| Save the Labour Party |
Minutes - Members' meeting - 17 May 2003 Manchester Present (in order of signing the register):Norman Antill, Pat Antill, Clive Rossher, Maggie Rossher, Coun. Kath Fry, Will Parbury, Pete Firmin, Dave Barter, Alan Milne, Graham Brook, John Reed, Val Graham, Lesley Matthews, Robert Corfe, Ian Brown, Mark James, Stephan Cholewka, C.Taylor, Tim Root, Danny Considine, Joy Beswick, Trevor Fisher (Acting Chair), Gaye Johnston (Acting Secretary), Vincent Mills, John McAllion, Elaine Smith MSP, Mick Williams, Moira Ridings and Paul McLean. Apologies Forty–nine apologies were received from people who wish to be associated with Save the Labour Party (STLP) and these appear on an attached sheet. Thanks were given by the Acting Secretary to Kath Fry/ Manchester Central CLP who had kindly organised the meeting venue and provided light refreshments. Acting Chair’s Welcome - Trevor Fisher welcomed those present. He outlined the reasons why members of organisations affiliated to the Labour Party and individual members had set up Save the Labour Party in February 2003. This was our third meeting. The rationale is also set out in the statement which is to be reconsidered at this meeting. We aim to be broad alliance of members from all shades of opinion across the Party to the left of New Labour. Our aim is also to be U.K wide and not London centred. For example many supporters from Scotland and the North of England are attending this meeting. Our main concerns are that the Labour Party is no longer the Party that we joined, that party democracy has been severely restricted and that Government policies are not those which reflect Labour’s traditional values. Minutes of the Last Meeting - Held in London at the LSE on 21/3/03. These were tabled. The Acting Secretary agreed that in future she would be taking the minutes herself and that they would be circulated in advance of meetings. Most issues discussed were on the agenda for this meeting. The only outstanding matter arising, raised by Tim Root, was the need to contact Peter Kilfoyle M.P. (who had already received a copy of our statement) and Michael Jacobs of the Fabian Society. Trevor Fisher assured that this would be done now. Dave Barter raised the question of relationships with Tribune. He was informed, by the Chair, that Mark Seddon, its editor, had been invited to our first meeting but had not shown interest. Tribune had agreed to publish an article about Save the Labour Party but despite the acting officers having done all that Tribune requested the article had still not appeared after six weeks. Dave proposed that Mark Seddon be given a standing invitation to our future meetings and this was agreed. Report from Manchester Central CLP - At the request of the Chair, Kath Fry gave a report from her CLP which has been the first to associate with to Save the Labour Party. They had held a sucessful open meeting the previous evening at which Peter Kilfoyle M.P. Tony Lloyd M.P. and Gaye Johnston had spoken. This was on the theme of Save the Labour Party. Forty party members had attended. Those present had agreed that their details be given to STLP so that they be approached to join. She spoke about the need to take tangible steps to improve party democracy and to build a network across the North West. Acting Secretary’s Report - Gaye Johnston gave a background describing how, after her letter in Tribune, the organisation had initially been convened by she and Trevor Fisher through calling together representatives of organisations of Labour Party members. We are now extending to individual party members. The original organisations are still on board but cannot be officially affiliated as affiliation to other bodies is against the policy of some. As agreed at the last meeting, an advert was placed in Tribune in mid-April. This received about 40 responses and they, together with others known to be interested were sent a copy of the current draft of the statement and an invitation to this meeting. In all about 90 people have expressed interest to date and applications are still coming in. We now need to formalise membership and to get in some money. We also need to start selective and focused campaigning which is our raison d’etre and to consider our relationship with trades unions and other affiliated bodies. Further discussion of the Statement - General discussion is recorded here but specific amendments appear in the latest draft of the statement (being circulated). Comments had also been submitted on behalf of the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy and two individual supporters not present. One general point was that the tone of the statement was negative and that we need to state our mission positively and articulate the positive alternatives to “New Labour”. We need to be clear who the statement is aimed at and particularly to attract younger people. We need to publicise it widely in the Party and to emphasise our democratic socialist values. We must address the issue that criticism cannot be heard in the Party and that the