Labour’s London Primary must be as accessible as possible

The two-party system is on the way out. If there is a political lesson from the last two months, then that is it. The SNP’s popularity in Scotland and the rising stock of UKIP south of the border tell a clear story of people fed up with politics as usual. They are sick of the tribalism, bored of the politicking, tired of trying to work out who stands for what. They want something different: to be treated honestly, listened to, engaged. Political parties can no longer rely on those that have always voted for them to do so again – reaching beyond traditional lines and broadening appeal will be key in 2015 and beyond.

In that context, Ed Miliband’s decision to allow the Labour candidate for Mayor of London to be chosen through a primary is an inspired one. It is a move that many of us in the party have supported for some time, including, most recently, the think tank Progress. For the first time, that candidate won’t just be selected by Labour members and trade union activists, but by a broader coalition of left-leaning Londoners. That can only be a good thing for the capital.

This is a unique opportunity for all those seeking the Labour nomination to engage with Londoners on a wider scale than ever before. It means that the millions of Londoners who don’t pin themselves to a particular party but care passionately about their city and are engaged in the issues that affect their community will be given the same voice as party activists. Candidates will no longer be able to appeal only to a narrow support base but instead must make their arguments to the city as a whole, and whoever is selected will have the support of a much wider chunk of the London electorate.

To achieve all this, it is crucial that the primary is as easy as possible to take part in. As with any election, there are organisational costs and, as such, it makes sense to charge a small administration fee to become a supporter.

But the rumours of a £10 fee, reported in a recent Evening Standard story, are troubling. At a time when Londoners are struggling with rocketing rents, soaring energy costs and stagnant wages, we cannot ask people to cough up £10 to vote and seriously expect many to do so. Such a high fee would be counter to the very aims of a primary and will do more to turn people off the process than draw them in.

Instead, the fee should be as low as possible. While I would ideally like to see a £1 fee, a charge of £3 would be enough to help cover costs while still encouraging as many Londoners as possible to get involved in the primary. That’s why I’ve today launched a ‘Three to Decide’ campaign to keep the fee low and help ensure the London primary is as accessible as possible to Londoners wanting to get involved in selecting the Labour candidate. The French Socialist Party charged just €1 for voting in their 2011 presidential primary and as a result were rewarded with 3 million new registered supporters (compared to just 150,000 party members). That is the sort of engagement we should be aspiring to in London.

Across the Atlantic, as the Obama presidency draws to a close and attention turns to his likely successor, excited speculation will begin about Hilary Clinton and her possible rivals in the Democrat presidential primary. It is that inclusive and widespread excitement, interest and engagement in the primary process that we must also seek to capture in London. This is not an internal party issue but a key moment in the future direction of our city – and one that as many Londoners as possible should have a say in. Provided there is a low barrier to entry, primaries can transform the way an election is run. Let’s not waste this opportunity to get thousands more Londoners involved in choosing Labour’s candidate for Mayor.

David Lammy is the Labour MP for Tottenham and a candidate for London Mayor