Labour Party NEC Elections 2020

The LLA Voting Recommendations

LLA 6 election campaign website

STV – myth and reality

Videos by the LLA 6:
– What Labour conference SHOULD be disccusing now and
– How to make conference sovereign

Why the LLA is conducting hustings and a ballot

Action Programme for the Left
(our minimum political platform for candidates)

VIDEO: Our hustings event on 25th July

NEC Election Timetable

Candidates for Disabled Member, Youth, & Local Government Reps, and Treasurer

Our internal LLA ballot is designed to find the best candidates that we want to push in the nominations process (which ends on September 27). It will help to inform how and who the LLA will support by the start of the election. 

The LLA ballot concluded in the following order:

1 Roger Silverman L1416560
2 Laura Pidcock *
3 Chaudhry Qamer Iqbal L0106766
4 Carol Taylor-Spedding L1772844
5 Alec Price L1426037
6 Yasmin Dar *
7 Mish Rahman *
8 Ekua Bayunu L1514209
9 Ann Henderson *
10 Gemma Bolton *
11 Steve Maggs L1631413
12 Nadia Jama *
13 Lee Wood
14 Crispin Flintoff
15 Cameron Mitchell

Labour Left Alliance supporters are encouraged to consult with others in their CLPs to put forward nine of these candidates for nomination. Those marked * have already secured the five nominations (as of 22nd Aug) required to appear on the ballot in October.

Taking account of nominations received and any candidates who withdraw, LLA will draw up a voting recommendation in September. LLA will discuss with the candidates above whether they wish to be part of an LLA-backed slate. Because the STV voting system almost entirely removes the necessity of tactical voting, we will recommend voting for any LLA slate first before also ranking the entire CLGA slate and other candidates in order of preference.

The LLA will invite all nominated left wing candidates (CLGA inclusive) to a discussion during the weeks between the close of nominations and the start of voting. The purpose of the discussion is to seek agreement on which candidates go forward to the vote, how many candidates go forward to the vote, the politics of the candidates going forward, the tactical order of preference to maximise votes.

We have received replies from the NEC candidates listed below expressing an interest in being on the upcoming LLA ballot.

The ballot of LLA supporters will begin very soon, and we hope the information below will give our supporters enough to make an informed decision about who might best represent the left on the NEC.

For each candidate it is noted whether they have yet responded to our Action Programme for the Left (they have all indicated that they intend to), and whether they attended our hustings event on 25th July.

Summary of Responses here:

Download this summary as a PDF file here:

Candidate List:

(click on the candidate names to jump to responses and statements)

Roger Silverman

Chaudhry Qamer Iqbal

Carol Taylor–Spedding

Alec Price

Ahmad Wattoo

Crispin Flintoff

Ekua Bayunu

Steve Maggs

Mark McDonald

Joyce Jasmine Reid

Katherine Foy

Stephanie Shuttleworth

Donald Roy

Lee Wood

Elliot Pfebve

John Wiseman

Cate Tuitt

Cameron Mitchell

Adebayo Adekunle Adeshina

CLGA 6 – Mish Rahman, Laura Pidcock, Ann Henderson, Nadia Jama, Yasmine Dar, Gemma Bolton

Jermain Jackman (Open Labour slate)

Candidate Responses:

Roger Silverman

Attended LLA hustings event on 25th July (LINK HERE)

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

I’m writing to confirm that I agree wholeheartedly with all the points listed in the LLA action programme.

As you will have seen, the 200-word statement I submitted to the Labour Party together with my nomination papers begins with this opening paragraph, which I believe provides ample evidence of my commitment to these principles.

Candidate Statement:

As an NEC member, I would campaign vigorously to restore the supremacy of party conference, uphold the democratic right of open selection of candidates for office, end arbitrary suspensions, and put forward radical socialist policies along the lines of the 2019 election manifesto.
I was born into a Labour family and have been a lifelong party activist. My father was a left Labour MP for 33 years and an elected member of the NEC. I am a branch delegate to the GC of my local party and was its main delegate to the 2019 annual conference.
Labour’s defeat in the December general election was a crushing setback, but despite media distortions it was not “the worst result since 1931”. Labour actually won more votes in 2019 than in 2015, 2010 or even 2005 (when Labour won). We are still the biggest political party in Europe.
We are currently living through a “perfect storm”: a deadly pandemic, the prospect of a devastating slump, the threat of environmental catastrophe. The Johnson government is already widely discredited. We must seize the opportunity to harness the energies of our half a million members to build a Britain for the many not the few

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Chaudhry Qamer Iqbal

Attended LLA hustings event on 25th July (LINK HERE)

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

I confirm my commitment towards LLA  minimum political  platform as you are fully  aware of my unshakeable and determined commitment  in this regard. 

As a  NEC candidate in the last election I refused to support or sign BOD pledges. My CLP is  the only CLP in London which passed a motion against the implementation of IHRC definition of anitsemitism and I am secretary of my CLP.  I was  one of very few NEC candidates  who wrote letters  to general secretary Jennie Formby, protesting against the suspension of Jo Bird , Mo Azam and Mohmood Mirza. To show solidarity, I was the only NEC candidate to have a sit-in protest outside party HQ against suspensions.

Candidate Statement:

A Labour party member for the last 12 years serving as

· A Chair of BLP/CLP Secretary of Ealing Southall CLP

I am a proud Unite activist, socialist with strong campaigning background as I have been campaigning since 2007. After being elected as CLP secretary in 2018 I transformed my CLP into fully active and functioning CLP.

I will

· Work closely with Party leadership, NEC and CLPs to fully implement the recommendations of the Democracy Review including OPEN SELECTION

· Make it my TOP PRORITY to fight for the rights of every GRASSROOTS member to make sure a fair & transparent disciplinary process is in place

· Seek NEC members to be more accountable to members/CLPs ,work to achieve good governance

· Improve the communication and report back to the members

· Be supporting our leadership to win back the trust of communities we lost in the last election and to bring a Labour Govt in next election

· Promote and fully support socialists’ policies to make Labour electable

· Work to make our members more empowered have a greater say on policies by making Conference a sovereign body

· Work to increase representation of underrepresented communities within party

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Carol Taylor-Spedding

Attended LLA hustings event on 25th July (LINK HERE)

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

I confirm my support for all the clauses in the minimum programme laid down by the LLA for NEC candidates.

With regards to the first clause, I absolutely agree that capitalism has failed the majority of people worldwide and is destroying the environment, we desperately need the Green New Deal proposed by the Labour party and even more radical policies.

COVID-19 has shown clearly that socialist policies have been implemented to ensure people have been able to survive both financially and the actual virus. We have seen how the privatisation of social care and the NHS has resulted in thousands of unnecessary deaths.

If we want the best for our children and grandchildren and the planet, then a different system is necessary but we need a detailed proposal on how this will be achieved in practice. I would be happy to be part of a group working on such a proposal. I support wholeheartedly all the other clauses.

Candidate Statement:

As a teacher of 42 years experience, a union rep and a parent, I have seen the inequalities and failings of our education system. As a KONP activist I know how successive governments have sold off our NHS by stealth and have not excluded it from the trade deal negotiations.

I am passionate about our 2019 manifesto. This COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how many of our policies are absolutely essential to the survival and quality of life of the majority in this country.

It is working people, not political careerists, who have the true power to change society. We must take back control of key sectors of the economy, so that we meets everyone’s needs, instead of feeding billionaires’ greed.

I fully support the abolition of the private school system, which entrenches privilege and entitlement in our country; making life-long education free; the development of a publicly owned, fully integrated, health and social care system; rebuilding our social housing stock to provide good, truly affordable, housing for all.

We must actively support grass roots campaigns and strengthen our trade unions. Open selection of MPs and dealing with systemic racism is essential to re-establish trust in our party.

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Alec Price

Attended LLA hustings event on 25th July (LINK HERE)

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

Agree with 1). Regular reports have been lacking for too long. A website, email list, video reports for use on social media and offers to speak at Labour meetings are the mechanisms we should expect from elected NEC reps to report back. I’ll commit to that. 

Agree with 2) The timetable for these elections can be summed up like a game of two halfs. The first half – lasting around 2 months is for nominations. There is then a “half-time” of around three weeks before the second half – the actual voting- begins for the next month or so.

I am opposed to the backroom deals that have previously and continue to be the method of choice for the “centre and left”, at the exclusion of many others. 

All candidates should be prepared to stand before the grassroots of our movement and put forward their position and face appropriate scrutiny. There should then be a mass participation to decide the list of candidates for the left, including the best tactics to maximise the vote.

Considering the timetable of this election, I call on candidates on the left to commit to such a discussion at the “half-time” juncture, where our movement will also have the benefit of seeing the nomination results and have a clearer idea of who will go forward to the ballot. This is the best way to ensure no “splitting the vote”. 

Agree with 3a, b, c, d) I authored and moved one of the 2 rule changes on exactly this point to be heard at the Labour 2018 conference and I played an active role in the Open Selection campaign at the time. It was maneuvered off the agenda by the NEC, but had majority support amongst the membership. This was one of the key mistakes made under Corbyn’s leadership. It will be harder for this to happen if we have genuine Socialists elected to the NEC.

We need members and affiliates – not those in positions of power such as MPs and Cllrs – to decide the politics, campaigns and selection for public office at all levels of the party.

This is best achieved through a sovereign national delegate conference and a District Labour Party at a local level.

3 e) Agree with qualifications. An unjust suspension is an injury to all.

Disciplinary action has taken the form of “politics by other means”, largely against socialists. Rather than take up the political arguments it has been seen by some as a way to remove disagreement with no political discussion at all. The political question (Labour being made up of 2 opposite classes) needs to be resolved for this to really end, not just procedures being changed. 

A 3 month time limit, sounds reasonable for most cases but may not be appropriate in all cases. There may have to be exemptions for this depending on the case complexity.

Political education should be linked to  extinguish the background drivers of many complaints.

I don’t agree that all cases should be overturned automatically, but they should be re-examined, and not just those within a 5 year time frame. Any unjust findings should be overturned. This can only happen if a genuine re-examination is able to take place and should therefore only be advanced at an appropriate time.

All trade unionist and socialist campaigners who support the Labour Party should be warmly invited and welcomed as Labour Party members.

3 f) Agree with qualifications

Anyone who campaigned against a Jeremy Corbyn led Labour Party, in 2017 in particular, was in reality campaigning against the NHS, trade unions and public ownership. It was siding with the bosses against workers.

The ‘leaked report’ was a bad – potentially illegal – way to deal with what appear to be some of the most serious offenses against the Corbyn leadership, the party membership and the wider working class as a whole.

A wider, democratic investigation is needed – under the control and direction of elected and accountable Labour members and affiliates and party conference – to get a true and fulsome understanding of a plethora of issues surrounding the alleged machiavellian antics, including the “chicken coup” of 2016, from anti-worker sections of the Labour and trade union movement.

Any crimes committed against our class should be met with zero tolerance.

3 g) Agree with qualifications

The Board of Deputies have no serious strategy to defeat racism and the far right and they have no accountability whatsoever to the Labour movement. Consequently, they should have no say in how our party is run, our membership criteria etc.

