We have to talk to Faith groups, NGOs, Greens and Lib Dems to renew our movement

By Joe Cox

The recent cabinet resignations and the expenses revelations have meant that a deeper, more meaningful conversation about the future of British politics and society has been smothered. When Jeremy Paxman asked Barry Sheerman MP (one of the leading voices that called for Brown’s resignation) what Gordon Brown should do to improve Labour’s performance, his answer was ‘better communication’. Yet it’s the issues that matter, and the issues that get activists knocking on doors.

Compass has always maintained that inequality would rise if we did nothing about taxing the very rich; support for the BNP would increase if we ignored our core vote; markets in key areas like housing would fail if social investment wasn’t forthcoming. Millions of voters and thousands of party members have been lost since 2001. They will go on being lost unless the Party changes direction. Now the dust has settled, this is the reality that Labour must now confront head on.

In our ‘No Turning Back‘ statement back in March 2009, Compass said that if we don’t want to turn back to the old political economy of market fundamentalism then we need a conversation with individuals and groups who want to build a better society: not just the Labour movement but NGOs, faith groups, Liberal Democrats, Greens and others. It’s no good having a conversation with a dwindling number of ourselves about ourselves.

The European election results were undoubtedly shocking for the left but there was one progressive party, the Green Party, whose vote was up almost 44% since 2004. This bucked the national and European wide trend of voters turning to the right. There are also other progressive NGOs that are thriving; I am reliably informed that Hope not Hate’s email list now dwarfs that of the Labour Party.

That is why at Compass we took the bold move of inviting Caroline Lucas MEP, leader of the Green Party, to address our conference this Saturday 13 June at the Institute of Education – she’ll be joined by high-profile Labour figures including Harriet Harman, Jon Cruddas and Baroness Helena Kennedy QC. We are also bringing together 40 sessions organised by the leading think tanks, pressure groups, NGOS and publications from the wider progressive community. We believe we must reach out and build alliances and have a conversation that goes beyond Labour if there is to truly be No Turning Back to the old politics – those who preach a new politics must practice a new politics and that’s what we’re trying to do through the No Turning Back conference this Saturday.

We understand this is challenging and even uncomfortable territory for some Labour Party members but if we are to renew our Party into something more pluralist (and less tribalist), more open, and more democratic – that goes beyond ‘better communication’ – then it is a fundamental necessity.

We only have around 50 places left but if you would like you to join us this Saturday then click here to register.

Related posts:

1. Faith and politics can and must mix
2. Why not open the commons to all parliament groups?
3. Could faith be the saviour of politics?
4. It’s time to phase out faith schools
5. Even in the downturn, we should still talk about Africa