Your Momentum: Momentum has changed, but there is more to do

The last few years have been one of the most challenging periods in the history of the UK left. With the cost of living skyrocketing and the climate crisis escalating, people are desperate for change. But, as socialist solutions are needed more than ever, the Labour leadership has abandoned them and has driven thousands of committed grassroots activists from the party. We must be honest about how this exodus has weakened the Labour left – including Momentum.

Those of us campaigning as ‘Your Momentum’ in Momentum’s national coordinating group (NCG) elections believe there is still so much to do and so much we can build on. Tens of thousands of socialists still remain Labour members and hundreds hold power locally, while the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs is a significant presence nationally. For socialists who believe in the power of electoral change, we cannot throw this away.

The challenges we face are significant, but we have seen that through patient, member-led organising, the left can still make gains in some important areas and strengthen the socialist movement for the long term. In the last two years, and under the leadership of members elected through the ‘Forward Momentum’ campaign, Momentum has done much of this vital work.

Through ‘Refounding Momentum’, Momentum’s members have rebuilt the organisation, notably creating a Momentum convention where members will collectively set campaign and strategic priorities, allowing us to build mass consensus on where we focus our energies going forward.

Despite severe limitations, Momentum has worked with allies to organise effectively in and through the party, winning the majority of seats in almost every national internal Labour election (national executive committee, conference arrangements committee, Young Labour, national policy forum, women’s committee), as well as supporting hundreds of socialists to get elected to public office and training them up to deliver community wealth building.

We’ve also built majorities at Labour conference, keeping socialist policies relevant and winning rule changes, enshrining in the rulebook the power of Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) to choose their own candidates for by-elections. Campaigning for rule changes must remain a priority, and Momentum has prepared a new package for this year’s conference, including rule changes that address the unjust and undemocratic suspensions of members.

We shouldn’t, though, be afraid to acknowledge how the departure of socialists from the party has meant that we’ve stalled or gone backwards in some areas, with a substantial number of CLPs and some regional executives flipping to the right. We need a strategy to counter this as best as we can, but through a targeted focus on national committees and local government we’ve maintained an active left in the party and in public office. This gives us a strong base to build from, despite incredibly difficult circumstances.

Our base, while smaller, has also been strengthened in other ways. Staff resources have been allocated to local Momentum groups and we’ve mobilised in support of crucial social and international struggles, such as migrants’ rights and Palestine. Through new leadership development programmes – such as the Leo Panitch programme and mass member political education on climate justice, racial justice and trans rights – we’ve also given members the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to step up and get active on the issues that matter, creating a layer of leaders and organisers on the ground. Coordinating this emerging network of grassroots leaders is a key task ahead of us.

Overall, in the last two years Momentum has pioneered a member-led model of organising that has strategically leveraged our resources to win in the party where we can, and that has developed a layer of committed organisers on the ground, while supporting broader socialist and anti-racist struggles. Those of us involved in Your Momentum are committed to carrying on this vital work, while laying out a new set of priorities that meet the needs of the moment we are in.

Firstly, we’ll lead a new drive for members to organise in CLPs with a long-term strategy for growing on the ground. And we’ll embed hundreds of newly elected socialist councillors into our growing councillor network, so that they have the resources and training to put socialist politics into action.

Secondly, after months of careful preparation and relationship building, Momentum is now ready to get socialists selected in target parliamentary seats. If Your Momentum candidates are elected to the NCG, this will be our immediate priority.

We’ll also keep organising to win important internal Labour elections and run campaigns to build support for socialist ideas, politically educating and drawing dividing lines with a leadership drifting rightwards, especially on issues such as policing and migration. And we’ll work with trade unions, the Socialist Campaign Group and social movements to campaign for socialist solutions to the cost of living and climate crises, channelling growing social unrest to shift Labour’s position.

Finally, we will continue to ensure that Momentum members are linking up with trade unions by establishing rank and file networks across the country as part of our emerging Momentum trade unionist network, while also strengthening our relationships with existing trade union lefts to support their organising. This will be absolutely crucial to shifting the balance in the party, especially when we think of Unison’s critical role in propping up the current Labour leadership’s agenda.

Momentum has a unique position as the bridge between the Labour left and the wider socialist and progressive movement. The left’s progress in Labour after 2015 wasn’t only possible because of preparation by the Labour left – which was then small – but also because mass anti-war and anti-austerity movements campaigned to create a new consensus. Momentum must help build that consensus.

So if you agree with our vision for Momentum, support our campaign, read our full programme, follow us on Twitter at @YourMmtm and consider putting yourself forward as a candidate for our slate at our hustings and selection meeting on 12th June.