This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/23/reselection-momentum-and-democracy-in-the-labour-party
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Reselection, Momentum and democracy in the Labour party | Reselection, Momentum and democracy in the Labour party |
| (3 days later) | |
| Owen Jones (Labour’s plans for democracy must begin at home, 20 September) is right that to be a fully democratic party Labour should require the formal reselection, by local party members, of parliamentary candidates before every Westminster election. But such a requirement, in itself, doesn’t go far enough. | Owen Jones (Labour’s plans for democracy must begin at home, 20 September) is right that to be a fully democratic party Labour should require the formal reselection, by local party members, of parliamentary candidates before every Westminster election. But such a requirement, in itself, doesn’t go far enough. |
| Is a hostile activists’ meeting, like the one in which Enfield North MP Joan Ryan lost a recent no-confidence vote, the kind of context befitting a truly democratic party? Should only Labour members confident enough to brave animosity be allowed a vote? If reselection votes were open to all constituency party members and conducted by post or online, there may be less suspicion that the process is designed to weed out any MP who doesn’t toe the Momentum line.Harvey WoolfeTwickenham | Is a hostile activists’ meeting, like the one in which Enfield North MP Joan Ryan lost a recent no-confidence vote, the kind of context befitting a truly democratic party? Should only Labour members confident enough to brave animosity be allowed a vote? If reselection votes were open to all constituency party members and conducted by post or online, there may be less suspicion that the process is designed to weed out any MP who doesn’t toe the Momentum line.Harvey WoolfeTwickenham |
| • Owen Jones says “socialism is about the democratisation of every level of society”, but limits his discussion of Labour efforts to widen participation and choice to the party’s internal procedures. | • Owen Jones says “socialism is about the democratisation of every level of society”, but limits his discussion of Labour efforts to widen participation and choice to the party’s internal procedures. |
| But if “Labour’s mission is to democratise Britain”, it’s not enough to give several hundred party members the power to dismiss or sustain sitting Labour MPs, if many thousands of voters in safe Labour seats then have no effective choice in who represents them. Vanguard parties make choices on behalf of the voters; democratic parties offer the voters effective and informed choices. Where are the signs that Labour activists like him place as much importance on widening democratic choice for everyone as they do for their fellow activists within the party?William WallaceLiberal Democrats, House of Lords | But if “Labour’s mission is to democratise Britain”, it’s not enough to give several hundred party members the power to dismiss or sustain sitting Labour MPs, if many thousands of voters in safe Labour seats then have no effective choice in who represents them. Vanguard parties make choices on behalf of the voters; democratic parties offer the voters effective and informed choices. Where are the signs that Labour activists like him place as much importance on widening democratic choice for everyone as they do for their fellow activists within the party?William WallaceLiberal Democrats, House of Lords |
| • Owen Jones is right: for sitting MPs to presume their candidacy is for life, demonstrates an absurd sense of entitlement. All candidates should be selected in advance of a general election by as many supporters or members of their party as possible. Even the US holds primaries – this should be part of our electoral system.Peter McKennaLiverpool | • Owen Jones is right: for sitting MPs to presume their candidacy is for life, demonstrates an absurd sense of entitlement. All candidates should be selected in advance of a general election by as many supporters or members of their party as possible. Even the US holds primaries – this should be part of our electoral system.Peter McKennaLiverpool |
