Would the actions of local Momentum members be judged to represent it nationally? Blenkinsop letter to Labour HQ over affiliation bid

This is the full text of the letter sent by Labour backbencher Tom Blenkinsop to party general secretary Iain McNicol over Momentum’s plans to seek affiliation.

Dear Iain

I am writing with regards to Jon Lansman’s proposal to affiliate Momentum to the Labour Party.

My views on Momentum have been clearly expressed in the past so I will not detail them here,

However, I do hope you will be able to offer some further clarity on the process by which Momentum proposes to affiliate to the party.

In the Rule Book the guidelines for groups wishing to affiliate to the party are outlined in sections 3-5 of Chapter I, Clause II. I would be grateful if you could confirm if these are the exhaustive requirements for affiliation to the party? Would Momentum be required to submit five years of accounts to the NEC for examination, as I believe is the usual practice?

In addition, what would the status of ‘Momentum Campaign (Services) Lrd’ and ‘Jeremy for Labour Ltd’ be in this process? Would the data they possess and the processes by which it is gathered by checked for compliance with data protection standards?

Finally, would the actions and pronouncements of local Momentum branches be adjudged to represent the organisation nationally when considering their application?

I would think that given the controversy surrounding this organisation, as well as the fact it has openly welcomed members of proscribed organisation into its leadership, not to mention former members of our party who have been expelled or suspended by the NEC, any consideration of a proposal to affiliate this organisation to our party must be scrutinised with great care.

Yours sincerely

Tom Blenkinsop

Labour member of parliament for Middlesborough South and East Cleveland