Difference between revisions of "National Executive Committee"

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The '''National Executive Committee (NEC)''' is the chief administrative body of the [[Labour Party]] in the [[United Kingdom]] and is chaired by Communication Workers Union rep [[Andy Kerr]]. The vice-Chair is Unite the Union's [[Jennie Formby]].<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/corbyn-boost-national-constitutional-committee-ncc-leftwinger-emina-ibrahim-nec-formby-unite-momentum_uk_59ca6dc7e4b01cc57ff5ba41 "Corbyn Tightens Grip As Leftwingers Win Key Posts On Labour's NEC And Disciplinary Body"]</ref>
+
The '''National Executive Committee (NEC)''' is the chief administrative body of the [[Labour Party]] in the [[United Kingdom]] and is chaired by Dame [[Margaret Beckett]] MP. The vice-Chair is Islington Councillor [[Alice Perry]].<ref>''[https://labourlist.org/2020/11/margaret-beckett-elected-as-nec-chair-after-left-stage-digital-walk-out/ "Margaret Beckett elected as NEC chair after left stage digital walkout"]''</ref>
  
The composition of the NEC has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the [[Parliamentary Labour Party]] (PLP) and the [[European Parliamentary Labour Party]], constituency Labour parties (CLPs), and socialist societies, as well as ''ex officio'' members such as the [[Leader of the Labour Party|Party Leader]] and Deputy Leader and several of their appointees.<ref>''[http://www.labour.org.uk/pages/labours-national-executive-committee "Labour’s National Executive Committee"]''</ref>
+
The composition of the NEC has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the [[Parliamentary Labour Party]] (PLP), constituency Labour parties (CLPs), and socialist societies, as well as ''ex officio'' members such as the [[Leader of the Labour Party|Party Leader]] and Deputy Leader and several of their appointees.<ref>''[http://www.labour.org.uk/pages/labours-national-executive-committee "Labour’s National Executive Committee"]''</ref>
  
On 8 August 2016, it was announced that the six-strong [[Jeremy Corbyn|Corbyn slate]] of NEC candidates had swept the board and been elected: [[Ann Black]], [[Christine Shawcroft]], [[Claudia Webbe]], [http://www.darrenwilliams.org.uk/ Darren Williams], [[Rhea Wolfson]], and [[Peter Willsman]]. Blairite candidates including current NEC members [[Ellie Reeves]] and [[Johanna Baxter]], ''Labour First'' founder [[Luke Akehurst]] and comedian [[Eddie Izzard]] missed out.<ref>''[https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/news/77999/jeremy-corbyn-allies-sweep-labour-national "Jeremy Corbyn allies sweep Labour National Executive Committee election"]''</ref>
+
On 4 April 2020, [[LabourList]] announced that right-wingers had "swept the board" in Labour’s ruling body (three) by-elections:
  
In October 2016, Jeremy Corbyn reshuffled the Shadow Cabinet which included undoing the laborious and labyrinthine efforts of his right-wing Labour opponents, such as deputy leader [[Tom Watson]]’s ''Project Anaconda'' plan, by promoting [[John Ashworth]] MP to Shadow Health Secretary and replacing Ashworth on the NEC by [[Kate Osamor]] MP the Shadow Secretary of State for International Development.<ref>''[https://skwalker1964.wordpress.com/2016/10/11/masterstroke-corbyns-shadcabnec-blinder-has-opponents-crying-into-their-prosecco/ "Masterstroke: Corbyn's Shadow Cabinet/NEC Blinder Has Opponents Crying Into Their Prosecco"]''</ref>
+
[[Jeremy Corbyn|Corbyn]]sceptics backed by [[Progress]] and [[Labour First]] groups have swept the board in the [[Labour Party]]’s NEC by-elections.
  
