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CHANGE DIRECTION OR LOSE ELECTION
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autumn EDItIOn 2008
ISSuE nO 71
PRODuCtIOn EDItOR: RaY DaVISOn
EaSt DEVOn CLP anD
CLPD SW REGIOnaL ORGanISER
all Enquiries: R.Davison@exeter.ac.uk
CLPD publication for CLPs and Labour Party members telephone 01395 277481
www.clpd.org.uk (where this newsletter can be downloaded & for full nEC reports) or email CLPD: info@clpd.org.uk
change direction or
lose election
Writes chris MclaUghlin, work and tax rates at the top. Bread and but-
editor oF triBUne ter issues such as transport, rail in particular,
as well as proposals for increased runways, the saga of
and the disastrous post office closure pro-
Warwick ii
Too much has been asked about whether the
Government has a chance of winning the gramme must be addressed urgently.
next election and too little about whether Much has been achieved in the Warwick II
it deserves to. New Labour is dead, though talks but it remains to be seen to what extent
the Government gets fully behind the agree- This year, for the first time, following
its legacy of privatisation of public services
ments made in those talks and to what extent pressure from Unions and CLPs, backed
and obsession with the dominance of free-
unreconstructed Blairite ministers are prepared by CLPD, the constituencies were given
market principles over all others lingers toxi-
to carry them through. The Leader needs to al- the right to submit textual amendments
cally throughout Government. New Labour
low himself to be guided by the party he leads, to the 6 final-stage NPF documents.
is dead not only because it was not Labour
for it appears to be more in touch with the real CLPs were able to submit as many
enough and not only because Tony Blair has
issues than he appears to be. It just so happens amendments as they wished. But, instead
departed the scene. It is dead because it was
that the mechanism, which can make this hap- of going direct to the NPF at Warwick II
not Labour enough, because it is failing to
pen, is already in motion under rules urged on (25/27 July), they went instead to one of
deliver to voters, especially traditional sup-
the movement by Gordon Brown himself. The eleven regional meetings (each consisting
porters, anything to meet their expectations.
changes in the decision-making process, which of 7 NPF reps – 5 regional CLP reps and
The need for change has been long overdue.
will be tested for the first time at the forthcom- 2 reps elected by the whole region). Alto-
It did not need the clunking fist of the Glas-
ing Annual Conference in Manchester, were gether over 200 CLPs submitted a grand
gow East defeat to reveal that the electorate
presented as a means of ending the 100-year total of some 4,000 amendments. The
has had enough of New Labour. Those of
stalemate between the Party and Labour in large majority of these sought a change
the right of the Labour Party who advocate a
Government. They were heralded as means of direction towards more progressive
continuation and deepening of Blairism are
of involving the Party more and the members policies. At the regional meetings the 7
backing a kamikaze strategy which risks wip-
were asked to trust the leadership. reps were under no obligation to progress
ing out Labour for a generation.
They did and at Warwick they and the the amendments, but they were generally
The Government needs a change of
unions delivered. The Campaign for Labour encouraged to pick them up and submit
direction. But without a change of policy
Party Democracy also delivered by ensuring them to the NPF in their own names.
there can be no change of direction, and
maximum involvement in discussions on Around 1,500 of the CLP amendments
no chance of winning the next election.
amendments to the six official policy docu- were picked up and progressed to Warwick
The two are umbilically linked. The change
ments. II. Given that there was considerable du-
in direction that is now being demanded by
The agenda, which emerged from War- plication of amendments, it seems likely
party members and trade unionists must be
wick, though not wholly intact, will, we can that the vast majority of the CLP amend-
bold. The Prime Minister has nothing to
hope, help the Party re-connect with vot- ments were progressed. In addition, the
lose, but might win the election, by embrac-
ers and revitalise the Government at a time other members of the 190-strong NPF
ing and campaigning passionately on a new
when the Tories have failed to stamp their were able to submit textual amendments
programme which addresses the aspirations
mark in the mind of voters. They certainly to Warwick II. Many took this opportu-
and needs of millions of people left behind
don’t like New Labour but they don’t re- nity, especially the trade unions and the
by successive policies. Being “on your side”
ally know either what David Cameron really four CLGA – supported members of the
must be made to mean something, by ad-
stands for. Labour can fill this space with a NEC (Ann Black, Christine Shawcroft,
dressing housing, low pay, rising food and
new and revitalised body of policy. Peter Willsman and Walter Wolfgang).
fuel prices, the environment, insecurity at
Altogether over 2,000 amendments were
submitted to the NPF. (continued on p2)
To subscribe to Tribune, go to www.tribunemagazine.co.uk or call 01635 879 385
PLEASE PASS THIS NEWSLETTER ON TO OTHER COMRADES TO ENSURE A WIDE CIRCULATION.
CAMPAIGN BRIEFING AUTUMN EDITION 2008
Where do We go the saga of
FroM here? Warwick ii
MarK seddon, ForMer angulation, of pitching to the populist Right (from p1)
editor oF triBUne in order to win over swing voters, was aban- At Warwick, the Friday (25 July)
doned some time ago. The defeat of Hillary was taken up by some 400 meetings
and noW diPloMatic
Clinton in the Democratic Party Primaries, between groups of NPF reps and
corresPondent al finally put the lid on a time and a place that ministers on specific policy areas,
JaZeera english many Democrats, including Barak Obama, in an attempt to agree “consensus
sUggests an ansWer would probably like to forget. wording”. The Saturday was given
The ‘new’ Democrats were in truth over to ‘workshops’, where the NPF
‘Politics is cyclical — discuss.’ There is a clear pitched out of office in favour of George reps discussed the agreed consensus
and apparent danger in writing anything at Bush and the Republicans. But the Demo- wording and the outstanding amend-
least a month or so before it is due to appear, crats didn’t stand around wringing their ments. At the same time, lots of side
for so much can change. Who knows? By the hands, looking wistfully back at the Clinton meetings with ministers were held
time this appears, the Cameron bounce may years and blaming the voters for ‘not getting to search for an elusive consensus.
