NB a pdf version of this report is available here.
National Executive Committee Meeting, 28 July 2026
Vice-chair Peter Wheeler welcomed members and noted that much had changed since May, with some reports of positive shifts in opinion on the doorstep. He congratulated Bridget Phillipson on her appointment as party chair and Ken Skates as the new leader of Welsh Labour, and thanked party staff for all their work on the leadership contest and the Manchester mayoral by-election.
The NEC paid tribute to former Plymouth councillor Peter Smith, Baroness Meta Ramsay and Milton Keynes councillor Shanika Mahendran, who died at the age of just 28 when her whole political career lay ahead. Also to Roy Hattersley, deputy leader and lifetime campaigner for comprehensive education, and George Howarth, MP and NEC member until 2024. George always worked for consensus, notably uniting the NEC on a controversial Haringey development at a time when the party was deeply split, but in a minority in arguing that Labour should stand candidates in Northern Ireland.
General secretary Hollie Ridley thanked the NEC and the staff for maintaining unity and stability through a period of transition, culminating in the special conference on 17 July which confirmed Andy Burnham as party leader. Members expressed warm appreciation for all her work. She will leave at the end of conference, and a timetable for appointing her successor should be announced soon. Until then she continues to work on balancing the budget, fundraising, maximising conference income and laying the groundwork for Operation Second Term, working with incumbent MPs and their teams. Those in key seats had data from 2024, but those who won unexpectedly without central help posed different challenges. Questioned on the impact of the “Burnham bounce” she said that membership levels were stable.
Though no-one wants another change of leadership, I asked for the rules to be reviewed before next time, especially to give local parties a role when Labour is in government. I also urged that annual conference should be used as a showcase, with every cabinet member presenting popular and headline-grabbing initiatives. Unlike 2024, which was dominated by the winter fuel allowance and free specs, and largely wasted. Fellow-CLP representative Cat Arnold asked for more local involvement in local government committees and progress on selecting parliamentary candidates, especially in seats without Labour MPs. We were told that some selections have already started, though I am not aware that even trigger ballots are yet running in every region. Some women’s officers are asking to be allowed to contact their members using Organise, though CLPs already have the power to grant them access: there are no technical obstacles. The BAME working group had met with Claire Reynolds, director of stakeholder relations, and hoped for progress soon: so do BAME members who have paid to join but not yet heard anything.
New chair Bridget Phillipson paid tribute to her predecessor Anna Turley as a powerful voice in the press and on the airwaves. Only Labour could spread good growth across the country, develop cutting-edge campaign strategies and take the fight to Nigel Farage.
Conference Preview
After a leisurely lunchbreak we noted a draft schedule, with the women’s conference on Saturday 26 September and annual conference opening at 11 a.m. on Sunday and closing around noon on Wednesday 30 September. There will again be a shuttle bus service between venues, much appreciated by disabled members in particular. The standing orders were approved and I have asked for CLPs to be notified of their right to refer back sections of the NPF report. Last year this was not included in mailings, and only Sutton & Cheam CLP remembered. Assistant chairs will be agreed at the September meeting and I hope that those already overlooked twice will get their moment in the spotlight.
The NEC agreed to propose three tidying amendments, two around Labour students plus a typo. We may get more in September. I am determined, if it’s the last thing I do – and it probably will be – to update the Refounding Labour settlement on membership income and CLP support, retaining the share of subscriptions returned to CLPs and the central provision of essential IT and election support for all local parties, but absorbing the “NEC funds” into mainstream finances. These have long ceased to fulfil their original aims, they are a source of instability as they fluctuate with membership numbers, they do not go where the need is greatest, and no bids have even been sought since 2023. I am working with the treasurer Mike Payne, who also retires at conference, and with finance staff, and am happy to discuss with anyone interested.
When is a Rule not a Rule?