Most Jewish people, like every other identity, are working class. Genuine engagement with Jewish people should take the principles so successfully used at Cable street in 1936, when socialists and workers of all identities stood together to block the path of Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists. At the time the Jewish community leaders warned people to “KEEP AWAY”, and the “disorder” will be “actively encouraging anti-semitism and jew-baiting” (1). Working class jews ignored them, and led the blockades. The fascists did not pass. Only by uniting our class – even in spite of the words of “community leaders” – will we truly be free to end racism. We will take no lectures from those who have not learned this basic truth from history.

Zionism is supported by significant numbers of non-Jewish people. Including all of the Labour leadership contenders this year. Anti-zionism is a position held by significant sections of Jewish people.

Anti-zionism is something different to racism against Jewish people. If the IHRA conflates this then it is not appropriate for the Labour Party.

I’m not a supporter of BDS, but it is not a racist campaign and shouldn’t be treated as such.

It is a tactic to raise awareness of the treatment of Palestinian people in the state of Isreal.

More effective at solving the issue would be a mass working class movement of  those who consider themselves either Palestinian or Isreali to overthrow the Netanyahu regime, end the sectarian leadership of Hamas, and build a genuine socialist federation of middle eastern states, with democratically agreed borders and equal rights for all, as part of a socialist world.

(1) David Rosenberg, Morning Star https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/day-britain-surrendered-red-violence-and-jewish-corruption & Etan Smallman , The Forward https://forward.com/culture/jewishness/350764/80-years-ago-jewish-london-fought-off-the-fascists-on-cable-street/

Candidate Statement:

As a child, I watched New Labour attack firefighters, like my dad, striking for fair pay, whilst Iraq burned for oil. Tony Benn introduced me to socialism. The banks crashing the economy taught my generation that capitalism had failed.

Corbyn showed an alternative to war, racism, austerity and environmental destruction was possible, inspiring millions. We’d have a socialist Labour government now if we weren’t held back by some in our own party and other sections of the ruling class.

As a frontline NHS worker, I know its working people, not political careerists, who have the real power to change society. Labour needs to stand for working class democratic control of the key sectors of the economy, so we can run society for human need, not billionaire greed.

We must show active support for workers campaigns, democratising union affiliations. Open selections of MPs are essential and candidates should pledge to take a workers wage, donating the surplus to solidarity causes.

All aspects of party life must be under membership & affiliate control, through democratic national conferences and local District Labour Parties where we collectively decide selections, polices and campaigning priorities.

We have a world to win; our chains to lose.

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Ahmad Wattoo

Attended LLA hustings event on 25th July (LINK HERE)

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

I fully endorse all the issues [included in the LLA Action Programme].

I will only add a further issue in my campaign that the  General Secretary shouldn’t be an employee. SH/e should be elected Officer at the time of leadership election. We lost our election in 2017 partly due to the party bureaucracy.

Our left members on NEC should be more responsive and engaged with membership. I received a message from my CLP member and she asked me, will you send us regular reports of NEC. I believe it’s very important. It keeps the members informed and they remain committed to a left agenda.

Candidate Statement:

I have been a member of the Labour party for over a decade and I am a member of Unit. I have a firm commitment in our socialist values. The current pandemic reinforced our resolve that we need a publicly funded NHS and effective and efficient public services. The current economic model has created a huge gap between the rich and poor and if the current model is not changed, the mega corporations will eat up states and societies. Corporate greed has destroyed our living system and it will continue to destroy our lives as we know them.

I have firm commitment to empower the members and strengthen democracy at every level in the party. I am resolute in driving out hatred and prejudices and strengthening the culture of inclusivity, fraternity and comradery.

I have proudly represented the Labour Party as a Parliamentary candidate in 2019 GE in the Carshalton & Wallington Constituency. I was Labour’s candidate in 2010, 2014 and 2018 local elections. I was elected as a BAME officer, Vice Chair and I have been the Chair of the Carshalton & Wallington CLP since 2017.

I am a team player and I never hesitate to take up challenges. I am active on social media, where I promote Labour’s message on local and national campaign events.

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Crispin Flintoff

Attended LLA hustings event on 25th July (LINK HERE)

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

Where I stand on issues mentioned by Labour left alliance

1) I will publish reports on NEC meetings and would try to list how everyone voted where that is possible for me to ascertain.

2) I would be delighted to be selected by a ballot of the grassroots membership.

3)  a) I am in favour of a planned economy and opposed to all privatisation

b) I’m in favour of open selections, but would not prioritise this above creating a mass membership party as open selection could penalise socialist MPs and councillors if the party loses members and becomes dominated by a small clique.

c) Someone on the NEC needs to speak up about democratisation, transparency and accountability without fear they will lose favour from the party bigwigs. I have no hopes of becoming an MP or being paid off in any way by the party and would be fired up to take this on.

d) Members should decide policy and I believe conference should be the authority on what policy decisions are made.

e) People should be innocent until proven guilty under the complaints procedure.

f) The bureaucrats who worked against the leadership to throw the 2017 General Election should all be expelled from the party.

g) I’m not going to answer the first two points as I may be suspended from the party if I do, but I am certainly opposed to the party implementing the board of deputies’ ten pledges.

Candidate Statement:

Labour needs to change the way it is run and party operations at the highest level must be reviewed urgently.
As things stand, annual accounts disclose the bare minimum of what would be expected of similar organisations, officials are appointed with no accountability and NEC members are denied vital information from party staff.
This isn’t the way to run a political party that seeks to govern the country.
At the same time as the party HQ spends vast sums on a bloated bureaucracy, Labour’s grassroots are famished.
CLPs are under-resourced (with most not having office space) and they are still expected to operate on only £2.50 per member, per year.
Fundraising for the local party is taking precedence over community outreach and campaigning.
If Labour is to recapture the ‘Red Wall’ and have a chance of forming a government, we will need to be a visible presence on the ground and this isn’t possible with the way the party is run at the moment.
I am standing for the NEC to highlight these issues and rally people behind a campaign for change: for concrete improvements to party governance and for CLPs to get a fair share of their members’ subscriptions.

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Ekua Bayunu

Attended LLA hustings event on 25th July (LINK HERE)

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

I fully support the LLA agenda.

I would like to serve on the Labour Party NEC as your grassroots candidate because I have the skills and experience and passion and steadfast and sustained commitment to socialist values built up over nearly 40 years working with and for the most disadvantaged communities in the UK as a community arts activist. From London’s Eastend, to Pilton and Craigmillar in Edinburgh, across Derbyshire, throughout Manchester, Greater Manchester and Lancashire.

My experience representing members in Labour movement structures:

I am an active member at branch, CLP and LCF levels. I currently hold the position of Arts & Culture Officer for my CLP, Manchester Central. I am the Secretary of Manchester Labour Women’s Forum, which represents all women members from across the 5 Manchester CLPs and am a delegate member to our LCF, called City Party in Manchester, which also cover all 5 CLPs across Manchester. I was a Manchester Central CLP delegate to Party Conference in 2019.

And I will Campaign for conference to become the Labour Party’s sovereign body.

As a socialist, I am a member of a range of organisations working closely to support the Labour Party, including the Socialist Health Association, Greater Manchester branch, Grassroots Black Left, for whom I am the Joint Northwest Co-ordinator with Anyanna Ndukwe, and various networks such as, Don’t Leave Organise and Manchester Central Labour Left.

I am supported by the Labour Black Socialists and I support our candidates Liz Okokon, Ade Adeshina, and Joyce Reid.

I support Councillors Jo Bird and Matt White for the NEC Local Government roles.

I am committed to the trade union movement and am currently working as a local rep with the Artist Union England as it builds its membership from a workforce who have been under sustained attack by successive tory governments, who very much understand the vital role we play in empowering communities. You only have to look at the role of artists in the Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matter movements.
I am also a member of Unite Community.

The key priorities of the NEC over the next 2 years:

We need to focus on the democratisation of the Labour Party. Fighting to retain the gains we have made through the Democracy review and agreed at conference 2018, 2019.

Ensuring the structures supporting our transformation into a socialist, members-led party for example, Women Branches and BAME Branches, are rolled out and properly resourced across the country.
I’d like to ensure that the voice of black members is properly heard.
By black people, I mean all people from communities impacted by white imperialism.
We have been subject to levels of abuse within the party which have hampered our ability to raise our concerns and the issues of our communities fully. It is essential that all candidates commit to engaging with black self-organised groups, as part of committing to understanding and championing all people in our country.
I encourage the LLA and its membership to take a stand against forced deportations, the hostile environment and police brutality and acknowledge the impact of the enduring discrimination in access to justice, housing, education, health care and employment that has led to our communities being so disproportionally impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic.

I support the Campaign for Reparations to highlight and to bring redress to the peoples most impacted by the historic injustice of the African Slave Trade, Colonialism and British Imperialism.

I believe in the international solidarity with socialist causes across the world.

I support Labour Left Alliances commitment to Palestine.

I oppose attempts to label the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as antisemitic;

I oppose any attempt to conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism.

I stand in solidarity with my Jewish Socialist comrades and their right to self-organise.

I oppose any attempt by the leadership to undermine party democracy. We must stand by the conference motion in support of Kashmir.
We must ensure that we are informed and aware of the suffering and struggles of all communities in the UK and across the world.

I will fight for the open selection process of candidates at both parliamentary and local level to ensure that our commitment to the selection of more diverse and representational candidates who are also answerable to members at constituency level is met.

I was selected as councillor candidate for Hulme Branch, Manchester Central CLP, for the postponed Council Elections in May 2020. This candidature will now roll forward to the elections in May 2021. I was actively supported by local comrades who worked hard to open the selection process so that they could engage with the candidate of their choice.

I commit to the scrapping of the trigger ballot process.

It is essential that we ensure that the complaints and disciplinary processes within the party are fair and unbiased and understood through a robust overhaul. However I also believe that all individuals are capable of change and that we, for example, should implement a thorough training and political education process during any suspensions alongside other punitive measures.
I agree that ALL disciplinary cases processed during the last five years should be subject to an unbiased re-examination. This is urgent and paramount. Natural justice must be bought to bear.
I say the same for any complaints during the same 5 year period to bring justice for those who have been left exposed and damaged by their concerns going uninvestigated and to take action against those who have worked against the aims of the Labour Party.

All comrades on the NEC must work to retain/rebuild membership through providing a clearer communication process between the knowledge/concerns of grassroots members and the leadership.
I will publish regular reports of NEC meetings, including details of how they and other NEC members have voted but as importantly I will commit to structures agreed with grassroots comrades to ensure I am listening to and aware of their concerns.
Most importantly that the NEC must work closely with the membership to build a strategy for the next general election.