have gone, voters may have discovered the the message’. They got down to re-building The side meetings involving union
real Gordon Brown, James Purnell will have their political base, horribly weakened by the reps continued until nearly 6am on
joined the Tories and Labour will be on the Clinton years, years when the word ‘activist’ Sunday morning. Throughout this
road to recovery. was a dirty word, years during which those time individual reps with specific
But then I am writing this in Beijing, on activists were denounced for being ‘extreme’ amendments were hunted down by
my way to North Korea, so anything seems and ‘unrepresentative’. Does it all begin to earnest officials clutching “consen-
possible. sound horribly familiar? sus wording”. It has to be said that
Politics is indeed cyclical, and some of When the history of the recovery of the this process of ‘cutting and sticking’
those cycles more profound than monthly fluc- US Democratic Party is written, I hope that was much more fraught and unpro-
tuations in the opinion polls. In post-war Brit- Howard Dean and his army of supporters in fessional than the well-ordered ar-
ain, the political cycle — or rather its agenda MoveOn.org, will not simply join the appen- rangements for compositing on the
— was dominated for the first quarter century dices. The US Democrats are not just electa- Saturday afternoons in the pre ‘Part-
or so by the Labour post war settlement and ble now because in Barak Obama they have nership in Power’ days. And yet,
the Welfare State. The final quarter century has a charismatic and appealing Presidential can- of course, devious Blairites are still
been defined by the Thatcherite inheritance didate; it is because the party’s political base trying to re-write history by pouring
and the Labour Party’s virtual surrender to it. had been revived. Dean used the internet, scorn on those good old days.
So now as we hover on the brink of glo- he worked with the unions and with interest During the weekend several
bal recession and with the safeguards for groups that supported the Democratic Party’s meetings of CLP reps were called
the poor, the elderly, the working class and agenda to re-connect with the blue collar vote by Simon Burgess, NPF Vice-Chair
the middle class in tatters, it seems improb- in America. The party was no longer embar- representing CLPs. The 6 CLP reps
able that the Blairite agenda and face of rassed to be associated with labour, and it be- on the NEC were deliberately ex-
Cameron’s Conservatives may be the public gan to move away from a fixation with gender cluded from these meetings. This
choice in the next general election. If it is, and race politics back to the surer ground of was somewhat insulting, given that
then perhaps the explanation is that neither class and bread and butter issues. most of the CLP NPF reps are only
‘new’ Labour nor the Conservatives have the ‘Town hall’ meetings, whether virtual or elected by a handful of unmandated
answers for the economic and social turmoil real, helped re-connect former activists to CLP delegates at Annual Conference,
we may soon find ourselves in, but that vot- their party and recruited new ones. Funding whereas the NEC reps are elected by
ers now intensely dislike ‘new’ Labour. — which had of course dried up from big some 20,000 party members.
Political cycles of the long term or short business once it was obvious that the Repub- It would be fair to say that the
term aside, Labour is currently heading for licans were going to win — was handed back 1,500 amendments that originated
a historic melt-down at the next election. If to the activists and donations capped. But (continued on p3)
there is any choice at the moment, it may be once the political message found favour with
between losing well or very badly indeed. the party’s natural supporters, those small
It is time then to look to the future and donations turned into a torrent.
to learn from some of our friends and allies. After the deluge will come a time when
It is also time to finally bin ‘new’ Labour and those who remain will have to re-build, per- New Labour and the
all that goes with it.
For ‘new’ Labour was only ever an election
haps almost from scratch. There will be other
debates to be had about how this may be done
Hand of History
strategy, and one that did help win for Labour, in tandem with the trade unions and what re- “Under Thatcher social homes were
but which caused incalculable damage to the lationship a much reduced Labour Party may built at an average rate of 46,000 a
beliefs and values of what was once a political have with other parties or groups that share year. Under Blair it fell to 17,300,
movement of active members in the process. some of its beliefs. For some this may seem while almost half a million council
It is time to bin ‘new’ Labour because the the counsel of despair. Actually it is not, be- homes were sold off.”
‘new’ Democrats were binned in the United cause as James Callaghan once observed, the Guardian, 27 November 2007.
States some time ago. That strategy of tri- Labour Party has very deep roots.
2
CAMPAIGN BRIEFING AUTUMN EDITION 2008
BRItaIn In thE WORLD EDuCatIOn anD SkILLS
the saga of Opposing military “humanitarian At least one-third of governors
Warwick ii intervention” (Wolfgang)
Phased withdrawal from Iraq
and Afghanistan (Hayton)
5 votes
5 votes
at academies to be parent
governors (Willsman) 33 votes
Selection – amending balloting
Show support to Venezuela arrangements (Black) 31 votes
(from p2) and call for end of US blockage Independent research re
from CLPs did set something of a of Cuba and of military aid to academies (Hayton) 6 votes
progressive mood to the weekend Colombian military Abolition of tuition fees
and, no doubt, assisted the Unions to (Wolfgang) 6 votes (Wolfgang) 4 votes
achieve a better result. Nevertheless, Middle East – welcome Carter’s
as was clear in Sunday’s plenary, there initiative and the International
were distinct limits on just how pro- Court of Justice (9/7/4)
gressive the NPF was prepared to be. (Wolfgang) 5 votes hEaLth
Following their agreements with Min- Opposition to US Missile
isters, the Unions, as a block, agreed Choice should not be used
Defence System in UK,
to abstain on all amendments covering as a basis for creating competition
Poland and Czech Republic
Iraq/Afghanistan, the 42 days, Trident In the NHS (Hayton) 5 votes
(Wolfgang) 6 votes
and anything that could conceivably Moratorium on Foundation
No replacement of Trident
be considered to “cut across” the un- Hospitals (Wolfgang) 6 votes
(Hayton) 5 votes
ion agreements. Abolish prescription charges
On Sunday, in the final plenary, all (Wolfgang) 5 votes
outstanding amendments were voted No further expansion of
upon. There were 161 NPF reps CREatInG SuStaInaBLE private sector in NHS.
