Some years ago a right-wing public sector trade union I had contact with used to keep out left-wing applicants by telling anyone who applied who they perceived to be to the left of Attila the Hun, that their membership was currently “full” but they would keep their names on record and contact them when any vacancies arose.
I was reminded of that last night talking to one of my fellow councillors at the Labour Group meeting. We were discussing Peter Hain’s latest baby, Refounding Labour, and in particular the bit about how we could recruit new members. “How about not actively discouraging those people who try to join the Party” said my colleague, “that would do for starters”.
Sadly, he meant it too. Apparently someone, somewhere in the treacle mill of the Labour bureaucracy has decided that our Constituency is in “special measures”. No-one has actually been to our CLP to tell us why we are in special measures, nor what the measures are, or what is special about them. But it appears one consequence of these very special measures is that… membership is full for the time being!!!
Here’s one for Peter to mull over while he takes a break from Refounding us. Just before Xmas last year one of our members, a young student tells me he noticed he was being asked for the full membership fee, rather than the reduced rate available to people in full-time education. He phoned the membership section and eventually got through to a bright young thing who advised him to resign, and rejoin for the special 1p promotional rate because “it would be easier”.
Like a mug, he did. But now, apparently he is caught up by “special measures” and can’t join without photo ID, proof he lives at the address he has given (he has been on the electoral register since he was old enough to register) and a sample of his DNA. Ok, that last bit is an exaggeration, but just how welcoming is that! You would imagine there must be a reason, eh? Surely our branch must have been infiltrated by some obscure Trotskyist sect or the continuity IRA? But no, we have never had a problem of any kind in respect of membership, and although the Branch would be slightly to the left of our MP… but then again, who isn’t?
The daft thing is, he is on the panel of candidates for next year’s local government elections… even though he can’t actually join the Party!!! The worrying thing is one of our canvassers told me of a conversation on the doorstep with another voter who had attempted to join the party, but he gave up trying when they asked him for a list of his credentials. So far this year we haven’t recruited a single member, despite a mad rush of people keen to join in the wake of the general election.
So, Pete, instead of trying to devise complicated systems to allow people who are not Labour Party members to take part in our internal elections and policy making… perhaps we could start by looking for ways in which those who actually want to join, are able to do so.
Welcome back, that didn’t take long……
Part of me (well most of me) wonders whether the likes of Peter Hain have any idea of the behind the scenes shenanigans undertaken by senior officials within the Party.
The paranoia of those who lived through the Militant years cannot be underestimated.
Joe; One thing you can be certain of in this life, is that Peter Hain and his likes will be well aware of the shenanigans undertaken by senior officials, and many not so senior officials, within the p(Hain, of all people, surely knows the lengths the Apartheid South African equivalentof M15/Special Branch, and possibly their British counterparts, when they tried to frame him for that bank hoist in Putney many years ago) But then Hain and many other lefts of years gone by could teach many of the officials a few shenanigans, maybe even make Mandelson look principled, once they got themselves into Parliament and then into the Cabinet, or lesser Governmet jobs. If ever they had any socialist priciples they soon jettisoned them once Bliar and New Labour threw a few Cabinet or Government baubles at them. Some classical examples were mentioned in todays Guardian; ex Trotskyites such as Milburn (which always confirms my long held belief, never trust a Trot) ex Civil Libertie’s Gen.Sec. Patricia Hewitt,Byers; all so called lefts in their day ; and now as reactionary and slippery as any Tory or Lib/Dem, running round trying ,successfully, most of the time, to get their noses in the trough. As Lady Astor said, “You train them , we;ll buy them”
Bob; Regarding your comments on the No Vacancies post, other than it being a public sector T.U., it sounds very much like Eric Hammond and his apprentice Spellar; they set themselves up as the Trade Union of the future, excluding militants(in their opinion, anyone who wanted a decent rate for the job or a decent wage rate)and becoming an employment agency for the Electrical Employers Federation, sweetheart deals a speciality; and if it was’nt that bonny branch of Brothers, I’ll bet it was Lord Coopers family firm, the General and Municipal Workers Union. Do you think the reason for your Constituency Labour Party being put into special measures is due to you all cosying up to Cameron, Osbourne and Lord Cashcroft, and the No campaign and their City/Hedgefund billionaires, instead of supporting the only decent leader the Labour Party has had for twenty years, plus with John Spellar as M.P.you must look like a right nest of Tories from Millbank.
Comrade, there seems to be different rules for those new members who have family already in the party . Those who can be a member for 3 months and get selected to fight a seat, I think this used to be called nepotism. It begs the question how this member got in whilst the CLP was in special measures and others aren’t able to. And of course there were allegations that some candidates weren’t even members of the party when they were selected. Perhaps Hain will refound the Party not on the principles of democratic socialism but on the principles racism, nepotism and corruption. And Gerald lets not forget that paragon of bourgeois virtue, Frank Chapple and his role in EETPU.
I think the word “allegedly” is missing somewhere there Mick.
Quite right comrade a slip of the finger. Profuse apologies to anyone who reads that and was offended.
