2021 Conference Momentum Conference Positions
For the full list of our positions at Conference today click here
Reference Back on the CAC Report
SUPPORT Reference back on the CAC Report for the following two reasons:
- The CAC Report does not include the item of the election of the General Secretary, despite this being required by the rulebook (Chapter 4 Clause II 4A ‘Election of General Secretary’) and as was the case in 2018.
- The CAC Report declares that if Card Vote 5 ‘NEC constitutional amendment on Party Democracy’ carries, Card vote 13 – ‘CLP constitutional amendment on Single Transferable’ falls even though the two rule changes (the former introducing STV to the CLP section, the latter extending it to the Cllr and PLP sections) are not in contradiction.
Ratification of the General Secretary
Issue: Ratifying David Evans
Position: DEMAND a vote, Vote AGAINST ratifying, CALL for a card vote
Arguments: Since the NEC appointed Evans to act as General Secretary in May 2020, measures have been introduced to curtail the rights of Labour Party members.
Unprecedented restrictions have been placed on discussions of party business, with around 70 local party officers suspended from party membership for defending local party democracy.
The Party has haemorrhaged around 100,000 members, causing major financial problems for the Labour Party, which they are now attempting to address through redundancies. Regional Parties have acted increasingly factionally and in an authoritarian fashion, for example by intervening in Labour Party meetings, fixing regional conferences (as in London), and bypassing democratic bodies wherever possible.
The disciplinary process has been used to victimise and attack party members and activists, particularly those on the left of the Party, with members being sent fake notices of investigation, auto-exclusion letters, and getting suspended for spurious reasons.
None of these measures have improved Labour as a campaigning force or made our party a safer space for minorities. The Community Organising Unit, which had been rebuilding the reputation of the Party in key areas, has been disbanded, and the results in local elections and by-elections have been abysmal.
PRIORITIES BALLOT
Priorities Ballot The Priorities Ballot is to decide which subject groupings will be debated. 10 issues can be prioritised by the CLP section and 10 from the affiliates section. Momentum is recommending 10 subject groups with the greatest potential to advance a transformative agenda.
Housing
The NHS
Drug Reform
A Four Day Working Week
Electoral Reform
Right to Food
Immigration and Asylum Policy
Palestine
Coronavirus
Black Lives Matter
Delegates vote for the Priorities Ballot in the Ballot Area between 1.30pm and 4.30pm. Compositing meetings for successful motions will be held immediately after Conference ends on Saturday and Sunday.
Trade Union Priorities
CLP delegates should not vote for these, in order to avoid wasting their votes.
Green New Deal
Community Wealth Building
A post-pandemic
Industrial strategy
Social Care
Mental Health in the Workplace
Mineworkers Pension Scheme
Public Ownership
High Street and Business and Recovery
End Fire and Rehire and Protect workers’ rights Public services
NEC-Backed Rule Changes
Vote no.1:
Part of Rule Book: Card Vote 1
Rule change: National Equalities Structures
Position: FOR
Reasons: The establishment of new structures for party members who are BAME, disabled and women is a step forward for these groups and should be supported.
Vote no.2:
Part of Rule Book: Card Vote 2
Rule change: National Student Structure
Position: FOR
Reasons: The new student body has democratic structures and is a big step forward for Labour members who are students.
Vote no.3:
Part of Rule Book: Card Vote 3
Rule change: Updates to Language
Position: FOR
Reasons: These are necessary updates
Vote no.4:
Part of Rule Book: Card Vote 4
Rule change: Membership rules
Position: AGAINST
Reasons: Ch. 2 Clause II Charter of Members Rights (New) Sub-section 11 and 12. Rule change codifies power of the NEC to launch disciplinary cases against MPs it has political differences with. There is no evidence of the current NEC using this as anything other than a factional weapon. MPs genuinely responsible for gross misconduct are likely to be allowed to continue with total impunity provided they are loyal to the leadership. #
CH 2 Clause III Membership Procedures (New) Subsection 2 codifies the already absurd and unjustified arbitrary power of the GS to reject membership applications for any reason at all.
Vote no.5:
Part of Rule Book: Card vote 5
Rule Change: Party Democracy
Position: AGAINST
Reasons: Ch. 4 Clause III Procedural rules for elections for national committees Sub-section A Election of the NEC.
The introduction of STV into the CLP section has been driven as a factional tool to attain a majority of the pro-leadership faction on the NEC and now is being used in this CAC report to hypocritically deny debate on the merits of extending STV to the Cllr and PLP sections of the NEC.
By-elections are also being removed meaning that candidates who weren’t elected the first time will take up any vacancies.
