Peter Kenyon

Lessons in democracy from the Anglicans

While Gordon Brown is finishing his plate at yet another G-8 banquet in Hokkaido, he might well reflect on democracy at work in the Church of England. I have always been impressed at the way each well-run Anglican parish keeps an electoral roll, elects its parish councils at an Annual General Meeting, checks over the Parish accounts. It contrasts with a rather more paternalist model operated by Roman Catholic parishes, I know. Last night's news of the Synod vote on women bishops highlights the readiness of an institution to debate and decide difficult decisons. It puts the Labour Party to shame regarding the way it treats issues about which there are differing opinions. Unless, of course, Gordon recognises that the National Policy Forum starting (or will it) on the day of the Glasgow East by-election is his big opportunity to confound his critics and open up the Labour Party to democratic debate.

Welsh wizardry or Cardiff control to rebuild Labour?

This plan to rebuild the Welsh Labour Party has popped up on Wales Online. Just when I was thinking it was time to rebuild from the smallest electoral unit, namely the branch. Otherwise I just don't know how we develop and sustain a local political narrative linked to Labour values. Might suit party bureaucrats, but will it help rebuild the core vote?

Publish or be damned

My blog post on the whereabouts of the Labour Party accounts for 2007 seems to have irked 'tory boys never grow up' - whoever s/he is. I would like to propose a solution. If the Electoral Commission confirms that there is no provision in its regulations preventing a political party publishing its audited accounts for the benefit of its members BEFORE publication for the benefit of the wider public, then the Labour Party GS should arrange for immediate publication on the Labour Party website with an eMail to all CLP secretaries encouraging placing on branch and CLP agendas asap.

What would be your objection to that 'tory boys never grow up'?

A litmus test for political scoundrels

If a politician in Britain doesn't do membership or structures, what are we to think?

If have just been asked to pen about 100 words on changing the way we do politics. This was my response:

Doing politics

Political parties are the mainstay of our representative democracy. Without their structures and members, no politician in Britain can reasonably hope to get selected as a candidate for public office and get elected (except in very exceptional circumstances). Save the Labour Party members do not expect that to change. Any politician that stands on a public platform complaining about rigid structures and membership is simply seeking to avoid accountability.

The challenge is cross-party – the rehabilitation of the political party for the 21^st century. Labour as a democratic socialist party should be leading the way.

 Peter Kenyon - Chair, Save the Labour Party www.savethelabourparty.org

What do you think?

Inside that envelope

Oooo..raffle tickets, Labour Today, covering letter and a 2nd class pre-paid envelope  err...where's the ballot paper? Aagh....err covering letter is headed "Our opportunity to shape the Labour Party's future 4th para ..The NEC....no, no no..has just appointed a new General Secretary ......NEC ballot paper enclosed? Nope, raffle tickets, Labour Today, covering letter and 2nd class pre-paid envelope.

Aagh, sooo silly.....turn over the covering letter the ballot paper is attached.

Should I use a cross or a tick?  Doesn't say!

What about the candidates? Covering letter pointers? Err, no. Ballot ballot paper references? Err, no. 

Aagh..Labour Today cover - no, its not a TV set in Gordon's living room - it says NEC Ballot 08 use your vote candidate details inside (8pt, maybe)

Page 2 - nope, Page 3 - welcome signed Harriet Harman, Page 4...Page 5...Page 15...NEC Candidate information

First task if elected get agreed format for future postal ballots that meets minimum standards for the conduct of such elections - ballot paper(s), candidate book, sae.

If the Treasurer has failed to factor in enough money to pay for OMOV ballots, then we can all draw our own conclusions.

Postal ballots and hidden intentions

The first comrade I bumped into after getting back from holiday late Saturday told me very apologetically he had junked the Labour Party mailout, which included the NEC ballot paper. The envelope design is telling. By coincidence another set of ballot papers arrived this morning from Unite. Which body really wants its member to vote? Shouldn't there be a code to govern the conduct of postal ballots by political parties? A new role for the Electoral Commission, perhaps. 

Every Labour cloud has a silver lining

Well, well, well - let's have an election and hands off No. 10. Just listen to a former Scottish Labour Party Leader on the fall-out from Wendygate. According to the BBC:

Former first minister Jack McConnell said a leadership contest would ensure the person chosen had the confidence of the party and the Scottish people.