Hey Bob!
Remember me and Cup final Stoke?
That lot in London couldn’t blacken our name enough even though we didn’t break a single rule.
They told us what rules we broke and then they suspended our Constituency for breaking them.
Ok ok, it just so happens they had a parachute MP floating above Stoke and wanted us to ‘comply’.
The rule we broke is that we did not have ‘all members’ meetings for our AGM when we were expressly ordered to hold them.
No matter how many times I, as Secretary of the CLP, told them that we DID hold ‘all members meetings’ for everything, we were told we didn’t.!!!
So because we didn’t hold them (we did), we were suspended.
For over 12 Months we held such ‘all members’ meetings but gave voting rights to delegates as a fairer representation of the CLP.
All 100% votes voting for such practices.
We hadn’t a clue what the other 649 CLPs around the Country were doing but shut us down, they did,
(in comes the parachute).
Now read Peter Hain’s document on founding Labour, Page 13.
Wouldn’t have thought you wanted to mention the Cup Final, Gary… all a bit embarrassing I would have thought.
Anyway, I didn’t write this piece to be a focal point for all you ex-labourites to come bitching about. Christ, man, don’t you think I’ve got enough problems.
(Update: I’ve just been told the student applicant may go through our CLP meeting on Friday – although no-one’s told me that there is a CLP meeting on Friday, so it may just be those on the Executive)
My apologies Mick; How could I ever mention the best Gaffers union in the U.K. the E.E.P.T.U. and not mention Frank Cannon, extreme rightwinger. or so we thought until Hammond and his family plus Spellar came along(do you remember Cannon introducing Hammond as his successorwith the immortal phrase “If you thought I was rightwing wait until you meet Eric”) Among the rank and file of the E.T.U. as it was then known Cannons honesty was often questioned, over many local site deals all over the country, but as bad as he was I do’nt think even he would have rode in a bus through a strike picket line(I’m almost certain it was official) like Hammond did at the Isle of Grain(I think) power station site in Kent, I may seem a little vague about the origins of the strike,but laggers had been in dispute for months, but there is no doubt about Hammonds E.E.P.T.U. strikebreaking role at that site. Bourgeois ,Cannon may have been,and at that I think you are being highly complimentary to him, but virtuous he never was. Cannon was one of the best political somersaulters of his day, and that was saying something, from committed member of the Communist Party of Great Britain to extreme right wing Labourite,making Gaitskell Callaghan, Healey and Barbara Castle look like socialists. nearly as good as Sue Slipman and ex Trotskyists like Alistair Darling, Alan Milburn,,Jim Murphy and 50% of New Labour(courtesy of George Galloways Daily Record column). And finally Mick,you naughty boy,hinting that the Labour Party may be racist , nepotistic and corrupt, one thing’s for certain, they could never sue you for slander over such an allegation.
Some of you folk are coming close to being barred here. You’ll get me thrown out, and if you don’t moderate your comments, I’ll have to. They’re already gunning for me without your help.
Bob
Relax, the “powers that be” will be too busy fighting another Scottish by-election to notice..
Or not.
Bob, ‘special measures’ is what they did to us first.
All mates heading in the same direction, and all that.
Codswallop!
Is your MP up for early retirement (whether he knows it or not)?
1. Special measures
2. Interviews for all interested parties
3.Identify all with a potential to object
4.Remove objectors
5.Bring in the real agenda
6.Allow everyone back in.
“A Democratic Socialist Party with OMOV” (My arse).
Comrade I will desist from posting anything remotely political on your blog. I will only mention footy,cmon you Wolves,and perhaps music and may be a bit of philosophy and a bit of cricket but definitely no politics well not in the party political sense, well not a lot. Watch yer back.
I am comrade. I’ve already been warned about speaking to opposition elements (well, you actually) in the wrong tone of voice. Apparently it could end my political ambitions (which is OK with me because I don’t actually have any beyond improving the neighbourhood I live in – I’ll leave the greasy pole to those trying to grapple their way up it).
By the way… I don’t know how acceptable ‘comrade’ is now. A bit old Labour for some, I think.
Bob; I have been busy for the last few days, so this is the first opportunity I’ve had to study and reply to some of your reply’s to your “No vacancies” comments sent in by myself and other ex-Labourites;thats if we’re still allowed on. Hopefully, your remarks about our comments threatening your position were a windup, if not could you elaborate on who would be making these threats, surely it ca’nt be your Constituency Labour Party or the Labour Group on Sandwell M.B.C. If it’s not a windup , then surely somebody wants to get a grip on reality, or I’d emigrate if a few innocuous remarkson a blog page threatens your position. For myself. Icertainly would’nt want to have compromised you ; and in a free, healthy atmosphere, anything I or any of the others have written should’nt have. Surely a blog site means plentyof free, lively, debating of issues. As I said Bob , surely it’s a windup, if ,not even the supposedly Stalinist old C.P.G.B. would’nt have carried off like that.So hopefully thats that sorted out, if not, Duffers will be lecturing you about democracy.