Party democracy on the cusp
DanJudelson Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 02:59:45 PM GMT 
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[Extract: read the full entry at www.michaelmeacher.info.]
The most important issue at Conference is the future of Party democracy. The hopes raised by some of the welcome proposals in Gordon Brown’s consultation document ‘Extending and Renewing Party Democracy’ will be dashed and the whole process thrown into reverse if the leadership gets its way on one other proposal which outweighs all the rest, namely that in future delegates will no longer be allowed to vote on and pass resolutions on any policy questions.
The most important issue at Conference is the future of Party democracy. The hopes raised by some of the welcome proposals in Gordon Brown’s consultation document ‘Extending and Renewing Party Democracy’ will be dashed and the whole process thrown into reverse if the leadership gets its way on one other proposal which outweighs all the rest, namely that in future delegates will no longer be allowed to vote on and pass resolutions on any policy questions.
We need a Labour Party Charter of Members’ Rights drawn up and agreed by Conference, which would then be monitored and enforced by a Party Ombudsman.
The Party Chair should be elected by the Party, not appointed by the Leader, and should have the role to speak for the Party in Cabinet.
The control of Party finances should be seen to lie clearly with the elected Party Treasurer and the NEC, and all fund-raising activities and major expenditures should have to be approved by the NEC.
All Parliamentary and local selections of Party candidates should be transparently managed in accordance with a Code of Conduct which treated all candidates equally and precluded pressure on Party officials to support favoured candidates.
The issue of holding the leadership to account is clearly a sensitive and difficult one, but in view of recent experience a Commission should be drawn up by the NEC, with membership and terms of reference agreed by Conference, to prepare proposals to be considered and voted on by Conference.
The Party Chair should be elected by the Party, not appointed by the Leader, and should have the role to speak for the Party in Cabinet.
The control of Party finances should be seen to lie clearly with the elected Party Treasurer and the NEC, and all fund-raising activities and major expenditures should have to be approved by the NEC.
All Parliamentary and local selections of Party candidates should be transparently managed in accordance with a Code of Conduct which treated all candidates equally and precluded pressure on Party officials to support favoured candidates.
The issue of holding the leadership to account is clearly a sensitive and difficult one, but in view of recent experience a Commission should be drawn up by the NEC, with membership and terms of reference agreed by Conference, to prepare proposals to be considered and voted on by Conference.
Party democracy on the cusp | 1 comment (1 topical)
Party democracy on the cusp | 1 comment (1 topical)
