Refounding Labour – we need to enthuse our members

By Ann Black

Labour’s strength is in the loyalty, integrity and experience of its members. In return they deserve a leadership which respects, engages and inspires them.

In ten years on the NEC I’ve received thousands of messages, and this continuing conversation is why I will never leave Labour. Some celebrate winning the first seat on a parish council in the Tory shires, or taking back control of their northern city. Others give moving personal accounts: parents of disabled people rejected from job after job, feeling guilty for being in a wheelchair, and pilloried as scroungers. Many comment on policy developments, including those who explained why abolishing the 10% tax band was a bad idea. Sadly “Partnership in Power” did not allow them to be heard.

To a man and a woman they have no patience with plotting and disunity, and they are furious with MPs who exploited the expenses system and ex-ministers selling themselves to the highest bidder. These are the volunteers who put in hundreds of unpaid hours working to elect Labour candidates and they expected better.

Looking forward, Labour must convince members that they have a voice. After 14 years most still cannot name their national policy forum representatives, and in any case the forum itself barely exists. Instead influence seems to lie with shadowy working groups, cliques, factions and the men of Blue Labour. The NEC, Labour’s ruling body, cannot counter media disinformation because we are equally in the dark.

If all this eventually produces attractive and principled policies, it may not matter who is on the working groups. But more immediately members are desperate for visible, articulate and effective leadership. They want shadow ministers to refute the mantra “Labour wrecked the economy and we have to clear up the mess”, parroted by every coalition MP at every opportunity. And they want a positive alternative vision and some clear, punchy campaign messages.

Yes, Labour does need to open up and reach out beyond its current base. But unless and until our own members are enthused they are unlikely to go out and enthuse others. That is the first battle to be won.

You can join in the Refounding Labour consultation – and say what you Love about the party, and what you would change – here.

Ann is a constituency representative on the national executive committee. She can be contacted at [email protected], and her reports of meetings are here.