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Labour for Free Movement activists are delighted. Their motion – which encompasses and goes beyond the Labour Against Racism And Fascism (LARAF) motion on closing all detention centres – was prioritised. Concerns were expressed after the conference arrangements committee (CAC) split the motions into two different ‘subject groupings’, which made it less likely that either would be debated, but ultimately both were prioritised by local parties.
The results of the CLP priorities ballot. Housing came top, followed by: Schools (7%); Brexit (6%); Green New Deal (6%); Social care (6%); Mental health (5%); Ethical foreign policy (5%); the Good Friday Agreement (3%); Immigration (3%); Immigration Detention (3%).
Six of the subject groupings that were prioritised had been backed by Momentum: Housing, Brexit, GND, Ethical Foreign Policy, GFA and Immigration Detention.
The trade unions prioritised the following subject areas: No More Business as Usual; Insourcing; Working Hours/Four Day Week; Industrial Strategy; Royal Mail; Defend the NHS; High Streets; Employment Rights; Homelessness.
The battle over Labour’s Brexit policy is ongoing. LabourList understands that the leader’s office met with anti-Brexit campaigners tonight, in an effort to convince them of their alternative Brexit plan that would see the party hold a special one-day conference after getting a Labour government elected.
However, Remainers have been reassured that the NEC Brexit statement will not necessarily delete a motion expressing support for Remain if that is passed by conference delegates after a failed compositing meeting. The Brexit compositing process is due to take place on Sunday evening, and it is not expected to be successful in reaching a compromise agreement.
LabourList also understands that the leadership is looking to improve the NEC statement. This could – potentially – include support for continued freedom of movement.
NEC rule changes went through. Momentum backed all the rule changes advanced by Labour’s NEC, but the Jewish Labour Movement and the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy came together to oppose Jeremy Corbyn’s proposal to fast-track complaints in the “most serious” of disciplinary cases such as those involving antisemitism. The NEC changes were passed by delegates, however.
The compositing meeting for Green New Deal motions and others started at 6.30pm, and it is expected to go on for a number of hours. According to a source close to the Labour for a Green New Deal campaign, party staff refused to table the composite as there were not enough hard copies and they refused to print out more. “Activists had to deliver printed motions to the composite,” LabourList has been told.
We await the result of the meeting, which is likely to see GMB fight hard against a zero carbon target of 2030. Unite seems to have slightly relaxed its opposition to the ambitious target – Len McCluskey posed for a photo with the GND placard, and Steve Turner made “positive noises” about the policy to Novara Media.
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