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| Labour will hold a winning card if it harnesses the potential of its members | Labour will hold a winning card if it harnesses the potential of its members |
| (25 days later) | |
| Democracy is widely viewed as the only legitimate form of government. We all so often praise democratic organisations and pour scorn on centralised elites. It is an idea that is seen as a universal good. Except, for some reason, within the Labour party, where efforts to democratise internal elections have proved to be somewhat controversial. | Democracy is widely viewed as the only legitimate form of government. We all so often praise democratic organisations and pour scorn on centralised elites. It is an idea that is seen as a universal good. Except, for some reason, within the Labour party, where efforts to democratise internal elections have proved to be somewhat controversial. |
| With party conference approaching, there are various motions that will be put to the vote. But the one that has garnered most attention are the efforts to lower the threshold of MP and MEP votes needed for leadership candidates to get on the ballot paper, and ensure members get more of a say on who next steers the party. These efforts to democratise Labour have been characterised by some as being on behalf of a leftwing old guard who care more about capturing the party than winning general elections, those who are more interested in Labour party structures than the Labour party governing. But, in reality, the precise opposite is true. | With party conference approaching, there are various motions that will be put to the vote. But the one that has garnered most attention are the efforts to lower the threshold of MP and MEP votes needed for leadership candidates to get on the ballot paper, and ensure members get more of a say on who next steers the party. These efforts to democratise Labour have been characterised by some as being on behalf of a leftwing old guard who care more about capturing the party than winning general elections, those who are more interested in Labour party structures than the Labour party governing. But, in reality, the precise opposite is true. |
| Without transforming the party, we’ll never manage to transform society. Without a party that is inclusive and empowering, one that responds to and reflects its members’ concerns, we haven’t got a hope of winning the next general election. That next election won’t be a walkover, whenever it comes. The Tories will run a better campaign than last time – it could hardly be worse. They will likely have a different leader. They won’t launch a manifesto comprised of the dementia tax and little else. They will have the backing of big business and the rich. | Without transforming the party, we’ll never manage to transform society. Without a party that is inclusive and empowering, one that responds to and reflects its members’ concerns, we haven’t got a hope of winning the next general election. That next election won’t be a walkover, whenever it comes. The Tories will run a better campaign than last time – it could hardly be worse. They will likely have a different leader. They won’t launch a manifesto comprised of the dementia tax and little else. They will have the backing of big business and the rich. |
| What is our response? How do we, in the Labour party, match their deep pockets? It must be with the half a million party members and the huge groundswell of support that erupted during the last election. Those 500,000 people who come from every walk of life and every community and advocate for the importance of a Labour government every day, on the ground. | What is our response? How do we, in the Labour party, match their deep pockets? It must be with the half a million party members and the huge groundswell of support that erupted during the last election. Those 500,000 people who come from every walk of life and every community and advocate for the importance of a Labour government every day, on the ground. |
| These are people such as Catherine, with whom I canvassed during the election campaign. She had been inspired by Jeremy Corbyn’s transformative manifesto. As we ran back to the car through torrential rain, clutching drenched voter data, I realised the power of having thousands of members like her across the country. But it’s not just their commitment that is an asset. Again and again, the members are proven correct in their judgments. Against all expectations, and to much derision, they backed Corbyn in the first leadership election, and then again in the second vote last summer, with an increased majority. While pollsters and pundits sowed doom and gloom about Labour’s chances during the election, these members threw themselves into the campaign. | These are people such as Catherine, with whom I canvassed during the election campaign. She had been inspired by Jeremy Corbyn’s transformative manifesto. As we ran back to the car through torrential rain, clutching drenched voter data, I realised the power of having thousands of members like her across the country. But it’s not just their commitment that is an asset. Again and again, the members are proven correct in their judgments. Against all expectations, and to much derision, they backed Corbyn in the first leadership election, and then again in the second vote last summer, with an increased majority. While pollsters and pundits sowed doom and gloom about Labour’s chances during the election, these members threw themselves into the campaign. |
