Momentum reveals timetable for upcoming internal elections

Momentum has revealed the timetable for the next internal elections to its national coordinating group, which current NCG members have decided will conclude on June 30th.

Following a meeting of the NCG over the weekend, members of the organisation that grew out of Jeremy Corbyn’s 2015 leadership campaign have been told the following:

“Nominations for those wanting to stand for our NCG will open at midday on Thursday 28 May and end at midday on Thursday 11 June.

“A one-member-one-vote ballot will then be held from midday on Tuesday 16 June until midday on Tuesday 30 June.

“All members who have joined Momentum and are up to date with their membership payments by midday on Thursday 11 June will be eligible to vote.”

The elections will take place entirely online due to the coronavirus lockdown. Momentum has promised to send out more details on the application process in due course.

The network held “online activist meet-ups” over the weekend, which saw over 400 members join discussions on the future of the movement. Momentum says a report is being written on these for the new NCG.

According to the constitution of Momentum, NCG elections must be held annually – but the 2019 contests were postponed to avoid clashing with local elections, then delayed further by the general election and Labour leadership elections.

These NCG elections will be the first held by the group since 2018. In anticipation of the contests, campaigns such as Forward Momentum have been launched – and they intend to organise slates of candidates.

Forward Momentum has said it wants to “refound” and “democratise” Momentum, and “re-energise” the Labour left. John McDonnell has expressed support for the initiative.

It has criticised Momentum for being “too London-centric” and “not sufficiently member-led”. The activists are calling for a more “inclusive” culture, with a greater focus on organising in workplaces and communities.

Officers of Momentum’s NCG recently said the organisation “cannot continue as it has been”. In a statement, they called for “unity, reflection and comradely debate on the way forward”.