present at the start of the meeting. Of COmmunItIES Contracts for ITCS to be
these some 65 were CLP reps from ended (Shawcroft) 5 votes
across all the sections (this included 5 Commissioning will not be
Fur labelling (Mark Glover) Endorsed
CLP reps supported by the CLGA (the outsourced to commercial
Opposition to Proportional
4 NEC members and Carol Hayton, companies (Hayton) 5 votes
Representation for local
South East Region). There were some council elections (Stella
50 TU reps present from across all the Matthews) Endorsed
sections. 81 votes or more therefore Opposition to new nuclear PROSPERItY anD WORk
represented a majority, and meant that power stations (Hayton) 5 votes
an amendment was endorsed into the Moratorium on any further ESAs etc to be increased
final document. 41 votes or more directly elected mayors annually in line with average
(25%) meant that an amendment went (Willsman) 5 votes earnings (Black) 8 votes
forward to Annual Conference as a Strengthening enforcement of
Minority Position. In many cases the National Minimum Wage
Platform contended that the outstand- (Daniel Zeichner) 28 votes
ing amendments were covered by the CRImE, JuStICE, CItIzEnShIP Revise Bank of England’s
‘consensus wording’, but several mov- anD EquaLItIES inflation target upwards to
ers pressed for a vote because they protect jobs (Willsman) 3 votes
were not entirely convinced by this From 2010 restore link
argument. Standardise discrimination between pensions and
The voting on each of the 6 docu- law and address gaps earnings (Wolfgang) 5 votes
ments was as follows (NB: not all (Simon Wright) 33 votes Windfall Tax on energy and
votes are included and, in some cases, Wholly elected House of oil companies hypothecated to
the voting figures are estimates): Lords (Alon Orbach) Endorsed alleviate fuel and child poverty
Independent review of (Willsman) 5 votes
civil legal aid system Progressive taxation – 10p tax
(Jeremy Beecham) band; 50p rate over 100,000;
41 votes (Minority Position) remove ceiling on national
National network of law insurance contributions
centres (Willsman) 5 votes (Willsman) 5 votes
New Labour and the Opposition to ID cards
Hand of History (Wolfgang)
Expand democratic
5 votes
The final amalgamated NPF docu-
“British pensioners receive a pension representation of police ment, emerging from Sunday’s plenary,
equivalent to 17% of average authorities (Beecham) will go to Annual Conference, together
earnings, the lowest in Europe – well 55 votes (Minority Position) with the two Minority Positions. It will be
below the average of 57%.” Reduction from 42 days sent to Conference delegates in advance.
Sunday Times pre-charge detention An analysis of this document is available
18 November 2007. (Wolfgang) 6 votes at www.scgn.org.uk
3
CAMPAIGN BRIEFING AUTUMN EDITION 2008
red alert For conFerence delegates
Key rUle changes at Manchester
possible to have more than 7 candidates,
SuPPORt: SuPPORt: and even 5 or 6 are only possible when
Islington north and Luton Lancaster & Fleetwood the number of nominations is fairly
evenly distributed.
South on restricting Labour’s and Westminster north on
The proposed change allows for a wid-
organisation in northern democracy in Young Labour. er choice and makes it very unlikely that a
Ireland. possible winner would be debarred from
This rule change would introduce much standing because he or she could not ob-
Bringing peace to Northern Ireland needed democratic reforms into the hitherto tain enough initial nominations from MPs.
through the Good Friday Agreement Byzantine structures of Young Labour. It
has been one of Labour’s finest achieve- should be given maximum support. The following CLPs have rule
ments. But organisationally in Northern changes that were thrown in the bin
Ireland, the Party has got itself into a by the CAC and their delegates may
mess. It has accepted expensive legal be seeking a fair hearing — Twick-
settlements in order to appease question-
SuPPORt: enham, Hampstead and Kilburn,
able challenges on equalities grounds. By Calder Valley, horsham, East Devon, Orpington, Meridan,
defining the legal territory in which La- newport West and Islington South & Finsbury, Beck-
bour operates as Britain (England, Scot- Peterborough on wider enham, Ilford South, Gloucester,
land and Wales), this simple rule change choice of candidates for Lewisham Deptford.
will solve the problem and ensure the
government’s peace programme is not Party Leader and Deputy.
undermined. OPPOSE:
This rule change lowers the threshold
nEC’s rule change to alter
for a valid nomination for standing for elec- the composition of the CaC
SuPPORt: tion for Party Leader or Deputy, when there by adding an nPF rep.
