THE
Labour leadership is facing embarrassment over the need to establish a
commission of inquiry into the falling morale that has led to the loss
of tens of thousands of party members and more than a million voters at
the last election.
The commission, whose work will begin at the
party conference in Brighton this month, will try to win back members
who have felt sidelined by leadership decisions that overruled the
party’s policy formation procedures.
The move, which will be seen as a challenge to Tony Blair’s style of
leadership, is aimed at improving democracy and accountability within
the party and making members feel that they have a role within the
party.
The commission will be chaired by the former
minister Michael Meacher and will include MPs, members of the national
executive, academics and trade unionists.
It was prompted by what is felt to be the
bypassing of the party’s elaborate policy procedure, which culminates
in reports to the party conference from the national policy forum.
There is frustration that, despite involving the party membership in
the formation of policies, the leadership has on issue after issue
ridden roughshod over its views.
Reports on foundation hospitals, pensions
and rail renationalisation are cited as examples of where the
leadership has ignored grassroots opinion, as well as the war in Iraq.
The inquiry will ask past and present
members where they think the party’s procedures are failing and what is
necessary to regenerate the party.
Members say there is a need to redemocratise
the party after setbacks to the advances made by the Kinnock, John
Smith, and Blair leaderships.
Mr Meacher said yesterday that the
commission contained members from across the party. “This is most
definitely not the old Left reappearing. This is not going back to the
1980s.
“What Labour has achieved in recent years is
remarkable. The third election victory in a row was marvellous. But we
cannot ignore the fact that we have lost millions of voters and that
morale in some places and parts of the party has fallen drastically.
This cannot be ignored.”
The commission is to be funded by individual
and trade union donations.
HOW SUPPORT HAS FALLEN
LABOUR'S VOTERS
May 1997 13,517,911
June 2001 10,740,64
May 2005 9,547,944
LABOUR’S MEMBERS
May 1997 407,000
June 2001 217,000
May 2005 200,000
Where have my members gone?
Labour
con-trick eventually getting through to the masses!
Trades
Unionists - stop paying your political levy to New Labour-Marxists!
Ask
your Shop Steward for an opt out form NOW!
