The Labour Party Deputy Leader election currently taking place should be an opportunity for individual members and affiliates to debate the progressive policies the government needs to take Britain forward. Unfortunately, it most definitely is not.
Labour CND regrets the anti-democratic requirement that a candidate needs to attain 20% of nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party before they can enter the ballot, which meant Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill failed to make it onto the ballot. It means her anti-austerity and pro-peace views are not represented in this contest.
Who’s standing?
The recent rule change which raised the ceiling for PLP support has resulted in a contest between Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson, and Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell.
Bridget Phillipson is, explicitly, the candidate of the right – speaking at the Labour First and Labour to Win fringe meetings at conference, and appearing in Labour to Win social media posts, alongside re-tweets (RTs) of her campaign and other supporting organisations such as Labour to Win and Jewish Labour Movement.
Lucy Powell was Leader of the Commons and Lord President of the Council in Keir Starmer’s government until 5 September, when she was removed from government in Starmer’s reshuffle.
What choices for peace?
Needless to say, neither of these candidates represent the policies of CND or the wider peace and anti-war movement.
Labour CND, alongside the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy and Momentum, regrets the failure of the PLP to allow party members and affiliates a meaningful policy choice in this election. As Momentum points out: ‘It is clear that neither of the two candidates on the ballot, Bridget Philipson or Lucy Powell, are committed to making the case for the progressive policies and democratic changes our Party needs to succeed.’
Asked by supporters for advice on how members and affiliates might best use their vote in this election, CLPD is advocating for a vote for Lucy Powell. CLPD says: ‘A victory for Lucy Powell would be seen as a signal that Party members want the government to change what it is doing.’
Momentum also regards Lucy Powell as ‘clearly the candidate least associated with the leadership’. In line with its constitution, Momentum is balloting its members, with two choices:
— Momentum should not recommend a vote for either candidate, or
— Momentum should recommend a tactical vote for Lucy Powell, while making clear this is not a full endorsement
Momentum members have until midday on Tuesday 7 October to take part. If you are a Momentum member you can vote here.
Deputy Leader election timetable
The Deputy Leadership ballot opens on Wednesday 8 October, and closes on Thursday 23 October.The result will be announced on Saturday 25 October.
Both Labour Party members and affiliated trade union supporters, with at least six months continuous membership, can vote. Labour Party information on the Deputy Leadership election is available here.
Labour CND welcomes the UK government’s recognition of the state of Palestine, alongside Canada, Australia, and Portugal ahead of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) this week, and recognises France, Belgium, Malta, and others are likely to do so during the course of the General Assembly, which will discuss Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Labour CND supports all steps which highlight Israel’s illegal, unjust, and discriminatory treatment of the Palestinian people with the de facto support of the United States.
Two years of Israel’s war on Gaza, together with a growing number of forced and illegal seizures of West Bank land by Israeli settlers, backed up by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), are shattering Israel’s impunity. After decades of acquiescence in the barbarous treatment of the Occupied Palestinian Territories of Gaza and West Bank, the majority of the world’s states and international institutions are speaking up and speaking out.
Palestine is already recognised by 150 of the 193 UN members and has diplomatic missions in many countries including Britain. The Palestinian Authority has permanent observer status at the UN, which allows it to take part but without the right to vote. Yet Palestine does not have full control of its territory or people; it has no internationally agreed boundaries or capital city, and no army. Israel remains an occupying force which fails to recognise the human and political rights of the people of Palestine.
International opinion
The overwhelming support of UN member states for the recognition of Palestinian statehood is symbolic of the shift in international opinion which has taken place over the two years of Israel’s horrendous war on Gaza. Acceptance of Palestine as a UN member state would convey significant practical rights across the international arena. The weight of the permanent five members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) however, is a serious obstacle in the way of the majority will being expressed.
States are admitted into UN membership by a two-thirds majority vote by the General Assembly. Before this takes place though, the application for membership is first considered by the Security Council Two conditions must be fulfilled before a vote of the General Assembly takes place:
— Nine out of the 15 UNSC members must cast a positive vote for the recommendation.
— Even then, however, a recommendation for membership cannot go forward to the General Assembly if one of the five permanent members of the Security Council – China, France, the Russian Federation, the UK, and the USA – votes against the application for membership.
Trump’s obstruction
China and Russia have long since recognised the state of Palestine, the UK did so this weekend. If France recognises Palestine at the UN this week, as it has committed to do, only the US stands in the way of Security Council approval for Palestine’s membership of the UN. After the Oslo Accords of 1993 and ’95, which were opposed by a majority of the Palestinian people, the US recognised the Palestinian Authority (PA) as exercising limited Palestinian self-governance over the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The current administration, however, opposes even the most limited form of Palestinian independence. President Trump acknowledged this in a press conference with Prime Minister Starmer during the recent state visit.
Last week the US denied an entry visa for the Palestinian Authority delegation to attend this week’s General Assembly. In response, the UN majority has voted to allow the PA to submit a pre-recorded statement to be played in the General Assembly and participate via video conference. The US was one of only five GA members to vote against this procedure, ‘explaining’ its negative vote by claiming the Palestinian Authority undermines any prospects of peace and ‘rewards and incentivises terror’.