Party machine has become corrupted e.g. interference with candidate selections and the suspension of George Galloway. Pete Firmin suggested that the re-instatement of Party democracy should be our highest priority and this found general agreement. We then went through the statement point by point and agreed changes. After some discussion it was agreed that this meeting’s draft of the statement would now stand until the AGM in the autumn of 2003 at which time it could be amended. Scottish Report - As this was the first meeting at which our Scottish colleagues had been present they were invited to give a report on Scottish issues. John McAllion reported very disappointing results in the recent elections to the Scottish Parliament. The official Labour line in Scotland is very right wing. The Scottish people are largely out of tune with this and unfortunately have four radical alternatives to vote for in the Scottish Socialists, the Greens, the Liberals and the SNP. There is now a real problem for Labour in recovering the confidence of Scottish working people yet Labour is the only Party which can really represent their interests. Elaine Smith MSP said that the Liberal had also done better electorally than Labour. In Labour’s favour is the continuing commitment to free bus travel and free care of older people. Vincent Mills pointed out that the swing was from the SNP, and not Labour, to the Scottish Socialists. Unfortunately there is also fixing going on in the Labour Party in Scotland and Leader Jack McConnell is ignoring Party decisions about the voting system. In response to questions it was replied that the constituency parties in Scotland are run down but ripe for democratic socialist members to take them over. Elaine is one of very few left MSPs. The Glasgow Kelvin CLP was to meet that night to discuss their way forward on the Galloway suspension and we were asked to give support. Organisational Issues - Trevor Fisher left the chair and proposed the following enabling motion which incorporates amendments agreed from the floor: “This meeting resolves to formally constitute Save The Labour Party as an organisation. To this end an interim committee shall be set up immediately consisting of seven persons of which four shall be provisional officers, namely acting chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer. The committee shall have power to co-opt up to four additional members. These shall be empowered to open a bank account with any two of the four officers as signatories. Members of the Labour Party shall be invited to subscribe at a rate of £6 waged and £3 unwaged per annum. The interim committee shall draw up draft rules and a programme of activity. It shall convene a formal launch meeting no later than the end of July 2003 and an AGM in the autumn of this year. It will also organise activities at the 2003 Party Conference. They will invite affiliations from constituency Labour Parties and trades unions. The interim committee shall consider how to maintain contact with former Party members who sympathise with the aims of STLP and encourage them to rejoin.” Lesley Matthews asked as to whether we needed an organisation but the majority view was that we do and the above resolution was adopted. Vince Mills proposed that we contact the Campaign Group of Labour MPs and involve them and this was agreed. Elections to the Interim Committee - Val Graham asked that those wishing to stand declare their organisational affiliations so that we could ensure that the committee is representative of all bodies and shades of opinion involved and this was done. The following were elected: Trevor Fisher (Chair) Labour Reform , Gaye Johnston (Secretary) Socialist Campaign Networks, CLPD, Mark James (Vice Chair) Labour Reform , Kath Fry (Treasurer) Manchester Central CLP , Pete Firmin, Socialist Campaign Networks , Robert Corfe, Labour Reform One place reserved for nomination from the Campaign for Socialism (Scotland) , One place reserved for nomination from the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy The interim committee met after the main meeting and agreed to meet on 14/6/03 in the Midlands. The Secretary asked members to fix another date for a general meeting before leaving but unfortunately time ran out. Therefore Chair’s action has been taken to call the next general meeting for 19/7/03 at 1.00pm in London. Future Campaigning Activities - This item was deferred to the next general meeting because of the wish of supporters to discuss the urgent issue of George Galloway’s suspension by the Labour Party. George Galloway Suspension - Scottish colleagues reported on the disgraceful and premature actions of David Treisman the Party General Secretary before any case has been proven against George Galloway. We were urged to write to complain about this quoting our Labour Party membership numbers. The meeting agreed its support and asked for this to be conveyed to Glasgow Kelvin CLP at their meeting that evening. The Chair thanked everyone for their attendance and wished them a safe journey home. |