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NEC election ‘crucial’ for left after ouster of Beast of Bolsover

by Conrad Landin

LABOUR could fail to select working-class candidates if rightwingers are elected to the party’s national executive, campaigners warned yesterday.

Left-wing MP Dennis Skinner was booted off the executive by fellow MPs last week — and the party’s centre-left Grassroots Alliance warned that one less radical voice meant Labour’s pledge for working-class MPs could be kicked into the long grass.

The campaign group’s slate, led by former London mayor Ken Livingstone, will face opposition from the right-wing Labour First and Blairite Progress factions.

Executive members are elected by different groups of party “stakeholders” every two years.

This year’s election is seen as crucial as the winners will play a key part in drawing up the party’s 2015 general election manifesto in a joint meeting with the shadow cabinet.

The committee also controls the conditions of Labour’s parliamentary selections, including which contests should have all-women shortlists. 

Two years ago, it pushed through an amendment to the party’s constitution codifying the need to “increase working-class representation.”

Rightwinger Luke Akehurst, who is hoping to be reinstated this year, objected. He said there should be a more vague reference to “under-represented socio-economic groups” such as “RAF pilots,” according to an activists’ newsletter.

Veteran party democracy campaigner Peter Willsman, who is standing on the leftwingers’ slate, urged members to rally support for the left in the wake of Mr Skinner’s defeat. 

“Dennis was one of the few members of the committee passionate about getting more working-class candidates selected,” he said.

“We need people on the executive who will stand up and be counted. Unfortunately, lots of the members are just willing to go with the flow.”

NHS worker and London-based Unite activist Kate Osamor is also standing under the left banner.

“We’re seeing alternatives to austerity put forward by the trade unions and community groups, but to win the election we need these to be part of our programme,” she said.

The left slate’s other candidates are teacher Christine Shawcroft, Unison activist Ann Black — both sitting committee members — and Welsh Labour Grassroots secretary Darren Williams. 

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