Tag Archives: labour for democracy

Simon McGrath

Making Labour Councillors more comfortable

By Simon McGrath | Mon 7th April 2025 - 4:04 pm

Labour Councillors in Merton have come up with a way of cutting down on scrutiny from opposition councillors – led by 17 Liberal Democrats. Last week’s Council meeting saw Labour force though a whole series of changes to the constitution which will drastically affect the ability of Opposition Councillors to hold them to account.

The draconian new rules:

  • Limit accountability on key issues by halving the number of questions to Cabinet Members.
  • Reduce the publication of key information on the administration’s performance and whether it’s meeting its own promises, by abolishing ‘strategic theme reports’ and questions.
  • Stifle debate on issues residents care about by limiting opposition motions. For smaller groups – like the Conservatives – that’s to fewer than one a meeting. Independent councillors will rarely, if ever be able to propose motions.
  • Gag minority political opinions. Again, smaller groups – like the Conservatives – will see their speaking time in debates limited.
  • Rig the rule’s in Labour’s favour by fixing it so that Labour councillors get more speaking time in debates, and giving the Labour Leader of the Council unlimited interventions.
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Posted in Local government | Also tagged | 4 Comments
NewsHound

Launch of Labour for Democracy

By NewsHound | Tue 4th December 2012 - 1:51 pm

Today, an influential group of Labour members are launching a new movement within their party: Labour for Democracy.

Its aim is to reach out to Lib Dems (and possibly Greens as well) in order to prepare a pluralist agenda around progressive issues. Although it does not explicitly say so, it is presumably also preparing the ground for a possible Labour-led coalition after 2015. Their position is based on polling evidence:

On all the major issues  Labour and Lib Dem voters tend to give similar levels of support to broadly  ‘progressive’ value statements, with Labour voters giving slightly stronger levels

…

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Posted in News | Also tagged and | 38 Comments
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Recent Comments

  • Jana
    @Mick Taylor “ So, Ros, and all our other MPs, stop calling for referenda. They’re not democratic, they are always capable of manipulation and voters rarel...
  • paul barker
    I agree with the comments so far except for the calls to delay Electoral Reform until yet another General Election. The Voters have already spoken in favour of ...
  • Mick Taylor
    Ros, I was right with you until you used the word referendum. Every time there is a referendum, the power of MPs to make the decisions they were elected to mak...
  • Nonconformistradical
    @George Thomas "....but only if we recognise that many people get paid when they shouldn’t and many people don’t get paid (or paid enough) when they shou...
  • Steve Trevethan
    Thank you for a most relevant article. Might it assist the UK to become more of a genuine democracty if state education enabled furture citizens to question ...