The election process for the reserved CLP positions on Labour’s NEC has started and the Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance has put forward a slate of only six names for the nine CLP positions on the NEC. The rationale for nominating six is that the new STV voting procedure, pushed through by the right wing on the NEC to stop the left will, it is argued, effectively result in a proportional distribution of votes and therefore the left are only likely to win six of the nine places.
However, given that even the successful election of these six would still leave an overall majority for the right-wing on the NEC, we think it is unsatisfactory for the left to limit its ambition to merely consolidating a left ‘bunker’ in a right-wing NEC. Even with the STV system, it might be extremely difficult, but it is not impossible for a campaign to win nine seats for the left and, in any case, we believe that a political campaign for socialist policies is the only principled fight we can endorse. In the two months remaining for the nominations process, therefore, the last thing socialists should be doing is sitting quietly and rubber-stamping a very limited slate of six ‘left’ candidates. It is a time for taking the fight for ideas and policies into as many Labour Party meetings as we can.
A campaign for socialism
Most of the Labour membership are still to the left of the current parliamentary leadership and many will have been underwhelmed by Starmer’s first hundred days as leader. To take one single example, a poll shows that 76 per cent of the electorate favour a fully public NHS, as against only 15 per cent in favour of private sector involvement. Yet on this essential question the Labour leadership are all but silent.
We think it is important, therefore, to bring the ideas of socialism to the forefront and to turn the nominations phase of the NEC election – which goes up to September 27 – into an opportunity for a wide-ranging political debate. At this stage of the process, when nominations from CLPs are being sought by candidates, it is our belief that the politics of the candidates must outweigh considerations of the technicalities of voting and for that reason we are supporting the nomination of the six on the CLGA slate and three other socialist candidates, Roger Silverman, Alec Price and Carol Taylor-Spedding.
Not all left groups in CLGA
It was notable that the Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance, which is a collection of some (but by no means all) left groups in the Labour Party, came up with a list that did not include any of the names put forward by the Labour Left Alliance, a notable absentee being Jo Bird, who came closest to winning a seat on the NEC in the most recent by-election voting. The deliberations of the CLGA took place behind closed doors, out of sight of the membership, but we understand that it was argued that Jo Bird, having at one time been temporarily suspended, risked being suspended again if nominated and for that reason wasn’t ‘risked’. This, in our opinion, is a poor rationale for excluding her, as if the left should only seek nominations for those to whom the right wing are likely to give their approval. It is creating an unnecessary division on the left on supposed ‘practical’ rather than political grounds.
We are also led to believe that of the six on the CLGA list, not all of them have voted consistently with the left on the NEC. Perhaps the clue is in the name, “Centre-Left” Alliance. Then there is the question of how the groups within the CLGA, the largest being the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, the Labour Representation Committee, ‘Red Labour’, and Jewish Voice for Labour, would have consulted their members, if at all, although we recognise the urgency of moving fast in a tight timetable. The Labour Left Alliance, at least, made some efforts to consult their members through a ballot and they are organising hustings.
Politics not personalities
We completely understand the wish of many left Labour members that the votes of the left should not be split in this election, but at this stage, where nominations are being sought, it is essential that we promote as much political discussion as possible about policy and programme. Ultimately, it is not about machine-politics or slates, particularly where there are some disagreements as to what is ‘left’ and what is not; it is about political ideas and a having a wide discussion about where the Labour Party is heading.
We believe it essential to get the greatest possible number of CLP nominations for those candidates who are the firmest politically in support of the radicalisation of the past five years, for the democratisation of party structures (for example by Open Selection) and for a fight to push the party in the direction of socialist policies.
For that reason, we support the candidacy, not only of the CLGA six, but also of the three additional Labour members. The joint platform of Roger Silverman and Alec Price, with which we are in agreement, is published below. We believe that the fairest, most democratic and most practical way to ensure the maximum prospect of electing socialist candidates is not by drawing up arbitrary slates in advance by caucuses in smoke-filled rooms, but on the basis of a wide discussion on political ideas, and then subsequently on the number of nominations received.
That way, the question of who has the best chance of winning is determined objectively but, most of all, politically. It seems to some on the left that the only purpose in drawing up a slate prematurely was precisely to exclude certain people – principally Jo Bird – and to discourage them from standing in the first place. In fact, as one JVL member has said, by excluding Jo Bird and Roger Silverman from its slate, the CLGA meeting seems to have wanted to placate the Board of Deputies by producing a Judenfrei slate.
Roger Silverman and Alec Price have made it clear that if they receive a lower number of nominations than the CLGA candidates, then they will stand down. Conversely, if these two receive more nominations than some on the CLGA slate, they would have every right to expect those slate members to stand down in their favour.
We would ask Left Horizons readers and supporters in their CLPs, therefore, to seek to nominate the following candidates:
From the Centre-left grass Alliance:
Laura Pidcock
Yasmin Dar
Mish Rahman
Nadia Jama
Gemma Bolton
Ann Henderson
Fight on a Socialist Platform:
Alec Price
Roger Silverman
Carol Taylor-Spedding
But above all, we urge Labour Party members to make sure there is a political discussion in their CLP and that the following platform, agreed jointly by Roger Silverman and Alec Price is featured in that discussion:
End Austerity
Immediate 10% pay increase for NHS and care workers, with a minimum wage of £12/hr.
Private companies out of public services! No profiteering from health and social care.
Nationalise social care, pharmaceuticals and health technology companies.
Mass, co-ordinated campaigns for a new settlement for local government based on jobs, services and local economies.
Safe, affordable housing for all! Mass eco-council house building and street-by-street renovation programme, re-claim long term empty properties to end homelessness.
Rent cap linked to earnings and tenants’ rights to hold rogue landlords to account.
Increase and collect the tax owed by big business and the super-rich tax dodgers
No to austerity – for a mass fightback against all cuts to jobs, services, pensions and social security.
Transform Labour
Extend workers’ rights, collective bargaining and scrap anti-trade union laws. Active support for workers in struggle and building the trade union movement – democratise the union link with Labour.
Inclusive, democratic and sovereign national conferences of delegated affiliates and members only, to decide on policy, strategy and rule changes. Local District Labour Parties based on the same model to decide the selection, policy and campaigning priorities of Labour councillor groups.
Socialist MPs – decided by members and affiliates with open selections and living on a “workers wage”, donating the surplus salary to the movement.
For Socialism
A nationalised financial system to provide economic security against “flight of capital” and bankers’ profligate greed.
For a Socialist Green New Deal, with mass investment in infrastructure, research and development in energy, transport, housing, health, education, science and technology sports and cultural facilities and public services generally.
Workers’ control and management of the democratic, publicly owned industries of the commanding heights of the economy. No compensation without proven need and just cause.
For a democratic national plan of production on the basis of social and environmental need, not private profit and greed.
In late September, when the numbers of CLP nominations are clear, and when some nominees have withdrawn, then at that stage Left Horizons will review its support for the candidates remaining in the ballot.
July 16, 2020
