We did not
achieve the Labour majority on Brighton and Hove City Council which we wanted
today as the votes were counted from yesterday’s elections – and we lost some good
comrades, both from among sitting Councillors and candidates in seats which we
had hoped to win. This was largely the consequence of a “Green surge” which saw
the Green Party dominate seats in the Pavilion constituency which is – of course
- held by their sole MP.
However,
because we also made gains from the Tories, Labour remains the largest single
Party on the Council. We are now in a position to offer the smaller (though
much increased) number of Green Councillors the opportunity to support our
radical and progressive manifesto, which will make a real difference to working
class people in Brighton and Hove.
Such an offer –
if made and accepted – will challenge Green Councillors to help us embed a
radical programme for Brighton and Hove for a generation – and to build upon the
historic (and most welcome) defeat suffered today by the local Tories.
Exactly how
(and indeed whether) this offer is made remains to be determined – and must be
the subject of debate within the Party – but the sheer number of “mixed votes”
at today’s count (where voters split their vote between Labour and Green
candidates) surely tells us that much of the progressive electorate in our City
expects parties of the left to cooperate to achieve social change.
The new Labour
Group has a political composition which is closer to the political centre of
gravity of the Party membership, and will be more conducive to building a
strong and cooperative relationship between the Group and the Party (of which
the Group is a constituent part). In future I expect that the Party will
support the Group – because the Group will implement the will of the Party.
A year from now
(for example) I expect that – before the Labour Group votes (at its Annual
General Meeting) for its Leader, Deputy Leaders and other office holders, the
Party will have had an opportunity to express its view about these matters.
Precisely how this will be done remains to be determined, but it could (for
example) be by way of a meeting of the full Local Campaign Forum, prior to
which all branches will have had an opportunity to meet and advise their
delegates how to vote.
It is simply
impossible (for practical reasons) for the Party to be afforded the opportunity
to express such an opinion before this year’s Council Annual Meeting (and
therefore before the annual meeting of the Group). Therefore, the new Labour
Group will have to take these decisions this year, without the opportunity formally
to seek the views of the local Party.
We are at a
time when Labour Councillors in Brighton and Hove will have to take
responsibility for important decisions with far reaching consequences. They
will know that the Party will stand with them to support them to take decisions
which are in the interests of the Party and of the people of Brighton and Hove.
Well said. Can I suggest we aporoach the Greens in the way we would want to be approached if the balance was on the other foot!
ReplyDeleteOn more equal terms or at leasti terms of mutual support rather than one group supporting the other??
If every ward groups its membership by street ( many streets in H&S have five to 25 LP members plus Greens )
We could set up street discussion and planning groups very quickly as well as painless delivery teams etc. Embryonic start to this in my street going well!!!