| It may not have been quite enough for victory in June, but the result was well ahead of expectations and – even if we all take polls with more of a pinch of salt than we used to – Labour now regularly scores ahead of the Conservatives when people are asked who they will vote for. Corbyn is favourite to be the next prime minister. We’ve gone from being seen as a party languishing in the doldrums to being a serious potential party of government. | It may not have been quite enough for victory in June, but the result was well ahead of expectations and – even if we all take polls with more of a pinch of salt than we used to – Labour now regularly scores ahead of the Conservatives when people are asked who they will vote for. Corbyn is favourite to be the next prime minister. We’ve gone from being seen as a party languishing in the doldrums to being a serious potential party of government. |
| Perhaps this shouldn’t be such a surprise. Half a million people who live in every corner of the country will always be a better judge of the nation’s mood than a small elite clustered around Westminster. So we should consider this collective finger on the pulse of the nation when we debate party democracy. If Labour party members are making good decisions, we should let them make more of them. If we don’t, we risk losing more than their wisdom. We risk losing the potent movement that is welling up around our party. We risk losing that electoral trump card that the Tories – with no vision and a hollowed-out, ageing membership – so obviously lack. We risk losing our ground game: the thousands of eager, passionate advocates that make all the difference. | Perhaps this shouldn’t be such a surprise. Half a million people who live in every corner of the country will always be a better judge of the nation’s mood than a small elite clustered around Westminster. So we should consider this collective finger on the pulse of the nation when we debate party democracy. If Labour party members are making good decisions, we should let them make more of them. If we don’t, we risk losing more than their wisdom. We risk losing the potent movement that is welling up around our party. We risk losing that electoral trump card that the Tories – with no vision and a hollowed-out, ageing membership – so obviously lack. We risk losing our ground game: the thousands of eager, passionate advocates that make all the difference. |
| If Labour party members are making good decisions, we should let them make more of them. | If Labour party members are making good decisions, we should let them make more of them. |
| This movement, as it matures and develops, won’t stand for being treated only as foot soldiers. They simply won’t turn up if they’re not empowered and meaningfully engaged. We always knew that a change at the top was never enough. The risk of Labour suffering the same dismal fate as other European social democratic parties didn’t just disappear with a new leader. What we must do is redefine what a political party does, how it feels and its relationship to wider society. Jeremy Corbyn understands that and the review into party democracy announced this week is a positive first step in throwing open the doors of our party and letting in some fresh air. It is the beginning of a process that will transform Labour into a party that can capture this unprecedented political energy and channel it into reshaping society. | This movement, as it matures and develops, won’t stand for being treated only as foot soldiers. They simply won’t turn up if they’re not empowered and meaningfully engaged. We always knew that a change at the top was never enough. The risk of Labour suffering the same dismal fate as other European social democratic parties didn’t just disappear with a new leader. What we must do is redefine what a political party does, how it feels and its relationship to wider society. Jeremy Corbyn understands that and the review into party democracy announced this week is a positive first step in throwing open the doors of our party and letting in some fresh air. It is the beginning of a process that will transform Labour into a party that can capture this unprecedented political energy and channel it into reshaping society. |
| This year’s conference in Brighton looks set to be the largest and most vibrant in living memory. Momentum’s fringe festival, spread over nine venues and expected to host more than 5,000 people, will showcase this new political culture that is beginning to form, the product of the creative talents of an increasingly diverse, youthful and energetic membership. We have to capture this magic. We have to amplify it. It is these members who will win us elections. | This year’s conference in Brighton looks set to be the largest and most vibrant in living memory. Momentum’s fringe festival, spread over nine venues and expected to host more than 5,000 people, will showcase this new political culture that is beginning to form, the product of the creative talents of an increasingly diverse, youthful and energetic membership. We have to capture this magic. We have to amplify it. It is these members who will win us elections. |
| The choice for the Labour party is clear – either we empower our members, or we lose them. | The choice for the Labour party is clear – either we empower our members, or we lose them. |
| • Emina Ibrahim is vice-chair of Momentum | • Emina Ibrahim is vice-chair of Momentum |
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