| Save the Labour Party |
| 2004 Conference resolutions Future Governance proposed by Brownswood BLP September 2004 meeting This meeting of Brownswood BLP calls on the National Executive Committee/Conference Arrangements Committee to convene an Annual General Meeting at the start of the 2004 Conference to enable the NEC to discharge its responsibilities under Rule 1. Clause VIII 3 (g) We note that under this Rule the Annual Report and Accounts does not have to be made available until two weeks before Conference. We therefore call on the NEC to move a Rule change in 2004 to ensure that in future CLP/BLP secretaries receive copies for consideration at July meetings. We note from the publication of the Labour Party Statement of Accounts by the Electoral Commission on 12 July: 1. a near 50% drop in membership since the Leader of the Labour Party was appointed Prime Minister in 1997 2. growing financial dependence of the national Party on large individual donations and the loss of membership income, and support from affiliated bodies We note from our experience in the recent election campaign the growing difficulties encouraging members to take an active part in campaigning. This BLP therefore resolves to seek support for instructing the NEC through Conference to draw up measures to: 1. restore collective responsibility to the governance of both the Labour Party; and when the PLP is in government, the country. In particular this BLP is concerned to ensure that the Leader of the Party in his/her capacity as Prime Minister is committed to ensuring that policy formulation remains in accordance with the Aims of the Party Clause IV and the framework established under the Party Programme agreed under Clause V. Such measures could include fixed electoral terms for the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, a code of conduct for holders of those offices of the Party, and /or a trigger ballot mechanism for the re-election of holders of those offices. 2. rebuild party membership and activism in the run-up to the next general election and beyond, and re-establish mass membership as a key objective as part of promoting active citizenship around democratic socialist values as set out in Clause IV 3. open up the review of Partnership in Power to all CLPs and affiliated organisations to enable representations to be made to secure accountability of elected representatives to the National Policy Forum to their respective constituencies |