On 9 October 2017, the ''[[Huffington Post]]'' reported that [[Momentum]] founder [[Jon Lansman]] was in the running for one of three new places on Labour's NEC, which will expand the 36-strong body to 39 members and shift its current balance decisively in favour of [[Jeremy Corbyn]] and his supporters.<ref>''[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/momentum-founder-jon-lansman-set-for-seat-on-labours-ruling-nec-insiders-claim_uk_59dbdb6be4b00377980b1422 "Momentum Founder Jon Lansman ‘Set To Run’ For Seat On Labour’s National Executive Committee"]''</ref> On 15 January 2018, the three left slate candidates ([[Yasmine Dar]], [[Rachel Garnham]] and [[Jon Lansman]]) were duly elected to the NEC.<ref>''[https://twitter.com/jonlansman/status/952870325733285888 "Really honoured to now represent almost 600,000 members on the national executive of @UKLabour"]''</ref>
+
[[Johanna Baxter]] and [[Gurinder Singh Josan]] have been chosen to replace [[Jeremy Corbyn|Corbynites]] [[Navendu Mishra]] and [[Claudia Webbe]] as local party representatives on the NEC.
 +
 
 +
[[Carol Sewell]] has been elected by Labour members as the new NEC [[BAME]] rep, and will replace former MP [[Keith Vaz]] who recently stood down.
 +
 
 +
In another huge victory for Corbynsceptics today, all three candidates were endorsed by [[Tony Blair|Blairite]] group [[Progress]] and ‘old right’ organisation [[Labour First]].<ref>''[https://labourlist.org/2020/04/corbynsceptics-sweep-the-board-in-labours-ruling-body-by-elections/ "Corbynsceptics sweep the board in Labour’s ruling body by-elections"]''</ref>
  
 
==Membership==
 
==Membership==
As of January 2018, the NEC has 41 members elected from the following constituencies:
+
As of November 2020, the NEC has 42 members elected from the following constituencies:
  
 
* 1: Chair
 
* 1: Chair
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* 3: [[Parliamentary Labour Party]] (PLP)/European Parliamentary Labour Party (EPLP) (Backbench MPs or MEPs elected by all Labour MPs and MEPs)
 
* 3: [[Parliamentary Labour Party]] (PLP)/European Parliamentary Labour Party (EPLP) (Backbench MPs or MEPs elected by all Labour MPs and MEPs)
  
In addition, the PLP Chief Whip and PLP Chair attend ''ex-officio'' without a vote.
+
In addition, the PLP Chief Whip ([[Nick Brown]] MP) and PLP Chair ([[John Cryer]] MP) attend ''ex-officio'' without a vote.
  
[[Jennie Formby]], [[General Secretary of the Labour Party]], acts as the non-voting Secretary to the NEC.
+
[[David Evans]], [[General Secretary of the Labour Party]], acts as the non-voting Secretary to the NEC.<ref>''[https://labour.org.uk/about/how-we-work/national-executive-committee/whos-on-the-nec/ "Who's on the NEC?"]''</ref>
  
 
==Current members==
 
==Current members==
  
 
===Chair===
 
===Chair===
* [[Andy Kerr]] (Communication Workers Union)
+
* Dame [[Margaret Beckett]] MP<ref>''[https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news/westminster-news/corbyn-supporters-protest-election-of-margaret-beckett-6443884 "Margaret Beckett elected as Labour's National Executive Committee chair amid controversy"]''</ref>
  
 
===Vice Chair===
 
===Vice Chair===
* [[Jennie Formby]] (Unite the Union)
+
* [[Alice Perry]] (Islington Councillor)
  
 
===Leader of the Labour Party===
 
===Leader of the Labour Party===
* [[Jeremy Corbyn]] MP (Leader of the Labour Party)
+
* Sir [[Keir Starmer]] MP (Leader of the Labour Party)
  
 
===Deputy Leader of the Labour Party===
 
===Deputy Leader of the Labour Party===
* [[Tom Watson]] MP (Deputy Leader of the Labour Party)
+
* [[Angela Rayner]] MP (Deputy Leader of the Labour Party)
  
 
===Treasurer===
 
===Treasurer===
 
* [[Diana Holland]] (Treasurer)
 
