| Save the Labour Party |
| Party Renewal resolutions MOTION PASSED BY Chapel Allerton BLP 14 March 2006 "Later this month the NEC will be discussing a document entitled, "The Party Renewal Project." The draft document envisages a substantial reduction in the role of Party Members, Affiliated Organisations like Trade Unions and MPs in making Labour Party policy and the election of the Party Leader. Power will be transferred to a network of 'Supporters' based upon a Register of anyone (Party Members, Trade Unionists, individual voters and donors) who wishes to be included. The American system of presidential elections, with primaries, is the inspiration behind this model, which would effectively dismantle the Labour Party as a functioning democratic body rooted in the community and the workplace. Unless all campaign spending was strictly capped at a very low level, candidates would need to raise large amounts of money to have a chance of winning. Instead of the Prime Minister being 'first among equals', answerable to his/her MPs and Party members, he/she would effectively become a US-style President, with money governing the outcome of elections and the job only open to people who are either very rich, or else have received big donations from rich people and corporations. Just as in the USA, power would be taken away from ordinary Party members (and MPs) and elections would be decided by people using money to buy political influence, not 'one member, one vote'. The Labour Party is badly in need of Renewal but this should be based on reinvigorating its structures on the basis of democratic principles, restoring a proper say in policymaking and leadership selection to its ordinary members and ending patronage and corruption. This Labour Party Branch believes that: The NEC and every part of the Labour Party should direct its energies to giving members of affiliated trade unions sound political and policy reasons for becoming individual members of the party. The NEC and every part of the Labour Party should also direct its energies to encouraging more people to join the Labour Party and more people to take part in the wider democratic process." For further information contact: Paul McLean Email: socdem@mm.st |