Heated debate over conference dates

Labour’s NEC took place on 31 January. Under the minutes of the previous meeting, Walter Wolfgang questioned what had happened with the motion he and Christine Shawcroft had put to the previous NEC — opposing the extension of pre-charge detention — that had been referred to a policy commission. He queried why the motion’s movers had not been invited to the meeting and why there were no decisions. Peter Willsman suggested that anyone who put a motion should, as a courtesy, be invited to the policy commission and Ann Black pointed out that the text of the resolution should be reported in the minutes.

Gordon Brown, under his leader’s report, pointed out that the Tories are failing to build a vision of their own, and are just running a referendum on the government. He drew attention to this year being the 60th anniversary of the NHS. Dennis Skinner said Labour needed to tackle the issue of rights for agency workers and that if this was done it would send an important message to the party and the movement. Ann Black agreed on temporary workers, and on equalities said that it was important to enable everyone to achieve their potential — equality of opportunity — but it is also necessary to have policies directed at equality of outcome.

Christine Shawcroft questioned why ‘independent treatment centres’ are paid for operations regardless of whether they actually perform them. Walter Wolfgang raised Britain’s involvement, tied to the US, in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he urged the leadership to consider withdrawing unconditionally from both wars. Peter Willsman agreed with the government concentrating on bread and butter issues, but pointed out that it also had to pay attention to the liberal, Guardian reading voters. There needed to be change in asylum policy as in some cases the treatment of asylum seekers was appalling, the recent deportation of a woman with terminal cancer being a particular example.

In his response, Gordon Brown said ‘independent treatment centres’ cut waiting lists. On Iraq and Afghanistan he said what was needed was democracy and moving from the military to social economic solutions, because if they just kept with the military option they would be stuck there for 20 or 30 years. On crime he pointed out that this was the first government since 1945 to cut crime by 32 per cent, and violent crime by 31 per cent and this message needed to be got across. The government was proposing free education from age three to 18, which the Tories oppose.

Chris Lennie, Acting General Secretary, reported that the closing date for applications for the General Secretary is 4 February with interviews taking place on 10 March. Peter Willsman asked about the private consultants who specialise in executive appointments who have been taken on to assist with the task.

There was a heated debate over the plans for this year’s annual conference in Manchester. It was proposed to change both the starting and finishing days (see page four for details). Ann Black questioned the lack of consultation given CLPs had just been informed of the original dates. Peter Willsman said it looked like the party did not know what it is doing. Walter Wolfgang raised the overall problem of the downgrading of the role of conference and the NEC and was worried that the proposed changes would be seen as undermining members. Christine Shawcroft asked why it had not been considered at the NEC’s ‘away day’. She asked what would happen to the regular Saturday session of the Conference Arrangements Committee at which party units would be expecting they can sort out any concerns they have over their ‘contemporary issues’ not being on the agenda. Ann Black pushed for a vote. The proposed changes were agreed with the four Centre Left Grassroots NEC members — Ann Black, Christine Shawcroft, Peter Willsman and Walter Wolfgang — voting against.

An emergency motion on agency workers was moved by trade union representatives Andy Kerr and Mary Turner. Dennis Skinner supported it. Pat McFadden, who chairs the National Policy Forum, suggested that the motion go to the relevant policy commission process, with Andy Kerr and Mary Turner invited to attend it.

A paper on positive action in candidate selection was tabled and it was reported that the party will not achieve 40 per cent women MPs at the next election, as this would require a number of male MPs to retire. In the discussion it was pointed out that black and ethnic minority representation should not be set against women’s representation. Harriet Harman, in her deputy leader’s report stressed the importance of the local and London elections and pointed out that David Cameron had hitched his wagon to Boris Johnson. So a loss for Johnson would be a blow to Cameron.

Gary Titley MEP gave a European report and pointed out that at the European elections in June 2009 there will be a greater danger from the BNP than last time because UKIP are not the force they were in 2004. Peter Willsman said it was a shame that Gary Titley and Glenys Kinnock were not standing again and thanked Gary Titley for taking up the issue of child labour in Uzbekistan. Peter also pointed out that the BNP are also a threat in May’s GLA elections having just missed a seat last time by 0.1 per cent.

Walter Wolfgang and Peter Willsman put a resolution to ensure that when party units submit amendments to the final policy forum documents that these can be then put to the NPF by any NPF member, so that CLPs do not find that their views are not put forward because in their own region the NPF representatives are politically unsympathetic. Ann Black also pointed out that in 2005 it had been agreed that when party members want to raise matters with the NPF they can also go via their NEC constituency representatives. The joint policy committee that is going to discuss how this process will work was urged to take this issue on board, so that party units have a real opportunity to amend the policy documents.