Exclusive: Conference snubs calls for card vote
Tuesday 02 October 2012
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EmailAngry Labour delegates were left shocked today after conference organisers snubbed calls for a card count from the floor.
Party faithful with the Islington North constituency told the Star they felt ignored after introducing an amendment to improve conference democracy.
Delegates said their amendment would have made the National Policy Forum's "annex reports" - updates on items agreed at previous conferences - more democratic by requiring reports to be presented each year.
Islington North's Maggie Dunn said their amendment would have showed conference members how seriously an issue had been treated, making the forum more accountable.
But conference chairwoman Harriet Yeo had insisted a vote on whether to support the rule without amendments was "clearly carried," sparking an uproar in the conference with demands for a card vote.
Ms Yeo refused the card vote. She said: "It was clearly carried by two-thirds to one-third, you are wasting conference time."
When protests continued the conference chairwoman was resolute.
"Do you want to waste conference time or do you want to carry on? It was carried."
Ms Dunn said she and her fellow campaigners felt hard done by.
Ms Dunn said: "CLP members have to submit any amendments to rule a year before conference. We have waited a year for this only to be ignored."
Islington North youth delegate Kaya Makarau Schwartz appeared disillusioned.
"I'm shocked at the aggressive attitude over something so simple, it's not as if our amendment posed a great threat.
"We've spent a lot of time and money to get here and this was our main reason for coming.
"What's the point of coming to conference if our voices are ignored despite clear support.
"I can't understand why a card vote wasn't allowed."
Fellow Islington delegate Peter Talbot agreed.
"There seems to be this attitude with certain members in the party that it is their job to run it and others to do as they are told."
A Labour Party spokesman said the conference chairwoman was not obliged to accept a card count every time it was demanded.
A vote was counted and the original rule carried, he said.
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