SAVING THE LABOUR PARTY......

Blogs are not popular with Labour Party apparatchiks. And it seems that if you're privileged enough to be on the NEC you are not supposed to blog at all.....not even if you are the eminently reasonable and scrupulous Peter Kenyon who for many years has pursued a dogged path to make the Labour Party more open, transparent and attractive to new members. I applaud his honesty, his blog and wish him well in future NEC endeavours. Despite political differences, he has always been very supportive of my own concerns over Party democracy and we worked together for several years in Save The Labour Party. If only all NEC members had his admirable resilience, as Tribune reports........

http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2009/08/14/if-i’m-in-the-dock-what-are-the-charges/

http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2009/08/06/embrace-financial-openness-or-face-annihilation-labour-leadership-is-told/

BLEARS - WHY THE DISPARITY

NEC member Peter Kenyon rightly pointed out the other day that the Special Endorsements Panel set up in the wake of the expenses scandal was supposed to be in charge of whether Mps had transgressed the rules so unacceptably they should be de-selected. But only, it seems, if you are a backbencher. So far Ian Gibson, Elliott Morley and David Chaytor have announced they won't be standing again after being interviewed by Cath Speight and co. In Gibson's case, he has resigned. It seems Jim Devine, who inherited the late Robin Cook's seat, has also been told to walk the plank. Yet Blears is seemingly only at the mercy of her CLP, who will allegedly back her in a no-confidence vote tonight. Where is the equity in this? Last I heard the final say would be down to the NEC. Why is there one rule for ex Ministers and another for those who can more easily be dealt with. In the interests of fairness, Blears should be referred to the panel and the last shout, as Peter says, should not go to the CLP. Especially as in the case of Ian Gibson his CLP did NOT want to de-select him. But of course the NEC has a long track-record in imposing one set of rules for New Labour - and sweepng their misdemeanours under the carpet.