The Labour party is not the only organisation that shares Labour’s values. Across the country, there are countless community organisations that put Labour principles into practice everyday, whether helping the neediest in society or campaigning for things like better local public services, a greener environment, or the living wage. Most community activists are labour voters, however disconnected many might feel from the party – it shouldn’t be a surprise that Gordon Brown got the biggest cheer at the London Citizens assembly on May 3rd. Too many party members think Labour’s organisation structures have a monopoly on progressive politics in their area, ignoring a vast pool of enthusiasm and experience which can help put Labour values into practice.

One way the party can reach out is to involve community and voluntary sector groups in local policy-making, asking them to manifesto conferences for example. In Waltham Forest, the Labour party did this in the run-up to the 2002 election, and started a relationship which helped, eight years later, lead to Labour winning back full control of the council and winning parliamentary seats with bigger majorities in 2010.

But building a relationship between the party and community groups makes it easier to survive the tough times too. Waltham Forest’s Lab-LibDem council had to cut the voluntary sector funding budget in 2003 & 2004 The fact that a relationship between the party and community activists meant Labour councillors, and representatives of community groups trusted each other. That trust made a difficult process far easier to handle, and the impact of cuts far easier to bear than it might have been.

by Jon Wilson, Greenwich and Woolwich CLP