Labour should keep using tech to boost inclusivity and transparency after this crisis

Over the last fortnight, many of us have transitioned to working from home. Whether working in companies, charities or government, we’ve felt the imperative to keep going. This is a massive challenge when your customers, clients, and whole way of working are in flux. Some people are back on the kitchen table while keeping children occupied. For others, it can mean spending all day in their bedroom shut away from housemates. For employers and employees alike, that poses a further challenge: how do we maintain morale and the mental wellbeing of staff who are now all remotely working?

Technology has stepped in on both fronts at my organisation. Two weeks ago, I wasn’t familiar with Zoom, BlueJeans, or Hangouts. Today they dominate my working day, and they actually make us more productive. Video conferences happen far quicker than it ever took to arrange a face-to-face meeting. Our lunchtime hangouts mean we can catch-up with colleagues over a sandwich and check in on our wellbeing. And now that various adjustments have been made at home and work, I’ve been using this tech to immerse myself in politics again. I’ve reflected on how we can use a sovereign wealth fund on a Fabian discussion, joined a phone bank to call members and later in the week some of the Labour Business executive will have a coffee or a cocktail on Houseparty.

But in the same way that we have used the Covid-19 crisis to find ways to work better, smarter and differently, I hope we may have the answer to some of the challenges we face as a party. Because we’re not inclusive to people with disabilities. We’re too London-centric. Some members have a greater say than others. Our leaders can feel remote. And we think the answer to engaging and empowering members is to send an email. It’s no surprise, then, that the overwhelming majority of our members don’t get involved.

Imagine a future where our shadow team uses Zoom to lead a national conversation on social care with party activists and UNISON and GMB frontline workers; or where activists running local campaigns on accessibility in public transport get together monthly to compare what’s working for them; or where BAME Labour host a webinar a day in Black History Month to debate the policy priorities for the next Labour government. All members equal: the same share of voice and same opportunity to influence policy for members, regardless of whether you live in Redbridge, Redcar or Redditch. But this opportunity cannot just be about policy development and engagement.

Disability Labour has raised repeated concerns about the barriers created by our structures, and a majority of members with a disability have expressed their inability to participate. If we use this opportunity to think again, we can make disability inclusion a guiding principle for the future, removing barriers that restrict participation. We can support disabled members into leadership positions, ensure that there is full engagement in discussions and participation in campaigning. Angela Rayner has spoken about setting hard targets for inclusion of disabled members, and I want us to be a disability confident employer – technology is the answer to both of those challenges.

We all have a responsibility to usher in the next generation of political activists, campaigners and leaders. Keir Starmer’s proposal for a Labour Party College can be entirely delivered using an online platform. Our political education can be in plenary session, then we can go into workshops for specific leadership training sessions. The realisation has suddenly dawned that there is an easier and inclusive way to do politics, and it doesn’t involve getting a train to Westminster. And then there’s the benefit from a transparency point of view. Our constituency, local government, trade union, BAME and youth reps could host webinars before and after key meetings, and be more answerable and accountable to members.

The last fortnight has shown the resilience we have as a society. We’ve come together in communities to show kindness. We’ve built hospitals and, wherever possible, we have kept the show on the road at work. Once this current crisis comes to pass, our incoming leadership team will find a membership even more ready to play their part in delivering a Labour government. It means community engagement, policy development, and campaign innovation led from the grassroots, not dictated by head office. All members equal. All members engaged. All members united – in the last fortnight we’ve discovered how technology can deliver this.