News from the NEC

Review of the Party’s Policy making processes

It is now over 12 years since the Partnership in Power arrangements were adopted by Annual Conference.  The NEC has agreed that now is an appropriate time for a full review to be undertaken.  This review will be launched at the Annual Conference in Manchester.  A consultation document will then be issued and submissions invited.  The latter will all be considered by the NEC and then a report, containing a range of proposals, will be tabled at the 2011 Annual Conference.  Conference will then be able to debate and vote on these proposals with the aim of improving our policy making processes.

Supporting and increasing activity in CLPs

Not surprisingly, in the ten seats that had made the most voter contact there was an overall swing to Labour.

The NEC is considering ways it could support local activity and, as a first step, is proposing to develop the following:

–          A new training academy for staff, volunteers and activists.
–          A trainee community organisers’ scheme for marginal and core seat clusters
–          Further development of free direct mail via Print Creator.

Since the General Election the Party has welcomed more than a thousand new members every week.  90% of these joined via the web, 41% were women and 1 in 3 were under 30.

General Election 2010 – mean regional swings (in all seats where Labour was in top two in 2005

In Scotland there was a swing to Labour of 0.59%. The swing against Labour in the other regions was London 2.9%; North West 4.4%; Wales 4.72%; West Midlands 6.33%; Northern 6.45%; East Midlands 6.61%; Eastern 7.24%; South West 7.48%; South East 7.52%; Yorkshire &Humber 7.77%.

Labour Council gains

Labour gained majority control in Brent, Camden, Coventry, Doncaster, Ealing, Enfield, Harrow, Hartlepool, Hastings, Hounslow, Islington, Lewisham, Liverpool, Oxford, Southwark, St Helens, Waltham Forest.

Labour took minority control in Bradford, Leeds, Merton, Thurrock, Nuneaton and Bedworth.

2010 Annual Conference Agenda

At 4pm on Saturday 25 September our new Leader will be announced.  On Sunday 26 September the review of policy making will be launched (“Renewing Party Democracy”).  Tuesday afternoon will be the Leader’s speech.   Wednesday afternoon will be Questions and Answers to the new Leader.