Peter Kenyon

We need a chastened Leader's speech at Warwick

After Glasgow East there can be no more hunker down, stunt or top down politics from Gordon Brown. The Labour Party Leader's speech to its National Policy Forum should be scrutinised for clear evidence he has learned the messages set out by Save the Labour Party and the LabOUR Commission. Politics is a two-way process. Too few members have taken part in the latest round of Labour Party policy-making. A commitment to change policy tack, reviving Labour values is key to rebuilding membership and electoral support. If he doesn't take the opportunity, then maybe there should be a change of Leadership.

Labour Party NEC results

Apparently, with the active involvement of 16,464 members of the Labour Party I have been elected to its National Executive Committee with effect from the end of Annual Conference 2008.

Many thanks to everyone who voted for me. If you want to receive my reports, let me have your eMail address, CLP and branch.

Details of the results were sent to Save the Labour Party unofficially and have been posted here. Congratulations to my fellow STLP member Ann Black, and to fellow CLGA slate members Christine Shawcroft and Pete Willsman, together with Ellie Reeves who was endorsed by all CLGA slate members (if not all CLGA constituent member organisations), and, lastly, to Peter Wheeler from the Labour First slate, whom I hope will back our proposals for rebuilding the Labour Party as a matter of urgency.

The NEC ballot results show that fully paid up membership was only 158,868, down 20,000 compared with the last NEC ballot in 2006.

In praise of Party Conferences

Cancellation of the Labour Party's 2009 Spring Conference promoted questions about party conferences in general. I have never seen the point of party political meetings that don't have powers to decide anything of substance. So I did not shed any tears about the Spring event - exclusively a talking shop.

But on the question of whether they have all passed their sell by date, news earlier today of Politics Home's panel survey, showing overwhelming support for party conferences, is a relief. There is still a job of work to be done to rehabilitate membership of political parties among the political class, members' rights and good governance.

Crisis? What crisis?

Public service broadcaster, the BBC, has this. What more do we, Labour Party loyalists, need for the weekend? Cheer up, Gordon.

Labour Party union power - what goes round, comes round

'News' of trade union policy demands tabled for next weekend's National Policy Forum merely highlights how poorly organised the Labour Party's members are to mobilise opinion around policy. Though that's not all that came to mind. I thought of former Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson who, nearly 40 years ago, in 1969 at a meeting in Chequers, told a leading trade unionist: "Get your tanks off my lawn." Local branch and constituency organisation for individual members was as varied then as it is now. Instead of worrying about the unions, the current Leader of the Labour might be better advised focussing on what he set out to do when elected unopposed - expanding and renewing party democracy. Very few members have had any opportunity to have a say in the current policy review. The Joint Policy Commission meeting on Monday could usefully reflect on that fact before binning too many challenges to current Labour Party policy. While affiliated trade unionist get to meet the ministerial chair of the National Policy Forum, Pat McFadden, and manifesto supremo, Ed Miliband, no such invitations will be extended to the leaders of membership pressure groups that are campaiging against Trident, privatisation, 42-day detention and in favour of council housing, higher taxes on the rich or renewable energy. it's classic divide and rule and our party democracy is the poorer for it.

Labour fundraising - anyone for tennis?

Tony Blair has establish the tariff for repaying the Labour Party's £20 million debts largely amassed under his leadership. If reports of two successful bids at the recent celebrity fundraising event at Wembley of £20K a piece for a round of tennis with him are correct, that's another 998 to go.  Game,set and match.

Socialist ideals - the army's latest recruit?

This quite cheered me. Be the best, join the Labour Party.

.....the army "espouses many recognisable socialist ideals".

Hat tip: Politics Home.

Why aren't we taking the Tory toffs on?

The latest missive from Labour Party Head Office invites members to submit questions to ministers over the next few days (makes a change from rattling the can, without reassuring me I can have a say). My question to Ed Balls online on Membersnet tonight is: Dear Ed - Why aren't we taking on the Tory toffs over private education? (let's see if it's published.)

Cartoon credit: Andy Davey

Anger management - Labour Party style: knives

When I joined Save the Labour Party and helped set up the Labour Commission, I learned that anger management was vital. It almost seemed worthwhile 12 months ago in the run up to the resignation of Tony Blair. Now it is becoming increasingly difficult to turn on the radio/television news bulletin/current affairs programme, or open a newspaper/political magazine without screaming. Knife crime and our Labour government's response over the weekend is the latest lunacy unfortune error. That's not my opinion but that of my wife, and fellow party member who happens to be one of the country's leading clincial experts on post traumatic stress disorders. A considered note from her is in the works.  If you had only picked up the phone, Jacqui.

Perhaps the Labour Party's National Executive Committee (meeting tomorrow) will spend a moment considering how to harness the expertise of its dwindling membership to help turn round public opinion between now and the next British General Election. In the absence of any leadership on the use of that resource, my branch is drawing up a couple of sides of A4 across the major policy issues that need addressing now, not in the next manifesto, if we are to have any hope of winning a 4th term.

Labour members - rediscover your voice

Earlier this week my branch met and among other business considered an Emergency Resolution on Zimbabwean refugees condemning the Home Office and calling for leave to remain while terror and starvation rule. Even ardent opponents of resolution bound policy making supported the call. For me it is a further example of the need for Party checks and balances to be restored. Resolutions are expressions of opinion from people who share a set of values, and ambitions. Centralised political control of the Labour Party has seriously eroded membership and activism, it's time for Labour members to rediscover their voices and tell the Leadership regularly what's a winner, and what's a loser - not just on blogs but through collective organisation. There is no reason why this has to be left to humanitarian and Church lobby groups. I'm proud of Labour Values. I think we should practice what we preach.

On the subject of Zimbabwean refugees there was a hint at PMQs by Harriet Harman that the issue was under review. Today's Independent reports movement in the Government's position. The critical issue is leave to remain AND work. What happened to your moral compass, Prime Minister?

UPDATE 1700 Archbishop calls for justice for Zimbabwean refugees.