Latest News and Events
Sign up to the 2008 May Manifesto Petition
In the light of Labour's election defeat last week, John McDonnell MP is circulating a manifesto petition to Labour Party members, trade unons and MPs to gain large scale rank and file support for a new policy programme for Labour to bring about a radical change in political direction for the Laboour Government.
John McDonnell said: “After the serious rejection of New Labour at the polls last week assurances that the Government is listening are simply not going to be enough to restore any sense of belief in the Labour Party. What is needed is a radical change of political direction.”
“We have to demonstrate that change by introducing a new policy programme that specifically and very concretely addreses peoples' concerns raised on the doorstep. This May manifesto petition is launched so that all our supporters can have a say in pressing for the changes we need”.
Read and debate the May manifesto petition on the LRC blog.
Sign up to the 2008 May Manifesto petition by emailing info@l-r-c.org.uk with ‘petition’ in the subject line and your name and CLP or trade union.
After the Elections 2008: Now is the time to mobilise
In response to the loss of London Mayor, John McDonnell, LRC Chair, said: “This is desperately worrying for London. It is also a personal tragedy for Ken who has devoted his life to the capital city and its residents”
“Ken has been the victim of the backlash against New Labour”
As results show Labour losing over 300 councillors across England and Wales, John McDonnell MP said:
“It is not enough for the Government to spin and attempt another relaunch. The era of New Labour is coming to an end. We need to fight for a radical change and now is the time to do it”
Over the Bank Holiday weekend, there were rumours in the media that John McDonnell MP was to launch a ‘stalking horse’ leadership challenge. In response, John McDonnell said “I would never stand as a stalking horse. Last time when I tried to challenge, it was a genuine attempt to set out a different political direction for the party and to
offer Labour Party members a real choice of the way forward after the Blair era”. Read John's statement in full.
Read John McDonnell's post-election comments in full on the Guardian Comment is Free website.
Tell us your view of what happened:
LEAP Conference: Beyond the Market Economy
LEAP and Another World is Possible are co-hosting an economics conference ‘Beyond the Market Economy’ on Saturday 24th May 2008, 11am-4:30pm at Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, WC1E 7HX. Click here to see a map of the location.
Plenary speakers include Tony Benn and John McDonnell MP. Download the full conference agenda. Sub-plenaries include: Securing housing for all; Ending corporate power: 21st century models of social ownership; Drowning in debt: transforming the financial system; and Defending pay, pensions and jobs in a global market economy. Download full details of the sub-plenaries.
You can register online or by sending a cheque for £10 (£5 unwaged), payable to ‘Another World is Possible’, to LRC, PO Box 2378, London, E5 9QU.
Download the March 2008 LEAP Red Papers: New Labour's Moment of Truth.
Postal liberalisation - which side are you on?
The initial report of the independent review of postal services liberalisation, published in May 2008, has been welcomed by the LRC.
John McDonnell MP, Chair of the LRC, said:“This report confirms what we said from the beginning - that liberalisation would only benefit big business and do nothing for the public or the dedicated workers of Royal Mail. In fact by undermining Royal Mail's revenue, liberalisation has meant cuts in services, post office closures and attacks on postal workers' pay and pensions
“In the local elections, the programme of post office closures around the country was a major issue. The Government must now decide whose side it is on: is it on the side of the public and the workforce or on the side of big business?”
Read the LRC press release in full.
Read what the CWU has to say.
Defend Council Housing - 30 Labour MPs rebel
After years of voting for the fourth option of direct investment in council housing at Labour Party conference, Labour MPs had the opportunity to make it law.
The Defend Council Housing (DCH) and the LRC supported amendments tabled by Austin Mitchell MP, but opposed by the Government. The amendments would have allowed councils to improve all existing homes and estates, build a new generation of first class council housing and ensure council housing has a sustainable future.
