National Women’s Committee, 12 August 2024
This was the first meeting under a Labour government, and members celebrated the election of 190 Labour women MPs. Arrangements for the women’s conference on Saturday 21 September should be published on the website soon. It will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a reception on the Friday evening, and will include debates on six motions, workshops and panel discussions. I asked about visitors, but conference services are still checking delegates before they know how many spaces will be available. I realise this makes planning difficult but the election pushed deadlines back, and staff are working as fast as possible.
The committee briefly discussed priorities for the year ahead, and supported an in-person awayday to follow these up. Suggestions included capturing women’s experiences of parliamentary selections and the campaign; planning for English county elections in 2025 and further elections in 2026; recruitment, retention and progression of women councillors and local activists; a stand-alone women’s conference; and the impact of government policies on women. I added advice on women’s branches, and reintegrating the NWC, and the equalities committee, into the main NEC structures. Until 2018 all subcommittees met two weeks before the full NEC and contributed through their minutes, and that link should be restored so that women have a direct input into NEC decisions.
General secretary David Evans summarised the planning, logistics and outcomes of the general election. Because the battleground strategy was so efficient, gaining 63% of MPs on 34% of the vote, those with small majorities would have to work hard to retain their seats. The immediate challenge, in just 34 weeks, would be English county and some unitary elections, against competition from Tories, Greens and Independents. I hope there is also a strategy for the LibDems in areas where they are the main opponents and where we implicitly encouraged mass tactical voting in July. David said that the fundraising emails, despite mutterings about the volume, brought in £5.5 million, absolutely essential for victory, and promised there would be fewer in future. My first has just arrived.
Members were obviously happy with success but raised some concerns. The Eastern region elected an unprecedented 27 Labour MPs, but only nine were women, and in Hertfordshire all seven were white men. Others felt that volunteers needed more understanding: many women had caring responsibilities and were unable to travel to distant marginals. Some candidates, especially in non-battleground seats, ended up feeling traumatised and bullied, with local infrastructure withdrawn and members afraid even to be seen with them. They questioned whether women were sufficiently involved in running the campaign.
David responded that the campaign was led and driven by senior women. On selections, he believed that candidates chosen centrally were more likely to be diverse, but for 2028 / 2029 we will again be able to use all-women shortlists to regain balance. Keeping members motivated and engaged was essential. He felt that the focus on key seats in 1997 led to a two-tier party, and he hoped this time to use technological advances to build a one-tier party, with members able to participate wherever they lived.
Postscript
Concerns raised at this meeting, at the NEC, and in many individual emails, are reflected in an article by David Landon Cole here on how to involve party volunteers in every area even more effectively next time: as he says, “the first step is just to be nicer”. Recommended reading for all campaign managers.
Summer Ballots
Ballots for the NEC elections will soon go out to all eligible members. The timetable is below:
Tuesday 27 August 2024 Ballots for the NEC and national policy forum open
Friday 30 August 2024 Ballot reissue portal opens
Tuesday 10 September 2024 Deadline for postal reissues
12 noon Monday 16 September 2024 Deadline for email reissues
12 noon Tuesday 17 September 2024 Ballots close
5 p.m. Wednesday 18 September 2024 Results announced