Empowering our CLPs

By Darrell Goodliffe

How we organise says something about our politics. It is not the last word but it’s certainly a comment on our values and how we relate them to our actions. What is more, we are not the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats or any other political party; we claim to represent an entire movement so our organisation has to reflect that and not just be the motor of Labour electoral success but something more. Currently I think we can all agree we are a long way from where we need to be in this and in my eyes the primary reason is the lack of internal democracy.

When it comes to units of organisation like our Constituency Labour Parties I think the effect of this is to corrode them and spread rot down from the top of our party right to the bottom. It’s impossible to generalise because some CLPs will be exceptional regardless (a testament to the dedication of local activists) and others less so. However, the problem with CLPs in general is the lack of power they enjoy within the party. This is damaging for our claim to be in favour of true community politics.

The reality is this; emasculation of the CLPs is something that the centre of the party is happy because it warrants an increase in its powers and makes it necessary. Choked and lifeless they become unable to function so they need to the centre to be there for them. It becomes a vicious circle. So, how can we remedy this?

Certainly CLPs should have the power to submit motions to conference that are binding if the vote is won. No wonder fewer and fewer send delegates to our annual conference when they are nothing more than window dressing in a show-conference. Also, nominations they make in any leadership contest should count and they should have a decisive role in all selections. We have to discuss the right of recall of our representatives too so the lines of accountability are clearer and the CLPs have the power to hold our representatives to account for their actions. Our MPs enjoy far too much of a free hand and we see this time and time again – like during the Phil Woolas affair – where they are so disconnected from the wider party and indeed the public they thoughtlessly damage the credibility of the whole.

However, these are all pretty standard demands. More needs to be done. It’s time to open our CLPs up to the wider movement. Representatives from trades councils, the unions, and community campaigns should be invited as standard practice. Not all of these should be allowed a vote when it comes to deciding business or motions but some should and the rest will be able to see, transparently, how we do our business politically.

CLPs should be there to provide political leadership in the area. The more mundane task of organisational leadership can be delegated to branches and the CLP executive committee. Our CLPs should become political hubs for a wider movement and, reflecting this, they should enjoy increased power and prestige within the party. This way not only will we get our business done but we will become more organically, and democratically, linked to the wider movement – something that can only make our party much stronger.