“Starmer’s leadership has been heavily criticised by a wider range of voices for failing to offer a serious policy alternative to the Tories.”
Momentum members will today begin voting in a ballot to decide which policies the organisation will support at the 2021 Labour conference.
The left-wing group is set to decide on a bold and ambitious vision of a socialist recovery from the pandemic.
Starmer’s leadership has been heavily criticised by a wider range of voices for failing to offer a serious policy alternative to the Tories. After a disastrous few months which have seen Labour decline in the polls whilst being outflanked to the left by the Tories on such key policy areas as Corporation tax, this policy primary marks an opportunity for grassroots members to reassert the importance of a more transformative approach.
The thirty two motions in the ballot have been submitted by a mixture of local Momentum groups, affiliated trade unions, and campaigning organisations. Motions have been submitted by the Fire Brigades Union, the Bakers Union, Autonomy, Labour for a Green New Deal and more. Members will vote to select eight motions, and the most popular will receive the organisation’s support. The motions being voted upon cover a huge range of issues; from proportional representation to wealth taxes and dismantling the hostile environment.
The policy motions chosen by members will form the left platform for party conference, in what will be the first serious expression of a post-Corbyn Socialist policy platform.
Andrew Scattergood, Momentum co-chair, said:
‘This ballot is an example of how we’re changing Momentum to put more power than ever before in members’ hands. Now the left platform for Labour conference will be decided by the grassroots of our movement.’
‘We’re excited to see what policy members decide upon: from democratic reform to a wealth tax and a massive increase in the minimum wage, our movement has the answers to this crisis.’
The ballot will close at midnight on the 31st of March, and results are expected after the bank holiday weekend.
