Constituency Labour Party
Encyclopedia
A Constituency Labour Party (CLP) is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party
who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England
, Scotland
and Wales
. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland
has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party which is yet to contest elections. http://www.labouronline.org/wibs/165424/a67e73f4-803e-0644-9548-8006f80fc495
For much of the Labour Party's history, especially during the 1980s, CLPs were perceived as the more left wing faction in the Labour Party, with the unions being a more moderate or pragmatic force.
establishes the CLP offices as chair, vice-chair, vice-chair/membership, secretary, Youth Officer, treasurer, women’s officer and ethnic minorities officer. These officer are referred to as the Key Officers.
CLPs may appoint additional "functional officers" such as a campaign co-ordinator, a political education and training officer, an information technology officer, a disability officer, a trade union liaison officer and a fundraising officer who may attend meetings of the Executive Committee (without voting power if they are not otherwise EC delegates).
The CLP elects representatives to national Party structures, including delegates to Labour Party Conference, and it nominates candidates for election to other Party positions such as the National Policy Forum
and the National Executive Committee
, as well as Party structures within Scotland, Wales or the appropriate English region.
CLP committees have generally met on a monthly basis however some have chosen to meet more infrequently and organise all-member meetings or policy forums in intervening months. Changes to the standard model of operation for CLPs require permission from the Party's National Executive Committee, however this practice can be devolved to National or Regional (paid) Officers of the Party.
In many areas the LGC is referred to by the older title of District Labour Party (DLP) where it is overseeing a district council and County Labour Party where it oversees the work of a shire county council.
.
Where there is a sitting Labour MP, the CLP organises a 'trigger ballot' to decide whether it wishes to carry out the full selection procedure outlined below or simply endorse the sitting MP as their candidate at the next election. It is unusual for a sitting MP to 'lose' their trigger ballot.
In the event that the MP is from an opposition Party, the sitting MP is retiring or has lost their trigger ballot a full selection is organised. The CLP must follow the procedures agreed by the National Executive Committee
including whether or not the selection will be carried out from an open or all-women shortlist.
The CLP can choose whether or not to select a candidate on the Labour Party's Panel of approved candidates. However, should the CLP select a candidate not on the Panel its decision is subject to the National Executive Committee
retrospectively satisfying itelf that the candidate reaches the standard required to join the Panel.
In this and other circumstances (for example new information emerging about a candidate subsequent to their selection) the National Executive Committee
has exercised its power to block a CLPs initial choice of candidate, which has on occasion proved controversial.
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party which is yet to contest elections. http://www.labouronline.org/wibs/165424/a67e73f4-803e-0644-9548-8006f80fc495
For much of the Labour Party's history, especially during the 1980s, CLPs were perceived as the more left wing faction in the Labour Party, with the unions being a more moderate or pragmatic force.
Bodies
A CLP's main decision-making body is normally its General Committee or All Member Meeting. Day-to-day management is generally carried out by the Executive Committee (EC).| Party unit | Description |
|---|---|
| General Committee (GC) | The GC is made up of delegates elected from the Branch Labour Parties (BLP), local branches of affiliated Trade Unions Affiliated trade union In British politics, the term affiliated trade union refers to a trade union that has an affiliation to the British Labour Party.The Party was created by the trade unions and socialist societies in 1900 as the Labour Representation Committee... , Socialist Societies, the local branch of the Co-operative Party Co-operative Party The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour... , BLP secretaries and CLP officers. Other CLP members may usually attend but not vote. The GC may sometimes be referred to as the General Management Committee (GMC). In many CLPs, the GC has now been replaced by the All Member Meeting (AMM), where all members in the CLP may attend and vote. |
| Executive Committee (EC) | Manages the CLP. Appointed by and reports to the GC. The EC is generally constituted in the same manner but with fewer delegates from each branch and affiliate. |
| Branch Labour Parties (BLP) | The BLP is the basic local geographic unit for the Labour Party, and is where local party members gather at the most local level. Local BLPs usually have boundaries which follow local government boundaries, commonly wards Wards of the United Kingdom A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:... . The membership of branches is drawn from members of the party who reside or are registered to vote within the area covered by the branch. |
| Young Labour Group | May be established to co-ordinate work among young members. May be established covering any number of neighbouring CLPs. |
| Ethnic Minorities Forum | May be established to co-ordinate work among black, Asian, minority ethnic (BAME) members. |
| Workplace branches | May be established to represent the either the Labour supporting workers or to represent the Labour Party in the workplace. |
| Campaign Committee | Co-ordinates public activity of the CLP. |
| Women's Forum | May be established to co-ordinate work among women members. |
Officers
The Labour Party Rule BookLabour Party Rule Book
The Labour Party Rule Book is the governing document for the Labour Party in the United Kingdom.The Labour Party Constitution forms the first chapter of the Rule Book and contains the most important principles and provisions for Labour Party governance. The chapter is divided into ten sections...