Vote no.6:
Part of Rule Book: Card vote 6
Rule change: Party meetings
Position: AGAINST
Reasons: Ch. 17 Clause I Model Standing Orders for Party Units Sub-section 2 removes competency to decide quorum from the elected Regional Executive Committees to unelected Regional Directors.
Ch. 7 Clause XI Duties of the General Meeting Sub-section 5 requires CLPs to gain permission from NEC to affiliate to any organisation. This is control freakery, limiting the autonomy of the CLPs to take basic politics decisions.
Vote no.7:
Part of rule book: Card vote 7
Rule change: Local Government
Position: FOR
Reasons: Ch 12 Clause V Officers and Executive Committee Sub-section 3 clarifies the gender balance requirements of LGC officers in a way that improves gender balance.
CLP Backed Rule Changes
Rule change
Title: Party Donations
No.8
Momentum Position: FOR
Arguments: Donations are a valid way of pooling resources and supporting political parties. But undemocratic, big money dominates politics. Wealthy individuals and big businesses frequently use donations to influence policy and secure benefits, as we see with the current Tory Government and as we saw in the New Labour years. This destroys trust in the political process and drowns out the voices of ordinary working people, whose power comes from voting or mass, democratic institutions such as trade unions and cooperatives.
In order to help restore trust in politics and to make sure the Labour Party reflects the priorities of individual members, trade unions and working class voters, it’s vital we limit the role of big, undemocratic money in our own Party. Labour was created to be the political voice of working people, not wealthy donors.
Rule change
Title: Limitations on NEC Guidance
No.9
Momentum Position: FOR
Arguments: This rule change strengthens the rights to free speech in CLPs, which have been under attack in the last year.
Rule change
Title: PLP Report to Conference
No.10
Momentum Position: FOR
Arguments: If adopted, this rule change would require the PLP to report directly to the conference, including on MPs’ discipline, with the conference able to confirm or reject disciplinary decisions that are of concern to delegates.
Party members and affiliates must have a mechanism to hold the PLP and decisions by the whip accountable.
Rule change
Title: Constitutional Amendments to Annual Conference
No.11
Momentum Position: FOR
Arguments: The NEC already gets a waiver to the three year rule, CLPs should have the same rights too provided there is a rule change with sufficient support.
Rule change
Title: Election of the General Secretary
No.12
Momentum Position: FOR
Arguments: As we have seen, the General Secretary can play a hugely influential role in affecting the democratic life of Constituency Labour Parties, determining what CLPs can debate and vote on, even overriding elected officials. Because of this, it is vital this key role is subject to more effective democratic oversight through an electoral process.
Key Labour Party structures such as the regional offices are also directly accountable to the General Secretary, and the effective and transparent functioning of key democratic institutions, including the National Executive Committee and the Leadership’s office, depend heavily on constructive input from the party staff. The General Secretary takes key decisions over the staffing structure, recruitment policy, and the allocation of resources within the Party. The development of key initiatives, including digital campaigning, canvassing techniques, community organising, and the development of campaigning materials, all depend on party staff, who are accountable to the General Secretary.
Allowing members to elect the General Secretary will increase democratic accountability through all areas of the party.
Rule change
Title: Single Transferable Vote
No.13
Momentum Position: FOR
Arguments: The Labour Party Rule Book currently does not specify the system of elections for representatives to the NEC. This has resulted in different election systems being employed for similar types of elections on an arbitrary basis. Following the 2020 NEC decision to introduce single transferable voting for the NEC CLP positions, this rule change proposes bringing the elections for seats for the Association of Labour Councillors (‘ALC’), directly elected mayors, and elected Police Commissioners, as well as the elections for the Commons members of the PLP, into line with the CLP section, so that all these elections use the same voting system, in order to enhance fairness on the NEC.
**Rule change **
Title: Parliamentary Candidate Applications
No.14
Momentum Position: NO POSITION
Rule change
Title: Snap Parliamentary Election Candidate Selections
No.15
Momentum Position: FOR
Arguments: There is currently no codification of the process for the selection of parliamentary candidates in the event of by-elections or any other Parliamentary selection which happens within an unexpected and short timeframe. The absence of any rules on this matter opens the door for processes being decided in a manner which is ad-hoc and which undermines the right of Labour Party members to select candidates for public office.
The process laid out here guarantees membership involvement and oversight over the process by a range of different actors, by establishing a mixed panel of CLP, REC and NEC representatives at the shortlisting stage, with representatives of the CLP holding a majority in order to ensure members’ voices are adequately represented