Come and join Labour Values, the Christian Socialist Movement and the Cooperative Party at conference to talk about the future of local Labour politics. Labour neighbours – reshaping what it is to be local and labour Jon Cruddas MP, Ed Miliband MP, Douglas Alexander MP, Maurice Glasman (London Citizens), Chair Michael Stephenson (co-op party) Main Hall, Friends’ Meeting House, 16 [...]
As a Labour man, I’ve been searching for the elixir that can heal the election defeat and rejuvenate the party. To my horror, on the journey to find that elixir, I’ve found I’ve started taking sips from the Tea Party. This has given me serious concern for my mental health. Even as I write this, I’m convinced I am in a lucid dream. [...]
When we look at the reasons why we lost the election campaign there is one regular experience on the doorstep which sticks in my mind. In marginal seats and in safe seats, people kept saying they didn’t know what we stand for or who we stand up for. Losing sight of our values was our greatest weakness, as we ended [...]
Labour Friends of Searchlight recently held a conference on how the party reconnects with communities. Jamie Audsley, community organiser with London Citizens, reports back and suggests Labour needs to broaden its definition of purpose and redefine what successful organising looks like.
Ian Geary of the Christian Socialist Movement (CSM) introduces CSM’s new initiative: Labour Neighbours.
We all know that the Labour Party needs to change. We also all know that at the last election, our campaign was massively overspent by the Tories, thanks to Ashcroft’s millions. In the last election, a Tory majority was declined. This could not have been achieved without the thousands of activists across the country. Today I call for a new [...]
Labour in Hackney has increased its number of councillors from 29 out of 60 and a hung council in 1998, to 50 out of 57 in May 2010. This 12-year trend started with a series of remarkable by-election wins on swings of nearly 20%, and was then reinforced in three consecutive borough elections.
A double-whammy in The Guardian today from Harriet Harman and John Prescott: a surge in Labour membership, but we have to harness this new support: ‘Harriet Harman, the interim Labour leader, says a new breed of young political activist, committed to opposing the coalition government and the Liberal Democrats in particular, is joining Labour at a rate of 1,000 a [...]
Rebuilding Labour’s reputation in Bermondsey In 2002, Labour didn’t win a single seat in Bermondsey & Old Southwark and lost control of the council. In 2010, we reclaimed six seats and delivered a Labour majority. We have shown how a bottom-up campaign, led by local members working in the community can rebuild Labour’s reputation with the electorate. Change wasn’t easy. [...]
The somewhat surprising news from one constituency is that people are joining the party again, a contrast with the common view of the continuing decline in membership. One activist has recruited 10 new members (against a target of 50! By the by, how useful is that target? Has he failed or has he succeeded? Is he more or less motivated? [...]