The National Policy Forum in Newcastle considered new consultation papers on the economy; crime and justice; education and skills; quality of life; transport, housing, local government and the regions. Charles Clarke thanked officers and staff for support during his year as Chair, and Ian McCartney was elected by acclamation as his successor. Gordon Brown and […]
The November meeting of the NEC was preceded by a less formal awayday, designed to review the past year and to prepare for challenges ahead. Our aims remain constant: to win elections and increase turnout, to raise participation in political debate, to recruit and retain members, and to stabilise party finances. More support was needed […]
Annual conference is now the only time when the NEC decides party policy, by proposing statements and supporting or opposing resolutions. The Sunday meeting considered our position on Iraq, and Tony Blair argued passionately for keeping the option of unilateral military action by the United States and Britain, in case other countries blocked the move […]
Tony Blair opened the meeting before leaving for the parliamentary debate on Iraq. He hoped that the international community could coalesce around a clear United Nations resolution enabling the weapons inspectors to do their job, but stressed that Saddam Hussein would never comply unless diplomacy was backed up by force. He also recognised that Labour […]
First, I would like to thank the hundreds who mailed regarding Ken Livingstone’s request to rejoin Labour. I appreciated the intelligent analysis and enjoyed the many references to digging while in a hole, and to emptying bladders inside and outside tents. The responses split 76% for readmission, 17% against, 5% undecided. I voted in line […]
The meeting started with a messy procedural wrangle. The agenda included a resolution from Mark Seddon and Mary Turner of the GMB opposing further privatisation of public services, with an amendment from Jeremy Beecham seeking a review of Private Finance Initiative projects and a level playing-field for competition between public, private and voluntary sectors. The […]
Partnership in Power – Act II Scene 1 The National Policy Forum on 8 February 2002 discussed five policy areas: Britain in the world; democracy, citizenship and political engagement; health; trade and industry; and welfare reform. The documents will be revised, approved by the Joint Policy Committee on 28 February, and then published for party […]
Tony Blair reiterated Labour’s core messages: economic stability, investment plus reform in public services, healing social inequalities, and international engagement. Members must not be diverted by media feeding frenzies. The notion that buying tables at party events gave Enron a veto over energy policy was ludicrous, and he quoted General Secretary David Triesman with approval: […]