Co-op Party General Secretary to step down

In an email to Co-op Party members today, General Secretary Michael Stephenson has announced that he plans to step down in the coming months. Stephenson said:

“After nearly four years in the job I believe it is the right time to move on and support the movement in new ways.”

Stephenson went on to attack the record of the coalition on co-operatives, and their use of co-operative language:

“The Tories and LibDems are cynically trying to steal our co-operative credentials and even take credit for all the legislation Co-operative MPs achieved under a Labour Government. We have to fight the deception and cynical opportunism of the Tory/LibDem government and stop them destroying the reputation of our great co-operative movement.”

“In this, the International Year of Co-operatives, it is vital that we show that we continue to be the genuine political arm of the co-operative movement and an effective sister party to Labour. And we must also show that we are the party that more than any other upholds the values and principles of co-operation at a time when those values are most at risk of compromise by our enemies on the Right who talk the language of our movement but betray it with their actions at every opportunity.”

Under his leadership, the Co-op Party has grown by more than 40% over the past three years. On behalf of everyone at LabourList, I’d like to wish Michael success in his future endeavours.