Outside of the Labour Party, I work continuously towards creating structures that build engagement by and for working class communities, recognising the specific needs of black working class communities.
I am an active member of Tenants Union and have been active in a number of campaigns especially in my local Moss Side branch where as well as supporting campaigns around HMOs, Airbnb, homelessness, Section21 evictions, I am leading on work with social housing tenants which is my passion.
I am a member of Global Arts Mcr, through which I am championing the development of community led art spaces as a tool to empower local people to use the arts to improve their lives. We are currently focusing on developing CIWA, the Centre for International Women Artists, which in turn is working with local mutual aid organisations to look at using our resources post Covd19, to work with African heritage families and children who have been suffering the double trauma of the pandemic and police brutality as a result of existing and enduring inequalities.

Key Achievements in 2020:

Initiated the Stop Windrush Deportations rally in St Peters Square in Manchester, collaborating with a number of anti-racist and anti-fascist organisations

Led a Stop Police Brutality campaign with Labour Party members from across the region around the Taser attack on Ziggy Desmond Mombeyarara in Greater Manchester.

Worked collaboratively with a group of black women activists from the Labour Black Socialists to demand the NEC roll out the guidelines for setting up BAME and Women branches.

Set up Zoom Nation , A black-led initiative working with Labour Party comrades to deliver action focussed Anti-racism training to comrades from CLPs in Manchester, London and the East Midlands.

Volunteered with the Greenheys Community Assistance Volunteers and the Ardwick and Longsight Mutual Aid groups to support local people during the pandemic, including answering the Emergency Food Phone Line on a weekly rota.

Candidate Statement:

I have the skills, experience, passion and sustained commitment to socialist values built up over 40 years working with disadvantaged communities across the UK as a Community Arts activist. In London, the East Midlands, the Northwest and Edinburgh.

I am Arts & Culture Officer for Manchester Central CLP, Secretary of Manchester Labour Women’s Forum, representing women from across the 5 Manchester CLPs and a CLP delegate to our LCF and was delegate to Conference in 2019. I am the councillor candidate for Hulme, anticipating that I will become the councillor in 2021.

I am a committed Trades Unionist, a local rep for Artist Union England and a member of Unite Community.

I have a very strong organisational track record built through working at a senior level in the voluntary sector managing the needs of multiple stakeholders each with different priorities, agendas, reporting mechanisms and even end of year dates!

On the NEC, we need to move forward the democratisation of the Party ensuring structures agreed such as the Women and BAME Branches, are rolled out, properly resourced across the country.

Ensuring our complaints and disciplinary processes are fair, offering training and political education alongside punitive measures.

Working to retain/rebuild membership

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Steve Maggs

Attended LLA hustings event on 25th July (LINK HERE)

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

I’m happy to confirm I support, will stand on and if elected, act on the principles outlined in the LLA minimum platform.

A strong voice for socialism anchored to working for democracy and transparency in the party and beyond is essential. Along with working to end secretive and compromised internal discipline.

Candidate Statement:

I am a dedicated activist and currently Chair of Harborough CLP. I played an important role organising in both 2019 local and general elections. In the 2019 General Election I was campaign manager and also stepped in to be the legal agent. The campaign reached parts of the constituency we had not done before and we defied the national swing against the party.

I believe the party needs to maintain its radical policy platform and not compromise on the key elements that will bring about a more equal, fair and just society. A Labour Party not rooted in left wing policy and the improvement of the lives of the working class is not serving its purpose.

I will represent left wing members and the values of all members in everything I do if elected.

Outside of the party I have been volunteering to provide community support during the pandemic and work with leading groups for economic reform.

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Mark McDonald

Attended LLA hustings event on 25th July (LINK HERE)

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

1) Publish regular reports of NEC meetings, including details of how they and other NEC members have voted.

The whole purpose of me standing is to improve transparency and accountability, I see the publishing of regular reports including who has voted an absolute minimum. I have written about my long campaign for greater transparency and accountability within the NEC here: https://labourgrassroots.com/i-stopped-the-nec-toppling-corbyn-and-now-im-standing-for-it

2) Selected by ballot of the grassroots membership

Absolutely. With democracy comes accountability and if you are not accountable to the membership of the Labour party then simply put, there is no accountability

3) Stand on a minimum political platform that includes a public commitment to:
a) Fight for socialism (including democratic ownership and control of a planned economy) and opposing the ruinous system of capitalism.
b) Campaign for open selections for all Labour Party public office holders – including Westminster MPs, which requires the scrapping of the trigger ballot.
c) Thorough democratisation of the Labour Party, including transparent decision-making on all levels of the party.
d) Campaign for conference to become the Labour Party’s sovereign body, especially when it comes to deciding policy. This requires the scrapping the National Policy Forum, which was set up under Tony Blair

I am and will always be a committed socialist. If you are not a socialist you should not be in the Labour Party.

I fully support open and transparent selection of all MPs. The failure to have a complete, fair, equable system of selecting our MPs is a blight on our democracy.

The party is the servant of the members and conference is the conduit for change and reform for the members.

e) Campaign for the Labour Party’s complaints and disciplinary procedures to be overhauled so that disciplinary procedures are carried out in accordance with the principles of natural justice, and be time-limited: charges not resolved within three months should be automatically dropped. An accused member should be given all the evidence submitted against them and be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. All disciplinary cases processed during the last five years have to be overturned, pending unbiased re-examination.

I have argued for an independent disciplinary process for many years. The medical and legal professions both have it and so do many other bodies. We should not be afraid of independent scrutiny. In my view, it was a complete failure by the Party not to have done this many years ago.

Regarding a time limit, I have been involved in both advising the Party on disciplinary issues and advising members, sadly some complaints can take many months to complete so a time-limit is unworkable. However, the party has at times deliberately delayed the disciplinary process in the hope that members will leave or will not be elected again. This will cease under an independent disciplinary process.

f) Campaign to bring to justice those who have been exposed in the ‘leaked report’ as having worked against the aims of the Labour Party.

I hope and trust that the Forde Inquiry will expose all wrongdoing over the last few years. I have spent my life as a human rights lawyer campaigning against injustice and will not stop if I become a member of the NEC.

g) Campaign for Labour to:
– oppose attempts to label the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as antisemitic;
– overturn the party’s commitment to the so-called definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism in a number of its examples;
– oppose the party implementing the Board of Deputies’ 10 Pledges, as they undermine party democracy.

I have worked in Palestine. I have lectured, debated and written and protested on human rights abuses committed against the people of Palestinian for last 15 years. I co-founded Labour Friends of Palestine following my return from the area. The stopping the abuses committed in Palestine and the security and freedom to its people is what I live for and it will continue to be a priority as a member of the NEC.

Candidate Statement:

I am not on a slate. I am firmly of the view that there is strength in our unity, it is therefore essential that we unite as one party and work together to achieve the change needed to win back power.

We have to make Labour relevant to every member and voter. Socialism is about rolling up your sleeves and working within the community, taking Labour to the people not the other way round.

I have the skill set and over 30 years membership to be able to drive through a progressive agenda that will place the membership at the heart of our Party.

I am a person who gets things done, who takes the initiative, empowers the team and makes it happen. I left school at 16 and my world was changed by working for the NHS in the Operating Theatre, years later I went to night school and became a Barrister. I am now an international human rights lawyer.

I have worked in the UK, USA and Palestine and I co-founding Labour Friends of Palestine, all the time fighting for justice and against human rights abuses. I have the resilience and drive to enact the change we need.

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John Wiseman

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

Past left positions:
LRC North West Chair 4 years until 2015
LRC National Committee 9 years until 2018
LRC Executive committee 3 years until 2017
Amicus Unity Gazette National Treasurer 7 years until 2009
Labour Briefing Editorial Board for seven years until 2018

Current left positions:
Assistant Secretary North West United Left of Unite the Union Last 6 Years
North West Regional Coordinating Committee of United Left of Unite the Union 9 years

If you nominate me for the Labour NEC, I will be accountable to the people who drive the Labour party, you, its members, activists and councillors, with regular reports. We need to be a bottom up party. I am open, honest, hardworking and dedicated to our people in a very selfless way, always putting the movement first and will be around for the most vulnerable in the workplace and Community come what may. I am from the Labour Movement, it’s not what you do it’s who you are. I stick with the movement through thick and thin and have dedicated my life to wanting to better our lot. I believe in social Solidarity and working for collective aims and objectives, I believe in democracy and collective decision making even if you personally disagree, I want economic and social justice through socialism, which basically means I want more ownership and control of our economy either through public ownership of utilities or democratic worker Cooperatives, were economic equality along with respect and acceptance of difference is the aim. I am a skilled negotiator and I am knowledgeable about the movement and the very dynamic situations in highly charged environments, I have a steady and strategic approach to immediate and long term interests of policies that challenge the status quo to improve our lives. It is also important to put the conference decisions forward as sacred, as they are made by our members at the heart of the party. The legacy of Jeremy and John, must be continued. We must be transparent at all times through investigations, an make sure are fair and transparent, and make sure local CLPs are listened to. Membership fees need to be looked at, not based sector, but on what people can afford. Please support.

Candidate Statement:

As a democratic socialist, trade unionist and co-operator, we need change within the Labour party and movement. We need to be more democratic, reporting back within our structures and make ourselves more accountable to the communities and people that elect us. Conference must be a sovereign body within the party, which must be listened and adhered to more often. It has been the case that many decisions on policy have not been implemented. CLPs and BLPs need financial support to help in campaigning and generating further fundraising interest. Policy setting must start with the grassroots members. The NEC must listen to the demands of members and activists. We must champion the work of our parish, metropolitan, town and county councillors, as they are our frontline. Training of our members must be a priority and the importance of Equality and Diversity must be at the top of the agenda. Teaching about our Labour history, to our young people, is a way to build on the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. We must never forget ‘United we stand, divided we fall.’ Let us give hope a chance, and get elected to power, be ‘wise’ and nominate John Wiseman for the Labour NEC elections.

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Cate Tuitt

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

1) Publish regular reports of NEC meetings, including details of how they and other NEC members have voted.

I will publish regular report on the NEC . If it is permitted by the Labour party rule book to disclose voting I will. I will be proposing if nominated the NEC meetings should be video and audio recorded by the Labour party, which I have stated in my campaign thus far.

2) Selected by ballot of the grassroots members.

There should be a transparent decision making process. Nothing is for us without us included. If we are being excluded from the process this is not in the interests of us. It is for the benefit only of those seeking to hide in a room and make decisions without scrutiny.

3) Stand on a minimum political platform that includes a public commitment to:

a) Fight for socialism (including democratic ownership and control of a planned economy) and opposing the ruinous system of capitalism.

I have like all standing on the shoulders of giants, and continuing the fight.!

The planet earth is being destroyed by the economic model that is promoting a culture of consumption to the detriment of the poorest human beings on our planet. Our water supply is being contaminated, and the lack of clean air in our neighbourhoods, is a direct result of putting profit over the peoples human right to life. Climate and environmental justice are inextricably liked to racial justice and black lives matter.

Land has been confiscated for greed, I will be putting forward international policies on the NEC that will tackle the exploitation of land and minerals in Africa and the middle east and Caribbean and Asia.

I founded a financial Co-operative , a credit union in 2000. This is democratically owned by its members. All surplus funds are returned into the co-operative for the direct benefit of the members who own it, not for profit to exploit the most marginalised.

