Paula Barker: Why I’m backing the Momentum Renewal candidates

As we approach the start of voting for Momentum’s national coordinating group elections, voters need to remember what this organisation is for. A vital debate on democracy and accountability in our organisation is currently underway – but this debate is just one part of a much larger conversation that is needed.

Now is a pivotal time for the Labour left. Reeling from a terrible election defeat, the loss of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader, the loss of the leadership election and the loss of the national executive committee, the gains made by the left in Labour could come undone as quickly as they came about.

In this moment, Momentum must remember its purpose – to transform the labour movement into a fight for socialism. Our democracy is vital in this process, but we must look outwards as well as in. During this campaign, Momentum Renewal has been focused on an outward-facing discussion on how we might do that, relating to the Labour Party and broader society.

The vision for Renewal is a Momentum integrated with Labour at every level of our party. An organisation run by and accountable to its members, winning national votes in Labour, represented in Labour’s NEC, the regions, the national policy forum and other bodies of our party; represented in local government, in branches, in constituencies and in communities. It’s a vision for an organisation making key contributions to the development of policy in Labour – and acting as a gateway for new members from the broader labour movement to join and get involved.

The Momentum Renewal platform agrees wholeheartedly that Momentum’s over-centralised structures need an overhaul, and our London-centric model for organising is in dire need of a shake-up. But from our perspective, it’s hard not to notice the dearth of detail from Forward Momentum in how to build that broader role for Momentum within Labour and the rest of our movement. And there are other reasons to be cautious.

Forward Momentum’s initial proposals to dilute the trade union link with Momentum will cause a great deal of concern at the top of our unions, especially given the left’s symbiotic relationship with them over the past five years. Without the unions, Jeremy would never have gotten onto the ballot. The left would have never achieved a majority on the NEC and been able to protect him. We would have barely won a single vote at conference.

The unions represent the last link between our party and organised Labour – a sacred link that stems back to the foundation of this organisation over 100 years ago. Moving forward, Momentum must recognise the need for greater union involvement – not less – if we are to continue to thrive in Labour and move on from our recent defeats.

It has also been concerning to watch Forward Momentum pursue such a negative campaign, focusing heavily on negative issues with Momentum whilst ignoring its achievements. Over the past four years, Momentum has been behind the selection of almost every left Labour MP in parliament today. We supported the leader’s office through thick and thin, we played a huge role in the stunning election result of 2017 and for years managed to ensure a solid left majority on the NEC.

Times have changed, and now Momentum must change with them. Momentum Renewal is a movement to bring a whole new generation of the left’s best activists and organisers from across the country into the driving seat of the organisation to direct that course.

NCG candidates such as Matt Brown reflect this new generation. He is leader of Preston Council and architect of the ‘Preston model’ that has transformed his city. The model, in which local councils use their procurement powers to support cooperatives and mutual enterprises, has transformed Preston City Centre. It is now the gold standard for local government across the country.

Or we have Laura McAlpine, an inspiring young organiser from Harlow – sadly not an MP following our losses in the 2019 election. Laura is a prominent local housing campaigner, a lifelong fighter for social justice and a hugely prominent figure in the South East campaigning for better lives for working people.

Huda Elmi, an inspiring candidate who has campaigned tirelessly for Jeremy and socialism on our NEC – putting up a huge fight against the right and making sure members voices are heard. Huda is an icon in our movement, and it is a huge honour to have her standing under the Renewal banner.

Or the legendary Glasgow councillor Matt Kerr, a prominent figurehead on the Scottish Labour left leading the party’s fight to reclaim lost ground in Scotland. Matt is an inspiring figure in our movement.

These are just a few examples of the incredible team that Momentum Renewal has mobilised to shake up Momentum, and transform our organisation into a vehicle for socialism and change in Labour.

So much needs to change in Momentum – and choosing the right people to change it will be crucial. Fundamentally, through this election, Momentum members must remember our purpose. A socialist Labour Party is our destination; Momentum is just the vehicle. It simply does not work the other way around.