Starmer's attacks on Labour democracy

Submitted by AWL on 5 October, 2021 - 11:12 Author: Elaine Bolton
Keir Starmer in bar

Rule changes were pushed through with minimal debate which claimed to be a necessary response to the EHRC report on antisemitism, but were actually a stitch-up of already undemocratic disciplinary processes. Elaine Bolton of the Campaign for Labour Democracy (CLPD) has summarised the other rule changes which the platform pushed through with the claim that they would “get the party election ready” for campaigning. In fact, she explains, the rule changes:

Increased the proportion of MPs that a candidate needs to secure in order to get on the ballot in a leadership election from 10% to 20% of MPs;

Raised the threshold needed for a “trigger ballot”, whereby local parties can submit incumbent MPs to a full selection process ahead of an election, to a majority of party and affiliate branches (these form an electoral college, with party branches voting with a weight of 50% and affiliate branches with a weight of 50%);

Scrapped the “registered supporter” category; and

Introduced a six-month freeze date, meaning members must have six months continuous membership prior to the timetable being agreed for the election of national officers of the party.

All of these are designed to prevent another Left candidate emerging for leadership; to give MPs in safe seats a job for life, and to prevent people from joining the party to vote for a leader.

If we look at the actual votes cast [on that package], however, these show that the Right were not as predominant as they may have thought among CLP conference delegates: CLPs, for: 23.57%, against: 26.43%. Affiliates, for: 30.10%, against: 19.90%. Total, for: 53.67%, against: 46.33%...

And here lies my first reason for hope: with Unite voting against these rule change packages, a different vote from just one union, Unison, would have caused many of these rule changes to fall. This union’s position may be very different at future conferences. Unison’s recent EC elections showed a significant swing to the Left, albeit unfortunately too late to influence the make up of its delegation to this conference. Things may be very different in just a year’s time.

• Elaine Bolton’s full article is on the CLPD website here.

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