The first urban community land trust in the UK, I was a inaugural elected board member who sat on the steering committee , which is a community lead democratically built form of truly affordable housing linked to local incomes.

Housing is a human right and I will continue to promote forms of social housing , a home should not just be for the rich and the ruthless. Covid19 has further exposed this failed system. I have been campaigning for a rent amnesty, Rents must be cancelled. The evictions must be halted for another year, till human live recovers.

We must put the people over the profit.

b) Campaign for open selections for all Labour Party public office holders – including Westminster MPs, which requires the scrapping of the trigger ballot.

All selections must be open. I would vote for open selections. Trigger ballot has to end.

c) Thorough democratisation of the Labour Party, including transparent decision-making on all levels of the party.

The party must not be afraid of democratic structures at all levels and having transparency/We have nothing to loose but our chains .

d) Campaign for conference to become the Labour Party’s sovereign body, especially when it comes to deciding policy. This requires the scrapping the National Policy Forum, which was set up under Tony Blair.

Yes. It has to go once and for all . Let us explore the process of how we decide policy at the national conference.

One suggestion is a similar process that ensures members in all CLPs, who are not delegates, like we do with our motions that get selected to be debated. Conference delegates have input prior via their CLPs when put forward these policies.

e) Campaign for the Labour Party’s complaints and disciplinary procedures to be overhauled so that disciplinary procedures are carried out in accordance with the principles of natural justice, and be time-limited: charges not resolved within three months should be automatically dropped. An accused member should be given all the evidence submitted against them and be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. All disciplinary cases processed during the last five years have to be overturned, pending unbiased re-examination.

I note, all the recent leadership candidates stated they were committed to a change of the current procedure.

I feel it must uphold law and It should follow the UK law on due process and natural justice. There should be ethical standards and impartiality.

The Human rights provides a right to a fair trail under Articles and a right to not be discriminated. As a Labour party that bought in the Human rights act, we should also be a champion of it , within our own internal procedures.

It should be considered that external team conducts the process. I appreciate that this may have cost implications.

f) Campaign to bring to justice those who have been exposed in the ‘leaked report’ as having worked against the aims of the Labour Party.

Comments reported widely that had been made of racist abuse and hostility towards other members in what is known as “Labour leaked report” are deeply troubling. Particularly as a black person and  a women. Like the racist tropes in Whatsapp messages about black women Labour MPs. As a result the Labour party has set up the Forde enquiry and I hope this inquiry will be robust in its investigations, providing a just outcome after fully considering the facts.
It has recently come to my attention that former staff of the Labour party are trying to sue the Labour party in a court of law and therefore I cannot comment further due to sub judice.

g) Campaign for Labour to:

– oppose attempts to label the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as anti-Semitic;

Yes.

– overturn the party’s commitment to the so-called definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism in a number of its examples;

No

Please support me. Thank you for taking your time to read.

Solidarity

Candidate Statement:

Let’s shape and move progressive radical Labour direction on NEC
I assisted in setting up London community Land trust, UKs first housing land trust.
Covid19 has impacted us all. It had greatest impact on BAME communities, as a Black woman, who worked in an NHS hospital, I have had first-hand insight.
I campaigned for budget increases, climate green, legal aid justice for all.
Women bore great responsibilities during covid19. We need more voices at NEC table.
I’ve served as a Labour councillor, stood proudly on a fantastic manifesto in 2017 as a Labour party parliamentary candidate, sat on London regional board, chaired local councillor selection interview panels.
I am trade union chair of a GMB branch.
I co-authored a self-help book in 2000.
Elect me & I will:
• Publish NEC reports so you have more transparency.
• Advocate for robust and speedy independent processes to deal with misconduct.
• Fight to break down the barriers to participation in our party, for more diversity and for all our members to feel welcomed
• Recruit more BAME, disabled, LBGTQ, women, youth & organise locally.
• Seek views of CLPs by regularly visiting to listen.

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Cameron Mitchell

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

I am committed to the LLA’s action programme and below will give a brief insight on why I agree with the steps of the programme.

May I firstly introduce myself as the candidate endorsed by Dennis Skinner, Labour’s longest continuous standing MP and stalwart socialist. I have known Dennis throughout my time in the party and as a member of the Bolsover CLP, have worked with him closely during the 2017 and 2019 elections. I am also supported by my local National Union of Mineworker’s branch. I come from working-class mining stock and consider myself a solid working class socialist, committed to the values of Labour’s original clause 4 and the promotion of progressive, forward thinking policies. I am standing to be on Labour’s NEC in order to speak up for such policies which will greatly benefit the community I live in.

I also want to clarify why I was not at the recent hustings that took place. This was no fault of the LLA, nor was it a fault of my own. My statement was removed from the online portal of the Labour party website after a misunderstanding. This issue has now been sorted and whilst my statement is back on the site, this meant it wasn’t when the LLA reached out to potential candidates and I was therefor not invited. If I had attended the hustings, I would have put forward my socialist vision and discussed how I intend to further empower grassroots members.

1) This is much needed and something which I am passionately in favour of. Whilst certain members who sit on Labour’s NEC have publicised events of NEC meetings through social media platforms, there has been a lack of any official reports with thorough detail coming from NEC members, leaving much to the imagination. Regular reports, along the details of how members have voted where this is possible, will make the NEC more transparent and allow Labour’s grassroots members to hold the NEC to account. It will also provide insight as to whether certain members who sit on the NEC are following the pledges they were elected on.

2) I agree with this entirely. Our party was set up in the early part of the 20th century to be a voice for trade unions and represent the people. As the people’s party, it is important that those who pay fees to the party have the ultimate say on its direction otherwise our cause is contradictory. Politics is filled with patronage and secretive bureaucracy, it should be up to the Labour party to stand against this by holding fair, democratic and transparent internal elections. A clear sign to the establishment that we do things different.

3)
A) I am a committed socialist and believe that in order for left behind communities to thrive, Labour needs to take back control of the means of production and exchange.

B) I have always been in favour of open selections. This is the most democratic way to operate and allows our grassroots members to hold their MP or PPC to account. An MP shouldn’t have a job for life, unless they perform competently and represent those who need it most.

C) Again, something I am completely in favour of. This has been one of the key messages in my campaign so far.

D) I am in favour of this. Conference gives a voice to delegates with various standings in the party, from all different backgrounds, cultures and communities. Whilst the NPF is elected by our members, allowing conference to be the main vehicle of direction in terms of policy allows for a more open debate and for more members to have a say.

E) I am in favour of this. Imposing a time limit will ensure that investigations are dealt with fairly and timely and will stop instances where members are suspended for years in anticipation of their decision. Allowing the member to see evidence submitted against them will allow for the process to be more transparent and for the member to make a case of defence – as a trade unionist this is how I feel procedure should be follow. All members should be treated as innocent until proven guilty.

F) Those included in the report that deliberately worked against us to ensure we did not win the election have no place in our party. The language contained in the report was not comradely and has no place within a socialist movement. Those still working in the party should be dismissed and any who are still members should be expelled for undermining our aims.

G) I oppose the implementation of the 10 pledges. The Labour party should handle complaints and issues with anti-semitism, racism and prejudice of any form through it’s own processes if it is to be seen as a credible party which can be in government.

Candidate Statement:

Life in a Derbyshire ex-mining town such as mine epitomises the effect which destructive conservative governments have had on our way of life. When I left school, like so many other young people, I worked a minimum wage job on a zero hours contract with poor working rights and conditions. Seeing these injustices motivated me to get involved in the trade union movement, taking part in campaigns outside my former workplace to bring light on poor employment practices. A short period after I joined the Labour party because I knew that our party, alongside our Trade Union partnership, was the only way which I could be part of meaningful change.
Despite the disappointment of the last general election, the policies we have developed over recent years determines a positive step in the right direction. However, we need to be more effective in getting our message across. This starts with an NEC representative of all regions and a pledge to extend the democracies of our party by further empowering grassroots members. I am standing for a place on Labour’s NEC because I believe that our party should promote progressive, socialist policies and give the ultimate say to its members.

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Adebayo Adekunle Adeshina

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

1) Publish regular reports of NEC meetings, including details of how they and other NEC members have voted.

Answer: I will act in accordance to NEC communication rulings In this regards and continue to work for greater transparency

3) Stand on a minimum political platform that includes a public commitment to:

b) Campaign for open selections for all Labour Party public office holders – including Westminster MPs, which requires the scrapping of the trigger ballot.

Answer: agreed

d) Campaign for conference to become the Labour Party’s sovereign body, especially when it comes to deciding policy. This requires the scrapping the National Policy Forum, which was set up under Tony Blair.

Answer: Yes, I agreed to conference sovereignty. But I also believe in keeping the National Policy Forum. As a reformist, I would like us to argue for NPF duties and responsibilities to change to addressing every political occurrences and ongoing discourse, collating and monitoring, ensuring Labour Party Daly political policy matters prior to and after conferences are adhere to and abide by the party and conference ethos. Becoming the Labour Party National Policy Performance indicators Forum.

e) Campaign for the Labour Party’s complaints and disciplinary procedures to be overhauled so that disciplinary procedures are carried out in accordance with the principles of natural justice, and be time-limited: charges not resolved within three months should be automatically dropped. An accused member should be given all the evidence submitted against them and be regarded as innocent until proven guilty.

Answer: Agreed to overhaul of LP complaints and disciplinary procedures.

All disciplinary cases processed during the last five years have to be overturned, pending unbiased re-examination.

Answer: Unable to agree fully to this section of this question, as I do not know the details of all disciplinary cases processed during the last five years.

f) Campaign to bring to justice those who have been exposed in the ‘leaked report’ as having worked against the aims of the Labour Party.

Answer: unable to agree or disagree

g) Campaign for Labour to:

– oppose attempts to label the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as antisemitic;

– overturn the party’s commitment to the so-called definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism in a number of its examples;

– oppose the party implementing the Board of Deputies’ 10 Pledges, as they undermine party democracy.

Answer: unable to agree or disagree with this question, as I believe that to ensure social justice and fairness, as well as addressing inequality, unequal rules with uneven impacts, a cross sectors opinions and multifaceted approach are required to avoid further discrimination regardless of our differences. “United we are strong and divided we fall”

Candidate Statement:

I have been a Labour Party member for over 23 years. As a party activist, I campaigned extensively for the Labour Parliamentarians in Edmonton, Enfield North, Enfield Southgate and beyond. Including during the EU and Mayor elections.

I believe we must be honest about what needs to change – Labour Party is not perfect but we must argue with unity of purpose to win back our lost constituencies. People are worried about social justice and fairness. I will work with our CLPs to engage NEC Colleagues to make sure Labour Party Policy reflects the view of the many not the few, particularly that of the party’s grassroot members.

As the former chairman of the Enfield Racial Equality Council and currently member of Race on the Agenda (Rota). I am proud to have negotiated Enfield Diversity Policy against all odds therefore, I will use gained skill, knowledge and experience As Enfield strategic partnerships BAME delegate to ensure LP NEC is more accountable to grassroot members/CLPs, and work to achieve good governance and equitable sustainable structures, to make LP relevant in the contemporary geopolitical environment.

