COALITION FOR A LABOUR VICTORY

At the recent LRC AGM we had a useful fringe meeting comprised of people from all part of the country. One of them was Sarah Evans from Andover, who has just been selected as PPC for NW Hampshire.
I'd like to wish Sarah the very best of luck in what is not, sadly, a Labour stronghold. But I know she plans to use the campaign as a chance to stand on a socialist platform and win back support for Labour in her constituency.
It takes guts to stand in places where the chances of winning are slim and months of pounding on doors is unlikely to result in victory .
In the past few months Michael Meacher has been trying to rally people to put their names forward as part of a "Coalition For A Labour Victory". The idea was to encourage more PPCs standing on a left ticket and make the most of the unprecedented number of vacancies before the General Election.
However it seems the NEC are now to take over the remaining seats where there isn't a candidate and I fear that will not be good news for more potential candidates like Sarah.
So what we need to start doing now is building a tranche of talented candidates from the left who will be ready and able to try and stand as PPCs in the years to come.
Whatever happens in 2010, we need a new generation with socialist ideas and principles to stand as Parliamentary candidates. I hope the LRC can do its bit in the months ahead to start that process.

NO MORAL COMPASS - PART 2009

Because I have been squirrelled away in a conference hall for the past few days I missed the Guardian story about Compass supporting some alleged leadership coup.
However I was pleased to note that Tony Lloyd MP has tonight been elected unopposed as the Leader of the PLP.
By no stretch of the imagination is Tony hard left. But I've known him for 20-odd years and the Manchester Central is a decent man of integrity and principle who I would back any day of the week against Barry Sheerman, the Yorkshire MP allegedly aiming to replace him.
The Guardian story ( which I can't link to as their website is rubbish) suggested Compass would back some alternative to Brown in a New Year coup. I ask the question- what's the point? Ironic really that Brown's erstwhile biggest cheerleaders are now aiming to ditch him.
I think those of us outside the Westminster bubble recognise the General Election is imminent, we're going to be immersed in a salvage operation, and maybe, just maybe, the result won't be as bad as some of us have feared due to lamentable own goals by the Tories and a change in the political weather. If anyone thinks a leadership election at this stage would be a good thing they are living in a parallel universe. Neal Lawson and his Management Committee should get real. And what a great pity they didn't in 2007. Now we live with the consequences. And do our best to hang on

WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON.......

The following article appeared in Friday's Morning Star. Truly frightening - but valuable ammunition .
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/83512


Also see LEAP

POLITICAL GENDER BALANCE -

AT the NUJ conference held last week in Southport there were very few issues that were contentious. Which made, if I'm honest, for a very boring agenda.
When you are in a conference hall for nine hours at a stretch there is nothing like a good old spat to get the adrenalin going and stop one nodding off in solidarity with everyone else who agrees with you .
The one major barney was between delegates backing a rule change to insist on 50 per cent nominations male/female for the union's NEC and myriad committees and sub-committees.
Rather surprisingly, it was defeated. Largely on the grounds it would be nigh impossible to carry out and that our union is struggling to find ANY nominees at all for bodies like the NEC, Ethics Council etc etc etc.
Now I've been a delegate to NUJ ADM for at least five consecutive events. Not because I'm the only person in my Branch with anything to say, not because I'm the greatest activist. But quite simply because no-one else ever seems to want to spend four days holed up in a hotel listening to motions they are probably going to agree with anyway . In short, we are very thin on the ground.
And that's why......I voted for an amendment calling on the union to campaign for more involvement by women - but stopping short of a statutory requirement for gender balance.
I know this will incur plenty of wrath from other female comrades.
But for some time I have been ambivalent about the outcomes achieved by hard-and-fast enforcing of all-women-shortlists, and other policies which are /were well meant and ethically right but in practice actually used to facilitate political gerrymandering.
Yes, the leftie world is still male pale and stale. No question. At the recent RMT conference which I spoke at, it was depressing to see an audience comprised of around 90 per cent men - mainly middle-aged and white.
In such a macho environment, many women would feel utterly intimidated and no doubt discouraged from getting more involved.
And there's no doubt most men find issues like speaking at rostrums, standing for positions etc far less stressful .
In the LRC, our National Committee is 50/50 gender balanced and actually works rather well. But the upshot is of course that very good male comrades have a more difficult task getting elected.
I think we need to ask ourselves why more women are disengaged from the political structures - and stop assuming it is because they need their hands held or because they have childcare issues.
At the recent LRC Conference we rightly provided a creche with properly certified carers. The take-up was tiny. That does not mean we abandon a commitment to enabling women to be there. But we do have to ask ourselves what else we need to do to change the overwhelmingly male world of politics. Imposing quotas is not enough......