The procedure by which a state is admitted into UN membership means it lies in the hands of the Trump administration to block UN membership of Palestine, just as the ability to call a halt to the atrocities against the people of Gaza also lies with Trump.
Palestinian statehood is by no means the only occasion on which the US has frustrated the majority will of the UN. This happened in the case of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
The Nuclear Ban Treaty is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons. After decades of preparation, it was adopted by 127 votes at the UNGA in July 2017 and opened for signature that September. It came into force in January 2021, when 50 states had ratified the Treaty. To date, 94 UN members are signatories to the Treaty; 73 have incorporated it in into law. The International Red Cross-Red Crescent has championed the Treaty. Thousands of scientists across the world have signed an open letter in support, and many faith communities have called for its adoption.
When the UN voted for the TPNW in 2017, the US, UK, and French delegations issued a joint press statement rejecting the Treaty, saying they had not participated in the negotiations and did not intend to sign, ratify, or become a party to the TPNW because it was incompatible with nuclear ‘deterrence’. To date, no nuclear weapons state has signed or ratified the the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Time for change, time for action
The General Assembly is the only UN body where every member has a say. As in the case of Gaza, majority opinion can carry moral authority and exercise influence on a range of UN agencies. But its decisions are recommendations only. It’s time to recognise – and tackle – the anti-democratic practices that nuclear-armed states such as the US can exercise as permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Meanwhile though, the most practical and immediate pressure the UK can bring to bear to stop the genocide and starvation in Gaza remains that of ending all arms exports to Isreal – including so-called secondary arms sales such as the supply of 15% of parts used in building US F35 fighter jets which have bombed Gaza for the past two years. It should do so now.
Labour CND says Recognise Palestine ! End the genocide ! Stop Arming Israel !
In a further attack on the rights of members, local Labour Parties are being banned from affiliating to Labour CND and a number of other progressive peace and justice campaigns. Labour CND campaigns within the party for the global abolition of nuclear weapons, including Britain’s Trident system, and for peaceful foreign policies. These ideas merit discussion, these principles deserve support, and we believe the overwhelming majority of party members agree.
Labour CND committee unanimously agreed the following statement in response to the ban. The basis on which the Labour Party has introduced this ban is outlined below.
2023 is the centenary of the birth of Walter Wolfgang. Walter was a childhood refugee from Nazi Germany and later became a member of the party’s National Executive Committee. Walter devoted his life to nuclear disarmament, particularly campaigning in the Labour Party against nuclear weapons as a founding member of Labour CND which works within the party for the global abolition of nuclear weapons, including Britain’s Trident system, and a peaceful foreign policy.
Walter campaigned for a progressive foreign policy and spoke out against the Iraq war. New Labour quickly expressed its regret at the ejection of Walter Wolfgang from the Labour Party Conference in 2005, and the event cemented Walter’s place as a figure in the party.In 2018 the Labour Party awarded Walter a merit award which was presented by then leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Walter died in 2019, but Labour CND’s work continues. For many years Labour CND has campaigned, held fringe meetings, drafted motions, and gained affiliations from Constituency Labour Parties, Branch Labour Parties, and affiliated trade unions.
Labour CND regrets the decision of National Executive Committee to end CLPs’ right to affiliate to Labour Party orientated campaigning groups like Labour CND. We thank all the local parties and affiliates which have supported us over the years. Our work for peace and justice will continue.
A few hours before one London CLP was due to hold its 2023 AGM, a message was received from Labour’s Head of Internal Governance that the CLP could not renew its affiliations without approval from the NEC. To do so would breach party rules.’ The following organisations were listed:
Labour Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Stop the War Coalition
Republic
London Irish
Abortion Rights Campaign
Jewish Voice for Labour
Somalis for Labour
Sikhs for Labour
All African Women’s Group
Health Campaigns Together
Campaign Against Climate Change Trades Union Group
Peace & Justice Project
The email also warned that organisations which are nationally affiliated to the party are eligible to affiliate to any CLP provided they pay the appropriate fee and the CLP cannot debate or decide on their affiliations.
This is yet another attack on the rights of local parties. The basis was laid at 2021 Labour Party conference which passed a series of rule changes promoted by the General Secretary. They included a catch-all rule change which bans local parties from affiliating or donating to organisations without the approval of the National Executive Committee.
Chapter 7, Clause XI .5 of Labour’s 2023 Rule Book now reads: ‘This CLP and units of this CLP shall not enter into affiliation with or give support, financially or otherwise, to any political party or organisation (or ancillary or subsidiary body thereto) without the prior permission of the NEC. Nor shall they give any such support to individuals ineligible for membership of the Party.’
Under CND’s constitution, only members of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament who are also members of the Labour Party are eligible to participate in Labour CND. We have operated under the same rules and constitution for four decades without experiencing any objections, which provide for affiliations from CLPs, Labour Branches, and Labour affiliates.