I will call on my previous experience as director of a Charity organisation for 30 years, and use my Bachelor in International Politics plus vast experience of Global Governance to deliver and Improve NEC communication, so as to enable regular CLP feedbacks to the members, and to ensure inclusion not exclusion.

I have enjoyed sustainable development within the Labour Party for about 3 decades and this has empowered me. Started as the Ponders end South ward ethnic minority officer in 1997, where I set out to develop our ward’s BSS profile to ensure our ethnicity measures specific campaign. Subsequently, In 2006, I became Edmonton south ward chair as well as the CLP vice-chair-membership officer. As Edmonton CLP BAME coordinator and member of the campaign committee, I organized several fundraising events to ensure the growth of our elections resources. During these periods, I was able to change the narratives of some and impact life’s positively therefore, I will be working closely with colleagues at NEC to Promote and fully support socialists’ policies to make Labour electable.

To this end, I am humbly seeking your endorsement to become the first Black-man elected to the Labour Party NEC in its 120 years history. This will not only help facilitate better outcomes but help to change the narratives about LP systemic discrimination, inequality and imbalance of rules.

Accordingly to many Social Democrat’s scholars, imbalance rules and uneven power distribution usually leads to uneven rules and unequal impacts, hence my pledge to Work to make our members more empowered so as to have greater say in the party decision making process especially on policy to make Conference a sovereign body “In it, to change it” I will Work to increase representation of underrepresented communities within party. According to sharpe (1976), Institutionalizing Rights, he argued that for rights to be made secure, they must be embedded or institutionalized in a web of institutions rules, procedure and beliefs, in legislation, constitutions, and charters to avoid equal rules with unequal outcomes, impacts and effects. This will ensure our first generation Rights, Civil and Political Rights, and our economic, social and cultural Rights for the many.

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CLGA 6 – Mish Rahman, Laura Pidcock, Ann Henderson, Nadia Jama, Yasmine Dar,gemma Bolton

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

None

Joint CLGA Statement

All CLGA candidates are committed to the principles of democratic socialism in practice as well as theory. We stand for a transformative Labour Government, socialist policies and Party democracy.   Saving lives should be the priority in the coronavirus pandemic – the Tories’ priority of protecting profits has already led to tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths and has not contained the virus. There was a complete failure to plan for the pandemic despite clear warnings over more years. A decade of austerity has undermined public services and the weakened the ability to tackle the pandemic. Labour should stop supporting the government’s deadly policy and instead fight to defend people’s lives and jobs.  

For a socialist Labour government – the best vehicle for transforming society in the interests of the majority, working within communities and harnessing links with trade unions. This requires year-round campaigning in every constituency and a fully accountable and professional staff committed to a Labour government regardless of who is leading the party.  

For an economy for the many, not the few – rejection of the Tories austerity agenda was at the heart of the 2017 and 2019 manifestos and provides the basis for moving forward. Labour should commit to expanding democratic public ownership and universal provision of universal public services and to guaranteeing the building blocks of a high-quality life including education, housing, healthcare, social security and social care.  

For a socialist green new deal – Labour must be the party of workers and planet, investing in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure and building support for a rapid and just transition to a zero-carbon economy. This means creating millions of well-paid, unionised green jobs, taking on the big polluters, and expanding commitments to public ownership across the economy. Workers must be at the heart of this transition and they must be unshackled from union busting laws, that’s why Labour must repeal all of the UK’s anti-union laws and deliver a revolution in workers’ rights.  

For an ethical foreign policy – Labour should have an independent, internationalist foreign policy the core objectives of which should be peace, conflict-resolution, and nuclear disarmament. Rather than participating in illegal foreign wars, we should support people struggling against oppression across the globe.   For liberation and equality – Labour should be a great force for equality, intersectionality and working class unity. We must stand with the Black Lives Matter movement and achieve lasting structural change. We must campaign against all forms of racism including antisemitism, Islamophobia, Afriphobia and the scapegoating of migrant and Traveller communities. We must challenge discrimination and prejudice wherever it occurs, including tackling sexism, sexual harassment, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and ableism. We will build inclusive self- organised equality structures in the Party, and strengthen our candidate selection processes accordingly.  

For party democracy – to represent the interests of the majority in society we need to democratise the party and empower individual members and affiliates. This must include open selections of all candidates for public elected office; natural justice, transparency, accountability and fairness in internal processes; a member-led policymaking process at every level; and properly resourced political education. We must build an inclusive party and break down barriers to participation.

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Jermain Jackman

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

None

Candidate Statement:

I’m a proud young socialist and Labour activist who has campaigned tirelessly both locally and nationally.

We face unprecedented times and our members deserve a strong voice on the NEC to ensure our Labour movement remains committed to socialist and anti-racist values as we continue to democratise and diversify our party. I believe I am that candidate.

I will rebuild and invest in a strong network of active branches, grassroots activists, members and local communities to ensure we listen and learn from all parts of our movement. Members voices – especially of those from underrepresented groups – should shape our strategy, policy and campaigns as we fight for a radical Labour government.

I recognise the pain many members feel and I want to run for NEC to amplify and listen to their concerns. The Party has failed to listen to minorities, so as a CLP representative, I will lobby for change and ensure all forms of racism, sexual harassment and discrimination is stamped out of our Party through a robust complaints procedure.

I want to remind our members, voters and communities that the Labour Party can still be the Party for you. I will be your voice on the NEC.

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NEC Election Timetable

Taken from Labour Party Website

Friday 10 July 2020, noon

Deadline for candidate statement to be submitted to the ‘candidate statement portal’

Saturday 11 July

CLP Nominations open for

– NEC Division III (CLPs)

– NEC Disabled Members Representative

– Treasurer

Nominations open for affiliated organisations

– NEC Youth Representative

– Welsh Representative

– Treasurer Representative

Labour Group nominations open for

– NEC Division IV (Local Governance)

Monday 24 August

Last day for new members to join

Sunday 27 September, midnight

Nomination deadline for all positions

Deadline to self identify as disabled for the NEC Disabled members representative ballot

Monday 19 October

Ballot dispatch begins

Thursday 12 November, noon

Ballot Closes

Friday 13 November

Results Announced

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Candidates for Disabled Member, Youth, & Local Government Reps, and Treasurer

Although the LLA did not hold a ballot for the other (non-CLP) NEC seats, we wanted to provide as much opportunity as we could for all candidates to discuss the important issues, to allow voters to be better informed, by holding hustings sessions for the other seats too. Those that responded were asked to comment on our Action Programme for the Left – see their responses below along with their candidate statements:

Click to jump to response and statement:

Disabled Member Rep:

Adrian Knapper
Cam Rose
David Southall
James Driver
Sonny Bailey
Kendrick Fowler

Youth Rep:

Theodore Michael

Local Gov Rep:

Jo Bird

Treasurer:

Esther Giles
Reg (Paul) Cotterill

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Adrian Knapper

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

The Labour party needs to become a more democratic organisation that encourages more membership of ordinary people and promotes the connection with affliated bodies, trade unions and the co-operative movement to bring about a fair equal society.
More must be done to bring about the coming of ordinary members to have the opportunity to have open discussion within informal settings within the Labour Party, such as coffee club meetings or social gatherings, with these being established around issue, such as disabled rights, black lives matters,  LGBT rights and family matters, basic issues to encourage more people to become active in the debate within Labour, with ideas from this informal structure going to local CLP meetings whom then can feed these to become policy being discussed at conference, with conference being sovereign.
However, conference must become more open to ordinary members to become involved,  allowing technology such as zoom to make fringe meetings accessible to all and with the main conference being shown on the parliamentary TV channel, allowing Labour members to vote at home, using modern online voting technology. 
Ensuring the opportunity for one member one vote and affilate bodies and trade unions to have a balanced input into voting based on membership. 
Creating a bigger opportunity for the many to have their opportunity to shape Labour Policy.
I believe strongly that a MP or Councillor position is not a job for life and the Labour Party must have open selection.
Election of officers and people holding key position within Labour CLPs must also be more open to encourage flexibilty of new people taking up roles within the party.
We most also reform the house of lords, with an elected chamber that more represent the whole UK and values of the people of our nation.
Working with the Trade Unions we must protect workers jobs, in recent years we have seen closure of high street shops like BHS and the demise of manufacturing like Dudson Pottery. We need a socialists approach in future to bring and save workers employment via the government taking into public ownership, these organisations that find themselves under pressure of financial cash flow and then transform them back to being successful organisation.
A national approach could also be taken to bring back british brands like Triumph  or Austin motors to create well paid job opportunities for the working class.
I want to see a fairer society of equal opportunities for all and the recent education results have demonstrated that more needs to be done to bring about a more transparent society.
The Labour Party needs get back to its values and principles that created the NHS and build Council homes.
If succesful on becoming a member of the Labour Party NEC as disabled rep, I want to help the process to bring about a fairer society for the many, that ensures worker rights to a well paid job and helps protect those whom are less fortunate regards health or disability having meaningful quality of life by reforming the care and benefits system.

Candidate Statement:

I believe strongly in the principle of FAIRNESS and hold traditional working-class values having worked for 18 years as postman and CWU trade union member have shaped my values of equal opportunity for all. Unfortunately, my career with Royal Mail was cut short because of my Arthritis and disability that restricts my mobility. This encouraged me to become active to try my best to help others being a Labour/Co-operative Councillor for over 15 years. Unity (GMB) member and endorsed campaigns by FBU, UNISON and USDAW. I would love to champion disabled rights within Labour, especially with regards reform of welfare benefits via policy forums review. I also strong believe that we must reform care support for the elderly and disabled, linking Social Care and NHS together, ensuring that the Labour party can develop ideas to support people with dignity. Lifelong learning, retraining new skills is important to me, along with ensuring easy accessibility to work/leisure, along with better public transport and safe access into building are created by design or adaptation. Disability comes in many forms, including deafness, sight impairment or physical impairments and mental illness, I support the Jo Cox Loneliness campaign. Labour party is about inclusion for all.

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Cam Rose

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

I support pledges 1, 2, 3 a, b, c, d and f. 

While I do support a large scale reform of the disciplinary process, I do not think that all disciplinary cases over the past five years should be overturned. I would instead support a swift and streamlined evidence-based appeals process for anyone who believes that their rulings were unjustified. 

I support BDS and oppose any attempts to label it antisemitic. However, I think that a campaign to overturn the adoption of the IHRA definition and the BoD pledges at this point will reignite another unwinnable culture war within the party that will ultimately be to the detriment of Jewish members and the party’s efforts to restore trust as a whole. They do need to be revisited soon, but campaigning to overturn them outright now will only serve to destabilise our movement in the long run, which can only ever benefit the Tories.

Candidate Statement:

I’m a physics master’s student and I have fought against mental health stigma and discrimination throughout my whole time at university.

When I was elected and served on the Amnesty International Student Action Network committee, I co-organised national campaigns for abortion rights in Northern Ireland and campaigns to support youth climate strikers.

