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Labour Representation Committee
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05 October 2007
LRC takes West Yorkshire
By Cllr Susan Press
Labour Party activists and trade unionists from 14 constituencies all over Yorkshire and Greater Manchester converged on Hebden Bridge for a successful one-day forum on September 29.
Theme of the day was 21st Century Socialism - Re-building The Labour Left. The LRC-organised event took place only six days after trade union leaders in Bournemouth had helped Gordon Brown bounce through plans to abolish contemporary motions at Labour Party Conference. The mood in the room just a few days later was one of anger, but also a quiet determination to fight back.
Keynote speaker John McDonnell MP said, "This means the days when you could take a policy idea to your Branch, then the constituency, and then the Conference as the sovereign policy-making body of the Party are over. Democracy has effectively been closed down."
John McDonnell added: "The other reason this is so significant is that it demonstrates that the old strategy, the one we've relied on for the past few years, of trade union leaders helping us re-claim the Party, hasn't worked. We now need to think of other ways of doing things and work within and without the Labour Party
"It's no use kidding ourselves, we have to recognise the situation we're in now, which is at our weakest, and find different ways of reaching out to people".
John cited the recent Climate Change camp and No Third Runway campaign at Heathrow, which is in his Hayes and Harlington constituency, as a shining example of what could be done outside traditional Party structures.
He also referred to the successful Remploy campaign to stop closures and save jobs which is winning through even in the face of strong opposition from the Government.
Much of the day comprised questions from the floor - with wide-ranging debate and speeches. Barnsley-based Brian Caton, of the POA, spoke with passion about the recent strike action by his members and the solidarity they had shown.
Other speakers on the day included former Halifax MP Alice Mahon, who talked about the current situation in Iraq and Iran, and current MP Linda Riordan, who said the Conference decision had been a "disgrace". Calderdale council candidate Janet Oosthuysen led a debate on fighting the BNP.
Another visitor from London was Dave Wetzel, of Transport for London, who outlined the issues around the Labour Land Tax campaign.
John Wiseman, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Westmorland and Lonsdale, condemned the PLP for not allowing there to be a ballot for the leadership of the Party. He said more left candidates were needed and that the only way forward was for people to join the labour Party and drive CLPs and constituencies forward in a socialist direction. Trade unionists must also get branches to affiliate.
Constituencies represented included Calder Valley, Halifax, Leeds West, Leeds South, South Holland and Deepings, Colne Valley, Rochdale, Stockport, Wakefield, Manchester central, Bury North, Manchester Withington and St Helens, and Doncaster.
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