CLPs’ Democratic Rights is a vacancy, from 12.5% of Labour MPs to
OPPOSE: 7.5% (ie. from 45 to 27 MPs in the current At present the CAC consists of 5
Parliament). trade union reps and 2 CLP reps. At
Gagging by the CaC. This rule change could benefit potential Annual Conference the CAC acts as the
candidates from all wings of the Party. It Standing Orders Committee (SOC). Like
is designed to ensure that a candidate, who all SOCs, it is accountable for its actions
In recent years the Conference Ar- to the Conference. Annual Conference
rangements committee (CAC) has been might win an eventual majority, is not pre-
is made up, solely, of delegates from af-
taking a much harder line in relation to vented from even standing. For example, in
filiated organisations (unions) and CLPs.
rule changes submitted by CLPs. For ex- the 2007 Deputy Leadership election, Hilary
As a courtesy, members of the National
ample, a considerable number submitted Benn only just managed to get the 12.5%, Policy Forum (NPF) are allowed to at-
to this year’s Conference have been ruled and yet he attracted a larger number of CLP tend Conference as observers. It is both
out of order on very dubious grounds. nominations than any other candidate. And inappropriate, and out of line with all
Aggrieved delegates may go to the ros- by the third round of voting, Benn had existing practice, to give a seat on a SOC
trum and seek redress by challenging the the support of 61 MPs, had more trade un- to an outside body that is not repre-
Chair of CAC. Every delegate in the hall ion support than Harriet Harman and had sented at the relevant Conference. This
should do their best to support these more votes from Party members than either bizarre proposal, which popped up out
challenges and oppose the gagging. It Cruddas or Johnson. of the blue at the NEC, should be firmly
could be your CLP next! Under the existing threshold it is not opposed.
New Labour and the Hand of History New Labour and the
‘If the Government can magic tens of billions out of thin air for its Hand of History
financier friends, it can also afford proper pensions, rights for agency
workers and a fully-funded public sector’. ‘City workers have been awarded £13.2 billion in
Derek Simpson, bonuses so far this year’.
Joint General Secretary of Unite, Tribune, 4 April, 2008. Guardian 26 May 2008.
4
CAMPAIGN BRIEFING AUTUMN EDITION 2008
yes to election sPending the credit
caPs — deFend laBoUr’s crUnch —
trade Union linK neW
By Barry gray, clPd
assistant secretary New Labour and the laBoUr’s
The White Paper on party finance and ex-
penditure, published in June, indicates that,
Hand of History
‘More of the Civil Service has been
Part in it
whilst the government at present intends
to reintroduce local spending caps for elec- privatised under New Labour than clPd eXecUtiVe
tions, it continues to favour a more pro- under the governments of Margaret MeMBer Bernie
Thatcher and John Major combined.’
found reform of political party finance that
Mark Serwotka,
Moss eXPoses neW
would weaken trade unions’ involvement laBoUr’s role and
with Labour. General Secretary PCS Union,
Guardian 11 June 2008. resPonsiBility in the
The proposal to reinstate legal limits
on campaign spending in local constituen-
Present crisis
cies would help reduce the Tories’ current Since the Northern Rock bailout last
advantage of being able to channel vast year, Gordon Brown has assured us
— notably, the introduction of a donations
sums of money to their target seats. Until that the hard prudential decisions he has
cap accompanied by increased state funding
2000, there were strict rules capping a par- taken over the years will save us from
of parties.
ty’s spending in a seat. Those limits were the slump engulfing the capitalist world.
The Hayden Philips’ review proposed
triggered as soon as the party formally Now Alistair Darling admits that the cri-
that the current collective affiliation pay-
named its candidate in the constituency. sis is nastier than expected. Still, Yvette
ments of unions would be replaced with
Unwisely, Labour’s leadership pushed Cooper insists that the crisis is not of
individual affiliation payments, which
through legislation that, amongst other our making.
would then be counted as individual dona-
things, removed those limits. Since then This is true of the inflation of
tions for the purposes of a cap. Labour’s
the Tories have been able to select candi- energy and food prices that is strain-
affiliated trade unions have rejected this
dates early and finance them extensively, ing budgets, which is ultimately due to
proposed move towards the individuali-
years before an election, from a multi-mil- growing demand in China and other
sation of affiliated membership as it un-
lion pound marginal seat fighting fund. emerging countries. But it is decidedly
dermines the collective principle on which
The government now recognises the lo- not true of the credit crunch behind the
trade unions base their strength. Philips’
cal spending cap played an important role slump, for which New Labour, along
proposed donation cap of £50,000 would
in ensuring that no party can seek to buy with the US, bears pivotal responsibil-
also restrict the ability of trade unions to
electoral success by spending vast sums of ity. Essentially, the crunch results from
give additional financial support to La-
money above what is generally spent by the bursting of the speculative bubble
bour’s campaigns.
their opponents in property and financial instruments
The Tories want caps put on trade un-
On other aspects of party and election that New Labour promoted to the
ion funding of Labour. They also oppose
finance, the White Paper is less helpful. The detriment of our industry. Since 1997,
increases in state funding as these would
government tried, unsuccessfully, to reach a despite protests from the unions and
predominately assist the Liberal Democrats.
consensus between the main political par- Labour Conference, we have lost one
Policy Exchange, reportedly Cameron’s fa-
ties on more substantial reform and is re- million manufacturing jobs and almost
vourite think tank, published a report, in the
luctant to legislate on these areas at present. half of our industrial GDP. The slack
Spring, documenting the degree to which
However, the paper continues to promote has been taken up by the property, fi-
political parties already benefit from pub-
the principal proposals advocated by the nancial and related business sectors,
lic funds. The Tories will fight any proposal
Hayden Philips’ review of party funding which have been responsible for most
to reinstate spending caps as it undermines
their financial advantage. of our growth since 2003.
The Labour Party’s federal structure in- The very policies of prudence that
New Labour and the cludes both individual members and organ-
isations. The former are grouped in Con-
produced the longest period of con-
tinuous growth since records began
Hand of History stituency Labour Parties, the latter consist have sown the seeds for a deep and
prolonged recession. The key to these
of affiliated trade unions, socialist societies
‘Civic pride and good is hollowed policies was a stable pound with a high
and the Co-operative Party. The structural
out when common goods are dished exchange rate that fed property and
inclusion of organisations within the par-
out as private contracts. The end is finance by drawing in speculative capi-
ty, in particular the union link, would be
a materialistic shell in which only tal from around the world. The strong
threatened should the proposals on dona-
cynicism, opportunism and personal pound was obtained, in the first two
tion caps and increased state funding reap-
profit can exist.’ years, by keeping within Tory spending
pear. In the meantime, a reinstatement of
Rosie Boycott,
local spending caps can only help make lo- (continued on p6)
Guardian, 26 May 2008.
cal campaigning more democratic.