I have been prevented from engaging with the Labour Party the way I want due to accessibility issues with events and in-group clique structures. I am an advocate of structural solutions to ensure that the new Disability role is woven into the core of the decision making in the NEC and not relegated to being just for accessibility consultation.

Accessibility is about valuing the contributions of disabled people, not just tokenistic inclusion. As well as finally taking disabled people seriously, we must re-engage with young people, BAME, Jewish and LGBT+ people. We simply cannot forsake any group of people, even for the sake of electoral expediency.

Not only must Labour commit to keeping the radical policies it has championed since 2015, it must also put frameworks like the Green New Deal at the heart of its vision and make the party more open and democratic for all members.

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David Southall

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

1) Will publish regular reports of NEC meetings, including details of how they and other NEC members have voted.

I am fully supportive of this proposal with one exception, the NEC should still have the option of a closed session or part of a session where the NEC can discuss matters that if leaked would give an advantage to our political opponents, however, once the information would be of no use to our political opponents then it should be released.

Off the top of my head – election strategy kept secure until 1 year after the election then the reports and minutes and votes of the members should be distributed to the party membership.

2) Have been selected by ballot of the grassroots membership.

Support this completely, I believe in democracy and 1 member 1 vote.

3) Stand on a minimum political platform that includes a public commitment to:

a) Fight for socialism (including democratic ownership and control of a planned economy) and opposing the ruinous system of capitalism.

Capitalism I believe will eventually go and the planet will move to a post-capitalist system, anything I can do to help that process I will try to do. Capitalism has to go or we as a species are going to destroy ourselves, but it will not be easy or quick as the forces of capitalism are powerful, we can see the death screams starting already with the move to work from home, so capitalism has started working counter to the interests of some capitalists(the commercial landlords) and they do not like it one bit. 

Human nature and the infection of capitalism into it will be very hard to change, I was born in 71 so am a child of Thatcherism, I like many people I suspect am infected with the admire, aspire, acquire mindset, for example, I know a certain store is offering easy credit on iMacs currently, I do not need an iMac, I am writing this on a perfectly usable Windows laptop, so I am resisting the instinct to overconsume.

But I’m sure you have heard of the obesogenic(definition: generating obesity) environment, if you look at my picture something I know a little about(lol), I would suggest we live in a capitagenic(to coin a phrase) environment, our environment generates capitalism, now that I have viewed the website that is offering easy credit on iMacs I am bombarded with web ads, everywhere we look the triggers of capitalism are there to encourage us to go into debt & consume more than we need. There is a film called “They Live” that is science fiction but also has a great deal of truth about our society within it.

b) Campaign for open selections for all Labour Party public office holders – including Westminster MPs, which requires the scrapping of the trigger ballot.

I fully agree with this, any good officeholder including MPs will have nothing to fear from open selections. Chester CLP’s MP is very good in my opinion and is exceptionally hard-working the fact he identifies himself as a Tribune Group MP really doesn’t influence me at all.

c) Thorough democratisation of the Labour Party, including transparent decision-making on all levels of the party.

Completely agree but with my previous exception that we should not make anything public that would give advantage to our political opponents but any information should be shared at a later date when it would have no impact on our party.

d) Campaign for conference to become the Labour Party’s sovereign body, especially when it comes to deciding policy. This requires the scrapping the National Policy Forum, which was set up under Tony Blair.

Yes I think the conference should be sovereign so would vote to abolish the NPF.

e) Campaign for the Labour Party’s complaints and disciplinary procedures to be overhauled so that disciplinary procedures are carried out in accordance with the principles of natural justice, and be time-limited: charges not resolved within three months should be automatically dropped. An accused member should be given all the evidence submitted against them and be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. All disciplinary cases processed during the last five years have to be overturned, pending unbiased re-examination.

I’m going to reference the University Of Leicester’s work on this.

Information: Clear information about the complaint processes.
Accessibility: Free of charge and fully accessible to all members, including people in vulnerable situations.
Support and empowerment: The ability to call on third party help when making a complaint or responding to a complaint against you.
Fairness: Processes and decisions need to be fair and based on public available rules and criteria.
Effectiveness and performance: Dealing with complaints in a timely fashion, ensuring positive improvements within Labour were identified and performance monitoring and auditing of the complaints process.
Resolution and redress: The ability to resolve the problem, a range of remedies, including financial compensation and the ability to tackle systemic issues.
Independence: Independent of those complained against.
Accountability: Publicly available information on how the service works and how it is governed.
Resources: Adequate resources and flexibility to deal with present and future demands.
Member involvement: Complaint handling systems need to be informed by members’ views and experiences, we should even ask people who have been asked to leave the party due to a complaint against them what their views of the process were.
I would be supportive of a cyclical review of the complaints procedure, for example, every 2 years to see if it complies with the principles I have laid out above and we should have a forum for as much member participation as possible.
I think once the NEC is established with the new members this should be a priority and I would certainly be raising it as soon as possible.
I am a fan of Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules For Life and I would suggest we should follow “Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world”. Once our Labour house is in perfect order on any subject we should then be taking the fight to our political opponents, for example, whatever happened to the Conservatives inquiry into Islamophobia?

f) Campaign to bring to justice those who have been exposed in the ‘leaked report’ as having worked against the aims of the Labour Party.

If the cases are proven via a reformed complaint and disciplinary procedure then yes individuals guilty will have to go as for right or wrong Jeremy Corbyn was supposed to be in command of the party and if Keir Starmer wishes to be in command going forward then they will have to be dealt with, otherwise, any member will believe they can do anything against the party with no consequences and Sir Keir will never actually be in command. 

g) Campaign for Labour to:

– oppose attempts to label the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as antisemitic;

Israel is allegedly a nuclear-armed state with powerful friends such as the USA. So basically they can do whatever they want and nobody can really stop them. However, If history teaches us anything, it is simply this: every revolution carries within it the seeds of its own destruction. And empires that rise will one day fall. (Science fiction fans will recognise that quote.)
I think at some point in the future unless Israel changes course significantly that they will start going too far and even their friends and allies such as the USA will stop supporting the Israeli government.
I personally choose not to knowingly buy anything made in Israel as I disagree with the policies of the Israeli government and its behaviour towards the Palestinians.
So I think we should just let people have the personal choice as I have made a personal choice, with regard to a policy, if we form the next Government we need to encourage the Israeli & Palestinian leaderships to find some way to peace between them, that should include the use of all tools available including BDS.
So yes I oppose attempts to label the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as antisemitic.

– overturn the party’s commitment to the so-called definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism in a number of its examples;

I’m not against Israel existing, I’m against expansion into the land that should be used for a future State of Palestine. I am critical of Israel’s government and things it does from time to time when that criticism is justifiable.

Let us see what is being considered referenced from: https://www.holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definitions-charters/working-definition-antisemitism

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

I personally do not have any issue with this definition.

With regard to the 11 examples:

“Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.”
I agree this is wrong and anyone who does the above is engaging in antisemitism. 

“Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.”
I agree this is wrong and anyone who does the above is engaging in antisemitism. 

“Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.”
I agree this is wrong and anyone who does the above is engaging in antisemitism. 

“Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).”
I agree this is wrong and anyone who does the above is engaging in antisemitism. 

“Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.”
I agree this is wrong and anyone who does the above is engaging in antisemitism. 

“Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.”
I agree this is wrong and anyone who does the above is engaging in antisemitism. 

“Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour.”
I agree this is wrong and anyone who does the above is engaging in antisemitism. 

“Applying double standards by requiring of it a behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.”
I agree this is wrong and anyone who does the above is engaging in antisemitism. 

“Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.”
I agree this is wrong and anyone who does the above is engaging in antisemitism. 

“Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.”
I agree this is wrong and anyone who does the above is engaging in antisemitism. 

So I do not think I can agree that any of the above stops me from being critical of the government of Israel or its actions when that criticism has merit. I’m opposed to the expansion of Israel into any territory which is reserved for a future Palestinian State in contravention of international law. Currently, for example, I would say that the Israeli Government should stop bombing Gaza and the retaliation for Hamas allegedly launching “incendiary balloons” and “rockets” over the border is completely out of proportion to the alleged offence by probably a small number of people, yet, Israel is punishing a whole area of people, this is wrong and they should cease.

– oppose the party implementing the Board of Deputies’ 10 Pledges, as they undermine party democracy.

I’m not against the actual 10 pledges some of them are perfectly reasonable, I just think we should not implement them as it opens a door to outside influences which should not be opened, do it once and it is easier to be done again – the members and conference should have supreme sovereignty over the Labour party.

Candidate Statement:

Friends,

I request your support for your NEC Disabled Members Representative.

I was until recently disability officer for Chester CLP. I, unfortunately, felt I had to resign during my term as a fellow member being unsupported was the final straw. I wish to take this experience to the NEC on your behalf.

It is about you.

Should I be successful, my first priority will be listening to you and taking forward your priorities.

I do, however, have a view on where to begin.

The CLP is the primary contact point for members, positive change will ripple throughout our party.

I am disabled with both physical, social and some mental health impacts, I am 1 in 4. I have Autism which has challenges but also benefits and Fibromyalgia which has a lot of challenges & hearing loss, plus other issues.

I am a member of a number of Labour party-related organisations, but I did not seek support from any of them. I feel your support should be based on merit; I would welcome members individual support once you get to know me, therefore, I will be adding content and engaging with you via my website

With regards to all, Dave.

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James Driver

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

I am a strong supporter of the LLA as it is more important than ever in these current times that many of the aims that the left of the party champion, such as increased investment in and full  renationalisation of, our essential public services, should be given a full hearing at the Party’s top table.  A key reason the Left has a major part to the play in the future of our party is that many of our younger members have been inspired by our more radical policies on matters such as the cancelling of Student debt and the commitment to scrap tuition fees.   Another reason I support the LLA is to make sure that all factions have a strong voice in internal debate, to represent the widest range of views possible.

Do you support open selection?

I support open selection to increase the accountability of all our elected officials, as everyone that has the privilege to serve our great party should only serve for as long as the people that gave them the opportunity wish them to represent us. 

Do you support the publishing of NEC reports and voting records 

I support the publishing of voting records, as in a party where transparency is paramount, as people should be held accountable for their decisions on matters as important as the Constitution of the official opposition, that will not only effect members of our party but more importantly the country. If we are not seen by the public to be transparent then we will not be trusted to be transparent whilst in government. We have to be able to demonstrate that we can democratise our party to be given the chance to further democratise the country.

Will you fight for a sovereign conference and the abolishment of the NPF?

I partly agree with this statement because our national conference should always be the main place where all ideas are debated and decided upon, to make sure the labour party can represent as many people as possible. However, there must be an understanding within the party that in the event of emergency decisions needing to be adjudicated, the most senior members should be able to take these decisions without explicit consent from the members in the first instance.  In my view, these include decisions that need to be taken in the event of a snap election where there is no time for an emergency conference. The only other reason that senior members should not seek the consent of Labour conference is when a confidentiality or legal process would be undermined  by a such a consultation.    