establishes the CLP offices as chair, vice-chair, vice-chair/membership, secretary, Youth Officer, treasurer, women’s officer and ethnic minorities officer. These officer are referred to as the Key Officers.
CLPs may appoint additional "functional officers" such as a campaign co-ordinator, a political education and training officer, an information technology officer, a disability officer, a trade union liaison officer and a fundraising officer who may attend meetings of the Executive Committee (without voting power if they are not otherwise EC delegates).
The CLP elects representatives to national Party structures, including delegates to Labour Party Conference, and it nominates candidates for election to other Party positions such as the National Policy Forum
National Policy Forum
The National Policy Forum of the British Labour Party is part of the policy-making system of the Party, set up by Leader Tony Blair as part of the Partnership in Power process....
and the National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
, as well as Party structures within Scotland, Wales or the appropriate English region.
Meetings
As a result of changes proposed as part of the Party's 21st Century Party review, some CLPs have chosen to make changes in the way that they run. Some CLPs have merged the GC and EC into a single committee, whilst some CLPs have abolished the GC entirely and organize all-member meetings to take decisions. Other CLPs, particularly in urban areas divided between a number of constituencies, have chosen to combine their activities with neighbouring CLPs.CLP committees have generally met on a monthly basis however some have chosen to meet more infrequently and organise all-member meetings or policy forums in intervening months. Changes to the standard model of operation for CLPs require permission from the Party's National Executive Committee, however this practice can be devolved to National or Regional (paid) Officers of the Party.
Local Government Committees
CLPs also elect representative to Local Government Committees (LGCs) which aim to get Labour Councillors elected and then oversee the work of Labour Councillors on a specific principal local authority. Where the boundaries of a local authority are the same as those used for a parliamentary constituency the GC will also assume the role of LGC.In many areas the LGC is referred to by the older title of District Labour Party (DLP) where it is overseeing a district council and County Labour Party where it oversees the work of a shire county council.
Selection of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates
Functions of the CLP include selecting the local Labour Party candidate for a national parliamentary General ElectionUnited Kingdom general elections
This is a list of United Kingdom general elections since the first in 1802. The members of the 1801–1802 Parliament had been elected to the former Parliament of Great Britain and Parliament of Ireland, before being co-opted to serve in the first Parliament of the United Kingdom, so that Parliament...
.
Where there is a sitting Labour MP, the CLP organises a 'trigger ballot' to decide whether it wishes to carry out the full selection procedure outlined below or simply endorse the sitting MP as their candidate at the next election. It is unusual for a sitting MP to 'lose' their trigger ballot.
In the event that the MP is from an opposition Party, the sitting MP is retiring or has lost their trigger ballot a full selection is organised. The CLP must follow the procedures agreed by the National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
including whether or not the selection will be carried out from an open or all-women shortlist.
The CLP can choose whether or not to select a candidate on the Labour Party's Panel of approved candidates. However, should the CLP select a candidate not on the Panel its decision is subject to the National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
retrospectively satisfying itelf that the candidate reaches the standard required to join the Panel.
In this and other circumstances (for example new information emerging about a candidate subsequent to their selection) the National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
has exercised its power to block a CLPs initial choice of candidate, which has on occasion proved controversial.