* [[Diana Holland]] (Treasurer)
 +
 +
===Chair of Equalities===
 +
* VACANT
  
 
===Frontbench MPs===
 
===Frontbench MPs===
* [[Rebecca Long-Bailey]] MP (Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury)
+
* [[Jim McMahon]] MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Transport)
* [[Kate Osamor]] MP (Shadow Secretary of State for International Development)
+
* [[Jonathan Reynolds]] MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions)
* [[Jon Trickett]] MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://labourlist.org/2016/07/corbynistas-and-rebels-make-gains-on-nec-as-skinner-steps-down/|title=Corbynistas and rebels make NEC gains as Skinner steps down {{!}} LabourList|date=2016-07-04|access-date=2016-07-10}}</ref>
+
* [[Jo Stevens]] MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
 +
 
 +
===Young Labour===
 +
* Lara McNeill (Young Labour)
  
===EPLP Leader===
+
===BAME Labour===
* [[Glenis Willmott]] MEP
+
* Carole Sewell
  
===Young Labour===
+
===Disabled Members===
* Jasmin Beckett (Young Labour)
+
* Ellen Morrison
  
 
===Trade unions===
 
===Trade unions===
* Keith Birch [Unison] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Kathy Abu-Bakir]] [GMB] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Jamie Bramwell [UCATT] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Howard Beckett]] [Unite] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Joanne Cairns [USDAW] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Joanne Cairns]] [USDAW] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Andi Fox [TSSA] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Mark Ferguson]] [Unison] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Jim Kennedy [Unite] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Andi Fox]] [TSSA] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* [[Paddy Lillis]] [USDAW] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Andy Kerr]] [CWU] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Martin Mayer [Unite] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Pauline McCarthy]] [Bakers] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Pauline McCarthy [BFAWU] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Ian Murray (FBU)]] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Ian Murray [FBU] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Wendy Nichols]] [Unison] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Wendy Nichols [Unison] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Jayne Taylor]] [Unite] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Sarah Owen [GMB] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Tom Warnett]] [GMB] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Cath Speight [GMB] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Michael Wheeler]] [USDAW] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
* Mick Whelan [ASLEF] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
+
* [[Mick Whelan]] [ASLEF] (Div. I - Trade Unions)
  
===Socialist Societies and BAME Labour===
+
===Socialist Societies===
 
* James Asser (Div. II - Socialist Societies)
 
* James Asser (Div. II - Socialist Societies)
* [[Keith Vaz]] MP (Div. II - BAME Labour)
 
  
 
===CLPs===
 
===CLPs===
 +
* [[Luke Akehurst]] (Div. III - CLPs)
 +
* [[Johanna Baxter]] (Div. III - CLPs)
 
* [[Ann Black]] (Div. III - CLPs)
 
* [[Ann Black]] (Div. III - CLPs)
 +
* [[Gemma Bolton]] (Div. III - CLPs)
 
* [[Yasmine Dar]] (Div. III - CLPs)
 
* [[Yasmine Dar]] (Div. III - CLPs)
* [[Rachel Garnham]] (Div. III - CLPs)
+
* [[Nadia Jama]] (Div. III - CLPs)
* [[Jon Lansman]] (Div. III - CLPs)
+
* [[Gurinder Singh Josan]] (Div. III - CLPs)
* [[Christine Shawcroft]] (Div. III - CLPs)
+
* [[Laura Pidcock]] (Div. III - CLPs)
* [[Claudia Webbe]] (Div. III - CLPs)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://labourlist.org/2016/08/clean-sweep-for-pro-corbyn-left-wingers-in-nec-elections/|title=Clean sweep for pro-Corbyn left wingers in NEC elections|publisher=LabourList|last=Pope|first=Conor|date=8 August 2016|accessdate=8 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/08/labour-must-allow-all-members-leadership-vote-court-rules|title=Corbyn consolidates grip on Labour with high court and NEC successes|publisher=''[[The Guardian]]''|last1=Stewart|first1=Heather|last2=Siddique|first2=Haroon|date=8 August 2016|accessdate=9 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://labourlist.org/2016/08/what-did-we-learn-from-the-nec-results/|title=Soaring turnout and a shift in power: what we learnt from the NEC elections|publisher=LabourList|last=Pope|first=Conor|date=9 August 2016|accessdate=9 August 2016}}</ref>
+
* [[Mish Rahman]] (Div. III - CLPs)
* [[Darren Williams]] (Div. III - CLPs)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://labourlist.org/2016/07/corbynistas-and-rebels-make-gains-on-nec-as-skinner-steps-down/|title=Corbynistas and rebels make NEC gains as Skinner steps down|publisher=LabourList|last=Pope|first=Conor|date=4 July 2016|accessdate=11 July 2016}}</ref>
 