| • In saying that reselection would draw MPs’ attention away from Westminster (Labour delegates back Momentum on MP reselection, 17 September), Rebecca Long-Bailey hits one nail on its head. The belief that politics is all about Westminster is responsible for much of the current discontent in the country. The MPs who are working with local party members to deal with issues in their constituency will get the backing of most of those members almost irrespective of their stance on specific Westminster issues.Jeremy DaleGlossop, Derbyshire | • In saying that reselection would draw MPs’ attention away from Westminster (Labour delegates back Momentum on MP reselection, 17 September), Rebecca Long-Bailey hits one nail on its head. The belief that politics is all about Westminster is responsible for much of the current discontent in the country. The MPs who are working with local party members to deal with issues in their constituency will get the backing of most of those members almost irrespective of their stance on specific Westminster issues.Jeremy DaleGlossop, Derbyshire |
| • We, as local representatives of the Labour party, support the current open selection campaign to enable all ordinary party members to select – and indeed, reselect – their parliamentary candidates democratically. | • We, as local representatives of the Labour party, support the current open selection campaign to enable all ordinary party members to select – and indeed, reselect – their parliamentary candidates democratically. |
| The root of all power bestowed on every single elected representative of the Labour party derives ultimately from ordinary grassroots members. It is their decision to lend us the privilege of wearing the red rosette, and their hard work enables us to bring our arguments to the public. Such basic truth is sometimes forgotten by some, who wishfully ascribe their position to their individual merit, talent or view rather than because of the party’s collective wisdom and hope that they represent. | The root of all power bestowed on every single elected representative of the Labour party derives ultimately from ordinary grassroots members. It is their decision to lend us the privilege of wearing the red rosette, and their hard work enables us to bring our arguments to the public. Such basic truth is sometimes forgotten by some, who wishfully ascribe their position to their individual merit, talent or view rather than because of the party’s collective wisdom and hope that they represent. |
| Though it is one of the greatest honours to be selected by your Labour party peers to represent them, greater still is when members reaffirm their confidence in you by reselecting you. The Labour party should now refresh the tree of democracy, and strengthen the sacred bonds between party members and those whom they choose to represent them by instituting open selection. | Though it is one of the greatest honours to be selected by your Labour party peers to represent them, greater still is when members reaffirm their confidence in you by reselecting you. The Labour party should now refresh the tree of democracy, and strengthen the sacred bonds between party members and those whom they choose to represent them by instituting open selection. |
| Cllr Jumbo Chan, Brent Cllr Lewis Cox, Ealing Cllr James McAsh, Southwark Cllr Paul W Fleming, Southwark Cllr Dr James Chiriyankandath, Haringey Cllr Sue Lukes, Islington Cllr Jack Buck, Southwark Cllr Noah Tucker, Haringey Cllr Sarah James, Haringey Cllr Puru Miah, Tower Hamlets Cllr Mahir Demir, Haringey Cllr Daniel Stone, Haringey Cllr Theresa Byrne, Ealing Cllr Dee Martin, Ealing Cllr Gabriela Salva Macallan, Tower Hamlets Cllr Lauren Wall, Ealing Cllr Ray Wall, Ealing Cllr Anna Tomlinson, Ealing Cllr Abdirazak Abdi, Brent Cllr Karl Eastham, Southwark Cllr Patrick Spence, Hackney Cllr Ben Bellamy, Amber Valley Cllr Clare Joseph, Hackney Cllr Dan Iley-Williamson, Oxford Cllr Aisling Gallagher, Lewisham Cllr Carol Angharad, Amber Valley Cllr Majid Mahmood, Birmingham Cllr Ben Clay, Manchester Cllr Fazila Loonat, Kirklees Cllr Jamie Driscoll, Newcastle Cllr Jo Sergeant, Bristol Cllr Jamie Driscoll, Newcastle Cllr Lara Ellis, Newcastle Cllr Nigel Todd, Newcastle Cllr David Bolton, North East Lincolnshire Cllr Pete Lowe, Dudley Cllr Lesley Spillard, North