NEC prepares for 1 May

Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) took place on 20 March. In his leader’s report Gordon Brown indicated that the forthcoming 1 May elections would be difficult and he referred to problems in the economic situation.

Questions to the leader reflected the growing concern over Colombia and Minister Kim Howell’s recent reported comment in the Western Mail that the campaigning organisation Justice for Colombia supported the guerrilla movement, FARC. A number of trade unions affiliated to the Labour party are very angry about Howell’s claim, as they consider that it puts people who are working in Colombia at risk of being shot. A number of people signed a letter to Gordon Brown expressing concern at Kim Howell’s statement. Gordon Brown appeared sympathetic to the points being raised; he considers that the money the British government gives to Colombia is for counter-narcotics work. A long letter was read out, from Kim Howells to Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary, which more or less was understood to be a retraction. Kath Speight pointed out that the paper had not been asked to print a retraction.

Ann Black and Peter Willsman raised concerns about the removal of the 10p lower tax rate. Gordon Brown said people got more from the tax credit than they lost with the ending of the 10p rate. Brown was also questioned about utility prices and the pressure on the low paid. He pointed to the winter fuel allowance and other measures, but also indicated that that the government was committed to lower pay settlements as he considers this can protect jobs and avoid reducing public expenditure. On the reduction of the basic tax rate from 22p to 20p, Brown claimed that the Labour had stolen the Tories' clothes.

Peter Willsman asked about affordable housing and said the amount of house building under Labour had been a disgrace, and comparable to the situation under the Tories. Gordon Brown responded that the government was making it easier for local authorities.

The NEC that day was meeting on the fifth anniversary of the commencement of the invasion of Iraq, so Walter Wolfgang asked about Britain’s involvement in the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Brown responded that Britain was in Iraq building better schools and so on and that in Afghanistan Britain is in the front line against the Taliban. Walter Wolfgang also asked about civil liberties and specifically the women’s’ peace camp at Alder-maston, which had been closed down using the same 2005 act that had been used against Brian Haw. Walter Wolfgang said that the government’s record on civil liberties was awful.

Peter Willsman raised the additional concern that British and American oil companies are trying to take oil away from the Iraqis, and that Iraq’s new oil legislation is resented even by the puppet Iraqi government.

Under the General Secretary’s report, the 1 May elections were discussed, including a report on the London election organisation. Dennis Skinner said that everything had to be done to help Ken Livingstone get re-elected. Peter Willsman said that the Tories’ London Mayoral candidate should be referred to as ‘the MP for Henley’, not ‘Boris’, as calling him Boris makes him appear friendly. Generally it was stressed that it is very important for the party that Ken wins in London.

To improve party policy making, a motion had been tabled at the NEC meeting of 31 January about ‘textual amendments’ to the final reports from the National Policy Forum (NPF). The motion from Peter Willsman and Walter Wolfgang sought to ensure that CLPs that submit amendments will have their views put forward at the NPF and that amendments will not just be referred to unsympathetic regional CLP representatives, for them to ignore.

Peter and Walter’s motion had been referred to the Joint Policy Committee (JPC), where it was rejected with the JPC accepting that CLPs views would just be referred to the regional CLP reps, rather than the whole NPF, which includes NEC members. Peter Willsman pointed out that there was an agreement that NEC members who put motions could go to the relevant committee that considers the motion as a matter of courtesy, and asked why both he and Walter had not been invited to the JPC at which their motion had been rejected.

Under the report from the JPC, Peter Willsman questioned how many ‘textual amendments’ CLPs would be permitted to submit, and the response was ‘unlimited’. Ann Black said there should be a system which allowed CLP reps on the NEC to get sight of the ‘textual amendments’. The unions raised concerns about the agency workers commission, as it was not in the manifesto, and could be an attempt to water down and delay the manifesto commitment.

On the recent party membership ballots to position European Parliamentary candidates (who are not already MEPs) on Labour’s lists for the 2009 elections, Gary Titley MEP drew attention to the fact that the process had resulted in Labour’s ethnic minority candidates being placed at the bottom of every single ballot. He urged that positive action procedures be introduced to address the issue. It was agreed that the Organisation Sub-committee would look at this.

Under the European Parliamentary Labour Party report a motion tabled by Walter Wolfgang and Peter Willsman was debated. The motion said that Tony Blair was too divisive to be put forward as head of the European Union and there should be discussions with other socialist parties to find a more suitable candidate.

Walter Wolfgang pointed out that the suggestion that Blair should be EU President was made by the French President Sarkozy to ensure Europe is more supportive of the United States. He argued it would be better if the post went to someone who represented the divergent concerns of all the EU’s countries, as Blair’s unconditional support for US policy was considered too divisive.

Gary Titley said that the governments would decide, so the motion did not reflect the process which would take place. It was suggested that Blair might not want the job, being busy with other interests. Dennis Skinner supported the motion in principle, but was concerned it implicitly accepted the Lisbon Treaty. When it came to the vote, Walter Wolfgang, Peter Willsman and Christine Shawcroft supported the motion. There were a number of abstentions including Ann Black and Dennis Skinner.