(LABOUR FIRST HAVE SINCE EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED see home page)
I never thought I would have to explain in detail why I have not sought to be on any slate for Labour Party elections. I know there are lots of Labour Members, like me, who are perfectly happy campaigning and voting simply for the Labour Party. However I have had a brush with a slate and it is not a brush I would wish on anyone else. Recent events force me to try and share this information more broadly now because I am asking Constituencies and members to nominate and vote for me as their NEC CLP rep.
In 2018 I had been a very active member of the National Policy Forum for the fixed term of 3 years. I loved the detailed policy work and enjoyed getting out to constituencies to engage members in policy development. I took pride in the role and hoped to be elected again Summer 2018, sadly although I got a large number of votes, others got more and I was not elected. My statement had made it clear that I was not a member of any of the various internal groups such as Momentum or Progress.
To my shock, some weeks after the elections, I was told by a fellow member that my name had been on the Labour First slate! I can't tell you how stunned I was, nobody from Labour First had approached me about it and I cant even imagine why I had been put on their list. Worst of all there was nothing I could do about it as the vote had already taken place. That slate had been circulating around members who must have been as surprised as me to hear about such an unlikely coupling. So to be clear, I am not a Labour First Member, never have been and nobody discussed with me about being on their slate. Why I was on that slate you would have to ask them but their shy membership makes it difficult to know who to ask. Recently I have been told that some Labour members will not support me because of that highly misleading 2018 slate so I have to firmly refute it’s validity as loudly as I can.
My position has always been that I am on the side of Members and that we deserve better ways to enable us to help drive where our Party is going, a closer link between Leadership and members and that we are at our best when we are not fighting each other. So joining one of the groups is anathema to me, how could I represent Constituencies and members fairly if I am following sectarian voting pressures? I have plenty of blogs on my website if people want to know where I stand on various policies or they can simply ask me, I do not need any label other than Labour to define me. Step aside from unreliable slates please and nominate me to be NEC CLP rep.
I never thought I would have to explain in detail why I have not sought to be on any slate for Labour Party elections. I know there are lots of Labour Members, like me, who are perfectly happy campaigning and voting simply for the Labour Party. However I have had a brush with a slate and it is not a brush I would wish on anyone else. Recent events force me to try and share this information more broadly now because I am asking Constituencies and members to nominate and vote for me as their NEC CLP rep.
In 2018 I had been a very active member of the National Policy Forum for the fixed term of 3 years. I loved the detailed policy work and enjoyed getting out to constituencies to engage members in policy development. I took pride in the role and hoped to be elected again Summer 2018, sadly although I got a large number of votes, others got more and I was not elected. My statement had made it clear that I was not a member of any of the various internal groups such as Momentum or Progress.
To my shock, some weeks after the elections, I was told by a fellow member that my name had been on the Labour First slate! I can't tell you how stunned I was, nobody from Labour First had approached me about it and I cant even imagine why I had been put on their list. Worst of all there was nothing I could do about it as the vote had already taken place. That slate had been circulating around members who must have been as surprised as me to hear about such an unlikely coupling. So to be clear, I am not a Labour First Member, never have been and nobody discussed with me about being on their slate. Why I was on that slate you would have to ask them but their shy membership makes it difficult to know who to ask. Recently I have been told that some Labour members will not support me because of that highly misleading 2018 slate so I have to firmly refute it’s validity as loudly as I can.
My position has always been that I am on the side of Members and that we deserve better ways to enable us to help drive where our Party is going, a closer link between Leadership and members and that we are at our best when we are not fighting each other. So joining one of the groups is anathema to me, how could I represent Constituencies and members fairly if I am following sectarian voting pressures? I have plenty of blogs on my website if people want to know where I stand on various policies or they can simply ask me, I do not need any label other than Labour to define me. Step aside from unreliable slates please and nominate me to be NEC CLP rep.