Tyneside Cllr Jo Bird, Wirral Cllr Salim Patel, Newham Cllr Preston Tabois, Haringey Cllr Jeffrey Elliott, Rhondda Cynon Taf Cllr Taiba Yasseen, Rotherham Cllr Diane Donaldson, Birmingham Cllr Rosalind James, North East Lincolnshire Cllr Mohammed Aikhlaq, Birmingham Cllr Santiago Bell-Bradford, Islington Cllr Khizar Hussain, Walsall Cllr Richard Price, Rotherham Cllr Samantha Charles, Malvern Cllr Elizabeth Hayden, Liverpool Cllr Alan Humphries, Droitwich Spa Cllr Cresswell, Babergh Cllr Richard Dunbar, Bradford Cllr Lynne Lambeth, Malvern Cllr Beverley Mullaney, Bradford Cllr Mohammad Shabbir, Bradford Cllr Vick Jenkins, Bradford Cllr Sue Duffy, Bradford Cllr Lou Robson, Birmingham Cllr Judy Foster, Dudley Cllr Kerry Jenkins, Birmingham Cllr Zafar Islam, Dudley Cllr Jacob Goddard, Leeds Cllr Sophie Wilson, Sheffield Cllr Dave Sheppard, Rotherham Cllr Aftab Nawaz, Walsall Cllr Lanimae Ball, Doncaster Cllr Cheryl Raynor, Wyre Cllr Laura Sullivan, Hythe Cllr John Williams, Rotherham Cllr Peter Griffiths, Birmingham Cllr Shabrana Hussain, Birmingham Cllr Andy Platt, Stoke-on-Trent Cllr Tarik Khan, Tower Hamlets Cllr Catherine Donovan, Gateshead Cllr Martin Mitchell, Blackpool Cllr Neil Morton, Malvern Cllr Andy Moorhead, Knowsley Cllr Wendy Cooksey, Rotherham Cllr Nazam Azam. Bradford Cllr Wendy Cooksey, Rotherham Cllr Sue Moffat, Newcastle-under-Lyme Cllr Gerard Woodhouse, Liverpool Cllr Nazam Azam, Bradford Cllr Riaz Mirza, Newham Cllr Carl Doran, Wokingham Cllr Alice Bennett, Liverpool Cllr Dave Watkinson, Knowsley Cllr Alison Clarke, Liverpool Cllr Shabnum Sadiq, Slough Cllr Alison Clarke, Liverpool Cllr Tauseef Anwar, Lewisham Cllr Dave Watkinson, Knowsley Cllr Carol Machell, Calderdale Cllr Martyn Rush, Oxford Cllr Margi O’Callaghan, Hastings Cllr Sasha Das Gupta, Newham Cllr Maya Evans, Hastings Cllr Fay Atkinson, Amber Valley Cllr Cathy Augustine, Didcot Cllr Leah Levane, Hastings Cllr Alan Hall, Lewisham Cllr Ruby Cox, Hastings Cllr Jean Parr, Lancashire Cllr Richard Howlett, Oxford Cllr Matt Nathan, Islington Cllr Scott Patient, Calderdale Cllr Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini, Oxford Cllr Nadine Bely-Summers, Oxford Cllr Brian Steele, Rotherham Cllr Tracy Harvey, Middlesbrough Cllr Mark Jones, Sheffield Cllr Eldridge Culverwell, Hargingey Cllr Mohammed Shafiq, Bradford Cllr Julie Johnson, Birmingham Cllr Salim Patel, Newham Cllr Vikki Singleton, Blackpool Cllr Nazir Ahmed, Newham Cllr Pat Merrick, Cheshire West and Chester Cllr Jim Anderson, Bassetlaw Cllr Ross Sharon, Liverpool Cllr Nicky Brennan, Birmingham Cllr Dave Shaw, Doncaster Cllr Tosh McDonald, Doncaster Cllr Keir Chewings, Cotgrave Cllr Niroshan Sirisena, Croydon Cllr Ruth Gordon, Haringey Cllr Alan McGuckin, Cumbria Cllr Shaista Aziz, Oxford Cllr Dr Geoff A Walker, Sunderland Cllr Tania Charman, Hastings Cllr Niroshan Sirisena, Croydon Cllr Neil Gethin, Doncaster Cllr Gurmail Lal, Hounslow Cllr Talib Hussain, Sheffield Cllr Sinead Engel, Bradford Cllr Charlie Hogarth, Doncaster Cllr Joann Kushner, Liverpool Cllr Kevin Ritchie, Leeds Cllr Joshua Bennett Lovell, Hertfordshire Cllr Kate Cannon, Wirral Cllr Kallum Nolan, Rochdale | Cllr Jumbo Chan, Brent Cllr Lewis Cox, Ealing Cllr James McAsh, Southwark Cllr Paul W Fleming, Southwark Cllr Dr James Chiriyankandath, Haringey Cllr Sue Lukes, Islington Cllr Jack Buck, Southwark Cllr Noah Tucker, Haringey Cllr Sarah James, Haringey Cllr Puru Miah, Tower Hamlets Cllr Mahir Demir, Haringey Cllr Daniel Stone, Haringey Cllr Theresa Byrne, Ealing Cllr Dee Martin, Ealing Cllr Gabriela Salva Macallan, Tower Hamlets Cllr Lauren Wall, Ealing Cllr Ray Wall, Ealing Cllr Anna Tomlinson, Ealing Cllr Abdirazak Abdi, Brent Cllr Karl Eastham, Southwark Cllr Patrick Spence, Hackney Cllr Ben Bellamy, Amber Valley Cllr Clare Joseph, Hackney Cllr Dan Iley-Williamson, Oxford Cllr Aisling Gallagher, Lewisham Cllr Carol Angharad, Amber Valley Cllr Majid Mahmood, Birmingham Cllr Ben Clay, Manchester Cllr Fazila Loonat, Kirklees Cllr Jamie Driscoll, Newcastle Cllr Jo Sergeant, Bristol Cllr Jamie Driscoll, Newcastle Cllr Lara Ellis, Newcastle Cllr Nigel Todd, Newcastle Cllr David Bolton, North East Lincolnshire Cllr Pete Lowe, Dudley Cllr Lesley Spillard, North Tyneside Cllr Jo Bird, Wirral Cllr Salim Patel, Newham