Momentum’s decision to push its own choice instead of unifying behind a slate has cost the left two seats on Labour’s NEC. Democracy in organising the left vote is essential
The loss of two seats on Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to dire right-wing candidates today has exposed once and for all the inadequacy of the process – if it can be called that – for the selection of the left’s ‘slate’ of candidates in elections to Labour’s organisational bodies.
As the SKWAWKBOX warned, the failure of left organisations to agree a slate of candidates for the NEC has allowed woeful right-wingers to slip through to a victory the right’s numbers in the party do not merit.
Without the votes lost to Momentum’s insistence on pushing Leigh Drennan and CLPD consequently backing Cecile Wright, Jo Bird and Lauren Townsend would have won easily:
The process must now change – and it must do so quickly, in case the summer’s election of the full nine member representatives on the NEC proceeds in spite of the coronavirus crisis. If the by-election debacle is repeated, the chance to replace the two short-term right-wingers will be lost and turned into an even bigger loss.
The SKWAWKBOX is organising a democratic process for the selection, although this has been paused while the independent media focus on exposing the government’s appalling handling of the pandemic.
More information will follow as soon as appropriate.
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