As a Constituency Labour Party secretary, I received a letter signed by Labour's Deputy General Secretary Alicia Kennedy (aka Lady Kennedy following former Labour Party co-worker Roy Kennedy's elevation to the peerage).
Dated 10 November, it concerns a Young Labour 'event' planned to take place in Scotland on 11-13 February 2011.The deadline for nominations for the posts of regional representatives on the Young Labour National Committee and NEC Youth Representative was given as 10 December 2010.
Our CLP has been invited to nominate to the NEC Youth representative position. Our last meeting before the deadline is on Tuesday. So if there are Young Labour members planning to stand for this position, please let me know before 23 November.
Given the importance attached by our new Leader to the new generation, openness and transparence, I was puzzled by the tight timetable. I contacted a couple of Young Labour members whom I know.
Was the sitting Young Labour national committee consulted about any aspect of the above arrangements? No
Did they think a later date for nomination was feasible? Yes
Shouldn't the NEC Youth Representative be elected by OMOV? ...that one caused pause for thought
For those of you not familiar with this latest branding and organisation of the Labour Party's members under or at or around 27 years of age, Young Labour members who now number over 25,000 are drawn into the 'fixing' mentality of those currently controlling ThIs Great Movement Of Ours (TIGMOO) at an early age.
So, it's congratulations to Alicia for another case study in command and control. In 2009, if I remember rightly you and your ilk were out smarted by a well-organised Young Labour faction who took the position of Young Labour chair uncontested. I quite understand why you have taken them by surprise this time, fixed a ridiculously short timetable for nominations, and brought the date forward for the 'event' to February from April previously.
Another thing for the new Leader to take a close look at on his return from paternity leave.