegates to CLP General Committees.) …
Yesterday evening, Brockley Labour passed the following motion in response to the Labour Party’s review on rules and democracy. This review is being undertaken by Ray Collins, an ex-General Secretary of the Labour Party and an interim report was presented to Labour’s Conference, Collins Review Interim Report Sep 2013. I commented on the debate at conference on this blog in an article called Labour’s Rules considered by those that can change them. …
Paul Cotterill came out of his self imposed blogging retirement to write about the Falkirk affair at his blog, “Though Cowards Flinch”. I am glad to see him back and hope it’s not a one off.
He argues that the secretive and exclusive way in which these decisions were taken, so soon after the Refounding Labour members’ consultation is not really a harbinger of a new politics.
Most of his article relates to the issues surrounding the management of Unions’ political funds. It was written before Ed Miliband’s speech and so most comments at this time were based on presumably embargoed press releases and interested spin. Paul finishes with,
He’s done the easy bit, challenging the affiliated unions to accept the virtues of opt-in engagement. The question is: does he have the guts to take on the PLP’s power base in the interest of real party democracy and growth.
While Paul’s journey to the obstructionism and downright destructive activities of some members of the PLP is fairly gentle, I have little doubt we’ll be hearing more. …