Refounding Labour

By Luke Akehurst / @lukeakehurst

OK, forget the niggles about the consultation process. Forget the bits about voting strength where a consensus is still being sought.

Refounding Labour was never supposed to be a bun-fight about voting strengths. It was supposed to be about creating structures that helped Labour win back power at the next election, and addressing members’ desire for more transparent policy making.

I believe that the bulky document agreed by the NEC yesterday, if properly followed through and implemented, could have a transformative effect.

The highlights are:

• Easier recruitment of less-well off members with new membership rates of £15 for local joiners, registered supporters who join, and trade union members; and a £1 join rate for armed forces veterans
• A new system of funding for CLPs which means that the poorest and smallest constituency parties will move out of a permanent cycle of debt and every CLP will get a basic package of support including access to contact.creator, Euro election leaflets, insurance, and a delegate to Party Conference so they can participate in our internal democracy, and £1.50 per member to cover administration and communication costs. This will transform the ability to campaign of our smaller CLPs. New national funds have been created which CLPs can make bids to – to fund organisers and other aspects of participation in party democracy. There will be losers – the biggest and richest CLPs, like my own – but this is practicing the redistribution and solidarity at the heart of our values.
• Flexibility for CLPs to organise their local structures the way that best suits their geography and size of membership.
• The delayering of a level of bureaucracy with a move from large Local Government Committees sometimes trying to backseat drive councillors to slim-lined and campaigning focused Local Campaign Forums.
• Affiliate status for Young Labour and the Association of Labour Councillors so they can have a strong, independent voice in our policy-making.
• Reduction of the minimum membership age to 14.
• The enshrinement of community campaigning as a core objective of the Party in a new Clause I of our constitution.
• Every CLP to have a development plan, ending drift from year to year.
• A focus on making the union link a living reality at local level with more interaction between CLPs and affiliates.
• CLPs encouraged to reach out and engage with local communities and embed community organising in the way they work.
• Regional parties’ lay Boards to be re-empowered and given responsibility for the health of CLPs in their region.
• A registered supporters’ scheme based on the latest campaign technology to enable CLPs to own lists of supporters who do not wish to join, and mobilise them.
• Candidate contracts to ensure all candidates campaign effectively.
• Major investment in training activists and office holders.
• Investment in a new online platform to transform membersnet.

I’m really proud as an NEC member of this package of changes. I hope delegates will enthusiastically support them at conference.