* [[Peter Willsman]] (Div. III - CLPs)
 
* [[Rhea Wolfson]] (Div. III - CLPs)<ref>''[http://www.labour.org.uk/pages/national-executive-committee-elections-2016 "NEC - Division III (Constituency Labour Parties) result (6 to elect)"]''</ref>
 
  
 
===Labour Councillors===
 
===Labour Councillors===
Line 102: Line 111:
 
* Cllr [[Alice Perry]] (Div. IV - Labour Councillors)
 
* Cllr [[Alice Perry]] (Div. IV - Labour Councillors)
  
===PLP/EPLP===
+
===PLP===
* [[Margaret Beckett]] MP (Div. V - PLP/EPLP)
+
* Dame [[Margaret Beckett]] MP (Div. V - PLP)
* [[George Howarth]] MP (Div. V - PLP/EPLP)<ref>''[http://labourlist.org/2016/07/corbynistas-and-rebels-make-gains-on-nec-as-skinner-steps-down/ "Corbynistas and rebels make NEC gains as Skinner steps down"]''</ref>
+
* Sir [[George Howarth]] MP (Div. V - PLP)<ref>''[http://labourlist.org/2016/07/corbynistas-and-rebels-make-gains-on-nec-as-skinner-steps-down/ "Corbynistas and rebels make NEC gains as Skinner steps down"]''</ref>
* [[Shabana Mahmood]] MP (Div. V - PLP/EPLP)
+
* [[Shabana Mahmood]] MP (Div. V - PLP)
  
 
===Scottish Labour and Welsh Labour===
 
===Scottish Labour and Welsh Labour===
 
* [[Richard Leonard]] [[Member of the Scottish Parliament|MSP]] (Leader of the Scottish Labour Party)<ref>''[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/nov/18/richard-leonard-voted-scottish-labour-leader "Richard Leonard voted Scottish Labour leader"]''</ref>
 
* [[Richard Leonard]] [[Member of the Scottish Parliament|MSP]] (Leader of the Scottish Labour Party)<ref>''[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/nov/18/richard-leonard-voted-scottish-labour-leader "Richard Leonard voted Scottish Labour leader"]''</ref>
* [[Alun Davies]] [[Member of the National Assembly for Wales]] (Welsh Labour Representative)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://labourlist.org/2016/09/corbyns-party-power-reduced-with-new-nec-arrivals/#comment-2927354852 |title=Addition of Scottish and Welsh representatives should have been put to a card vote|publisher=LabourList|last=Pope|first=Conor|date=29 September 2016|accessdate=29 September 2016}}</ref>
+
* [[Carwyn Jones]] AS/MS (Welsh Labour Representative)
  
 
==Chair of the Labour Party==
 
==Chair of the Labour Party==
The Chair of the Labour Party (currently [[Andy Kerr]]) is elected by the NEC from among its own members, and holds office for a calendar year, chairing both NEC meetings and national party conferences.  
+
The Chair of the Labour Party is elected by the NEC from among its own members, and holds office for a calendar year, chairing both NEC meetings and national party conferences.  
  
The name of this post has become confused since 2001 when Labour Party leader [[Tony Blair]] appointed [[Charles Clarke]] to the courtesy position of "Labour Party Chair" without the NEC or the national conference authorising such a position.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4228365,00.html|title=Blair mistook his Clarke for a chair|author= Roy Hattersley|publisher=The Guardian|date=26 July 2001|accessdate=24 May 2007}}</ref> The office's name remains "chair of the party" in the Labour Party Constitution, but elsewhere the party presents the position as "Chair of the NEC".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.labour.org.uk/nec_committees|title=NEC committees|publisher=Labour Party|accessdate=24 May 2007}}</ref> Until 2001 the position was called "Chair of the Labour Party", and before that "Chairman of the Labour Party".
+
The name of this post has become confused since 2001 when Labour Party leader [[Tony Blair]] appointed [[Charles Clarke]] to the courtesy position of "Labour Party Chair" without the NEC or the national conference authorising such a position.<ref>''[http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4228365,00.html "Blair mistook his Clarke for a chair"]''</ref> The office's name remains "chair of the party" in the Labour Party Constitution, but elsewhere the party presents the position as "Chair of the NEC".<ref>''[http://www.labour.org.uk/nec_committees "NEC committees"]''</ref> Until 2001 the position was called "Chair of the Labour Party", and before that "Chairman of the Labour Party".
  
