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26 February 2004 |
Scottish Labour bureaucracy tries to stifle debate on coalition with Liberal Democrats |
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The Campaign for Socialism (CfS) will support attempts by Glasgow Kelvin and Coatbridge and Chryston CLPs, to overturn a ban on their proposed changes to the Scottish Labour Party constitution. Along with a number of other Constituency Labour Parties they submitted the amendments detailed below. They received letters from Lesley Quinn on Wednesday, only two days before the start of conference, telling them that their amendments were not competent because in addition to their main amendment they indicated that a follow up amendment would be required, otherwise the rule book would be contradictory. This is often called a consequential amendment. Vince Mills secretary of the Campaign for Socialism said: ‘This action does not bode well for the future of democratic debate and change in the Scottish Labour Party. Along with many others, the CfS is working hard to keep individual members and affiliated Trade Unions in the Labour Party. How are we expected to do that when we are being cheated out of the right to change the rules of our own Party? What kind of example does that set? We will support a challenge to the CAC report at the start of conference if there is no attempt to re-instate these amendments.’ Text of the amendments follows: Clause 15 add new (c ) "In the event that the Scottish Parliament Labour Group is unable to command a majority in the Scottish Parliament and/or decides to enter into a coalition with another parliamentary group, that decision, together with the proposed coalition agreement, shall be put to a special conference, constituted as set out in Clause 7 above. That special conference shall either ratify or reject the decision of the Scottish Parliament Labour Group." Consequential amendment: Clause 7 - add after first sentence - "A special conference will be summoned by the Scottish Executive Committee in the event that the Scottish Parliament Labour Group is unable to command a majority in the Scottish Parliament and/or decides to enter into a coalition with another parliamentary group as set out in Clause 15 below. Contact: |
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