Ahead of the May 2021 elections, Bristol West Labour must unify and organise

A year ago, despite the cold, dark and wet conditions, Labour Party members in Bristol West campaigned day and night across the South West to deliver a transformative Labour government. This commitment made the result even more heart-breaking. Whilst we returned four Labour MPs in Bristol, the party nationally endured its worst general election result in over 80 years.

Despite ten years of Tory government, Labour ended up 123 parliamentary seats short of a parliamentary majority, and will require an electoral swing of 10.3 percentage points in the next general election for a majority of just one. Such a large national swing has only been achieved in two of the 21 general elections held over the last 80 years.

The result hurt so much because it left us far from being able to deliver the agenda that we know this country needs. High investment in public services, a mass affordable house building programme and proper funding for high-skilled, well-paid, and unionised jobs in the green energy industry. All of these will remain policy ideals, not reality, whilst Labour remains out of power.

A year on, we must not lose sight of the scale of the challenge ahead. There is no law of politics that means Labour will form a government again. There is a growing gap in this country between largely younger, city-dwelling voters, living in areas that have benefited from economic investment and access to educational opportunities on the one hand, and older voters and those based outside of cities, living in areas of economic disinvestment on the other. Our party must reach out and bridge that gap by uniting our country around an agenda of fundamental economic reform.

For grassroots Labour Party members, the way forward is clear. Given the electoral mountain that our party faces, if we want to see a Labour government again, we must pull together now and organise to get one. Bristol West Labour must play its part and contribute to that effort.

I am one of a group of members who is part of the Unity Team here in Bristol West. If elected at February’s rescheduled AGM, we will unite our Constituency Labour Party (CLP) around campaigning to win Labour representation in the South West. Bristol West is one of the largest CLPs in the country, with over 4,000 members. We will ensure that each one can channel their energy and experience to where it is most needed.

Firstly, our CLP must help to deliver a Labour-run Bristol City Council, Bristol mayor, West of England mayor and Avon and Somerset police and crime commissioner in next May’s elections. Due to the ongoing pandemic, campaigning will be different, which means we must provide training opportunities to members in Labour’s phone banking technology as quickly as possible and provide new ways for members to come together and campaign.

Secondly, we will develop campaign networks with local Labour parties in neighbouring marginal constituencies. If Labour is to form the next government, it simply must win seats like Filton and Bradley Stoke and Kingswood in the South West. In the 2019 general election, Labour’s share of the vote fell in both constituencies – we must turn that tide.

Through campaign networks, we will ensure that Bristol West members have regular opportunities to campaign in Filton and Bradley Stoke and Kingswood, to fundraise there and to share their experience and skills with members there. Not only will this help the party build up its campaigning resources in these crucial constituencies, it will also enable Labour to maintain a real presence in their communities.

Finally, we pledge to create an open and inclusive local party, where we can all forge the collective bonds that we are going to need in the years ahead. We will never forget that far more unites us in the Labour Party than divides us and will work tirelessly to unify our CLP. We look forward to working with all members to unite and build the groundwork to deliver the change that we know our communities need.