| Save the Labour Party |
| NEWS RELEASE 13/04
STLP calls on Blair to back McCartney appeal to activate Labour London – 25 September Clear signs are emerging on the eve of Labour’s Annual Conference that activists are shaping the agenda. The campaigning group Save the Labour Party today called on the Leader of the Party Tony Blair to endorse remarks by his appointed Party chairman Ian McCartney reported in the Independent newspaper saying, “Activists need to be activated” at next week’s Party Conference to go out and win a 3rd term for Labour. At a STLP members meeting in Manchester last weekend STLP agreed the following statement: If the Labour Party is to survive as a democratic socialist party, then at the 2004 Annual Conference, the Leadership must reaffirm its commitment to rebuilding Labour as a mass membership progressive force on the left of British politics. In particular, STLP calls for: 1. The Labour Party to hold an Annual General Meeting at Annual Conference every year commencing in 2004. This to be held in private without either media or public present. (The Annual Report and AGM minutes to be made public.) The purpose of this meeting is for the Leadership and senior party officials to give account of their governance and stewardship of the Party to members. 2. An independent and comprehensive review of the Partnership in Power constitutional arrangements with a view to making radical and rapid improvements in Party members’ participation in policy-making and Party governance. 3. All Party members be given a vote to elect the one and only Chair of the Labour Party. 4. All delegates to be encouraged to restate this call for a membership charter to the Leadership at every opportunity during Conference and afterwards. STLP is campaigning to win elections with more, active members and challenging the Leadership to work with it. Since it was set up a year ago, STLP has attracted support from most sections of the Labour Party, not just its left wing. It has members in nearly 100 parliamentary constituencies and close links with other campaigning organisations in the labour movement in England, Scotland and Wales. STLP is active in the newly formed web-based service http://labourconference2004.net offering alternative advice to CLP delegates. Media enquiries: Peter Kenyon Mobile 07802 216 591 eMail: peter.g.kenyon@btinternet.com Notes to Editors 1. Save the Labour Party is a voluntary association, open to all Labour Party members and affiliates and includes members from the left, right and centre of the Labour Party committed to democratic socialism. 2. Details of its activities – past present and future can be seen at: www.savethelabourparty.org |