| Save the Labour Party |
| NEWS RELEASE 02/03
Labour Party conference organisers face demands for membership debate London, 20 September - A new 'grass-roots' Labour Party organisation is demanding a debate at party conference in Bournemouth next week about the slide in membership since Tony Blair was elected Prime Minister. Members of Save the Labour Party (STLP) at a pre-conference meeting in London today heard that a motion has been lodged with Party officials calling for an urgent member-led Inquiry into the state of the Labour Party. The clamour for open discussion was backed by Professor Sir Bernard Crick, a party member and one of Britain’s leading political scientists, Ann Black from the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee and Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North. Professor Crick, speaking in the wake of the Brent East by-election defeat said, “The Labour Party is facing a very big crisis. The Party was losing members even during the first Labour government [under Tony Blair], and nothing was done about it.” STLP members who worked in the by-election blamed the Party leadership for failing to heed local party warnings about the likely impact of Iraq and other unpopular Labour government policies. The yawning gulf between party members and the government is not seen as sustainable in the run-up the next General Election. According to the Labour Party 2003 Annual Report, Labour Party membership slumped to 248,294 at the end of last year. Unlike last year’s report no more up to date figures have been published. This compares with over 400,000 paid up members in the wake of the 1997 General Election when Labour Party Leader Tony Blair was appointed Prime Minister. Trevor Fisher, interim chair of Save the Labour Party said, “We are actively seeking support for a full Inquiry into the state of Labour's membership. We will be promoting an active investigation of ways to help win the next General Election.” Only patchy evidence is available about the Labour Party’s capacity to fight elections as a result of the mood among rank-and-file members. STLP members agreed today to use every constitutional device possible to promote an open debate about the state of the Party, and secure an Inquiry. STLP is already in discussions with Catalyst, one of Britain’s independent think-tanks, and other possible allies across the Labour movement about joint collaboration in the event of the Party hierarchy refusing a debate in Bournemouth. Media Enquiries: Peter Kenyon – 078 0221 6591 eMail: peter.g.kenyon@btinternet.com Resolution Enquiries: Trevor Fisher - Acting Chair 01785 606931 (evenings/weekends) eMail: trevor@lanefisher.fsnet.co.uk Notes to Editors 1. Save the Labour Party is a voluntary association, open to all Labour Party members and affiliates and includes members from the left, right and centre of the Labour Party committed to democratic socialism. 2. The resolution calls for the Inquiry to probe the Labour Party's structures and policy-making processes. This is needed to address the loss of members and restore Labour' ability to fight and win elections with its own resources. These are threatened by both the decline in individual membership and growing questions from Trade Unions about their links with Labour. 3. The proposed Inquiry needs to be completed well before the 2004 Party Conference. This is to enable any recommendations to be adopted before the next General Election campaign gets under way. 4. The resolution tabled by Stafford CLP is expected to be supported, when the Conference Arrangements Committee meets in Bournemouth next weekend, by CLP delegates from: Bristol East, Putney, Fareham, Manchester Central, Rutland and Melton, Staffordshire South, Stoke-on-Trent, Stratford-on-Avon, and Sutton and Cheam. The resolution is also supported by Conwy, Swansea East, and Weston-super Mare CLPs, which are unable to send delegates to Bournemouth. Ends |