The Co-operative Party in Westminster: Who we are, and what we do

By Meg Hillier MP

The Co-operative Party is the second largest opposition party in parliament with 28 MPs. Each of them is, of course, also a Labour MP.

As a group we are keen to bring our distinctive and radical policy agenda to help shape the policies of the current government and of the opposition. We have a talented group of MPs and working with friends of the cooperative ideal, we are building key teams with other supporters to develop policy.

The Co-op Party achieved a lot when Labour was in government, but we are determined to watch the coalition closely and press for cooperative solutions where we can. And we have a mission to ensure that real cooperative solutions are developed, in preference to the Tories’ Co-op lite policies.

So we have policy working groups on education (headed by Co-op MP and former education secretary Ed Balls); on the future of British Waterways (Alun Michael is leading); on consumer affairs (headed by Baroness Angela Smith) and on the future of Network Rail (being led by Louise Elman). We also have a working group on the environment, headed by Stella Creasy, and a mutual finance group (led by Chris Leslie).

So far we have had a productive debate on the future of British Waterways (secured by new Stoke MP Tristram Hunt) and contact with the minister. A number of MPs spoke passionately in favour of Supporters’ Trusts during an adjournment debate this week.

We have seen a lively debate about Community Energy Projects in Westminster Hall, which was attended by a number of our MPs, including a few newly elected ones. In addition to this, there has been a whole host of written and oral questions to government ministers on issues of interest to our party and movement.

We also have several new Co-op Party members of the House of Lords. The former chair of the treasury select committee John McFall, the longest serving government whip of all time, Tommy McAvoy, and the former cabinet office minister Angela Smith amongst them. Our party now has more representation in both Houses of Parliament than at any time in our long history.

We plan, throughout this parliament, to continue using every opportunity to highlight our policies and ideas, and to keep fighting for co-operative solutions.