Leadership Election – Join the Labour Party: Get a Vote!

Quick post on the email no doubt many of us received today from Peter Watt, the Labour Party General Secretary, urging us to encourage Labour Party supporters to join the Party by June 1 and still get a vote for the Labour Party Leadership and Deputy Leadership.

By co-incidence, I spoke today to a GMB steward who lives in West Ham (my CLP). I asked him if he was a member of the Party. He said no, he gave some reasons why – including the cost! When I told him that trade union members can pay £1 per month he was astonished and said he would consider joining.

Now, if you can afford it, I would encourage everyone to pay the proper rate of £3 per month to join the Party (just over the cost of one pint of Stella in London – sorry I have been too long in the “Smoke” and I’m now a confirmed lager drinker). The literature does not make it particularly clear however, that the “reduced rate" for Labour Party membership also includes trade unionists as well as “unwaged”. There is a mass of trade union members who already pay a voluntary excess on their subs to the Party , who are probably not going to be very active in the Party, but are willing to join the Party (at £12 per year) to show support.

Interesting that the Party is doing this push. Some might think that there should have been a “cut off” point for eligibility to vote. Like there is for elections for prospective parliamentary candidates. Having a vote will be useful for CLP membership secretaries to use to chase "lapsed" members into paying their dues.

I understand from a few “Left” blogs that several thousand “Marxists” (inverted comma’s - sorry can’t find a source, but I have seen it I think on the socialist unity sites? - honest) deliberately joined the Labour Party solely to vote for Tony Benn to be deputy leader in 1981. Didn’t do him much good but I assume the Party enjoyed the subs.

Maybe it would be an idea to make it clear that a percentage of subs from new members are used to pay for a “thank you” party for Tony Blair? (Joke)

And while you are at it - join a trade union! If you work in public services then you must join UNISON (and make sure you tick the “Labour Link” aka “Applied Political Fund” levy box - you have until May 16 to get a levy vote). If you don’t work in Public services then check out the TUC "Work Smart" – Union finder site. Try to join a Labour Party affiliated site if at all possible. Check out TULO to find affiliated unions.

Finally, check out the stuff you can buy to mark the 2007 leadership election (see photos above)!