City of London Labour Party - a local branch - is going ahead with its AGM next week. This is despite a message from Head Office just before Christmas allowing such meetings to be suspended until after the General Election on the pretext of enabling more campaigning. That illustrates the gulf between Labour Party head office and rank-and-file members more familiar with everyday life. The real world in which the vast majority of us live is very demanding as far as accountability and governance are concerned. That is in sharp contrast to the Political Class - Labour Party branch as was illustrated vividly yesterday by the snowflake plotters.
So an Annual Report and Accounts are in production. Nominations are being sought for Branch offices. Participation is being encouraged with personal telephone calls. Then there are the reality checks. A survey has been designed by Save the Labour Party (STLP) to gauge Labour Party member opinion towards involvement in the 2010 General Election campaign.The local branch chair and vice-chair have agreed it should be circulated to all members. The thrust of the five questions follows the conclusions of the LabOUR Commission interim report in 2007 - that members expect a say in policy making.
With an election only a few months away is it too late, or could this be part of an election strategy that enables the Labour movement to feel involved, close ranks and reach out to the electorate to secure an overall majority in the next Parliament?