by Chris McLaughlin
Gordon Brown faces an embarrassing, concerted revolt at Labour’s conference as union and party activists line up to overturn his symbolic reform of the party decision-making process.
The changes won by Mr Brown two years ago amounted to his first “back-me-or-sack-me” gauntlet to the party after his coronation as leader and were passed by unions reluctant to be seen to deliver a humiliating blow so early in his leadership.
Mr Brown hailed the change – the abolition of the traditional debate and vote on submitted resolutions in favour of discussion of subjects referred on to the National Policy Forum (NPF) – as an end to the 100-year conflict between party and leadership over policy.
In Brighton next month, however, the big trade unions and a proportion of constituency parties will declare the new system a failure and are likely to try and reinstate their right to submit resolutions aimed at determining party policy.
A survey by Tribune suggests that the GMB and Communication Workers Union, having conducted internal consultations, are moving towards strong support of the move to ditch Mr Brown’s plan, which is widely considered to have failed at a practical level.
The move also appears to have support among senior officials of Unite and Unison, though in all cases the final decision rests with the unions’ own democratic structures. Others, such as Community and USDAW are less keen on a change this year, preferring to defer a vote until after the general election. Critics of this stand argue that any change would take two years to implement and that the party will need to start reviewing policy as soon as possible after the next election.
Although the reversal of Mr Brown’s plan will be an upset for his own attempt at a “Clause IV moment”, those pressing for a change argue that it would be far from an election-deciding issue.
Part of the package agreed two years ago included a provision that the change – in which discussion on subject headings are referred to the NPF and policy commissions involving members and ministers – would be put to the vote for confirmation at conference this year.
Delegates to Brighton will be given the choice between keeping the new system, reverting to the old system, or keeping the new system with improvements. First, though, they would have to vote down the National Executive Committee’s report if it recommends, as is likely, the retention of Mr Brown’s change.
But the mood is strong. One senior insider said: “From within our union, we can see trade union leaders who have said to their officials: ‘we know what the members want, just tell us what we’ve got to do’.”
The issue has become one of the key battle points in elections to posts within the party.
