Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Democracy Triggered "lobby the NEC about the Newham Trigger Ballot"

I received this email yesterday and as a signatory to the recent complaint to the Labour Party NEC I have taken its advice and emailed them.

On Tuesday 24th January Labour’s ruling body, the NEC, will be considering a letter submitted by party members in Newham demanding that they hold an enquiry into the Newham Trigger Ballot process in light of a number of irregularities that took place.

Add your name here and show the NEC that calls for a fair and open selection to select the 2018 Mayoral candidate are growing and won’t go away.

Also tomorrow, the national Fabian Society national executive committee will be considering its report following an investigation into the controversial Newham Fabians Trigger Ballot meeting - it may mean that the vote is declared void. We'll send you more details as soon as we hear!


Here are 6 reasons why you should take action now

1. MEMBERS VOTED FOR IT
Members overwhelmingly voted ‘No’ to automatically reselecting Sir Robin Wales as the Labour Party Candidate for a fifth term so that they could choose from a range of candidates through a subsequent Open Selection.

2. VOTES WERE DISCOUNTED
Despite Labour Party members voting for choice and during the Trigger Ballot, their votes have been discounted unfairly because of suspect votes cast by some affiliate organisations.

3. PROCESS IRREGULARTIES
There have been a number of irregularities with the Trigger Ballot process that Labour members in Newham are asking the Labour Party's NEC to investigate urgently. These irregularities have made a material difference to the result of the Process, tipping its result in favour of the incumbent Mayor by 20 votes to 17.

4. UNDEMOCRACTIC PROCESSES
Voting guidance for trade union affiliate organisations in a Trigger Ballot are unclear. They can be interpreted in different ways and has led to some trade union affiliates voting more than others. Such a stark variation in practice within a single franchise should not be allowed and is undemocratic.

5. A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY
There has been a lack of openness about affiliates, failings in individual ballots, conflict of interest issues of those responsible with managing the Trigger Ballot process in Newham, undermining the integrity of the ballot and raising concerns that the vote has been manipulated.

6. WE NEED AN INVESTIGATION
A number of votes are disputed. The disputed votes will affect the current outcome and if there is no investigation, the votes of Labour Party members will remain discounted.
Read more details in the letter sent to the NEC last week by Labour Party members in Newham here. Be part of the growing Democracy Triggered movement in Newham and take action now.

Yours,
Keeping Democracy Triggered


P.s. help us spread democracy in Newham by sharing this with Labour Party members you know - and check out our new website which we've launched today! www.democracytriggered.org

No comments: