Justice for Jeremy!

CLPD is encouraging CLPs to submit a rule change proposal to this year’s Labour Party Annual Conference that, if agreed, would assist Jeremy Corbyn to seek re-selection as a Labour candidate for the next general election.

Jeremy is currently ineligible for a ‘trigger ballot’ in his CLP, because of his suspension from the PLP by Keir Starmer (via the Chief Whip). This device is being used to defy the decision that the party’s NEC made following its disciplinary investigation of Jeremy in 2020. The decision taken at the time was to lift Jeremy’s suspension from the party and no punishment was imposed on him to prohibit him seeking re-selection as a Labour candidate. It is undemocratic that the PLP is able to use such a device to circumvent the party’s decisions.

The party’s draconian restrictions on free speech

Following the suspension of Jeremy from the Labour Party in 2020, new draconian restrictions were imposed on free speech at Labour Party branch and CLP meetings in order to prevent motions being passed in support of Jeremy. The General Secretary wrote to CLPs instructing them that:

‘it is not competent business for CLPs, branches and any other party units to have discussions about, or pass motions in relation to any aspect of individual disciplinary cases’

and that:

‘motions (including expressions of solidarity, and matters relating to the internal processes of the PLP)… which touch on these issues will also be ruled out of order‘

After issuing these instructions the party suspended more than 70 CLP officers across the country in CLPs where expressions of solidarity with Jeremy had been discussed in meetings.

Don’t mention Labour’s former Leader

Although it appears ridiculous, to comply with the General Secretary’s draconian instructions, Labour Party members who wish to see Jeremy treated fairly are advised NOT to mention Jeremy in official Labour Party meetings when discussing this rule change proposal.

The rule change of course could benefit Jeremy, but it is also a stand alone rule change that would correct an undemocratic rule in the party’s rule book. The Chief Whip/PLP should not have such powers to prevent a parliamentary re-selection. These powers should only be exercised by the Labour Party (where they do already reside). The PLP should not have a veto that allows it to block an MP seeking re-selection – using the device of suspension from the PLP. The PLP rightly do not have a veto in parliamentary selection contests where there is no sitting MP seeking selection. They should have no veto where there is a sitting MP seeking re-selection. This undemocratic anomaly needs to be corrected.

CLPD strongly advises Jeremy’s name should not be mentioned in any Labour Party meeting (branch or CLP) in connection with this rule change. It is not necessary to mention him in official meetings in order to explain the need for the rule book to be democratised in this way.

The Labour Party should decide which Labour MPs can seek re-selection – not the PLP

The Labour Party Rule Book 2022 Chapter 5 Selections, rights and responsibilities of candidates for elected public office, Clause IV Selection of Westminster parliamentary candidates, Sub-clauses 5 and 5.A read as follows:

‘5. If a CLP is represented in Parliament by a member of the PLP:
‘A. If the sitting MP wishes to stand for re-election, a trigger ballot will be carried out through Party branches and affiliated branches according to this clause and NEC guidelines.’

Amendment

Delete ‘5. If a CLP is represented in Parliament by a member of the PLP’ and replace with:

‘5. If a CLP is represented in Parliament by either a member of the PLP or by a member of the Labour Party who has not had their membership rights to stand in internal selections to represent the Party as a publicly elected representative suspended under the provisions of Chapters 1, 2  or 6 of this rule book:’

Make no changes to Sub-clauses 5.A through to 5.E

Add a new Sub-clause 5.F after Sub-clause 5.E:

‘F. This sub-clause 5.IV.5.F, conferring on sitting MPs the rights set out in sub-clause 5.IV.5 above, shall automatically expire at the close of Annual Conference 2025. If any parliamentary selection has concluded in 2022 in which an MP who is a member of the Labour Party was not able to seek re-selection and had not had their membership rights to stand in internal selections to represent the Party as a publicly elected representative suspended, under the provisions of Chapters 1, 2, or 6 of this rule book, then that parliamentary selection will be null and void and a new parliamentary selection will be organised on the basis of the rules agreed at the 2022 Labour Annual Conference, if that sitting MP wishes to seek re-selection.’

Supporting argument

Currently the Labour Party has the power, using the provisions of the disciplinary process, clearly set out in the Rule Book, to prevent a Labour MP from seeking re-selection. Both the National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Constitutional Committee (NCC) have specific powers to suspend a party member’s right to be a prospective parliamentary candidate.

In addition the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) also currently has the power to prevent a Labour MP from seeking re-selection, even when the Labour Party has itself not decided to make such a decision. A Labour MP can be suspended or expelled from the PLP (suspension or withdrawal of the Labour Whip) by a decision of the Chief Whip, under powers that are set out in the PLP’s Standing Orders. Currently the Rule Book allows the PLP decision on the whip to take precedence over the Party’s determinations on disciplinary matters.

Specifically, this means that in situations where the Labour Party has investigated the conduct of a Labour MP, under the Labour Party Rule Book’s disciplinary processes, and the Labour Party has not decided to bar the Labour MP from seeking re-selection, the Chief Whip/PLP can ignore the outcome of the Party’s disciplinary process and in effect bar the Labour MP from seeking re-selection.

The current wording of the Rule Book in effect allows a component unit of the Party (the PLP) to overrule the decisions of the NEC and NCC – the national Labour Party bodies that are elected by the Party as a whole to make such decisions. Unlike the rules and procedures for the NEC and NCC disciplinary processes, the PLP’s procedures are not determined by the Labour Party through its Conference and as such there is no accountability within the Party for the decisions made. The PLP sets its own Standing Orders, with no involvement of the Party’s CLPs and Affiliates.

The current wording of the Rule Book undemocratically permits the PLP to wield powers that ignore the decisions made by the national Labour Party on a Labour MP’s right to seek re-selection. Such a power of veto by the PLP should not be permitted.

The purpose of this rule change is to allow all Labour MPs who have not been barred by the Labour Party to seek reselection. The PLP would continue to have their powers to set their own standing orders and internal codes of conduct, but not have the power to stop the Labour Party from considering the re-selection of any Labour MP that the Labour Party has not itself decided is ineligible to seek re-selection.

It is Labour Party Conference, made up of CLPs and affiliates, that sets the rules that govern eligibility for selection as a parliamentary candidate where there is no sitting Labour MP. The PLP has no powers to set those rules. Labour Party Conference also sets the rules that govern the re-selection process. It is an undemocratic anomaly that the PLP can also set its own rules that in effect take precedence over the Party’s re-selection rules.

The additional Sub Clause 5.F, proposed by this rule change, would ensure the application of this new rule to all parliamentary selections taking place in 2022, including those prior to the 2022 Labour Annual Conference.

Conference needs to democratise the parliamentary re-selection process!

Closing date for Constitutional Amendments: 12 noon, Friday 17 June 2022