By Martin Thomas
According to the report by left-wing Labour National Executive member Pete Willsman from the Executive meeting on 22 November, “a majority of Constituency Labour Party delegates voted [at the Liverpool Labour Party conference in September] against every rule change put forward by CLPs.
“For example, that there should be a rule that every conference should have four contemporary motions from trade unions and four more from CLPs [at present CLPs usually get fewer than four, because their number is reduced if they choose the same topic as the unions]; that CLPs should have the right to submit a rule change and a Contemporary Motion (at the moment they can only submit one or the other); the right at Conference to vote on huge National Policy Forum documents in parts, rather than by one all-or-nothing vote…
“The latter, very important, democratic proposal was carried thanks to the trade unions, but certainly not thanks to the CLPs”.
This record corroborates the picture given when, in a vote at conference, the right-wing candidate defeated the left for a slot on the National Constitutional Committee.
There has been a big shift to the left among average members of local Labour Parties, but evidently the right wing is still organising more efficiently to win delegacies.
At least part of the reason is that the Labour left grouping Momentum has, at a natinoal level, given little attention to organising in local Labour Parties for motions and delegacies. Turning that round, so that Momentum supports good work being done by some of its local groups and works to generalise it, is urgent.
Let us know what you think? Write a reply? theclarionmag@gmail.com