 
==NEC meeting: 12 July 2016==
 
==NEC meeting: 12 July 2016==

Latest revision as of 10:12, 25 November 2020

Group.png National Executive Committee   WebsiteRdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
Labour Party.jpg
HeadquartersLondon, England
LeaderNational Executive Committee/Chair

The National Executive Committee (NEC) is the chief administrative body of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom and is chaired by Dame Margaret Beckett MP. The vice-Chair is Islington Councillor Alice Perry.[1]

The composition of the NEC has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), constituency Labour parties (CLPs), and socialist societies, as well as ex officio members such as the Party Leader and Deputy Leader and several of their appointees.[2]

On 4 April 2020, LabourList announced that right-wingers had "swept the board" in Labour’s ruling body (three) by-elections:

Corbynsceptics backed by Progress and Labour First groups have swept the board in the Labour Party’s NEC by-elections.

Johanna Baxter and Gurinder Singh Josan have been chosen to replace Corbynites Navendu Mishra and Claudia Webbe as local party representatives on the NEC.

Carol Sewell has been elected by Labour members as the new NEC BAME rep, and will replace former MP Keith Vaz who recently stood down.

In another huge victory for Corbynsceptics today, all three candidates were endorsed by Blairite group Progress and ‘old right’ organisation Labour First.[3]

Membership

As of November 2020, the NEC has 42 members elected from the following constituencies:

  • 1: Chair
  • 1: Vice-Chair
  • 1: Leader of the Labour Party
  • 1: Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
  • 1: Treasurer of the Labour Party
  • 3: Shadow Frontbench (MPs nominated by the Shadow Cabinet)
  • 1: Shadow Scottish Frontbench
  • 1: Shadow Welsh Frontbench
  • 1: European Parliamentary Labour Party Leader
  • 1: Young Labour
  • 13: Trade Unions
  • 2: Socialist Societies and BAME Labour
  • 9: Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs)
  • 2: Labour Councillors
  • 3: Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP)/European Parliamentary Labour Party (EPLP) (Backbench MPs or MEPs elected by all Labour MPs and MEPs)

In addition, the PLP Chief Whip (Nick Brown MP) and PLP Chair (John Cryer MP) attend ex-officio without a vote.

David Evans, General Secretary of the Labour Party, acts as the non-voting Secretary to the NEC.[4]

Current members

Chair

Vice Chair

Leader of the Labour Party

Deputy Leader of the Labour Party

Treasurer

Chair of Equalities

  • VACANT

Frontbench MPs

  • Jim McMahon MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Transport)
  • Jonathan Reynolds MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions)
  • Jo Stevens MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Young Labour

  • Lara McNeill (Young Labour)

BAME Labour

  • Carole Sewell

Disabled Members

  • Ellen Morrison

Trade unions

Socialist Societies

  • James Asser (Div. II - Socialist Societies)

CLPs

Labour Councillors

PLP

Scottish Labour and Welsh Labour

Chair of the Labour Party

The Chair of the Labour Party is elected by the NEC from among its own members, and holds office for a calendar year, chairing both NEC meetings and national party conferences.

The name of this post has become confused since 2001 when Labour Party leader Tony Blair appointed Charles Clarke to the courtesy position of "Labour Party Chair" without the NEC or the national conference authorising such a position.[9] The office's name remains "chair of the party" in the Labour Party Constitution, but elsewhere the party presents the position as "Chair of the NEC".[10] Until 2001 the position was called "Chair of the Labour Party", and before that "Chairman of the Labour Party".