On Monday 31st March 2008, 30 Labour MPs supported by the amendments: Colin Burgon, Ronnie Campbell, Martin Caton, Michael Clapham, Katy Clark, Frank Cook, Jeremy Corbyn, Jim Cousins, Ann Cryer, Frank Dobson, David Drew, Frank Field, Ian Gibson, John Grogan, David Hamilton, Dai Havard, Kate Hoey, Kelvin Hopkins, Lynne Jones,
Peter Kilfoyle, Bob Marshall-Andrews, John McDonnell, Michael Meacher, Austin Mitchell, Linda Riordan, Dennis Skinner, David Taylor, Jon Trickett, Paul Truswell, and Joan Walley - if your MP is not among them, hold them to account!
For more information, see the DCH website.
Campaign for workers' rights
On Friday 22nd February, 136 Labour MPs voted to give the Temporary and Agency Workers Bill a second reading. The Bill would give agency workers full rights from day one - as promised in the 2005 Warwick Agreement.
The Government is attempting to delay this legislation, however, by setting up a commission involving the CBI. Now is the time for trade unionists to fight within their unions for their leaderships to keep the pressure on the Government.
Read the LRC press release in advance of the Agency Workers Bill debate . . .
Read John McDonnell's blog on the challenge to keep the Bill going . . .
The LRC needs YOU - to lobby the Labour Party NPF
The LRC has established its Labour Party Liaison Unit to lead on the fight for democracy and socialism within the Labour Party. Gordon Brown's exterminating Labour Party democracy proposals were designed to further centralise party decision-making and make it harder to adopt socialist policies within the party. But we haven't given up yet!
See how you can make your policy views known to the Labour Party
Left Women's Network launched
The Left Women's Network (LWN) fringe meeting at LRC conference, chaired by Marsha-Jane Thompson, was attended by approximately 80% of women at conference. It discussed the need to increase women's participation, ensuring that issues that particularly affect women are on the LRC's campaigning agenda.
It was decided that the LWN will hold a founding conference next year, and a provisional steering committee was setup. For more information or to join the Left Women's Network discussion list please email mary@leftwomensnetwork.org. Read a full report of the launch on the LRC blog.
Go to the Left Women's Network's new website.
Fight the fees
John McDonnell MP, LRC Chair, tabled 3 amendments to the the Sale of Student Loans Bill, which were rejected by the Government. The Bill privatises the Government's holdings of student debt. But students who are now paying over £2bn per year in fees will see no benefit. The average student now leaves university with an average debt of £15,000, which takes an average of 13 years to repay.
Read John McDonnell's article on the Guardian website ‘Myths, banks and student loans’.
As a result of John McDonnell's campaigning on this issue, he will be speaking at a debate organised by the Guardian and Agora on Monday 10th March. For more details see the Agora website.
Read John's case against higher fees. In 2009, the Government will review the £3,000 cap on fees - now is the time to start the fight against fees.
John McDonnell writes for Comment is Free
LRC National Conference 2007
The LRC's 2007 national conference ‘The Next Steps for the Left’ took place at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square on Saturday 17th November.
You can download the resolutions debated at the conference. Resolutions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 8-14 were all passed. Resolution 2 fell, and resolutions 6 and 7 were remitted for the newly elected National Committee to take forward. Conference also endorsed the National Committee statement, which was presented to conference.
Conference also passed a series of constitutional amendments moved by the National Committee. These have been incorporated into the updated LRC constitution.
Speakers included Murray Benham (WDM), Tony Benn, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Jane Davidson AM, Kate Hudson (CND), Joe Marino (BFAWU), John McDonnell MP, Mark Serwotka (PCS), Jon Trickett MP, Matt Wrack (FBU).
We were also pleased to welcome Alexander Ulrich, a member of the German Bundestag, representing Die Linke - the new Party of the Left in Germany. You can download Alexander Ulrich's speech to the conference.
You can also download the Secretary's Report, which gives a short assessment of the LRC in the past year.
Another World is Possible
Copies of LRC Chair John McDonnell MP's manifesto for 21st century socialism - Another World is Possible are available now. John said “This manifesto offers an analysis of New Labour's Britain in the context of globalisation and a shared narrative of the world we face. It sets out basic principles and policies upon which we can build a platform for socialism in the 21st century”
You can order your copy online, and your copy will be despatched within 28 days.
The book is published by the LRC and costs just £2.50 including postage and packaging
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