Changes to appendices in the rulebook do not need conference approval, as I discovered in 2023 when local government applicants lost the right to appeal in person and even the NEC were not informed (see https://www.annblack.co.uk/nec-update-march-2024/). Appendix 4 is now undergoing a further rewrite, this time after discussion in the NEC’s organisation committee, and well worth a read whenever it appears. I am pleased that it officially allows shortlisting and selection to be combined within a single meeting, and gives panelled candidates seven days to canvass ward members, but local government reorganisation and regional management of LGCs during transition make everything more complicated.
Hybrid Future
The NEC agreed to support an amendment from Disability Labour allowing CLPs to hold hybrid meetings in accordance with guidelines which will be developed in consultation with NEC representatives. I stressed that these must include secret ballots at AGMs and for constitutional decisions. Some CLPs have been doing this for years, for instance through Anonyvoter where members all cast votes on their phones, whether in the room or at home. Appendix 4 still rules out hybrid meetings for selecting candidates.
Some members were concerned about costs, where CLPs do not have the equipment or the venues for fully hybrid meetings, but the wording states “as far as possible” and is permissive rather than mandatory. It will enable CLPs who have been doing this for many years to continue, but in compliance with the rules.
Partnership in Power
Keiran O’Neill, NEC co-convenor of the joint policy committee, gave an update on the second year of the national policy forum programme. The JPC, which met immediately before the NEC, recorded thanks to Keir Starmer for his leadership and looked forward to working with Andy Burnham, and approved the NPF report to conference, to be published in early August.
Nearly 1,600 responses to the consultation papers were received, as well as submissions on other issues. For Britain Reconnected these included many calls for a national commission on electoral reform and a more proportional voting system, arguing that this would strengthen public trust and democratic resilience, though some continued to support first past the post. The commission suggested pursuing this topic in the next cycle. Because PR is mentioned in the NPF report, conference motions on electoral reform are unlikely to be admitted for debate. However Alex Sobel’s amendment to the representation of the people bill, which calls for such a national commission, will probably go to a parliamentary vote in September, so by next year the NPF discussion may have lost its relevance. This is unfortunate.
That was my last meeting as a member of the JPC, and Keiran kindly said that I was one of very few members who understand the rules. These include “regular reports on the work of the policy commissions will be circulated with the NEC papers” and will have to be taken forward by others. My position was created because although nine of the 39 NEC members are constituency representatives, none of the nine NEC JPC members is from the CLP section. So it is not clear who, if anyone, will succeed me.
Kate Bolger, interim director of nations and regions, reported on the Manchester mayoral by-election, where nothing was being taken for granted (and since the meeting has satisfactorily concluded with Bev Craig’s resounding victory). We paused for another 40-minute comfort break before being joined by Louise Haigh, Andy Burnham and Lucy Powell. Many thanks to Cat, who has taken over Wendy Nichols’ role as cake provider in chief, for the delicious cupcakes and brownies.
First Secretary of State Etc
Louise Haigh is the first woman to hold the office of first secretary of state since Barbara Castle and is also chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster and minister for the cabinet office, but she invited us just to call her Lou. Makerfield showed that hope and optimism could prevail, and she was now responsible for driving the prime minister’s agenda. His priorities, our priorities, were those of the 2024 manifesto, but the country were keen to see faster movement and a breathing space in the midst of the cost of living crisis. Despite the devastating results in May and the loss of too many brilliant councillors, she believed that we could turn the tide ahead of 2026/2027. Early announcements featured an end to rough sleeping, capping bus fares at £2 and cutting VAT on energy bills, with plans to reindustrialise using public procurement and devolution by default, with everyone pulling in the same direction, working alongside the unions, building on the foundations laid by Keir Starmer, and changing the culture of politics.