5
CAMPAIGN BRIEFING AUTUMN EDITION 2008
il lsman’s
Peter W
news from the nec
(A report by Peter Willsman of some of the member since 1970 and a delegate to every within the Party.
issues at the June and July NEC meetings. Peter Annual Party Conference since 1973. Ray emphasised that our Party is more than
is a CLP rep. on the NEC (supported by the Ray stated that he intends to be an ad- just a fan club for the Labour Government.
Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance and is CLPD’s vocate for party members and sees this as He argued that the NPF’s purpose must be to
Secretary). the central role of the General Secretary. He allow genuine debate and reach proper conclu-
argued that when political parties allow their sions. It should reinforce democratic account-
new general secretary membership base to wither they lose touch ability, not undermine it, and it should reflect
and they lose elections. the differing strands of opinion in the Party.
In June, Ray Collins, Unite AGS, was ap- Ray also made a commitment to work Ray stated that we have missed too many op-
pointed as General Secretary following the with affiliates and TULO to strengthen and portunities for positive engagement with our
decision by David Pitt-Watson not to take enhance the link, ensuring that the voice of members and he sees it as a matter of urgency
up the post. Bro. Collins has been a party the wider Labour movement is a strong one to improve the credibility and accountability of
the Partnership in Power process. “We cannot
win the next election without committed activ-
grassroots alliance Wins ists who feel they have a stake in the govern-
ment and its manifesto.”
FoUr nec seats
contemporary Motions
CLGa candidates celebrated a four-seat victory in the recent
nEC elections. remitted at annual conference
2007
ELLIE REEVES 21407 ELECTED
Important motions from the major unions
ANN BLACK (CLGA) 20203 ELECTED and from several CLPs (on the future of
CHRISTINE SHAWCROFT (CLGA) 19988 ELECTED Remploy, on supporting the manufactur-
PETER WILLSMAN (CLGA) 17131 ELECTED ing industry and on extending employment
rights) were remitted by Annual Conference
PETER KENYON (CLGA) 16464 ELECTED to the Prosperity and Work Policy Commis-
PETER WHEELER 16395 ELECTED sion. It was reported to the June NEC that
the Unions and all the CLPs have been invited
MOHAMMED AZAM (CLGA) 12895
to the Policy Commission to discuss progress
Ballot papers distributed 158868, ballot papers returned 31480, turnout 19.82% on their Contemporary Motions, and that
(continued from p5) and the low wages, pensions and benefits on phantom rather than real values, that was
and insecure jobs that left the average fam- aided by neo-liberal policies of deregulation
limits; by Brown’s golden rule forbidding defi- ily without savings and indebted up to their and privatisation. This took its most ad-
cit spending over the business cycle; by fur- ears. New Labour in this way handed the vanced form in the US and Britain. Britain,
ther financial de-regulation that established an banks new fields of profitability. in the opinion of experts in the US, OECD
independent central bank; by setting a low in- The crunch began three years ago with the and G8, is the most exposed to the crisis,
flationary target of two per cent and, indeed, downturn of the inflated US property mar- even more vulnerable than the US because
by Brown’s very mantra of stability, prudence ket and losses suffered by holders of hidden of its greater dependence on finance and
and ‘the end to boom and bust’ that fostered sub-prime mortgages that had been marketed property. New Labour is not responsible
an irrational faith in the free market. to poor people at usurious rates. Since these for the capitalist crisis, but it has left us with
Naturally, this ruined our manufacturing holders included the largest world banks, the probably the most serious one.
and high tech export potential that could have collapse of the sub-primes created a general Immediate relief must be given by securing
yielded higher growth and productivity; the fear of lending that affected the ability to bor- higher wages for the low-paid, a tax stimulus
latter remained very low. A resulting trade def- row of other banks, homeowners, and even for low and medium earners and by lower-
icit of five or six per cent was offset by sales public authorities. The borrowing needed by ing interest rates for homeowners, consumers
of financial and business services, inward in- businesses, consumers and homebuyers dried and businesses. But the real solution may lie in
vestment and huge speculative capital flows. up, which further depressed house prices and much more radical restructuring: by the nation-
New Labour’s policies of privatisation consumption. The credit crunch thus led to alisation of banking and credit and the provi-
also contributed to the blow up of property the recession that has spread from the US to sion of long-term investment in manufactur-
and finance; the refusal to build and improve Britain and Western Europe. ing, public housing and infrastructure; the
more council housing; the reliance on costly What we are witnessing is the collapse kind of solutions that recall Labour’s founding
private finance to fund public construction, of a financialised casino capitalism, based clause four.
6
CAMPAIGN BRIEFING AUTUMN EDITION 2008
several robust meetings have taken place. and listening to members, was referred to ments in the Viking, Laval and Rüffert cases.
