Over 300 people are packed into the venue here for the Open Selection fringe meeting, marking the final event of the campaign and the final push to introduce a transparent and democratic procedure for the selection of MPs in the Labour Party.
The past week has seen fevered speculation about what form changes might take, whether some form of trigger ballot can be maintained and whether or not the NEC might come up with proposals of their own.
The fringe meeting comes immediately before the key NEC meeting this (Saturday) evening.
The meeting featured contributions from:
- Matt Wrack General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union
- Huda Elmi newly elelcted NEC member
- Paul Mason journalist
- Emma Dent-Coad MP
- Rachel Godfrey-Wood Momentum
- Chris Williamson MP
Each speaker made a strong case, drawing on their own experience, for the need to reform the selection arrangements for MP’s and to support Open Selection.
There followed a good discussion from the floor on the need for Open Selection and the tactics needed to secure it. There was real anger that the right wing of the party and the media were working hard to oppose what delegates see as an important next step in transforming Labour into a democratic party run by its members which in turn strengthens the chances of electing a Labour Government.
Frank Bonner