NEC members raised the importance of engaging with MPs before announcing policies; the need for deeper and stronger community cohesion; creating jobs in the UK rather than overseas; re-establishing council youth services; resetting relations with the European Union; devolution and developing the Barnett formula; ending fire-and-rehire; and insourcing services as referenced in the manifesto. Others asked for policies to be UK-wide not England-specific, and suggested that procurement should favour areas where jobs were needed most: there are only 2,000 ministry of defence jobs in the north-east, but 30,000 or more in some other English regions. Disabled members must be involved in co-producing social care policies, helping to avoid another welfare reform fiasco. Lou took all these points on board. Asked about lessons from the Makerfield campaign, where Labour’s vote share increased from 24% to 55%, she emphasised hope and optimism rather than negative briefing. I welcomed this, and look forward to social media messages which no longer make me cringe.
Yes, Prime Minister
Andy Burnham, attending his first NEC meeting as prime minister, paid tribute to Keir Starmer for laying the groundwork for success and thanked Louise Haigh and Anneliese Midgley for their advice. He was a team player by instinct, including all shades of opinion in a supportive culture and ending negative briefing, while setting clear political directions. The cost of living was biting hard, and people needed to see a distinctively Labour government bringing real and rapid improvements. Number 10 North was not a gimmick but a signature element of his devolution agenda. Greater public control was needed, including on water where currently the shareholders never lose and the customers never win. Parity for academic and vocational career paths should help young people who, through no fault of their own, were left without work, education or training. And there must be visible progress on social care before the next election.
Andy then responded fluently on a range of issues including tackling misogynistic culture, the high cost of student loans, homelessness, devolution, partnership with local government, under-representation of Black people as special advisers, creating jobs in Britain, resilience in fire and rescue services while half of Europe was on fire. He promised further help for the retail sector, where aid for pubs was just the first step, and would follow up arrangements for touring musicians with the European Union. I asked for an urgent review of plans to close the Jodrell Bank Observatory and withdraw from other international projects where Britain has, until now, been a world leader. Science looks to have been downgraded in the departmental reshuffle, though Andy did note that Jodrell Bank is in his Manchester patch. Maybe this will help.
Disabled members appreciated Andy’s thoughtful language on young people and stressed the importance of access to work grants to help them get and stay in jobs, where delays of 6 to 12 months are common. He agreed that there were failures in support, and tangible commitments would follow. Everyone agrees with parity of esteem for vocational and academic routes but the acid test will be whether those in power are as proud of their own children for gaining a technical apprenticeship as for admission to Oxbridge.
On social care Andy had asked Louise Casey to bring forward her report to 2028 and was seeking to work with other mainstream parties. A top quality national care service would only be possible with proper investment in staff. There was no time to explore this on Tuesday but the political challenge is one for all of us. Voters do not like the idea of a 10% tax on all estates. But the alternative is the current lottery: if your parents die suddenly you will inherit, say, £500,000. If they need residential care for ten years then all of this will be spent down to a residual £23,250 and you will inherit peanuts. Is it better to have 90% guaranteed, or risk losing everything? Unless this is marketed persuasively the screaming DEATH TAX headlines will sink new proposals as surely as they did all previous efforts.
There was only time for 16 questions and the chair began with a list submitted in advance, a new approach. I do not criticise colleagues for organising effectively, but it’s regrettable that CLP representatives Gemma Bolton, Jess Barnard and Cat Arnold were not called, especially when the meeting included two 40-minute breaks. Back in 2000 Tony Blair always opened the meeting, listening and responding to every contributor, some of whom were not known for brevity. Perhaps next year’s NEC could consider this.
Conclusion
Lucy Powell led the last session, as education secretary and as deputy leader, which she plans to continue as a political role. She was asked to strengthen the negotiating body for school support staff. After missing out earlier Cat asked Lucy for her position on electoral reform and Alex Sobel’s call for an independent commission. Lucy said that Andy Burnham had expressed strong support for fairer voting systems but MPs held mixed views, and pure proportional representation could give seats to Restore. Finally, Lucy now has an address where members can contact her as deputy: this is lucy_powell@labour.org.uk
As usual please feel free to circulate and/or post online, and contact me at annblack50@btinternet.com / 07956-637958. Previous reports are at www.annblack.co.uk