NEC meeting: 12 July 2016

The following is Ann Black's report of the Labour Party NEC meeting on 12 July 2016:

At the start we stood in silence to remember Jo Cox, with the Chair Paddy Lillis reminding us that MPs perform an honourable public service, before returning to business as usual.

We considered a request from Andy Burnham and Debbie Abrahams to address the NEC on behalf of most of the shadow cabinet. They proposed seeking an independent mediator to try to avoid a damaging contest and asked the NEC to postpone decisions for 48 hours until they reported back. All of us hated this situation, but there was pessimism about whether any avenues remained unexplored, questions about why the shadow cabinet had waited till after a challenge, and concerns about indefinite drift. Thirty-two of the 33 NEC members were present, coming in on crutches, returning from holidays, taking time off work, and could not simply come back again on Thursday. The NEC eventually agreed to hear Andy and Debbie, who argued that far more time should be allowed for discussion. To give peace one last chance I proposed agreeing the papers before us, but delaying the start by 48 hours. If there was an eleventh-hour solution we could happily drop the whole process.

Safeguarding Issues

Before voting, the NEC discussed whether to hold secret ballots. Some argued that transparency was paramount. However members felt vulnerable, with personal details posted online, obscene and offensive messages, rape threats, death threats. The general secretary Iain McNicol faced legal intimidation for, among other things, planning to “impose” secret ballots. We know, now, that words have consequences, and those of us elected by party members or the public – councillors, constituency representatives, MPs – are in the front line. On a show of hands, secret ballots were agreed 17-15. I voted in favour, allowing each of us to account to our constituents in our own way. The close vote left some feeling that those who condemn abuse and intimidation had declined the opportunity to support their words with actions. My proposal to agree the process but delay the start for 48 hours was then carried by 20 votes to 12.

The next question was whether Jeremy Corbyn should be present. As leader he is a member of the NEC, but on all previous occasions, including Angela Eagle last year, NEC members standing for a position have absented themselves. The code of conduct states that aspiring candidates cannot attend any discussions that deal with election business. Some demurred because we hadn’t yet agreed the code, though it was identical with last year’s. Jeremy Corbyn addressed the meeting and withdrew, for the time being.

NEC members then expressed dissatisfaction about lack of notice of the meeting, and hearing about it in the media first. However the NEC could not discuss procedures for a leadership election until one had been triggered, and then had to move quickly. As soon as Angela Eagle announced that she would declare on Monday, Tuesday was obvious to anyone not buried under the duvet since 23 June, which began to seem an increasingly attractive place to be. And we had all, actually, got to the meeting.

Round One

After three hours we moved onto the agenda, with the first decision as to whether Jeremy Corbyn as the incumbent would automatically be on the ballot. We heard from James Goudie QC who said he would need to be nominated by 20% of MPs and MEPs, the same as challengers, and had copies of conflicting legal advice which said he wouldn’t. The rulebook is frankly a mess. There are anomalies: because candidates only need nominations from 15% of MPs / MEPs where there is a vacancy, Jeremy Corbyn would face a lower threshold if he resigned and stood again than if he stayed put, which seemed silly. Others said the rulebook never envisaged a situation where a leader did not have the confidence of 20% of his colleagues. My feedback seemed typical in splitting 50 / 50, with some members saying that regardless of their personal preference the winner would not be seen as legitimate if Jeremy Corbyn was excluded.

The discussion was lengthy and wide-ranging. There were calls for Michael Mansfield QC to address the NEC, but a vote to hear from more lawyers was lost 13–19. I voted against, as I doubted whether any minds would be changed by further representations. Some NEC members then proposed letting Jeremy Corbyn back in for the vote. This was carried 16-15. I voted against, because of precedent and because of concerns about legitimacy if he only got on the ballot through his own vote. This was in fact not necessary as the meeting voted 18-14 that he should automatically be on the ballot. I voted with the majority, as promised: doing otherwise would be seen, rightly, as a stitch-up, and he could probably have gained the 51 nominations anyway. And this decision now frees MPs to nominate according to conscience.

