Labour roundup: By-election fights hot up, and party rewrites ‘member pledge’

All hands to the by-election pump

Postal votes dropped in Mid Bedfordshire yesterday, with just over three weeks to go until polling day. Labour has continued to show its ambition in the seat with a steady flow of big names visiting to campaign alongside its candidate Alistair Strathern, including in recent days the shadow defence team’s Luke Pollard and Rachel Hopkins, alongside Mohammad Yasin, the MP for the neighbouring constituency of Bedford. If you’re suffering from FOMO (or are just keen to play your part in breaking Lib Dem hearts up and down the country), details of upcoming canvassing sessions can be found here. Our own Morgan Jones visited the by-election campaign earlier this year (before it was quite a by-election), giving you a flavour of what to expect.

Much attention has been paid to the expected three-horse race in Mid Beds and what the result may reveal about the political mood of the nation. But, argues the New Statesman’s Ben Walker, the by-election in Tamworth will also tell us much about Labour’s standing among key target groups. Walker describes the contest “as the barometer for Brexit Britain”, concluding: “If Labour really is looking to win the country at a canter, it should run things rather close in Tamworth, if not win.” The polling expert highlights that the latest research from Britain Predicts finds the Tories and Labour neck and neck on 40%, setting up what he describes as a “tight fight”. Details of doorknocking sessions in the seat can be found here.

And if that wasn’t enough by-election drama to be getting on with, things are hotting up in Rutherglen and Hamilton West as polling day on October 5th draws ever closer. Labour’s candidate Michael Shanks appeared alongside the SNP’s Katy Loudon and the Scottish Tories’ Thomas Kerr in a televised debate on STV last night. A summary of the debate’s main talking points can be found here. (Or click the photo below to watch.)

NEC rule change backlash

Controversial rule changes voted on by Labour’s ruling national executive committee yesterday – and revealed by LabourList – have attracted fresh criticism. Soft left group Open Labour have now notably joined Momentum in condemning the proposals in stark terms, with co-chair Amen Tesfay arguing: “Trying to turn conference into a happy clappy performing seal show isn’t the direction of a modern, vibrant, democratic party.” Fellow co-chair Tessa Milligan described the move to remove the requirement for executive officers to include LGBT+, BAME, disability and youth officers as a “kick in the teeth to those who are young, LGBT, disabled or from an ethnic minority”. Momentum has since launched a petition to “build pressure to reject these proposals”.

What do you think of the proposed changes to Labour’s rulebook, detailed in our piece here? Get in touch at [email protected].

** Big conference announcements klaxon **

LabourList is delighted to announce some of the big names set to join us for our Election Campaign Starts Now rally: Angela Rayner, Ian Murray, Jon Ashworth, Stephen Kinnock, Lisa Nandy, Chris Bryant, Justin Madders, Daniel Zeichner, Alex Sobel, Stella Creasy, Nadia Whitome, Afzal Khan, Fleur Anderson, Bev Craig, Abdi Duale, Anna Turley, Paul Mason, Alice Perry, and Ben McGowan.

Join us from 3-5pm on Monday October 9th upstairs at Albert Dock’s Revolucion de Cuba bar, minutes from the ACC, to get inspired about what a Labour government can do for Britain (no tickets needed – ignore the brochure). And if your organisation wants to sponsor the rally, get in touch ASAP at [email protected]. 

Meanwhile, at our famous karaoke and DJ night in partnership with Lime (Bierkeller Bar, Monday, 8pm-1.30am, fast-selling tickets here), we can reveal our guest DJs will include Thangam Debbonaire and Ian Murray – with more big names to come.

In other Labour news…

• MAYORS UNITED: Labour mayors Andy Burnham, Sadiq Khan, Tracy Brabin, Oliver Coppard and Steve Rotheram have jointly warned today that failing to deliver HS2 in full would “leave swathes of the North with Victorian transport infrastructure that is unfit for purpose” (Manchester Evening News)

• MEMBER’S PLEDGE: Labour has shared an updated version of its member’s pledge, agreed to be everyone on joining the party. A statement from Keir Starmer, general secretary David Evans and NEC chair Johanna Baxter said the new version “reminds us that we are not just a party focused on delivering – but a party that does so with compassion and decency” (Labour Party)

• COST OF LIVING: Nearly a third of businesses were forced to raise prices last month, according to Labour analysis. Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “Ultimately, it is customers paying the price for the Conservatives’ economic failure.” (LBC)

• 20mph LAW: Welsh Labour’s deputy climate change minister Lee Waters will face a vote of no confidence today after more than 430,000 people signed a petition opposing the default 20mph speed limit for Wales. The no-confidence motion was tabled by the Welsh Tories (WalesOnline)

• PAGING RACHEL REEVES: A new report from the IPPR concludes that setting an arbitrary ceiling on the so-called tax share of the UK economy risks hampering national growth and prosperity (IPPR)

• NO DRONING ON: Flight restrictions on drones will be imposed across Liverpool city centre during Labour’s annual conference next month (BBC News)

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