2016-07-19 12:14:25 +0100
To: Paddy Lillis (NEC Chair), Ellie Reeves (Vice Chair), Ann Black (Disputes Panel Chair), Labour NEC
An Open Letter to the NEC from Labour Party Members
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We call on the NEC to overturn the following decisions:
1) The exclusion of new members from the leadership contest
2) The raising of the registered supporter fee from £3 to £25
3) The cancelling of all CLP meetings until after the leadership election.
We call on the NEC to overturn the following decisions:
1) The exclusion of new members from the leadership contest
2) The raising of the registered supporter fee from £3 to £25
3) The cancelling of all CLP meetings until after the leadership election.
Why is this important?
We are writing as Labour party members to express our concern at some of the recent decisions made by the NEC. In particular the decision to disenfranchise over 130,000 new members of the Labour party and affiliated unions; the decision to raise the fee for becoming a registered supporter from £3 to £25; and the decision to cancel all CLP meetings until after the leadership election. Let us take each in turn.
1. The decision to disenfranchise new members
It has been announced in the last few days that only members who joined the Labour party before the 12th of January of this year will be eligible to vote in the upcoming leadership election. Not only is this a blatant attempt to gerrymander the result to unseat the incumbent leader, but it undermines the over 130,000 new members who joined specifically to participate in the upcoming election.
Rather than alienating all of these new members, the party should be welcoming them with open arms. It is these people who will be knocking on doors, delivering leaflets, and convincing friends and family to vote for Labour come the general election. Far from being seen as a threat to the party, they should be hailed as a sign of a progressive shift in our society that offers hope for the future of the Labour movement as a whole.
The decision also raises the prospect of a legal challenge against the NEC, given that this this sudden revoking of the democratic rights of new members was done retrospectively. Many of the 130,000 new members signed up – indeed, were encouraged from every wing of the party – precisely to participate in the election. The website was clear that joining as a Labour party member would enable the individual to participate in the leadership election. This amounts to false advertising and the decision should either be overturned or new members should be given the option of a full refund of their membership fees.
2. The decision to raise the fee for becoming a registered supporter
Raising the fee for joining the Labour party as a registered supporter to £25 is discriminatory against those on low wages and in insecure work, precisely those people that the Labour party should be supporting. As you are no doubt aware, minimum wage in this country is currently £7.20 per hour. That means that the Labour party expects people on minimum wage to pay the equivalent of 3.5 hours of work in order to be allowed to vote.
This is clearly unaffordable to many in this income bracket and deprives those in most need of political representation a voice in the Labour party. Wealth should never be a barrier to entry to those who want to support the party and participate in its democratic processes. Yet it appears that the NEC is doing exactly this, depriving the low paid of a voice in an attempt to gerrymander the result of the leadership election by pricing out many of those most likely to vote for the incumbent leader.
3. The decision to cancel all CLP meetings until after the leadership election
We recognise that this decision to cancel all CLP meetings until after the election was made in response to some isolated cases of threats being made to party officials and MPs. This behaviour is clearly unacceptable. Nonetheless, the decision on whether or not for CLP meetings should go ahead should rest with individual CLPs who are better placed to assess the local situation.
Cancelling the meetings does nothing to solve the underlying tensions within the party. It sends the message that the Labour party is opposed to open and free debate by preventing members from discussing the issues that matter most to them. In our increasingly divided party we should be encouraging as much face to face discussion as possible, not shutting it down in response to the idiotic actions of a few isolated individuals.
We would be grateful if you could present these concerns to the other members of the NEC and eagerly await your response.
1. The decision to disenfranchise new members
It has been announced in the last few days that only members who joined the Labour party before the 12th of January of this year will be eligible to vote in the upcoming leadership election. Not only is this a blatant attempt to gerrymander the result to unseat the incumbent leader, but it undermines the over 130,000 new members who joined specifically to participate in the upcoming election.
Rather than alienating all of these new members, the party should be welcoming them with open arms. It is these people who will be knocking on doors, delivering leaflets, and convincing friends and family to vote for Labour come the general election. Far from being seen as a threat to the party, they should be hailed as a sign of a progressive shift in our society that offers hope for the future of the Labour movement as a whole.
The decision also raises the prospect of a legal challenge against the NEC, given that this this sudden revoking of the democratic rights of new members was done retrospectively. Many of the 130,000 new members signed up – indeed, were encouraged from every wing of the party – precisely to participate in the election. The website was clear that joining as a Labour party member would enable the individual to participate in the leadership election. This amounts to false advertising and the decision should either be overturned or new members should be given the option of a full refund of their membership fees.
2. The decision to raise the fee for becoming a registered supporter
Raising the fee for joining the Labour party as a registered supporter to £25 is discriminatory against those on low wages and in insecure work, precisely those people that the Labour party should be supporting. As you are no doubt aware, minimum wage in this country is currently £7.20 per hour. That means that the Labour party expects people on minimum wage to pay the equivalent of 3.5 hours of work in order to be allowed to vote.
This is clearly unaffordable to many in this income bracket and deprives those in most need of political representation a voice in the Labour party. Wealth should never be a barrier to entry to those who want to support the party and participate in its democratic processes. Yet it appears that the NEC is doing exactly this, depriving the low paid of a voice in an attempt to gerrymander the result of the leadership election by pricing out many of those most likely to vote for the incumbent leader.
3. The decision to cancel all CLP meetings until after the leadership election
We recognise that this decision to cancel all CLP meetings until after the election was made in response to some isolated cases of threats being made to party officials and MPs. This behaviour is clearly unacceptable. Nonetheless, the decision on whether or not for CLP meetings should go ahead should rest with individual CLPs who are better placed to assess the local situation.
Cancelling the meetings does nothing to solve the underlying tensions within the party. It sends the message that the Labour party is opposed to open and free debate by preventing members from discussing the issues that matter most to them. In our increasingly divided party we should be encouraging as much face to face discussion as possible, not shutting it down in response to the idiotic actions of a few isolated individuals.
We would be grateful if you could present these concerns to the other members of the NEC and eagerly await your response.
