The Labour Party is going through a hellish period. Its Leader's popularity has plummetted. Its share of the vote is at a near term low. It has been without a General Secretary for over six months. The vast majority of media attention is on the personalities involved. Will there be a Leadership challenge? Who are the contenders? What are the odds?
Nevertheless, there are still three channels currently open to rank-and-file members to have a say:
1. The deadline for Labour Party Rule Book amendments is 6 June. My own CLP has taken the view that the National Executive Committee/No 10 Downing Street has too much power to dictate the Conference agenda, and is unaccountable to the members.
2. The deadline for policy amendments for members through their constituency parties is 20 June. Save the Labour Party and Compass Youth with technical support from CommentonThis have made all the official policy documents available in an easy to comment and amend format via the Labour Party Intranet. For the first time at least members who are e-literate will have a chance to share points of view with each other.
3. The election of constituency section NEC members - in which I also decelare an interest as a member of the Centre Left Grassroots Alliance slate.
Occasionally sight can be lost of the political battles worth fighting. I'd be the first to put my hand up to that failing. But I'd like to keep the focus on the Party - its rules and its structures as I have since I joined Save the Labour Party just under five years ago. Until the stranglehold of No 10 on the Party structures is relaxed then all the policy-making initiatives whether from the Fabians, Compass, the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, the Labour Representation Committee or the affiliated trade unions will, in the words of the parable, fall on stony ground and die .
Current members of the NEC face a major test on 12 June concerning the recruitment of a new GS. I should declare an interest as I have resubmitted my application which was rejected earlier this year.
They have to decide:
a) whether the action of NEC officers to reopen the recruitment for a General Secretary was appropriate, or whether the runner-up in the selection meeting on 10 March should be offered the job
b) if they accept the NEC officers action, whether to proceed directly to another selection meeting
c) what sort of general secretary the Party needs, and whether any of the shortlisted candidates meets those criteria
For each of the NEC members in the Constituency Section standing for re-election, these issues represent a particular challenge. Critical is the question of equal opportunities and their role in an appointment of this type. The Rule Book refers to election at Conference on the recommendation of the NEC. The practice has been to waver between a 'nomination' from No. 10 or not, with control still vested in No. 10 whatever the outcome of the selection.
The way NEC members vote on 12 June could become important in deciding who to vote for in the NEC elections that will open the following week with the distribution of ballot papers to every paid-up member.
I will be looking for signs that ensure the strangehold of No 10 on the Party machine is being loosened.
If you are wondering what are the battles that are not worth fighting, I suggest a peek here or here.