Will you fight for a fair complaints process and re-examination of all cases

I partly agree with this statement as the last few years have shown there is a strong case for major reform to the complaints process to ensure swift and fair decisions will be taken by those in charge of our party compliance, and to restore members’ faith in the complaints system that is supposed to safeguard and protect members by making the process more robust in most cases. However, I do believe it would not be prudent for the Party to ‘re-examine’ cases that are for the most part already closed, as this would be highly likely to reopen deep rifts within a large section of our membership. Which could be highly divisive and lead to disunity as we look to unite towards a Labour government in 2024.

Will you campaign for those exposed in the leaked report to be brought to justice.

I agree with this pledge on the basis that anyone that has worked to deny a Labour government from those that need one most in society, should face the full force of the Labour Party rulebook. Therefore, anyone elected to the NEC should be fully committed to bring anyone to justice that they can ultimately prove has worked against the party in any capacity. However, as a fair and democratic party we should never second guess the outcome of any investigation that is ongoing into the leaked report or any other official Labour Party document. Therefore, before taking action as the NEC we should wait until the full findings of the independent body are brought to light. As pre-empting a conclusion would comprise peoples’ right to a fair and proper investigation. 

Campaign against attempts to label the BDS as antisemtic?

I disagree with this statement on the basis that we can not let the people of Israel suffer through boycotts and sanctions as a result of their government’s decisions, which the people of Israel can not be held responsible for.   Therefore, the best way to achieve peace is to be a world leader in the efforts of the UN to achieve peace talks between Israel and Palestine to achieve a full and proper two state solution. Whist I do not agree that we should boycott and sanction Israel, as this would affect their citizens that have already been through so many ordeals just to simply support their faith. We should instead focus on using international law to stop the annexation of the West Bank, and force greater investment into those areas to improve the quality of the life of Palestinians whilst we push for a peace deal to be reached.   

Campaign to overturn Labour’s commitment to the IHRA definitions and examples on Antisemitism?

I disagree with the following statement because the IHRA  definitions and examples of Antisemitism are in place to stop the persecution of Jewish people simply based on supporting a  faith. The use of the IHRA definitions allows people  to understand some of the common tropes used against those that support the Jewish faith and helps to understand the hardship of these people. The definitions are also there to safeguard their rights to a legitimate and free state of Israel.  

Campaign against the BOD 10 pledges on Antisemitism

I disagree with this statement because over the past few years most people would admit Labour has been slow to act over genuine cases of antisemitism which are a scourge on wider society. Therefore, we need to seek to rebuild trust with the Jewish community as a proud anti-racist party once again. The only way to do that is to listen to the people that it affects the most, therefore we should be collaborating with all parts of the Jewish community. This includes taking onboard what the largest Jewish body in Britain define as Antisemitism.  

Candidate Statement:

Hello, I am James, I am standing to be disability rep on the NEC as I believe we must stand firm on our commitment to social justice for all. As an independent candidate that is not part of a slate I will not be looking to advance the fortunes of one particular faction. My only priority will always be to serve you. Being someone that strongly believes in a labour movement that champions equal opportunity and solidarity I will make it my duty to empower members, and fight for the change you want to see as we prepare to be a party of government once again. From my personal experience of two major surgeries’ it has shown me first-hand the importance of empowering our key workers, this is why I will commit to advocating that all commitments relating to public health in the 2019 manifesto must be kept and built upon. A key part of this will be the new regular disability forum which will enable everyone to give honest and open feedback to inform leadership direction, on the key policies Thank you for considering me for the position I hope we will get to build this grassroots movement together.

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Sonny Bailey

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

1) Will publish regular reports of NEC meetings, including details of how they and other NEC members have voted.  

This is very important for accountability purposes and to allow for members to view the voting records, since we have a responsibility to provide for our members who vote for us.

2) Have been selected by ballot of the grassroots membership. 

We cannot build a grassroots movement without the work and activism of our members, and it will always be in my interests to run on a grassroots campaign.

3) Stand on a minimum political platform that includes a public commitment to:

a) Fight for socialism (including democratic ownership and control of a planned economy) and opposing the ruinous system of capitalism. Socialism must be the main goal for Labour’s future.

We were founded on a democratic socialist principle. We must be a party for the many. And we must understand and fight against capitalism’s failures.

b) Campaign for open selections for all Labour Party public office holders – including Westminster MPs, which requires the scrapping of the trigger ballot. 

Trigger ballots have led to infighting within the party due to the threat of deselection. It is important to allow for open selections for all Party public office holders.

c) Thorough democratisation of the Labour Party, including transparent decision-making on all levels of the party. 

Transparent decision making should be at the forefront of the Party, openness and transparency is essential for democracy.

d) Campaign for conference to become the Labour Party’s sovereign body, especially when it comes to deciding policy. This requires the scrapping the National Policy Forum, which was set up under Tony Blair. 

Policy should be decided via conference. NPF has technically prevented people doing their jobs as representatives. Eight priority topics are presented at conference for which NPF members only have input to one, which makes it harder for representatives to provide solid input as a whole.

e) Campaign for the Labour Party’s complaints and disciplinary procedures to be overhauled so that disciplinary procedures are carried out in accordance with the principles of natural justice, and be time-limited: charges not resolved within three months should be automatically dropped. An accused member should be given all the evidence submitted against them and be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. All disciplinary cases processed during the last five years have to be overturned, pending unbiased re-examination. 

The complaints and disciplinary procedure must take into account every issue, if someone who is disabled has a complaint, that complaint must be taken just as seriously as another issue, and handling of the complaints should not be biased towards specifics. Accused members should be given a fair and unbiased hearing, with adequate notice before a decision is made. All accused members should be regarded as innocent until proven guilty.

f) Campaign to bring to justice those who have been exposed in the ‘leaked report’ as having worked against the aims of the Labour Party. 

For accountability and transparency purposes, those who are working against the aims of the Party should be rightfully questioned, with further action taken afterward.

g) Campaign for Labour to:

– oppose attempts to label the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as antisemitic;

– overturn the party’s commitment to the so-called definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism in a number of its examples;

– oppose the party implementing the Board of Deputies’ 10 Pledges, as they undermine party democracy. 

Antisemitism is not the same as anti-Zionism, this must be made incredibly clear. Israel’s horrific humanitarian injustices towards Palestinians must not go unnoticed. Implementing the EHRC’s recommendations must be a key first step. To sign any pledge we need to understand the compatibility between them and findings from reports. Simply put, these pledges would bypass the Party’s own processes.

Candidate Statement:

I am a disabled autistic person, with a working class background. I have been a member of Labour since May 2015. I have been involved with local canvassing in two CLPs (Worthing West, and more recently, Stirling) and I was also invited to speak for the Labour Basildon CLP in July 2019. I joined Labour as a disabled person because I believe in advocating for greater accessibility, and disabled rights.

I am therefore aware of the policies which are best suited to support the disabled people of this country. For too long, the Tories have constantly undermined disabled people through harmful policies, because they believe that certain disabilities and chronic illnesses do not make them exempt from work. This has to change.

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that accessibility measures are, in fact, possible. The majority of us in this country have now been faced with the reality that disabled people face. I’m therefore standing as a democratic socialist who has direct experience in supporting disabled people across this country. With me on the NEC, I will advocate for equal and fair policy for disabled people. Because accessibility and inclusion starts with amplifying the disabled voice.

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Kendrick Fowler

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

1) Will publish regular reports of NEC meetings but not how other NEC members have voted.

3) Stand on a minimum political platform that includes a public commitment to:

a) I will Fight for socialism (including democratic ownership and control of a planned economy) and opposing the ruinous system of capitalism.

b) I wouldn’t campaign for open selections as this may lead to an a decrease in disabled MP’s

c) support Thorough democratisation of the Labour Party, including transparent decision-making on all levels of the party.

e) I feel that 3 months may not be long enough time to properly deal with serious complaints

g) There are ways that people can speak out against the human rights abuses against Palestinians which are not in preach of the definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

Candidate Statement:

As someone with both a physical and learning disability I understand first hand the prejudice and barriers people with disabilities face in education, at work, within the welfare system and unfortunately often within the Labour Party itself.

I am the current disability officer for my CLP and regularly hold online meetings with disabled members. I have also supported the Guide Dogs Campaigns group on a number of issues including pavement parking, chaired a meeting on the concerns of disabled people within the Labour Party at the 2018 regional conference and spoke at a panel event at the 2019 national conference about my own experience of the education system as a disabled person.

If elected I will regularly consult with disabled members to ensure that they are heard within the party.

I would be a strong voice for disabled members on the NEC and not compromise over any issues regarding disability discrimination and access as the party must be accountable to the 2010 Equality Act. I feel it is the responsibility of the party to change to meet the needs of disabled people as opposed to disabled people having to change to meet the needs of the party.

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Theodore Michael

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

1) Will publish regular reports of NEC meetings, including details of how they and other NEC members have voted.

• I promise to implement this, as well as hold regular meetings with young members, Youth Officers and Young Labour Chairs before NEC meetings to hear their points of views on issues and what they wish me to press in the meetings.

2) Have been selected by ballot of the grassroots membership

• Absolutely, I wish to have a mandate from everyone, not just the few.

3) Stand on a minimum political platform that includes a public commitment to:

a) Fight for socialism (including democratic ownership and control of a planned economy) and opposing the ruinous system of capitalism.

• I agree with democratic ownership and cooperative ownership, and the control of a planned economy.

b) Campaign for open selections for all Labour Party public office holders – including Westminster MPs, which requires the scrapping of the trigger ballot.

• Yes I completely agree with open selections for all public office holders.

c) Thorough democratisation of the Labour Party, including transparent decision-making on all levels of the party.

• Of course, people should know what is decided and where people stand.

d) Campaign for conference to become the Labour Party’s sovereign body, especially when it comes to deciding policy. This requires the scrapping the National Policy Forum, which was set up under Tony Blair.

• I agree, it should be the members and the grassroots that decided policy.

e) Campaign for the Labour Party’s complaints and disciplinary procedures to be overhauled so that disciplinary procedures are carried out in accordance with the principles of natural justice, and be time-limited: charges not resolved within three months should be automatically dropped. An accused member should be given all the evidence submitted against them and be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. All disciplinary cases processed during the last five years have to be overturned, pending unbiased re-examination.

• I agree there needs to be a big overhaul of the party complaints and disciplinary procedures. I don’t think there should be a time limit however, as I think all cases must be heard however long it takes. I agree with innocent until proven guilty. I don’t personally understand the reasoning behind the last 5 years of displilinatry cases being overturned, but I’ll be happy to talk to people more on the subject. I also personally think the complaints and disciplinary procedures should be handled by an independent body.

f) Campaign to bring to justice those who have been exposed in the ‘leaked report’ as having worked against the aims of the Labour Party.

• I am yet to have read the full leaked report, so I cannot comment on bringing justice to those in the report. I do however think we must be careful and make distinctions between those disagree with the party and exercising their rights, and those that got involed in bullying, discrimination and possible illegal activites.

g) Campaign for Labour to:

– oppose attempts to label the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as antisemitic;

• I’ll have to properly look into the BDS before committing to opposing the attempts, but it is another thing I would like to talk to members about to have a better understanding of it.

