GMB BACKS ELECTORAL COLLEGE AS PREFERRED METHOD TO ELECT THE LEADER & DEPUTY LEADER OF WELSH LABOUR

GMB BACKS ELECTORAL COLLEGE AS PREFERRED METHOD TO ELECT THE LEADER & DEPUTY LEADER OF WELSH LABOUR

GMB has overwhelmingly backed retention of an amended Electoral College as the preferred method for members to elect the leader of Welsh Labour.

GMB, Wales’ General Union, has backed an amended electoral college as the preferred system to elect the leader of the Welsh Labour Party.

The Welsh Labour Party is currently undertaking a review of the electoral system it uses to elect its leader, with a consultation going out to Labour Party m,embers, elected representatives, unions and socialist societies to gauge their views.

The current system is an electoral college that is split into three colleges with equal electoral weighting for Labour Party members, trade unions and affiliated socialist societies and elected representatives.

The decision was made at a meeting of Welsh Regional Council delegates, a representative body made up of democratically elected delegates from union members across Wales, in a political conference held last week.

Delegates unanimously endorsed an amended Electoral College as the best way for the trade union movement to maintain its members’ collective voice and influence in decisions, such electing the leader and deputy leader of Welsh Labour.

John Phillips, GMB Regional Secretary, said:

“GMB’s history and traditions are steeped in the spirit of solidarity, collectivism, and representative democracy.

“Alongside our sister unions CWU, Usdaw and Unison, our members have made it clear they believe the best way for unions to maintain and mature our relationship with the Welsh Labour Party is to retain an electoral college that cements our place as active players with a strong influence on the leadership of Welsh Labour movement.”

Mike Payne, GMB Political officer for Wales and South West, said: 

“Our democratically elected delegates voted by an overwhelming margin to retain an amended electoral college, based on two sections not three, and with an equal weighting of 50 per cent per section.

“Delegates made clear they believed the best course of action was for the Electoral College to continue in its current format, but agreed that if compromise had to be made, then an amended Electoral College was the only acceptable alternative.

“This debate goes to the heart of how we see democracy in Wales, the UK and the world in the 21st century.

“GMB is clear we believe in a representative democracy and social solidarity as the best democratic response to the big issues of the 21st century.”