Separate reports on the discussions on each the Joint Policy Committee. The one from These decisions gave a higher priority to the
of these Contemporary Motions will be tabled Walter Wolfgang and Peter Willsman, calling freedom of circulation of capital and labour
at Conference in Manchester in September and for a fundamental policy shift, was referred across the European market than to the rights
these reports will be individually voted upon. to the “relevant Policy Commisions”. (See be- of trade unions to take industrial action or
low for the text of these motions.) conclude collective agreements. These rul-
nec resolutions from ann ings highlight the fact that existing laws are
Black and Walter Wolfgang anti trade Union judgements in inadequate. In his reply, Gary reported that
the european court of Justice the French are likely to be helpful on this is-
A procedural manoeuvre was employed to sue during their Presidency, and that the Lis-
prevent any discussion at the NEC on these At the July NEC Peter Willsman questioned bon Treaty is also of help. It commits the
two motions. The one from Ann Black and Gary Titley, the Leader of the EPLP, about EU to “a social market economy, aiming at
Peter Willsman, on tax and benefit policy the recent European Court of Justice judge- full employment and social progress”.
grassroots alliance Presses For Party
deMocracy and MaJor Policy shiFt
The CLP reps on the NEC, tax band and gave additional help remedied by publication of
supported by the Centre-Left to all basic rate tax payers in coping all resolutions submitted to
Grassroots Alliance, tabled the with rising fuel and food prices, but conference, as was the case until
following resolutions at the June (e) regrets that this still leaves around 1997, whether or not the conference
NEC: one million of the lowest-paid losers arrangements committee accepted
worse off and feeling let down by them as valid contemporary issues,
1. This NEC: a government which they believed and of all submissions to policy
would protect them, and therefore commissions, so that members
(a) celebrates the Labour calls for further measures which fully would feel less isolated and
government’s achievements in compensate all those who have lost ministers would be more aware of
lifting so many children and out, including backdating to 1 April early warnings from the grassroots;
pensioners out of poverty; 2008; (d) asks the joint policy committee to
(b) endorses the statement in the (f) asks in addition for discussions consider urgently these ways of
Prosperity and Work policy within the party starting now on enhancing communication among
document, published in May 2008, whether next year’s budget will all party members, and not just
that “Labour’s tax and benefit maintain the changed allowances between individual party units and
package is designed so that the or create new groups of losers by the centre.
biggest gains go to the poorest withdrawing them
30% of people in our society” as (motion written and proposed by Ann Black and
reflecting Labour values in action; seconded by Peter Willsman)
(c) regrets that the abolition of the 2. This NEC also:
10% tax band, announced in the
2007 budget and confirmed in (a) notes that while cabinet members
the 2008 budget, undermined say they were unaware of the impact
this principle by reducing the net of abolition of the 10% tax band In order to reconnect with our core-
income of several million low- until recently, ordinary members voters and forge a new progressive
paid citizens, notably part-time have been raising the issues for the coalition, this National Executive
casual workers, the young, the past year. In particular Bethnal Committee will from now on insist
single childless, and early-retiring Green & Bow, Poplar & Limehouse on a fundamental policy shift
pensioners, in order to finance tax and Rochester & Strood CLPs towards equality, fairness and social
cuts for the higher-paid as well as submitted resolutions to last year’s justice, involving a massive housing
targeted rises for older pensioners conference, but these were dismissed drive empowering local councils to
and families with children. This as “not contemporary” by the build homes let at affordable rents,
alienated Labour’s activists and conference arrangements committee, promoting Trade Union rights,
core voters, both those directly and therefore not seen, officially, by investing in and expanding public
affected and those who think it is any other body or party unit; services, ending privatisation,
morally wrong; (b) expresses concern that Partnership withdrawing troops from Iraq
(d) welcomes the changes in income in Power is still failing to provide and Afghanistan and rejecting the
tax thresholds announced by the effective channels through which proposal to renew Trident.
chancellor on 13 May 2008 which members’ views can be shared with
partially remedied the losses each other and with government; (motion written and tabled by Walter Wolfgang
arising from the end of the 10% (c) believes this would be partly and seconded by Peter Willsman)
7
CAMPAIGN BRIEFING AUTUMN EDITION 2008
disProPortional rePresentation
Brian donohoe, MP for you can affect how the voters are represent- that most voters in Scotland are at best
ed. And that means that PR is potentially ill-informed and at worst confused about
central ayrshire, analyses the open to abuse. the Single Transferable Vote and the Ad-
disastrous consequences of Pr Voting in Scotland, as in the rest of the ditional Member System. One must ask:
scotland UK, always used to be on the ‘first past how fair is a voting system that leaves so
the post’ principle, where the candidate many people confused? And why have so
Many years back, when I first heard about with the highest vote was the winner. Vot- many PR systems been developed over the
Proportional Representation, I thought it ers knew exactly who they were voting for years? The answer can surely only be that
wasn’t a bad idea in principle. But as I’ve and the voting system was simple and com- either PR doesn’t work, or that whoever
seen it in action, particularly in Scotland, pletely transparent. Nowadays, however, PR is making the rules wants to refine the
I’ve become very concerned. The main is- is being used increasingly in Scotland: for system in order to achieve the result they
sue for me is that there are so many types European Parliamentary elections, Scottish want: perhaps it should be called the ‘Mu-
of Proportional Representation (PR), and Parliamentary elections and Local Govern- gabe formula’!
depending upon which type you choose, ment elections. Amazingly, all of them use I don’t know about you, but I’m in fa-
different systems, and that’s just the start of vour of an entirely transparent voting sys-
the problems. tem, where we know who we are voting for,
In the European elections, for exam- and where there can only be one interpreta-
DEnnIS SkInnER ple, you don’t vote for a candidate but for tion of the result.
