Labour has revealed the result of elections to its governing national executive committee (NEC), with four pro-leadership slate candidates, three left candidates and two candidates outside the two largest slates elected to represent ordinary members.
NEC veteran Ann Black, backed by Open Labour, was re-elected to the NEC.
Cat Arnold, who had stood as part of a new last-minute Labour Women slate, won it a spot on the ruling body for the first time. During the campaign, Arnold called the slate one of “non-factional members who want to see inclusion, democracy and integrity weaved through every facet of our Labour Party”. It is not linked to the separate Labour Women’s Network group.
Meanwhile the campaign group Labour to Win, which has strongly supported Keir Starmer’s leadership of the party, saw four of its slate elected: Abdi Duale returns to the NEC, and Peter Mason, Jane Thomas and Angie Davies join for their first full term.
Labour to Win said on social media its candidates had won a “decisive victory” and an “emphatic win for Labour’s mainstream”. It said it was the first time in two decades that self-described party moderates had won more CLP representative seats than the left.
The group also said 50 candidates it backed for places on Labour’s national policy forum, the party’s official process for drawing up its platform in the lead-up to the next election, had won election, calling it “our best-ever results since it started being elected by OMOV”.
However, Anu Prashar and Mary Wimbury, two other LTW candidates, missed out.
Delighted to have been re-elected to Labour National Executive Committee alongside @labtowin’s @CampaignJane, @angela4lme, and @_petermason!
Looking forward to serving a second term on the NEC and representing members. pic.twitter.com/RH7Lzlzj0T
— Abdi Duale (@AbdiDuale_) September 18, 2024
It was a huge privilege to be asked to run for our NEC as part of the @labtowin team. I'm disappointed I didn't make it this time but delighted we have an NEC that will back the change Keir Starmer had made to the Labour Party. Congrats all and thanks to all who voted!
— Anu (@anuox) September 18, 2024
The left slate lost one seat on the NEC, as Mish Rahman was not re-elected. But the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance, which includes Momentum and the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, still has three seats despite Starmer’s grip on the party in recent years.
Its backed candidates Jess Barnard, Gemma Bolton and Yasmine Dar were re-elected.
A Momentum spokesperson said: ‘We’re delighted to see fantastic socialist candidates be elected onto Labour’s National Executive Committee.
“They will have a key role to play defending real socialist values throughout the Party. However, abysmal turnout in these elections shows the consequences of rolling back members’ rights amid an increasingly reactionary leadership.”
Charlie Mansell, a close observer of internal Labour elections, posted on X that we “now have four group politics on the NEC”.
1. So #LabNEC2024 is @labtowin/@labour_first 4, @PeoplesMomentum/CLPD 3, @OpenLabour 1, @LabourWomen4NEC 1. We now have 4 group CLP politics on the NEC
— Charlie Mansell (@charliemansell) September 18, 2024
Full results are here for other internal elections.
More to follow.
SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
DONATE: If you value our work, please donate to become one of our supporters here and help sustain and expand our coverage.
PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or content, email [email protected].
More from LabourList
‘Keirmala – Could a US election win for Harris yield a new special relationship?’
‘Once we give communities that power, it can’t just be taken away’: Rayner’s speech to the Co-op Party
‘Taken As Red’: An insightful and thorough account of Labour’s election victory