Build the Labour Left
Pete Firmin (officer, Network of Socialist Campaign Grops, in personal capacity)
The Network of Socialist Campaign Groups has its AGM on Saturday 5th December to discuss key issues and campaigning work for the year ahead. This conference comes at a time when dissatisfaction is growing in the Party, with government policies, but particularly with Blair's determination to centrally control anything and everything.
SCGN AGM details December 5th - click for more details
After the vetting of candidates for the Scottish and European Parliament and the attempt to shoehorn Alun Michael in as the chosen candidate for leader of the Welsh Assembly, we have the `suitability' scrutiny for Labour candidates for London mayor and plans to weed out left MPs before the next Westminster elections.
Blair (poor dear) was so hurt by press allegations of `control freakery' that he went out of his way to deny them at the NEC meeting on 17 November, claiming that the decisions are made by the membership, not him (!).
This is of course rubbish, and 2 hours of that NEC meeting were taken up with the attempt to gag the 4 members elected on the Grassroots Alliance slate through the proposed `Code of Conduct'. Some NEC members even argued there should be `cabinet responsibility' on the NEC. Clearly, even if downgraded to `guidelines', this may be used in an attempt to discipline the NEC members at some time in the future. The new drive to replace General Committees by policy forums, heralded in the press two days later, wasn't even mentioned at the NEC.
On top of the attacks on democracy, we have the continued attacks by the government on those it was elected to support, whether the new Asylum Bill, the squeeze on public sector pay, the privatisation of everything possible or the rumoured watering down of the already awful `Fairness At Work' proposals. The government has also made its first use of the Tory anti-union laws, preventing the Prison Officers' Association from protesting over staffing.
However, dissent is beginning to find a voice, with the formation of a Welsh campaign for Labour Party Democracy and the NEC election results as well as protests over the procedure for selecting Labour's candidate for London Mayor.
While the Labour Left is currently very weak, it could capitalise on this situation if it is willing to campaign vigorously. The growing levels of discontent mean that members are willing to listen to alternatives.
One of the major debates at the Network AGM will be around the future of the Grassroots Alliance. While the NEC members should be given all the support possible they are isolated on the NEC and marginalised when it comes to policy. If the support shown in the elections is to be built on, supporters have to be drawn into discussion of the key issues in the party and active campaigning both around democracy and government policy.
While local Campaign Groups should take the lead in this, a major advance would be made if the Grassroots Alliance called national or regional meetings for its supporters. Unfortunately, the majority of organisations making up the alliance do not see the need to move beyond standing candidates in internal elections and providing (important) reports from the NEC members. They want to continue with decisions being made in a very undemocratic manner in exclusive meetings. The AGM has the chance to express its view on how things go forward.