SumS uP a party, and voters have no influence at all
on exactly who represents them. In the
Quite apart from the complex math-
ematics and the danger of PR being open
Scottish Parliamentary elections, there’s to manipulation, there are other major con-
they tell me PR is back on the
a mixture of ‘first past the post’ and an- siderations for Scotland. For example, the
agenda again. the last time it
other form of PR, called the ‘Additional use of PR in the Scottish Parliamentary
became a live issue on the Labour
Member System’ (AMS). 56 MSPs are di- elections – for the reasons I’ve outlined
Party agenda was prior to 1997.
rectly elected, but another 73 – that is, the above – has actually resulted in a dilution
then, the advocates of PR said it
majority of members – are elected from a of the political challenge to Westminster:
was impossible for Labour ever to
list, according to a mechanism called the Is that really what the voters of Scotland
win power again on ‘first past the
“d’Hondt formula”. Once again, the exact want? Furthermore, the increasing use of
post’. they blamed the 18 years of
outcome is out of the voters’ hands. For PR has resulted in an erosion of the im-
tory rule on the voting system.
Local Government elections, Scotland uses portance of the party on the ballot paper.
what many regard as the classic system of Instead one is forced into choosing a list
Of course, 1997 changed all that
PR, called the “Single Transferable Vote” of individuals. As a member of the Labour
and here we are 11 years later with
(STV), where you select an order of prefer- Party, I am worried that this will defocus
a 3rd term Labour Government with
ence of candidates, instead of putting just political debate.
majorities that should not have been one cross on the ballot paper. The final re- My final point is this: although under
marred by the Iraq War vote (only sult under the STV system is calculated us- the traditional ‘first past the post’ system,
achieved by the ‘sloppy embrace’ ing another type of mathematical formula, I can be elected to Westminster with less
with the tories). so once again it’s effectively impossible to than half the vote, those who voted for
know who you are voting for. And over the other candidates are by no means left out
now, the PR knives are out again years, many different formulae have been in the cold. They may not have voted for
and we are told that we cannot beat developed as previous versions have fallen me, but I still represent them. In fact I
the tories without help from 3rd out of favour. rarely call myself the ‘Labour Member for
parties. Apart from, in my view, being unfair, Central Ayrshire’, but simply the ‘Mem-
these different systems of PR are ex- ber’. I represent my entire constituency
not only is the idea a bad one, but tremely confusing. Indeed, a recent report and I want to hear from anybody who
also we can see the results of PR for the Electoral Commission concluded needs my help.
in Wales and Scotland where the So my prescription for change is to re-
‘cockeyed’ system of voting gave us turn to the traditional method of voting,
a coalition in Wales and Scots nats and to concentrate our efforts on persuad-
in power in Scotland, even though New Labour and the ing more people to go to the ballot boxes. If
we are really to achieve fair representation,
Labour won most seats on first past
the post!
Hand of History we need to persuade all those non-voters of
‘Ministers remain deeply reluctant to the importance of their historical right to
Finally, what a farce in the house distance the Government from the choose their elected representative.
of Commons on foxhunting when the failures of the Blair administration.
But until they do they will fight the The above reflects the personal opinions of Brian
PR Lib Dems divided 26 in favour
opposition with one hand tied behind Donohoe MP. None of the above is implied
and 26 against! they cancelled one
their backs.’ as Labour Party policy, nor does the article
another out and they call PR a ‘fair’ represent the views of the First Past the Post All
voting system! Roy Hattersley, Guardian,
20 December 2007 Party Group, of which Brian Donohoe is Joint
Chairman.
8
CAMPAIGN BRIEFING AUTUMN EDITION 2008
the all MeMBers Meeting: hot gossiP (Vindaloo
rating)
clPd MeMBer steVe tyler ‘Saturday September 28. Woke up
eXPeriences the taste oF deMocracy to one of those rare and totally gob-
smacking revelations that newspapers
in a neW laBoUr constitUency very occasionally produce, namely that
John Major had a four year affair with
I walked up to a rather dilapidated old Vic- Edwina Currie [former Conservative
torian house with a faded red door, above New Labour and the MP]. It was one of those ‘cor, fuck me’
jaw-dropping moments. How on earth
which a sign reads ‘Constituency Labour
Party’. I enter and a musty smell of damp Hand of History did he get away with it?’
and decay fills the air. ‘Income inequality is currently at its Alastair Campbell, The Blair Years. p.641
The room has a large table at one end highest level since the late 1940’s.’
and chairs are positioned around in a semi- Institute of Fiscal Studies, red alert: don’t
circle. On one wall a large pin board has New Guardian, 21 January 2008. Forget to read the
Labour literature displayed, Centre Left ma-
terial is absent, not considered suitable for WillsMan gUide to
reading. On the other wall a framed photo about the threatened closure of a local fringe
conFerence 2008
of a young Neil Kinnock hangs, the smile on theatre, along with other matters of interest edition
his face hiding false promise of the future. to those who live in detached houses with
The Executive Committee members sit The indispensable handbook for all
nicely manicured lawns. Local working class delegates and anyone else who wants
together at one end of the room, fresh from community issues are invisible to this New
their pre-meeting discussion. Mostly retired to understand what is really going on
Labour constituency party. at Conference (available free of charge
civil servants, white, middle class, living in A young man enters, a new member, the
the best areas within the constituency, next from 10 Park Drive, London, NW11
Executive pass judgement by murmuring to 7SH or download from clpd.org.uk).
door to nice Tory voting neighbours. All are each other “not one of us”, “what does he
New Labour/Neo Conservatives; like-mind- want?”, “maybe he’s one of those”, “one of
ed, their combined voting power ensures those what?”, “you know a socialist”, “if we
that they, and they alone, have total control
of the constituency.
ignore him he won’t come back”. The young New Labour and the
A few other ordinary members turn up;
man hides as best he can in the corner of
the room. Hand of History
most will, like nodding donkeys, go along Prior to the party’s Conference, the con-
with whatever the Executive decides, There stituency delegate, chosen from amongst the ‘Gordon Brown needs to win back the
will be no subversive left wing chat at this most loyal New Labour members, is briefed 12% lead he had when hopes of change
meeting. by the Executive to toe the party line at Con- followed the change of leadership. It
Standing up, I ask what was discussed at ference and to clap loudly and often dur- won’t be done by flying a union flag over
the pre-meeting, and for that matter at the ing the leader’s speech. Whilst this charade every privatised school and hospital.’
