| Save the Labour Party |
| NEWS RELEASE 08/02 Gagging dissent has to stop London, 3 May 2008 – Reaction from STLP to media enquiries for reaction to the May election results: "If Labour's leadership is serious about listening, it has to start with its own depleted membership. An internal policy consultation is scheduled to start now and run through until Annual Conference in September. We support the call by the LabOUR Commission and others for an open and transparent process involving all members and reaching out into the wider community that supports Labour values. A letter was sent to Gordon Brown on 30 April and published on the STLP website. This is the first test of his Leadership in the wake of these disappointing election results. The 10p tax fiasco illustrates vividly the Leadership's failure to listen to its members as well as the electorate. It represents a serious breakdown of democratic accountability inside the Party itself. Resolutions of concern at last year's Conference were ruled out of order. There can be no gagging of differences of opinion from now on. All sections of the Party are to blame - the Conference Arrangements Committee, and the National Executive Committee have representatives from constituencies, trade unions and the PLP. In this year's NEC elections, constituencies need to elect representatives who will fight for members to have a say. As a candidate in that election, I am committed to encouraging the Leadership to recognise the critical importance of mass membership to restore Labour's electoral fortunes and finances, and open democratic debate, as are all the other NEC candidates from the Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance. Our objective remains to rebuild from the grassroots up, that means a Labour Party branch in every electoral ward, with a political narrative reflecting Labour values." Peter Kenyon chair, STLP 07802 216 591 eMail: Peter Kenyon Notes to editors: 1. STLP was formed in 2003 and campaigns to restore the Labour Party as a democratically run membership organisation. 2. STLP supports the independent LabOUR Commission on Accountability, Party and Parliamentary democracy www.labourcommission.org.uk 3. In a joint Statement filed with the Electoral Commission General Secretary Matt Carter and Treasurer Jack Dromey said that Labour Ends |