Right down to the wire

Ken Livingstone MP pledges to fight by (almost) any means necessary to become Labour's candidate for London's Mayor.

Rows over the selection of Labour candidates for the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament, London Mayor and European Parliament came in the same week that the Government announced more co-operation with the Liberal Democrats. It was also just after the announcement of Roy Jenkins' second attempt to destroy the Labour Party. These unfortunate coincidences at least clarify to the vast majority of the membership the disastrous road the Millbank Tendency would like to take the Party down.

The Government has a massive majority in Parliament and is quite capable of legislating by itself. Consequently the decision to work more closely with the Liberal Democrats is based on political considerations, most clearly expressed by those who believe that Labour and the Lib Dems should merge. Whilst that may be an extreme opinion, many believe that the division between the two parties is a tragedy of twentieth century politics.

Far from being a tragedy, the decision of the trade unions at the turn of the century to break from Liberalism and form their own party was a progressive development. The independent status of the Labour Party in this country puts working people in a much stronger position than in the United States, which is dominated by parties of big business.

Roy Jenkins' strategy is honestly spelt out in his report. He hopes it will lead to Labour candidates adapting their policies to appeal to Lib Dem voters in the hope that eventually the two parties fuse.

The current crisis over the selection of candidates consequently raises the issue of keeping the Party Labour. The most hardline position is summarised by Fraser Kemp MP, quoted as saying about the vetting system: "If we are to be consistent, it has to apply to Westminster MPs". If the Millbank Tendency pursues this line it will lead to further clashes with the membership.

The Greater London Labour Party Regional Board's recommendation to the NEC for a selection board to vet candidates for London Mayor would ensure that members' views are not brought to bear until the last possible stage of the selection. However, the spin that was put on the Regional Board's vote was not accurate.

The Board faced at least two ways. It agreed to recommend a self-nomination system to the NEC whilst also re-forwarding the Regional Conference policy, which proposes that all candidates with at least ten CLP nominations would automatically appear on the OMOV ballot paper. Thus the NEC will still have to make the final choice.

Although the Board is packed with Lords, Government ministers and hacks, the leadership couldn't persuade delegates from the TGWU, GPMU and UNISON to overturn the London Labour Party policy. Other union delegates would have been unlikely to have voted for the recommendations if they had not also included the re-forwarding of the conference policy. UNISON, the T&G and left constituency delegates put amendments to the proposals, at one stage convincing eight Board members to vote to defend the right of CLPs to nominate candidates. Consequently, the final position was a fudge. Until the left and centre of the Party can persuade more trade unionists to back the members in these issues of democracy, it is probably unlikely that the overall situation in the Party will radically change.

Subsequently, Margaret Prosser - the Party Treasurer and the National Organiser of the TGWU - announced her support for the London Region of the TGWU. It proposes a twin track nomination system, combining the Regional Conference policy with self-nomination for those candidates not securing 10 nominations. Margaret Prosser said: "I believe that the twin track approach is a very workable compromise that meets all sides' expectations" and concluded by "calling on the Party to unite around an open, fair and democratic process."

This is the only way to ensure that Constituency Labour Parties in London will be able to nominate the candidate of their choice. Any system abolishing nominations exposes the Labour Party's shortlisting system to ridicule by the Tories and a real danger of Labour losing the London Assembly elections.

Ken Livingstone MP will be addressing a public meeting of London Labour Left on the subject of a Government for London in the House of Commons, Committee Room 5, at 7pm on Tuesday 1st December.

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