How to elect a deputy leader and leader
Funnily enough, I like that there is a Labour party. I think the twentieth century would have been happier if Labour had had more years in power. I think the twenty-first century is better for only having had a Labour government. I think the country and city I live in do better with Labour.
So, like many party members, I worry that at some point in the future there may not be a Labour party, that the whole edifice may go belly-up as a result of our parlous financial state. Just in case you need reminding of quite how depressing it is, another Oxford politico has worked out that each party member would need to pay £117 each just to clear our debts. Finances are also particularly important to me, living as I do in a constituency with a Labour MP that following boundary changes is listed in the “notional LibDem” column of websites like this one.
So, I think the priority for our (and our affiliates’) spending is not on a ruinously-expensive postal ballot of all members for the deputy leadership and leadership (yes, you read that right - even if there is only one nominated candidate for leader, we still have to have an affirmative ballot!). Therefore I propose that we create a premium rate phoneline to enable members to cast their votes, save the party postage and printing and even raise some lolly while we’re at it. As it is (just) still Christmas, I have had a glass of sherry, so this suggestion is, of course, only half-serious. (Be glad - after yesterday’s prolonged festivities I was ready to propose that each member have unlimited votes like on the X-Factor.)
Of course, I’m making, cack-handedly, a real point. I want us to have a democratic party, for sure; but more than that, I want us to do well in this year’s local, Welsh and Scottish elections, and those coming up over the next few years. We have to do what we exist to do - winning elections so we can make Britain a better place - first, and that should be the first call on our cash.
PS: Don’t get me wrong - I still think that this man is part of the solution, not part of the problem, and whether it be by pressing 1 for Jon Cruddas or marking the traditional X, I will vote for him.
What about online voting as an option as well? If Estonia can manage it for national elections [see the story here], then surely Labour could manage?
How about eVoting and phone voting by default, and postal for anyone else? However I fear the money to get any of these systems started would be more than you would save by using them first time around.
Yes - while a (polite) leadership election can be a good way of revitalising the party, it ain’t half pricey.
And better to have phone voting than putting all the candidates in a house full of cameras and evicting them one by one - or a ‘Strictly Deputy’ panel of judges…
I don’t think that phone/text/online voting would be too hard to set up, though. Unless my memory is even worse than I’d imagined, I’m sure I’ve voted online for NEC elections before.
Hmm, I think the real threat comes from the decline in the number of people who want to get/stay involved in Labour politics. If there’s a real movement it’ll bounce back whatever the financial situation, but if there isn’t the party’ll just end up expiring.
Just what exactly has John Cruddas ever done? But you don’t need to answer that this year.
Happy New Year.
Harry, if not Cruddas, who should be deputy?
First Disagreement of the New Year….
Antonia Bance: I think the twentieth century would have been happier if Labour had had more years in power. MacDonald, Atlee, Wilson, Callaghan, Blair. Something of a roll call of glory, don’t you think? We would really have had a…
Jon Cruddas is great. I am really impressed with his campaign.
I’ve not noticed this post before (I came across it whilst briefly researching a related point) but when the Conservatives had our last two leadership elections we didn’t have a one-horse race affirmative ballot in 2003, whilst in 2005 the ballot papers went out with an additional plea for funds and many, many members did make additional donations. I’d have to check, but it’s possible the leadership election paid for itself. If you play the ballot right it’s possible that a good chunk of the costs could be recuperated.