Every year angry CLP delegates complain to us about the way regional briefing meetings are being used to shepherd delegates in a pro-platform direction. On Sunday, at the South West delegates’ briefing, Exeter MP, Ben Bradshaw, spoke from the top table. He said that “we recommend” delegates vote for the four trade union subjects in the contemporary motions’ Priorities Ballot but admitted that Housing might also be considered as a subject to vote for. One perceptive delegate pointed out that CLPs would be better advised to vote for four separate subjects to the Unions in order that Conference could have a wider range of debates. A regional official promptly slapped him down – “we don’t want to overload Conference with too many resolutions”.

Bradshaw then went on to list CAC and Auditor candidates that “we recommend” delegates vote for.
At the South West reception last night four out of five regional victors in the NPF CLP ballot were announced from the platform and called up to receive congratulations. The other victor, who also happened to be the sole candidate supported by the Grassroots Alliance, was treated as a non-person.