Who is responsible for the Labour Party spend on IT? Any NEC member claiming to put members first can not get to grips with representing members without an overview of who does what currently, or how money is being spent and accounted for.
As a member of the NEC representing members for two years from October 2008 until September 2010, I failed to get the General Secretary to send me a copy of the staff organogram, budget or management accounts, let alone make an impression on its IT offering. With one exception. I suggested a link on Membersnet to elected representatives. That might appear a small matter when the party's finances are so strained.
Earlier this week I had another look at the Labour Party's public presence on the Internet, and its offerings for members - Membersnet and MemberCentre with a view to provoking a reaction in high quarters. Remarkably little thought or effort appears to have been put into a radical overhaul of these facilities to enable the member friendly, inclusive, outward looking party some of use have aspired to for decades, and now set out in the Labour Democratic Network's Manchester Declaration.
Symptomatic of problems on the NEC are the reactions I got from two CLP representatives (who shall remain nameless) about the Messaging facility in Membersnet:
I find membersnet a complete pain and never use it unless I have to.
The other said on Twitter:
I didn't get it! And you have my e-mail...
to which I replied
<NEC has governance oversight 4 mmbrs?
Which leads me back to my opening question: Who is responsible for the Labour Party spend on IT? As a result of my interventions earlier this week, I think the lists of National Policy Forum (NPF) representatives by region are now up to date. But I suspect there are no links to our elected representatives from membersnet. If there are, they may be being filtered by region ie. a member in London region can not communicate with an NPF representative in Scotland.
In the forthcoming NEC elections, I will be casting my vote for anyone who (among other strategic issues) can get a grip on the IT and drive a process to make Labour's public/member web-presence an engine for electoral success in May 2012 and beyond.
For the record: Below are extracts from my Sent and In boxes in Messaging -
Sent Messages
| Sent to: | Subject | |
|---|---|---|
| Test @ 3 days ago |
||
| A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 4 days ago |
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| A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 4 days ago |
||
| A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 5 days ago |
||
| A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 5 days ago |
||
| A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 5 days ago |
||
| A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 5 days ago |
||
| A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 5 days ago |
||
| A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 5 days ago |
||
| A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 5 days ago |
||
| A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 5 days ago |
Message inbox
| Last message | Subject | |
|---|---|---|
 Joanne Milligan |
A better future for Britain @ 16 weeks and 4 days ago |
|
 Peter Kenyon |
A better future for Britain @ 18 weeks and 4 days ago |
|
| Joanne Milligan |
Test @ 22 weeks and 2 days ago |
|
 |
