The status of Local Campaign Forum’s (LCF) has been in doubt for years. Where they were controlled by the right, many were mothballed two and three years ago. For the past year, many CLPs have been told by Regional officers or borough organisers that they don’t exist and have been abolished.

But there has been a miracle. Like Lazarus, LCFs have risen from the dead. A letter on this exists apparently, but was only sent to LCF officers (some of whom no longer exist) and Labour Groups, and not to CLPs. The following was sent out to one borough:

The LGC transition will not happen until after the mayoral elections in May – I can only apologise for all the delay and confusion from the party over this.

The last delegates to the LCF were elected in 2019, and they didn’t hold a proper AGM

We don’t have time to elect new delegates from the CLPs and hold a proper LCF AGM

This means you should call the current delegates from 2019 to an EGM so they can elect new officers

At the same meeting, these officers should elect a Procedures Secretary to oversee the opening up of the of the panel for the upcoming by-election, and agree a timetable to send to us for approval please. Attached are the latest procedures for selections. Please ensure a timetable which will allow for nomination of the selected candidate by the statutory deadline for the by-election.

 All those currently on the panel of candidates will remain on the panel and be eligible for selection

 Neither candidates currently on the panel, or any new candidates added to the panel for this by-election, will be on the panel for the 2022 local elections

 The CLPs should elect new delegates to the LCF at their upcoming CLP AGMs, so a proper LCF AGM can be held when we have time

Main action points:

1. Wherever we have the prospect of a left majority, we should get LCFs to meet, organise a timetable for any by elections, and after that process is completed open the panel.
2. Where LCFs are being reconstituted, the first important vote will be for the chair. The chair is responsible for the application of the rules, and by custom and practice can only be overturned by a two-thirds majority. We should ensure we stand in all such elections.
3. The second crucial position is procedures secretary, who is normally, but doesn’t have to be, the secretary.
4. My understanding is that, once elected, the procedures secretary will remain in place until the completion of the next electoral round, and so could not be removed for instance by an LGC structure.

Richard Price (Leyton & Wanstead CLP)