– overturn the party’s commitment to the so-called definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism in a number of its examples;

-Personally I think I do agree with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, but I am willing to listen on the subject.

– oppose the party implementing the Board of Deputies’ 10 Pledges, as they undermine party democracy.

-I personally agree with 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 should be both, 9 10. I do however don’t agree with 4.

Candidate Statement:

My name is Theo Michael, I’m 23 years old, and I come from a family of Liberal Democrats. But I believed a better world was possible. I joined the Labour Party just before the 2015 General election when I was 17. I turned 18 in time to stand for my local District Council.

I’m from Sevenoaks in Kent, one of the 20 safest Conservative seats in the country. I decided to fight for Labour ideals by standing for District Council twice and for Kent County Council, each time increasing the Labour share of the vote against all expectations.

As Sevenoaks CLP Youth Officer for the last couple of years I have done my best to give young people in Sevenoaks a voice when Labour ideals are needed more than ever to fight a decade of complacent Tory rule.

I’m hard working. I’m committed. I’ve campaigned with wonderful new Labour faces like Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi in Slough and Rosie Duffield in Canterbury.

I know I’m asking a lot, to put your trust in me, but I want you all to know that nothing matters as much to me as the Labour Party. It’s our party, our hope. We are the future.

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Esther Giles

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

1) Will publish regular reports of NEC meetings, including details of how they and other NEC members have voted.

As part of my campaign for democracy and transparency, I will make the case that there should be a report from NEC to all members from the Chair. Were I to be elected to NEC, I would want to ensure that this report represented a true and fair view of the content and intent of the meeting. If the NEC Chair did not provide a report providing a true and fair view of the meeting, then I would produce reports for members until they did! As I am standing for treasurer, I would also expect the NEC report to include a regular financial update including year to date and forecast spend against budget. I would offer a monthly or quarterly ZOOM to members outlining the Party finances

2) Have been selected by ballot of the grassroots membership

Yes. Noting that the Treasurer is also elected by a vote of affiliates. I am concerned that this part of the process may not be transparent.

3) Stand on a minimum political platform that includes a public commitment to:

a) Fight for socialism (including democratic ownership and control of a planned economy) and opposing the ruinous system of capitalism.

Yes of course- I am a socialist and, as a member, will continue to campaign for socialism.

b) Campaign for open selections for all Labour Party public office holders – including Westminster MPs, which requires the scrapping of the trigger ballot.

Yes. I believe this to be a fundamental democratic principle. The current “trigger” process is divisive and assume criticism, whereas automatic open selection allow the members to select the candidate that best represents their values every time.

c) Thorough democratisation of the Labour Party, including transparent decision-making on all levels of the party.

Yes. I am standing on a platform of democracy, transparency and accountability. I have recently written to the General Secretary asking for information (in the context of the recent out of court settlement) about the decision-making process, because I do not know what it is, and think that, as a member, I should.

d) Campaign for conference to become the Labour Party’s sovereign body, especially when it comes to deciding policy. This requires the scrapping the National Policy Forum, which was set up under Tony Blair.

Yes, Conference should absolutely be the supreme policy making body.

e) Campaign for the Labour Party’s complaints and disciplinary procedures to be overhauled so that disciplinary procedures are carried out in accordance with the principles of natural justice, and be time-limited: charges not resolved within three months should be automatically dropped. An accused member should be given all the evidence submitted against them and be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. All disciplinary cases processed during the last five years have to be overturned, pending unbiased re-examination.

Yes. Natural justice should be the default for the Labour Party, and the current system is a travesty of this.

f) Campaign to bring to justice those who have been exposed in the ‘leaked report’ as having worked against the aims of the Labour Party.

Again, I would want to uphold the principles of natural justice and see a fair trial of these people, subject to the protections agreed to be granted to whistle-blowers.

g) Campaign for Labour to:

– oppose attempts to label the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as antisemitic;

I believe that is is wrong to label BDS as antisemitic and, as a member, I will continue to support BDS and campaign against it being labelled antisemitic.

– overturn the party’s commitment to the so-called definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism in a number of its examples;

Yes.if a definition needs examples, it’s a bad definition. Examples do not a definition make. I would want to see a clear, unequivocal definition of antisemitism- as indeed of racism and other systemic prejudices.

– oppose the party implementing the Board of Deputies’ 10 Pledges, as they undermine party democracy.

Yes, I oppose the adoption of pledges, including this one. They are contrary to the democratic process based on the supreme policy-making powers of Conference. I do not think that candidates- be it for party leadership or NEC membership- should sign pledges.

Candidate Statement:

I believe I could do the job of Treasurer well and in the interests of Members:
– I’m a public finance accountant with 35 years’ post-qualification experience including at director of finance level in the NHS. I’m currently LCF treasurer;
– Governance is fundamental to our Party. As Treasurer, I would promote the Nolan principles of public life, which I believe underpin the governance we need;
– The Treasurer must provide clear and accessible communication regarding all financial matters, and I would strive to do this;
– The principles underpinning the provision of financial data are also relevant to NEC matters in general. Decision making must be evidence-based and in line with principles and rules. Communication must be professional, clear and complete. I would promote this approach in all NEC matters.

In general, I believe that democracy, respect and fairness, all underpinned by socialist principles, are central to the effectiveness of the Party and its engagement with and mobilisation of members. I’m currently CLP secretary and Branch Chair, and in these roles, I do my best to promote respectful and inclusive engagement with all members. I’d be honoured to extend this approach to all members of the Party.

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Reg (Paul) Cotterill

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

1) Will publish regular reports of NEC meetings, including details of how they and other NEC members have voted.

I am happy in principle to do this, though I feel my time might be better spent developing and implementing more transparent financial reporting, including e.g. summaries of treasurer reports given to the NEC and progress updates on the development of more democratically open financial systems.

2) Have been selected by ballot of the grassroots membership 

I am not aware that there has been any such ballot process in respect of the treasurer position.

3) Stand on a minimum political platform that includes a public commitment to:

a) Fight for socialism (including democratic ownership and control of a planned economy) and opposing the ruinous system of capitalism.

I prefer the term ‘organize’ to ‘fight’ as it reflects better the daily effort needed.  I have set out my specific proposals on how Labour might best progress in opposition, and in a time of recession/depression, towards a non-capitalist economic model at https://medium.com/@Bickerrecord/towards-a-post-covid-meadean-economy-804ad074558a and my proposals to reverse financial flows within Labour itself are in line with this thinking.

b) Campaign for open selections for all Labour Party public office holders – including Westminster MPs, which requires the scrapping of the trigger ballot. 

I support open selections for all.  The best way to end trigger ballots is, as part of the change of financial flows in the party that I propose, for CLPs to adapt Westminster candidate job descriptions and person specifications appropriate to local circumstance, in a way which changes roles over time and makes new selection processes a logical requirement.

c) Thorough democratisation of the Labour Party, including transparent decision-making on all levels of the party.

My detailed proposals around the reversal of financial flows in the party are in line with this broad aspiration, and help to make it real.  The summary is at https://medium.com/@Bickerrecord/labour-hq-factionalism-and-how-to-end-it-8b80f46d86f3 with a link to fuller detail there.

d) Campaign for conference to become the Labour Party’s sovereign body, especially when it comes to deciding policy. This requires the scrapping the National Policy Forum, which was set up under Tony Blair.

Conference is already the sovereign body.  The NEC’s job is to scrutinize the work of the PLP and the party executive to ensure that sovereignty is respected.  That will be the focus of my work on this area.

e) Campaign for the Labour Party’s complaints and disciplinary procedures to be overhauled so that disciplinary procedures are carried out in accordance with the principles of natural justice, and be time-limited: charges not resolved within three months should be automatically dropped. An accused member should be given all the evidence submitted against them and be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. All disciplinary cases processed during the last five years have to be overturned, pending unbiased re-examination.

I think the latter process is unrealistic, and will tie any NEC and the party in knots. Instead, we should work towards a form of truth and reconciliation process.   Complaints and disciplinary procedures should be delegated, along with additional financial resource and capacity, to CLPs over time.

f) Campaign to bring to justice those who have been exposed in the ‘leaked report’ as having worked against the aims of the Labour Party.

See above on truth and reconciliation.

g) Campaign for Labour to:

– oppose attempts to label the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign as antisemitic;

Agreed

– overturn the party’s commitment to the so-called definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism in a number of its examples;

I do not think this should be a priority.  It is more important to develop a localized ‘kitemarking’ programme whereby CLPs can take assurance that their local party can never be reasonably accused of antisemitism, and the development of learning programmes where such assurance cannot be taken.  See https://medium.com/@Bickerrecord/habermasian-labours-antisemitism-action-plan-7f8cbb864323 for details.

– oppose the party implementing the Board of Deputies’ 10 Pledges, as they undermine party democracy.

I am not clear what such ‘implementation’ might be.  However, any such steps would presumably become an irrelevance under a decentralized complaints and disciplinary process (see above).

Candidate Statement:

I have great admiration for the job Diana has done as Treasurer to the party since 2010, a time of great change in the party’s finances. The party owes her a great deal.

I am standing for the position now because, in 2020, we now need a radical shift in the way the party manages its financial resources. In the context of what is likely to be Britain’s greatest economic crisis, in which asset stripping and exploitation will come rapidly to the fore, the party need to reverse the flow of its finances; there should be a new expectation that membership and other income is dedicated first and foremost to community-level resilience and re-distributive action, with ‘trickle up’ to sub-regional, regional and national support levels only where this is justified by the effectiveness of that support.

As someone who has demonstrated how to organize and to win at local levels, and as an experienced treasurer for two dynamic, national non-profit organisations, along with governance expertise in several sectors, I have the drive, rooted in a radical democratic politics, to make this happen: to empower party units up nationwide to deliver real, lasting, election-winning, social and economic change.

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Jo Bird

Response to the LLA Action Programme for the Left:

[Not yet received]

Candidate Statement:

Jo Bird for fairness and justice

Backed by the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour Councillors.

I’ll be councillors’ voice on the NEC to:

• Build on our proud socialist traditions in local government, whilst organising and agitating for new alternatives to failing capitalism.

• Argue for common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange.

• Fight to democratise politics and the economy, including campaigning for Open Selection at all levels.

• Act as a conduit for socialist values in local government.

• Build on the multi-generational, multi-racial, class-based movement inspired by Jeremy Corbyn.

In recent NEC by-elections, 118 CLPs nominated me and 46,150 members voted for me. Thank you!

My Jewish great-grandparents fled fascism in Europe. There should be no place for antisemitism, Islamophobia or any form of racism in our Labour party.

We live in a diverse society and world. We need much more understanding and much less hostility – not least because Black Lives Matter.

Party members are hungry for fair and just disciplinary processes worthy of our Trade Union, Labour and Co-operative values. Labour must hold free and fair internal elections. The Labour Party can be a fabulous and supportive family. Don’t Leave, Organise!

Please also vote for Matt White.

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