‘A case against factionalism: why the party should elect independents to the NEC’

The Labour national executive committee election is billed as an annual confrontation between Labour to Win (centre-right) and Grassroots Voice (centre-left), and candidates on the two lists traditionally urge you to vote for all the others on the list. From time to time, other lists appear as well.

In practice, though, the winning nine are usually led by Ann Black, who isn’t a member of either group. This is partly a reflection of her willingness to keep members posted throughout the year with her inimitable dry wit, but also a preference among many members to avoid the NEC being a divisive forum with predictable confrontations between the main rival groups.

Like many of us, I’m standing because I want the NEC to bring us together rather than emphasise our differences. This is particularly important when Labour is in Government, and every sign of systematic division is seized upon by our opponents.

It isn’t obvious that our representatives should always vote in blocs, rather than reaching individual judgments on each issue as it arises.

READ MORE: Labour general secretary David Evans to stand down at party conference

It’s right that the NEC should be prepared to offer opinions on how the party should move forward. In particular, it’s valuable when the NEC takes a position on a new issue that’s arisen since the election, such as the developments in the Middle East and in Ukraine, as well as the outcome of the US elections.

We also need to keep under review as a party meeting our commitments to our supporters and the wider population, taking into account the promises made in the last election but also the evolving economic situation.

In particular, it’s essential that we keep an ongoing view of how our policies are affecting ordinary people on limited incomes. It’s not obvious that this is helped by filtering through a preliminary judgment by rival blocs, relegating the NEC to a ritual presentation of the alternative positions and a preordained outcome according to the strength of each bloc at the previous election.

A diversity of views on the NEC

It’s better if the NEC includes a healthy mixture of unaffiliated candidates who can bring their different backgrounds and perspectives to the issues.

If you’ve not yet voted in the NEC election, how does this affect how you tackle the choice? If you read LabourList’s presentation of the 27 candidates’ views it will give a basis for looking beyond the formal affiliations to the interests and experience of the individual candidates. Many set out particular priorities that they will emphasise as new issues arise, and present their background and experience. It’s almost invidious to pick out individuals, but a few do stand out:

• Adam Davies, for his experience in lean Labour areas from Wales under the Tories to Surrey today
• David Littlefair, for his emphasis on regional equality and working-class MPs
• Teresa Murray, for her stress on Labour as a good employer
• Natasa Pantelic, for her focus on member engagement
• Neeraj Patel, offering medical expertise and a focus on the NHS
• Cath Pinder, a friend of Jo Cox and a champion of trade union partnership

I’m one of the few former MPs standing, after 13 years representing Broxtowe, and offer a bridge to the Parliamentary party from the wider membership.

Most of all, though, the NEC needs to be representative of the party as a whole, rather than one faction over another.

We will sometimes disagree – there’s nothing unhealthy in that – but it’s important that the NEC represents a diverse range of backgrounds and opinion within the party, so that we can reinforce the Parliamentary party with constructive ideas and initiatives, rather than representing one faction or another.

In the end, we will stand or fall together in our work to make Britain a better place to live and a positive, transformative force in our troubled world.

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Labour members should have received information on how to vote by email, and have until 17th September to cast their ballots. 

As a non-factional platform for Labour supporters, LabourList is committed to highlighting a range of views from across the party.

LabourList has also run pieces from members of both main slates in the NEC election. You can read Labour to Win’s here and the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance’s here.

We have also recently published a news piece about another new ‘Labour Women for NEC’ slate, and other recent articles written by Open Labour-backed candidates Ann Black and Kaz Self.

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