Nuts and Bolts

Jeremy Corbyn then left again, as we moved on to details of the process. I had asked members about eligibility to vote. There was near-unanimous opposition to last year’s £3 registered supporters, with full members feeling devalued and doubting supporters’ commitment to Labour. Many wanted the scheme scrapped entirely and I would have preferred to do this upfront, but as it is in the rulebook there had to be some minimal allowance. I voted, in line with your views, against extending the two day registration period to seven days, which was lost by 16 votes to 10. The draft proposal was for the one-off fee to be set at £12, and alternatives suggested were £10, £15, £20, £25 and slightly facetiously £500. The meeting voted 15-12 for £25 and I voted in favour, again consistent with what you told me.

I had also asked whether there should be a qualifying period for members. Most people who responded said Yes, with six months the most popular option, in line with choosing candidates at other levels. This was the proposal in the draft paper. However I proposed a more generous cut-off date of 24 June 2016, in line with the NEC ballot and giving a say to members who joined to help in local and mayoral campaigns and in the referendum. Sadly the vote was 14-14 so this was not carried and the 12 January 2016 date went through. I’ve had complaints since the meeting, and would make two points. First, if there was no qualifying period then any ballot would have to be delayed for months to allow CLPs to check the new members. Second, people join to support Labour’s aims and values and to campaign to elect Labour representatives to government. Many of us have stuck with the party under different leaders through continuing commitment to those general principles, not to any individual.

Equal Treatment

The six month period applies equally to affiliated trade unions and socialist societies, where members at 12 January 2016 have until 8 August 2016 to sign up as affiliated supporters. This has caused problems for some affiliates. Scientists for Labour have suspended applications until after the leadership contest, when they will process anyone who really wants to join:

Scientists for Labour is a Labour-supporting science policy group, not a fast-track for non-members to dictate who will lead the party.”

Meanwhile media reports say that in one day 3,000 people with no previous interest in trade unions had paid £2 to join Unite Community in the hope of gaining preference over members, which is clearly not what the NEC decided.

Local parties will still have to check registered supporters for political opponents, though there should be far fewer than last time. CLPs are normally allowed eight weeks to challenge any membership application. Because of the huge numbers joining since 23 June, and the fact that none of them will be able to vote in the leadership election, I have argued successfully for CLPs to be given until late October to consider them.

Finally I appreciate that there are strong and differing views on much of this. Like other NEC members I am struggling to do the best for Labour in difficult times and hope that disagreements can be expressed courteously, according to the new, kinder, gentler politics espoused by our leader Jeremy Corbyn.[11]

NEC meeting: 27 September 2016

Extract from CLP representative Ann Black's report:

The last meeting at conference is normally a brief ceremonial handover to the new NEC, but nothing now is normal. Jeremy Corbyn again thanked the NEC and looked forward to the awayday where we could talk about how to engage and enthuse members, and develop policies from the bottom up. New technology made it easy for us to contact members, but it was still not so easy for them to influence us.

He welcomed Kezia Dugdale and Carwyn Jones as voting members, new constituency representatives Claudia Webbe and Rhea Wolfson, Councillor Nick Forbes and George Howarth MP. The NEC said farewell to Dennis Skinner MP, truly the end of an era, to Councillor Ann Lucas and to Ellie Reeves and Johanna Baxter, who have both done a great deal of work in public and behind the scenes on behalf of ordinary members, and thanked Paddy Lillis who, as Chair, held the party together through the most tumultuous year since I joined the NEC.

Normally the Vice-Chair moves up to Chair and the next longest-serving member becomes Vice-Chair, but nothing now is normal. Ellie Reeves, Vice-Chair last year, was not re-elected to the NEC and Keith Vaz, next in line, said he would not throw his hat in the ring at the moment. There were nominations for Andy Kerr and Glenis Willmott MEP as Chair, and Glenis was elected by 18 votes to 17. I voted for her, as few leaders of the European PLP serve for long enough to become Chair, and in the year of Brexit and consequent upheaval it sends a powerful message of solidarity and reconciliation. Andy Kerr will be Vice-Chair and can expect to succeed as Chair next year, giving him two years as an NEC officer. And the NEC thanked Margaret Lynch, finally retiring from her job at HQ supporting conference and party finances.

Ann Black, 88 Howard Street, Oxford OX4 3BE, 07956-637958, annblack50@btinternet.com. Previous reports are here.[12]

 

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