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.

CONVENTION OF THE LEFT 2009

At the LRC Conference, a resolution in support of plans for a Convention Of The Left in Brighton next year was overwhelmingly passed. No tine to blog at length today but I have posted something on it here

LA LUCHA CONTINUA.......

..Which , translated from the Spanish, means "the struggle continues". So thanks to all who attended the AGM of the West Yorkshire LRC. We had representatives from nine constituencies across the region, an excellent chat, and even some food and time for a drink or two afterwards.
Yesterday, I had an e-mail from someone at the meeting who had gone home and joined the LRC on-line immediately afterwards as he was so impressed.
That's not because I am Rosa Luxembourg - it is because it is sadly rare to be able to go to a meeting of people in the Labour Party and find that everyone is pleasant and comradely and you can actually have a discussion without descending into rancour and faction-fighting.
The sad thing is that of the people there only a handful of us are going to be going down to London for the LRC AGM on November 15 . Because the reality is that getting to London for 10am on a Saturday morning is pretty difficult for most people up north.
One of my hobby horses is getting organisations like the LRC OUT of London and into the regions because it is only by truly reaching out across the country that the Left has a cat in hell's chance of becoming a significant force again in the Labour Party.
To that end, I will be moving a resolution that we build our base via regional forums ( ie South and West Yorkshire LRC) on maybe a twice a year basis and try to hold key events regularly outside the capital. People say you won't get the numbers outside London but i think the Convention Of The Left, which over 5 days was attended by over 2000 people, has proved everyone wrong on that.
As of last year, I will be standing for the LRC's National Committee and given our success in building membership in West and South Yorkshire I'm also going to be standing for one of the 2 LRC Vice-Chair positions. If elected, my pledge is that I will go out and speak to any CLP interested in having a debate. Or, for that matter, groups outside Labour. Even if they profoundly disagree..... because it is only by getting out there and talking to people that we will convince anyone that the Labour Left is worth getting involved with. Talking to ourselves - and preaching to the converted - just isn't going to do it.