Executive Committee meeting the previous is going on, I pass on to a fellow member Tribune editorial, 28 March 2008.
week (the dates of these meetings are kept some Centre Left literature. This is done
secret). most discreetly, like two naughty school boys
A hushed silence fills the room. The Ex- exchanging dirty photos under the desks sUPPort socialist
ecutive looks at each other in dismay that in class in order to avoid being seen by the
such a question should be asked. caMPaign groUP
teacher.
The silence is suddenly broken by a A guest speaker arrives, like some sort of
neWs and the
member breaking wind rather loudly. Laugh- evangelist preaching from the gospel. He has socialist caMPaign
ter all round. I sink back into my chair; the
question is forgotten.
come to make a speech on “The Joy of New groUP oF laBoUr MPs
Labour”. The Executive is held in rapture, I
First item on the agenda is to find vol- GO TO WWW.SCGN.ORG.UK
nod off.
unteers amongst the ordinary members to Suddenly I wake with a start. For a mo-
deliver the constituency newsletter. This ment I think I may have inadvertently wan-
particular document contains much detail dered into the Conservative Association
meeting up the road, but no it’s only two eld-
New Labour and the
erly members deep in discussion about that Hand of History
New Labour and the “nice David Cameron”, “maybe it would not
be so bad if he became our next Prime Min- ‘The English education system is
Hand of History ister”, one commented. “After all”, the other sliding back into Victorian times, with
replied, “Tory and New Labour policies are today’s schools almost as segregated
‘The reason that we went into Iraq was one and the same”. How true, I thought, by social class as they were in the 19th
to establish a permanent military base how very true. Time for tea and biscuits. I century.’
in the Gulf region.’ make my excuses and head out of the door Extract from a new book,
Jimmy Carter, former US President, towards the Railway Tavern for something The Education Debate,
Guardian 9 June 2007. stronger, to take away that bitter taste of Guardian 29 January 2008.
‘The All Members Meeting’.
9
CAMPAIGN BRIEFING AUTUMN EDITION 2008
aBoUt clPd and its gains annual conference
highlights
For Party deMocracy SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER
CLPD was formed in 1973 by a group toral college involving MPs, CLPs and 10.30am, Jury’s Inn Hotel
of rank-and-file activists with support TUs. Previously Labour leaders were
from about ten Labour MPs. The first elected by MPs alone. This demand was CLPD Rally and
President was Frank Allaun. The main achieved in January 1981 and was a great Delegates’ Briefing
motivation for the Campaign was the victory and advance for Party democracy, with Mohammed Azam, Tony Benn,
record of the Labour governments in although some MPs saw it as a reason to Ann Black (NEC), Tony Dubbins
the sixties and the way that Annual Con- defect and form the SDP, now defunct. (Chair of TULO), Kelvin Hopkins
ference decisions were continually ig- CLPD additionally promoted a range MP, Peter Kenyon (NEC), Christine
nored on key domestic and international of reforms to give Labour women and Shawcroft (NEC), Gavin Strang
issues. The immediate cause was Harold black members greater representation MP, Peter Willsman (NEC) (Special
Wilson’s outright rejection in 1973 of within the Party. The main demand for a briefing for delegates), Walter
the proposal to take into public owner- woman on every parliamentary shortlist Wolfgang (NEC).
ship some 25 of the largest manufactur- was achieved over the period 1986-88. Entry £2 (Conc: 50p).
ing companies, covering the major sec- CLPD will sometimes promote
tors of the economy. seemingly non-democracy issues such as
CLPD’s first demand was, therefore, the significant extension of public own- SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER
for mandatory reselection of MPs so that ership, defending the welfare state and 12.45pm, Jury’s Inn Hotel
they would be under pressure to carry the first-past-the-post electoral system
out Conference policies and be account- (PR equals no Labour Government). All Grassroots Umbrella
able to Party members. This demand was such policies derive from our commit- Network Reception and
achieved in 1979/80 through the over- ment to egalitarian values and socialist Briefing for Delegates
whelming support of CLPs and several advance.
major unions, especially those unions The major focus of CLPD’s work Food and drink available.
where the demand for reselection was in recent years has been to win back the Here delegates can meet each other,
won at their own annual conferences (eg. power for ordinary rank-and-file party meet members of the NEC, TU
TGWU, AUEW, NUPE). members which has been surreptitiously General Secretaries and MPs.
CLPD also sought to make the leader transferred to the centre under the pre- Free for delegates (£5.00 others).
accountable through election by an elec- text of ‘modernisation’.*
TUESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER
6.00pm, Relish Bar, Deansgate
*to find out more about CLPD, visit
our website at www.clpd.org.uk. New Labour and the Conference Assessment and
the Way Forward for Labour
CLPD can usually provide speakers Hand of History
Chair Peter Willsman (NEC), Speakers
for meetings, especially if requests Mohammed Azam, Ann Black (NEC),
‘Research conducted by academics
are made well in advance. to arrange on behalf of the education charity Katy Clark MP, Kelvin Hopkins MP,
this, ring Francis Prideaux on 0208 The Sutton Trust, reveals that poorer Jim Kennedy (NEC-UCATT), Peter
students are being put off applying to Kenyon (NEC), Christine Shawcroft
9607460 and leave a message for (NEC), Walter Wolfgang (NEC).
university for fear of getting into debt.’
him if you get the machine and not Entry £1.00 (Conc: 50p).
Guardian, 23 January 2008.
the man himself.
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