BINMEN STRIKE ENDS IN SIGNIFICANT VICTORY

The solidarity shown by the Leeds binmen in their 13-week dispute has finally paid off with a significant victory . After weeks of negotiations between council chiefs , UNISON and the GMB the workforce have secured their previously threatened wages - in return for agreement to sign up for productivity and efficiency deals. It would be over-egging the pudding to describe this as a 100 per cent result but the men have saved their pay packets thanks to a refusal to kowtow to serious determination by the management to smash them completely by employing private contractors and bringing in scab labour.
A similar result soon I hope for the Superdrug workforce in West Yorkshire who are holding out against terrible pay and conditions .


http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Leeds-binmen-strike-ends.5848422.jp

PARACHUTES AHOY!

Whatever Parliamentary aspirations I once had have been well and truly smashed this year. But life goes on and as I write I am back in a newsroom and perfectly happy with my lot.
But it would be great if others still with the grit and determination to succeed against the odds were able to get through.
Alas, it seems that the NEC is already swiftlly drawing up a strategy to fill what seats remain ASAP. And, without being conspiratorial, we know that will reduce the chances of any more dissident voices getting off the starting-block.
There is already a strong rumour in Westminster circles that UNITE's Jack Dromey, husband of Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman, will be parachuted into Leyton and Wanstead. And up my end of the woods I have heard a little whisper that Alisdair Campbell could be doing similar in Burnley. Interestingly, the latter seat WAS going to be AWS but has been referred back to the NEC.
In fairness to Campbell, he could well be the man to take on the bully boys of the BNP in Lancashire. But, once the NEC takes over selections in a couple of months' time. don't expect any more mavericks to be joining the list of PPCs.

OFF TO THE SEASIDE....

How I wish it were for a holiday.......instead I'm Branch delegate at the NUJ AGM in Southport. Before embarking on Thursday I will be writing up my report from the LRC AGM for Labour Briefing.
I note with interest Adam White's remarks on Labour Home. Congrats to Adam for being elected to the National Committee from Greater Manchester LRC.I will have a chat when I see you next about your thoughts.....
The NC has several new members this year which is A Good Thing and dare I say also a Even Better Thing they are from Cambridge, Chesterfield Manchester and Merseyside.
The LRC needs its Friends In The North ( and South, East and West) if it is to progress in the coming period.We need to get out more. So thanks to my erswthile Manchester NUJ colleague and new NC Committee member Miles Barter for his offer of going out on the stomp in the south. All such offers will be gratefully appreciated ...PS: Yes I know I said I wasn't blogging but as several people have asked me to carry on I will, albeit more sporadically.PPS. Commiserations to Rochard Simcox, NUJ Left candidate for editor of The Journalist.

LAST BLOG FOR NOW....

The fact that I have had no time to report back from Saturday's LRC Conference says it all, really. In my defence I'm now juggling a part-time job with politics, one which requires 6am starts so am utterly exhausted and have spent the last three weekends in London with a union AGM this weekend in Southport. Blogging time is almost non-existent.
So because I don't think blogs work if they are half-heartedly done I'm packing it in for a while. At some point in the future things may change but for now I'm blogged out.
Thanks to all who voted for me on Saturday. I was really pleased to get the top vote for LRC Vice-Chair and delighted to win the NEC slate nomination with Christine Shawcroft. Commiserations to Gary Heather and John Wiseman.
The hustings was pretty tough but at least the LRC can say their candidates really have been democratically chosen. Our bottom line is clear and unequivocal. Two candidates , two places on the CLGA slate.

BUILDING THE RESISTANCE - AND REBUILDING THE LEFT

On Saturday at the LRC AGM Chair John McDonnell MP will be outlining our policy platform and work programme for the coming months in the run-up to the General Election. For those of you who can't make Saturday's conference, our strategy is here:

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/83153

CALLING ALL REGIONAL LRC MEMBERS.....

I hope this year's LRC Conference will see more members from outside London making it down the M1 (or M6). In 2009 we've made a start to build groups outside the Smoke but there's still much to do and we will be discussing the way ahead at a lunchtime meeting after the NEC hustings. It won't be top-down but a chance to discuss issues, challenges and problems we're likely to come up against in the coming period.
Steve Brown from Newcastle will be leading off and then there will be an open and honest discussion........
Saturday should be an interesting day and as I have much to do before then I will leave it there. If you're wavering, remember it's only £5 to register if you're not from London.

PHOTO FINISH

My thanks to friend and comrade Stephanie David for e-mailing me this picture which, coincidentally, I bought a postcard version of at Labour Party Conference.
Steph has "adapted" it for use on my Facebook support group for the LRC Vice-Chair election. And, on a Monday morning when I am still recovering from a nasty bout of bronchitis and frankly sick to death of faction fighting, it has really cheered me up! The "Susan" in question was Susan Lawrence, one of the first three women Labour MPs ever to be elected and the first to chair Labour Party Conference........

THE 200th TO DIE

This morning I was too ill ( blame a walk in the pouring rain in Central London Friday because of a Tube fire) to make the annual Remembrance Day service at the war memorial in Hebden Bridge. I was, though, well enough to hear on the radio that the 200th British soldier to die in Afghanistan announced and I wonder how many more deaths it will take for the Government to acknowledge it's time to bring the troops home.

IN THE FIRING LINE......

Sadly, I have come to the conclusion that this blog is in its dog days. I set up Grimmer Up North nearly three years ago and the problem is that I can no longer really do what I intended to do when I set it up. So, pretty shortly, I am going to close it down.
It's been an interesting few years involving campaigns for an election for Labour Party Leader ( that never happened) . several Parliamentary selections , a year of activity locally as Mayor and of course more general observations on the political scene.
Today I was speaking in LRC Vice-Chair capacity at the RMT's conference on the crisis of working- class representation in London . I knew it would not get an easy ride - I was right.
People clapped politely but for the most part they were all fired up with the far more enticing prospect of a New Workers' Party/ Socialist Alliance at the next election and obviously I wasn't going down that road. The speeches, by Joe Higgins, Bob Crow, and Pat Sikorski, were absolutely brlliant and their rhetorical skills stunning but the conclusions?.
The problem is that if you start believing , as one Socialist Party comrade clearly did, that a one per cent share of the vote ( which is what No2EU got) is some kind of victory for socialism then it's a parallel universe you're living in.
The hard truth is that minority candidates get minority votes. And maybe the electoral system needs to change to give more people more of a say but we are where we are.And that is facing the prospect of a Tory Government and a resurgence of the right - not socialist utopia .
The LRC attracts criticism from the far left for focussing on retaining socialist Labour representation in Parliament and most of the audeince clearly wanted no truck with Labour at all . But I hope I made my case and thanks to the RMT for the invite to the LRC. So why the prpblem with the blog?
If they are to work, have to be individual, quirky, and fearless. They also only thrive on regular posts. And as I now have some extremely welcome journalistic work , I'm finding it increasingly difficult to keep the whole thing going. Though I would hope to continue contribute to the official LRC website , LabourHome etc
I will keep everyone informed about the LRC Conference and maybe one or two other things to come. But after that, Grimmer Up North may be taking a well-earned holiday. And, with the prospect of some money coming in after an extremely difficult year, hopefully so will I.

BAILOUT OF THE BANKS PART TWO

If you're outraged, as I am, by the latest news about the banks, bail-out and potential sales to the private sector, read on......how much more of our money is going to be wasted? A lot, it seems
http://leap-lrc.blogspot.com/

WHY I'M STANDING FOR THE NEC

At the LRC Conference on November 14, there will be hustings for the NEC nominees. And, with so much misinformation already flying around the blogosphere, I thought it best to set the record straight.
There are four nominees and two places. They are NOT gender specific. So any combination of candidates could make it to go forward to the CLGA slate. ie two men, two women, one woman, one man. I am not on any slate .I am standing on my own merits with Christine Shawcroft, Gary Heather and John Wiseman. May the best person win.
But it is NOT about individuals. It is about why it is crucially important the left strengthens its position on the NEC. So, whoever wins is not on some personal bandwagon but there to represent LRC policy AND to stand firm on our agreed position of two places on the CLGA slate. That's the bottom line. And all of us must be prepared to stick to it.
I am standing because I don't think the CLGA has worked collectively . I think ordinary Labour Party members have been let down. And I think it's time we had CLP representatives who stand up for them.

FACTION FIGHTING - NOT A FUTURE THE LRC WANTS

In the forthcoming contest for LRC Vice-Chair ( the only one to be contested) I have set up an entirely personal Facebook support group and I think that's fair enough.I would expect other candidates to do the same.
What is NOT fair, to put it mildly, is to suggest there is a joint slate against me. So I would like to thank Andrew Fisher, who is standing as LRC Secretary , for setting the record straight by making it clear he will be supporting me
I am very disappointed that others have chosen to suggest otherwise via what looks like a quasi-official Facebook group but I will happily, if re-elected, work in tandem with whoever else wins one of the two Vice-Chair positions. And the rest of the Exec, National Committee and anyone who has constructive ideas on how to progress the LRC.
At the end of the day, I stand or fall by the work I have put in. And that's down to the people who actually turn up on the day on November 14 to vote for me. But I would like to thank the affiliated groups and individuals who have given me supporting nominations so far.
They include Greater London LRC, Cambridge LRC, Greater Manchester LRC, Lambeth and Southwark LRC and of course my own LRC in West Yorkshire.