Cllr Preston Tabois, Haringey Cllr Jeffrey Elliott, Rhondda Cynon Taf Cllr Taiba Yasseen, Rotherham Cllr Diane Donaldson, Birmingham Cllr Rosalind James, North East Lincolnshire Cllr Mohammed Aikhlaq, Birmingham Cllr Santiago Bell-Bradford, Islington Cllr Khizar Hussain, Walsall Cllr Richard Price, Rotherham Cllr Samantha Charles, Malvern Cllr Elizabeth Hayden, Liverpool Cllr Alan Humphries, Droitwich Spa Cllr Cresswell, Babergh Cllr Richard Dunbar, Bradford Cllr Lynne Lambeth, Malvern Cllr Beverley Mullaney, Bradford Cllr Mohammad Shabbir, Bradford Cllr Vick Jenkins, Bradford Cllr Sue Duffy, Bradford Cllr Lou Robson, Birmingham Cllr Judy Foster, Dudley Cllr Kerry Jenkins, Birmingham Cllr Zafar Islam, Dudley Cllr Jacob Goddard, Leeds Cllr Sophie Wilson, Sheffield Cllr Dave Sheppard, Rotherham Cllr Aftab Nawaz, Walsall Cllr Lanimae Ball, Doncaster Cllr Cheryl Raynor, Wyre Cllr Laura Sullivan, Hythe Cllr John Williams, Rotherham Cllr Peter Griffiths, Birmingham Cllr Shabrana Hussain, Birmingham Cllr Andy Platt, Stoke-on-Trent Cllr Tarik Khan, Tower Hamlets Cllr Catherine Donovan, Gateshead Cllr Martin Mitchell, Blackpool Cllr Neil Morton, Malvern Cllr Andy Moorhead, Knowsley Cllr Wendy Cooksey, Rotherham Cllr Nazam Azam. Bradford Cllr Wendy Cooksey, Rotherham Cllr Sue Moffat, Newcastle-under-Lyme Cllr Gerard Woodhouse, Liverpool Cllr Nazam Azam, Bradford Cllr Riaz Mirza, Newham Cllr Carl Doran, Wokingham Cllr Alice Bennett, Liverpool Cllr Dave Watkinson, Knowsley Cllr Alison Clarke, Liverpool Cllr Shabnum Sadiq, Slough Cllr Alison Clarke, Liverpool Cllr Tauseef Anwar, Lewisham Cllr Dave Watkinson, Knowsley Cllr Carol Machell, Calderdale Cllr Martyn Rush, Oxford Cllr Margi O’Callaghan, Hastings Cllr Sasha Das Gupta, Newham Cllr Maya Evans, Hastings Cllr Fay Atkinson, Amber Valley Cllr Cathy Augustine, Didcot Cllr Leah Levane, Hastings Cllr Alan Hall, Lewisham Cllr Ruby Cox, Hastings Cllr Jean Parr, Lancashire Cllr Richard Howlett, Oxford Cllr Matt Nathan, Islington Cllr Scott Patient, Calderdale Cllr Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini, Oxford Cllr Nadine Bely-Summers, Oxford Cllr Brian Steele, Rotherham Cllr Tracy Harvey, Middlesbrough Cllr Mark Jones, Sheffield Cllr Eldridge Culverwell, Hargingey Cllr Mohammed Shafiq, Bradford Cllr Julie Johnson, Birmingham Cllr Salim Patel, Newham Cllr Vikki Singleton, Blackpool Cllr Nazir Ahmed, Newham Cllr Pat Merrick, Cheshire West and Chester Cllr Jim Anderson, Bassetlaw Cllr Ross Sharon, Liverpool Cllr Nicky Brennan, Birmingham Cllr Dave Shaw, Doncaster Cllr Tosh McDonald, Doncaster Cllr Keir Chewings, Cotgrave Cllr Niroshan Sirisena, Croydon Cllr Ruth Gordon, Haringey Cllr Alan McGuckin, Cumbria Cllr Shaista Aziz, Oxford Cllr Dr Geoff A Walker, Sunderland Cllr Tania Charman, Hastings Cllr Niroshan Sirisena, Croydon Cllr Neil Gethin, Doncaster Cllr Gurmail Lal, Hounslow Cllr Talib Hussain, Sheffield Cllr Sinead Engel, Bradford Cllr Charlie Hogarth, Doncaster Cllr Joann Kushner, Liverpool Cllr Kevin Ritchie, Leeds Cllr Joshua Bennett Lovell, Hertfordshire Cllr Kate Cannon, Wirral Cllr Kallum Nolan, Rochdale |
| • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com | • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com |
| • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters | • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters |
| • Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers? Click here to upload it and we’ll publish the best submissions in the letters spread of our print edition | • Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers? Click here to upload it and we’ll publish the best submissions in the letters spread of our print edition |
| Listen / | |
| Walking the Brexit tightrope at Labour conference – Politics Weekly | |
| Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here | |
| and listen https://flex.acast.com/audio.guim.co.uk/2018/09/26-51111-gdn.pol.180926.podcast.mp3 | |
| Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here | |
| and listen https://flex.acast.com/audio.guim.co.uk/2018/09/26-51111-gdn.pol.180926.podcast.mp3 | |
| Labour | Labour |
| Labour conference 2018 | Labour conference 2018 |
| Momentum | Momentum |
| letters | letters |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |