| Save the Labour Party |
| Party Funding Debate moves on |
| Briefing paper - June 2006 Latest - A Principled Approach - an alternative to the NEC consultation has been launched This document authored by MPs Michael Meacher and Jon Trickett, MSP Elaine Smith, Ann Black of the NEC and others has been launched as an alternative to the NEC Consultation Document already circulated to CLPs, TUs and Socialist Societies. It is at the printers and will be circulated widely during the week beginning 26 June to enable it to be considered in the July meeting cycle. Deadline for CLP submissions - 31 July 2006 Click here for an .pdf version of "A Principled Approach". Print out Double sided on A4 to save paper or forward to fellow Labour Party/TU/Socialist Society members in an eMail. Click here for an A4 Word unformatted version of "A Principled Approach". The Labour Party National Executive Committee has issued a consultation paper Click here for link For a download of the NEC Consultation document click here and an opportunity to comment click here. Close followers of the Party Funding debate will spot the glaring anomolies in the NEC document. At the back of the NEC Consultation document, it states: "In response to the launch of the review into party funding by Sir Hayden Phillips, the National Executive Committee (NEC) committed to putting to the review the view of the Labour Party....." Fact 1. The review was not launched by Sir Hayden Phillips Fact 2. The review was launched by the Prime Minister Tony Blair, it will report to government Click here for StLP news release at the time Fact 3. The Electoral Commission conducted an 18-month study into the funding of political parties in 2003 and reported in December 2004, it reports to Parliament Fact 4. The Electoral Commission report went to the heart of the crisis in British democracy - it challenged the mainstream political parties to appeal to people who shared their views i.e. rebuild from the grassroots upwards. Fact 5. Neither Parliament, the Government, the Labour Party NEC, the Conservative Party or the Liberal Democrats arranged a debate on the Electoral Commission report. Speculation: The political elite would prefer to milk the taxpayer to fund its habits, rather than rely on people willing to put their hands in their pockets and pay membership subscriptions to a political party which reflects their values and aspirations. ========================================================================================== STLP interim advice: The deadline for submissions to the NEC consultation is 31 July 2006. Please email copies of your submissions to Save the Labour Party. Click here for eMail link. The Tories are trying to use the opportunity to break up theLabour Party, see the TULO paper below.. The NEC consultation document needs to be considered as an opportunity for democratic socialists to shape a consensus that will enable the party to rebuild. StLP considers that membership - individual and through the affiliated trade unions and socialist societies is the only way to rebuild the party and secure its financial future. A testing ground for ideas about Party Funding has been established by the House of Commons Constitutional Affairs Committee. Click here for details. A detailed StLP response will be posted shortly. The Trade Union response is available now. Click here. Background ========== STLP 2004 briefing paper at the start of the Electoral Commission hearings is still available. Click here. STLP's response to the Electoral Commission report on funding political parties is still available. Click here |