The NEC was back on Zoom, this time because of climate crisis rather than Covid, trapped in our individual sweltering attics and offices. After more false sightings than the Loch Ness monster the Forde report, an inquiry into the leaked internal report of 2020, had finally slipped into the general secretary’s inbox. The NEC agreed […]
NEC Update, July 2022 A week is indeed a long time in politics. When two NEC subcommittees met on 5 July we had no idea that within 48 hours Boris Johnson would be out, and I was already heading home when the implosions began. Otherwise the day would have been much more exciting than the […]
The NEC met in the Labour borough of Westminster, the first time anyone has been able to say that. The election results featured throughout, and we are trying to re-learn habits of optimism and common purpose after years of strife and depression. Deputy leader Angela Rayner thanked everyone for solidarity against the misogynistic Daily Mail […]
National Executive Committee, 29 March 2022 This meeting was in hybrid mode, so I went to London and enjoyed face-to-face conversation and Wendy Nichols’ excellent home-made cakes. Members paid tribute to Margaret Beckett who has announced that she will not stand at the next election, though she crisply pointed out that she has not yet […]
Below are notes on recent subcommittee meetings, leading up to the full NEC meeting on 29 March. Equalities committee, 1 March 2022 This was the first meeting since November, and the committee elected the following officers: Chair – James Asser Vice-chair, women – Ann Black / Nadia Jama (job-share) Vice-chair, disabilities – Ellen Morrison Vice-chair, […]
After tentative steps towards normality in November, Omicron threw the NEC into reverse and we were back online, with no opportunities for informal conversation. The leader and deputy leader were in parliament for Angela Rayner’s urgent question on partygate, leaving the NEC to focus on internal matters. Leaks to LabourList started with the apologies and […]
Three years after the last conference, in Southampton in 2018, we gathered at Reading University. It was good to meet in person and the weekend felt rather more Covid-secure than annual conference in Brighton. We were welcomed by councillor Rachel Eden (a former co-chair of the Oxford & District Party) and Jason Brock, leader of […]
The first meeting after conference is an opportunity to take stock, and plan for the year ahead. After months of disembodied shouting over Zoom it was worth the early start and jam-packed trains to be able to meet in London and chat over coffee, lunch and an unexpected fire drill (see here and here). Informal […]
The next full NEC meeting is the post-conference awayday on 25 November, but until then here are some notes from subcommittee meetings. As usual please send any comments to annblack50@btinternet.com A pdf version of this report is available here. Equalities committee, 2 November 2021 The national women’s officer reported that the online women’s conference in […]
The run-up to conference was full of gossip about intense negotiations with trade unions, while the rest of us tried to keep up on Twitter. Keir Starmer apparently wanted to bring back the electoral college for choosing party leaders, where MPs, individual members and trade union levy-payers each hold one-third of the votes. One of […]