| Save the Labour Party |
| DRAFT MINUTES OF A MEMBERS' MEETING OF SAVE THE LABOUR PARTY HELD AT UNION CHAPEL, ISLINGTON, LONDON N1 ON SATURDAY 20/9/03 (AFTERNOON)
PRESENT : S.C. Biswas, Vernon Barns, Ann Black, Barry Buitekant, Ruth Clarke, Martin Cook, Robert Corfe, John Courtneidge, Lucy Craig, Prof. Bernard Crick, Vladimir Derer, Vera Derer, Ed Dougall, Pete Firmin, Trevor Fisher (Acting Chair), Kath Fry (Chair for meeting), Patrick Hall, Bill Holdsworth, Mark James, Gaye Johnston (acting Secretary), Peter Kenyon, Roy Roebuck, S.F. Rudolph. APOLOGIES: Gordon Best, Malcolm Clarke, Michael Chewter, Dave Brown, Nick Davies, Leslie Clarke, Elaine Smith MSP, John McAllion, Bill Whittaker, Mike McIlroy, Terry Johnston, Dave Barter, Maggie and Clive Rosher, John and Charmaine Morgan, Stefan Cholewka, Bob Knowles, Francis Tonks, Frances Kelly. 1. The minutes of the last member’s meeting held on 19/7/03 in Birmingham were agreed as a correct record. 2. There were no matters arising other than those already on the agenda. 3. There was a brief Acting Secretary’s report in which it was noted that STLP now has 100 members in all parts of England, Scotland and Wales with clusters in and around London and Greater Manchester. New members were especially welcomed to the meeting. Appreciation was again expressed to our speakers at the morning meeting: Professor Bernard Crick, Ann Black and Jeremy Corbyn M.P. We will ask Billy Hayes, who was prevented from attending by the postal dispute, to speak at a future STLP meeting. WE had received apologies (for speaking) from Dave Prentis, Michael Meacher M.P., Elaine Smith MSP, and MPs Clare Short, Glenda Jackson, Lynne Jones, Alice Mahon and Diane Abbott. No reply had been received from Robin Cook M.P.or Frank Dobson M.P. 4. Campaigning (i) Model Resolution for Annual Conference. This had been circulated to the Secretaries of all Constituency Labour Parties at the end of August. Twelve CLPs had written to us expressing willingness to support the resolution and Stafford CLP had agreed to propose it.[We later discovered that four more CLPs had put it forward but had not fed this back to us –these were; Vale of York, Broxbourne, Rayleigh and Nant Conwy.] . We agreed that Kath Fry would co-ordinate supportive delegates, on behalf of STLP, at Conference and collected a list of delegates from members present. With respect to the resolution itself, doubt was expressed by Ann Black and others about its acceptability as a contemporary resolution as it does not mention a very recent event. It was suggested that alternatively we might move the reference back on the NEC report on the ground that, in view of the gravity of the crisis in the Party, this report should have called for an immediate inquiry like that being proposed by STLP. Another possibility was asking questions about the NEC Report relating to the section on membership. It emerged that the NEC report had not been published in its entirety at this stage and that even Ann Black, who is on the NEC had not seen much of it.[ After the Brent East by-election result both Hackney North and Manchester Central CLPs moved emergency resolutions which were a re-presentation of STLP’s model resolution linking the need for an inquiry to the Brent result.] It was agreed that publicity be given to our resolution and to our call for an independent inquiry into the running of the Labour Party in the press release about to-day’s meetings. It was agreed that we need to gain support for the resolution and the inquiry from the trades unions. With this in mind, general secretaries had already been sent a copy of it by our Acting Secretary, Gaye Johnston, together with a request for support. Trevor Fisher has approached Catalyst and they are interested. It was suggested that if our resolution does not get through Conference then we should set up an independent inquiry perhaps in partnership with Catalyst and possibly with other interested bodies. (ii) The next campaign discussed was that concerning the unelected Party Chair. Considerable concern was expressed by members about this development which has not been agreed at Party Conference. It is a sinecure in the gift of the Party leader. Most of this Cabinet Minister’s salary is paid from Party funds. It was proposed that we should seek to ask questions at Conference on the Party Treasurer’s report indicating that payments to, or made by the unelected Party Chair are improper. It was agreed to brief sympathetic delegates about this. It was further suggested that next year STLP might propose a model resolution on the subject of the unelected Party Chair. (iii) The third campaign discussed was the recently ended Electoral Commission consultation on state funding for political parties. At the instigation of STLP, a number of members had sent in submissions to the consultation. Generally these expressed concern that state funding could be used to deprive party members of their remaining democratic rights, to sever the link with trades unions and even to replace Party membership with the status of supporter. Anger was expressed that Peter Hain appeared to have jumped the gun and announced state funding before the Electoral Commission had reported. There is an internal Party document about state funding that simply says that it is under discussion. It was agreed that we seek support the CLPD model resolution to Conference which opposes state funding. The Electoral Commission sponsored an opinion poll about state funding and whilst the majority of respondents opposed it, they also expressed dislike for trades union and big business funding for political parties. (iv) We discussed the need to bring those who have left the Party back into membership and activity to reclaim it. It is for this reason that STLP has associate member status. Frances Kelly had submitted a paper on how to re-activate non activists and this was discussed and thought to be a good way forward. We will consider this again later when Frances can be present. (v) We discussed our activity at Party Conference. Both Labour Reform and CLPD have kindly made space at their fringe meetings for STLP to provide a speaker and Gaye Johnston has agreed to undertake this commitment. We agreed to circulate a leaflet at Conference publicising STLP , its aims and campaigns (including the model resolution). Kath Fry agreed to draft the leaflet and circulate it to the interim committee for final approval. We also asked for volunteers to help distribute it at fringe meetings and to delegates generally and a number of offers were received. CLPD’s model resolutions were also circulated during the meeting and we agreed to support the resolution calling for more contemporary resolutions to be debated at future conferences. (vi) After discussion it was agreed that the interim committee needs to take further action on a member’s newsletter and a website. It is possible that Reclaim the Party may kindly donate their website to STLP. 5. Annual General Meeting Arrangements for the Annual General Meeting were discussed. It was agreed to hold this on Saturday 29/11/03 in or near Manchester. Unfortunately this clashes with a National Policy Forum meeting but it avoids other events being organised around that time by Manchester Central CLP and the Network of Socialist Campaign Groups. We agreed to invite general secretaries Billy Hayes and Dave Prentis and Elaine Smith MSP. We would like to have a good mix of speakers as at to-day’s morning session. Tony Benn and Prof. Patrick Seyd were also suggested. 6. Workshops The afternoon ended with workshops led by Kath Fry. Lucy Craig gave an interesting and encouraging account about how there had been building up from the grass roots in her (very Blairite) CLP. They had also been successful in re-recruiting members who had left. Patrick Hall talked about massive rule changes needed in the Party and urged us to work with Socialist Campaign Networks and with the trades unions. Perhaps a joint forum might be the best way to do this. There was further discussion of the need for more use of the internet and for an STLP newsletter and website. Finally it was agreed that the interim committee will meet in London on Sunday October 12th by kind invitation at the home of Peter Kenyon. Gaye Johnston thanked everyone for coming and contributing to a successful day. She particularly thanked Peter Kenyon for taking on the media relations and provision of hot drinks and also Tim Root and Mark James for the additional help that they had given on the day. Gaye Johnston - Acting Secretary September 2003 |
| Minutes - Members' Meeting - 20 September 2003 London |