Proposed Young Labour Rule Change
Young Labour currently suffers from a shocking lack of democracy, with neither the national committee nor the executive committee elected by the mass membership of the youth of our party. The clear lack of democracy and accountability makes it almost impossible for an individual young CLP or TU member to play a part in the decision-making of Young Labour, meaning the party fails to capitalise on the enthusiasm for activity held by many young members.
We seek to reverse the democratic deficit which currently exists in the organisation - the rule change is only one step, but we feel it to be a significant one. Through this process we hope to empower more young members to elect their own leadership and to become further involved at a time when our party can hardly afford for them not to be.
The following explain the current situation and our proposed rule change. To download this in a form that can be distributed at you CLP conference mandating meeting, or to pass on to your Conference delegate please click here. If you support the rule change or want more information please email us on info@YLdemocracy.org.uk
The Current Situation
By default all members of the Labour Party aged 27 and under become members of Young Labour, a section of the party governed by a National Committee and an Executive Committee. In addition to these there is a Young Labour Conference held every two years at Labour Spring Conference that elects the NEC Youth Representative.
The National Committee of Young Labour is made up of:
The Young Labour Conference comprises:
Conclusion
The Young Labour Conference is the largest and most representative body of Young Labour, bringing together delegates directly from CLPs, representatives of those in work through the trade unions and of those in academic study through Labour Students. However, the most representative body, the Conference, is currently unable to elect either the Young Labour National Committee, which is appointed separately from the conference by sectional groups, or the Young Labour Executive Committee, which is self-selected by and from the Young Labour National Committee.
This should mean that the actions of the Executive Committee are accountable to the larger National Committee, however this does not currently function effectively due to the overall lack of accountability & the bodies only meeting as one.
The current lack of democracy means neither the Young Labour National Committee or the Young Labour Executive Committee are directly accountable to the Young Labour Conference.
The rule change proposal
The proposal is for the Labour Party Annual Conference 2006 to pass a rule change that will make an incremental step toward the democratisation of Young Labour. It is proposed to retain the composition of the YL National Committee, representing as it does Young Labour’s constituent organisations, but to give the Young Labour Conference a direct role in electing the body that will run Young Labour day-to-day for two years until the following Young Labour Conference.
This will finally provide the Young Labour Conference and the grassroots membership with the power to hold its Executive Committee to account, while allowing the constituent organisations their existing positions in the National Committee.
Chapter 11 – Rules for Young Labour
Clause 11B.2
After “The National Committee of Young Labour shall comprise:” insert new clause “(a) an executive elected by the conference of Young Labour as detailed at 11B.3” and renumber subsequent clauses accordingly.
Clause 11B.3
1. In the first line of Rule 11B.3 delete the words “The National Committee” and substitute the words “Young Labour conference”
2. Add the following paragraph at the end of Rule 11B.3
“In the event of an office referred to at (a) to (e) becoming vacant between Young Labour conferences, the National Committee shall have the authority to elect a replacement from amongst its own members.”
Clause 11B.4
Delete the final sentence of Rule 11B.4
We seek to reverse the democratic deficit which currently exists in the organisation - the rule change is only one step, but we feel it to be a significant one. Through this process we hope to empower more young members to elect their own leadership and to become further involved at a time when our party can hardly afford for them not to be.
The following explain the current situation and our proposed rule change. To download this in a form that can be distributed at you CLP conference mandating meeting, or to pass on to your Conference delegate please click here. If you support the rule change or want more information please email us on info@YLdemocracy.org.uk
The Current Situation
By default all members of the Labour Party aged 27 and under become members of Young Labour, a section of the party governed by a National Committee and an Executive Committee. In addition to these there is a Young Labour Conference held every two years at Labour Spring Conference that elects the NEC Youth Representative.
The National Committee of Young Labour is made up of:
- one young member per region/Scotland/Wales, selected by the regional office
- one NPF youth representative per region elected by all delegates at Labour Party Annual Conference
- five young representatives of Labour-affiliated trade unions
- three representatives from the National Organisation of Labour Students
- one representative of Young Fabians
- the NEC Youth Representative (elected at Young Labour Conference)
- the NEC-appointed National Youth Officer
The Young Labour Conference comprises:
- young members of CLPs (one per CLP and also each regional YL group has one per CLP covered)
- young members of Labour-affiliated trade unions (delegation size set by national union affiliation)
- delegates of the Labour Students delegated from University Labour Clubs (2 per Labour Club)
- members of Young Fabians
Conclusion
The Young Labour Conference is the largest and most representative body of Young Labour, bringing together delegates directly from CLPs, representatives of those in work through the trade unions and of those in academic study through Labour Students. However, the most representative body, the Conference, is currently unable to elect either the Young Labour National Committee, which is appointed separately from the conference by sectional groups, or the Young Labour Executive Committee, which is self-selected by and from the Young Labour National Committee.
This should mean that the actions of the Executive Committee are accountable to the larger National Committee, however this does not currently function effectively due to the overall lack of accountability & the bodies only meeting as one.
The current lack of democracy means neither the Young Labour National Committee or the Young Labour Executive Committee are directly accountable to the Young Labour Conference.
The rule change proposal
The proposal is for the Labour Party Annual Conference 2006 to pass a rule change that will make an incremental step toward the democratisation of Young Labour. It is proposed to retain the composition of the YL National Committee, representing as it does Young Labour’s constituent organisations, but to give the Young Labour Conference a direct role in electing the body that will run Young Labour day-to-day for two years until the following Young Labour Conference.
This will finally provide the Young Labour Conference and the grassroots membership with the power to hold its Executive Committee to account, while allowing the constituent organisations their existing positions in the National Committee.
Chapter 11 – Rules for Young Labour
Clause 11B.2
After “The National Committee of Young Labour shall comprise:” insert new clause “(a) an executive elected by the conference of Young Labour as detailed at 11B.3” and renumber subsequent clauses accordingly.
Clause 11B.3
1. In the first line of Rule 11B.3 delete the words “The National Committee” and substitute the words “Young Labour conference”
2. Add the following paragraph at the end of Rule 11B.3
“In the event of an office referred to at (a) to (e) becoming vacant between Young Labour conferences, the National Committee shall have the authority to elect a replacement from amongst its own members.”
Clause 11B.4
Delete the final sentence of Rule 11B.4
I am concerned that this would make young Labour conference which is currently a very useful idea sharing and networking event into a whole round of lobbying and profiling for elections and it would befome much less useful for the average delegate.
Also as Conference doesn't meet between elections it would not realy be able to increase thaccountability of the exec.
I think it would be better to go down the route of having members of the committees names and contact details on the web, and mandating officers to provide a quarterly report to be emailed to all members on what they have been doing.
Finally it is worth bearing in mind that many members at Conference will recall what happenned when Labour Party Young Socialists was taken over by entryists and will be keen to avoid doing anything that could let that happen again.
Posted by
Anonymous |
4/8/06 1:45 PM
But now the labour party is so careful about entryists. Just look at all the worrying compass is doing about this front and that front. I don't think we need worry about entryism although there will always be factions.
Posted by
A soft socialist |
12/8/06 5:07 AM
Young Labour also suffers from a latent inability to contact young labour party members. As a member of the party who is at the start of their twenties, I do find it remarkable that no attempt has been made to contact me by the organisation, despite my attempts to find out more and participate in it. I have thus far only had dealings with the main Labour Party, and I'm hardly what could be described as a "new member."
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