Jack McConnell said the leader should be chosen without interference

He also warned that there should not interference from Downing Street or elsewhere.

Mr McConnell said: "One of the key factors here is that members of the Scottish Parliament and party members in Scotland make a choice without any influence from people such as me or from senior figures in the party leadership elsewhere.

"I think we need to have the candidates set out their stall, give them the chance to show the leadership qualities they think they have but also have a real debate about the Scottish Labour Party and how we put our values and principles into practice for the 21st century."

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Where are Labour's accounts?

Today is the official deadline for the filing of an annual Statement of Accounts by larger political parties with the Electoral Commission.

Parties whose total income or gross expenditure is £250,000 or less are required to submit a statement of accounts within three months of their year end. Those parties that exceed this limit are required to submit their statement of accounts within six months of their year end.

As a member of the Labour Party, I want to see a copy too - now.

All that the new General Secretary-designate Ray Collins has to do before he goes on holiday is authorise their publication on the Labour Party website - a virtual 'cost-less' exercise. It's what I would have done if appointed to the post.

Why? The future of the Labour Party depends on rebuilding trust not just with the electorate, but with the its dwindling membership - currently the source of 40% of annual income and activists to knock on doors and deliver leaflets.

Unlike, Sir Gerry Robinson, I am not demanding the head of the Leader, before I put my hand in my pocket. On the contrary, we have democratic procedures to elect Leader/Deputy. They could be improved. But blackmail should not feature in a so-called democratic society.

Personally, I will not donate another penny to central party funds until the accounts are published in a timely fashion and I have the right to question the NEC in general and the Party Treasurer in particular about their stewardship of the Party between Annual Conferences. Oh, before I forget, another pre-holiday action that the GS-designate could take would be to circulate those nomination papers for Leader/Deputy to CLPs pdq. Personally, I would be recommending no change. My hunch is that the majority of CLPs and affiliated trades unions and socialist societies would do the same. That would put the celebrity donors in their place.

Reaffirming a commitment to openness and accountability is the only forward for Gordon Brown. Don't you think?

British Isles - the end

Just back from a fortnight's break (by public transport) in the Northern Isles - saw as far north as you can go in the British Isles known as the Out Stack - that's the rock on the right of the picture, just north of the Muckle Flugga lighthouse taken from an astonishing bird sanctuary called Hermaness. The water's a bit chilly. But Shetland hospitality more than compensates. Getting away put Labour's little local difficulties in perspective - about which more later. 

Vote Kenyon and CLGA for Labour's NEC

Ballot papers for the six constituency places on the National Executive Committee should be sent to members eligible to vote by the end of this week. The last we heard was the planned closing date was 18 July - just ahead of the National Policy Forum.

 

If you're one of those entitled to vote, I hope you pick through your post carefully, find the ballot paper (which in previous years has been 'hidden' in other Labour Party material) and exercise your democratic right.

Why vote for me? I only want Labour governments. We all know what's at stake. The Leadership has to be held to much closer account than over the past 10 to 15 years. While those whom we, the members, have helped get elected have been in office, to put it politely, they have tended to neglect us.

The Centre Left Grassroots Alliance brings together members standing for the NEC from across the country who share a set of values, even if they may differ on some policy specifics. As it says on the label 'centre' and 'left'.

Our focus is this:

Gordon Brown on taking over as leader of the Labour Party promised to renew party democracy, rebuild the party itself, and give members more say in shaping policy. CLGA candidates will seek to hold him to his word. This is vital to increase membership and activism, and to win back electoral support for Labour candidates at every level.

Our joint leaflet can be found here. You can see from this blog that it is focussed almost exclusively on exposing how the Labour Party currently functions and the yawning gap that exists between Leader and members. If we want to win the next British General Election, we have got to close that gap pdq.

If you want to know more about me, you can see the CV I submitted with my application for the post of General Secretary here. My priorities are set out in the covering letter I sent to Dianne Hayter, the current NEC chair with my application in the Round Two recruitment after David-Pitt-Watson withdrew..

If you share that vision, then vote Azam, Black, Kenyon, Reeves, Shawcroft and Willsman before 18 July. We are prepared to stand up for what's right.

Thank you.

Ballot papers for the six constituency places on the National Executive Committee should be sent to members eligible to vote by the end of this week. The last we heard was the planned closing date was 18 July - just ahead of the National Policy Forum.