Project Game Plan: A fresh start for the party?

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

The post slides through your letterbox and lands with a dull thud on the doormat. You rush to the door and pick up the envelope you’ve waited so long for – the one containing your Labour Party ballot paper. You tear it open, pull out the ballot paper, and discard the literature that comes with it.

You’ve made a mistake though, because inside the Labour Today magazine included with your ballot paper (on pages 26-27 to be precise) there’s something very interesting indeed.

Project Game Plan is a new initiative designed to improve our campaigning ability across the party, and help active members do what they do best – and do it better.

I won’t go through the whole plan line by line (although it’s well worth a read), but there are two things in particular that stand out to me.

Firstly, as a former party organiser, working in both safe and hyper-marginal seats, I know the difference that a local organiser can make to a party campaign. Having someone working full-time on the ground, helping volunteers and party members to maximise the effectiveness of their time is crucial. So I’m delighted that this new plan by the party includes the provision to put 30 community-based party organisers in place for the next five years. This could be the difference between success and failure, and the fact that the party is moving on this straight away bodes very well for the future.

Secondly, party members, by and large, join the party because they want to get involved in making improvements in their communities, and change Britain for the better. A crucial part of the project is the establishment of the Labour Party Training Academy, which will be open to every party member. The academy will teach everything from campaign skills to statistics, and will be taught locally, nationally and through membersnet. It means that all members can easily access the skills that they need to make the most of their energy and enthusiasm, and aid their communities, as well as the party, as we fight back.

These are tangible changes that could make a real difference as the party tries to move on from a difficult election defeat. These are going to be hard years for the country, and if we want to win the next election, taking action now is vital. That’s why I’ll be donating £5 per month to Project Game Plan to try and help the party achieve something worthwhile. I hope you’ll consider doing the same – but if you still need convincing, watch this video: