Support the candidates of the centre/left grassroots alliance

The 1998 elections to the NEC will be conducted under new rules. One of the key changes is that MPs can no longer stand for the Constituency Section. This creates an opportunity to elect representatives who are in close touch with the Party's grassroots. A number of democratic socialist pressure groups and newspapers representing a broad consensus across the centre and the left of the Labour Party -- including Labour Reform, the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy and Tribune -- have come together to support potential candidates for the six new constituency places.

To secure a place in the ballot, potential candidates need to be nominated by their own CLP and by two others from different Party regions. Each CLP can only make one nomination. Please urge your CLP to consider nominating members on our slate. Each of them, while retaining freedom of judgement on other issues, has undertaken to uphold the following principles:

Democracy, transparency and accountability: In their dealings with their NEC colleagues, MPs, MEPs and Party officials these potential candidates will seek to represent the interests of the membership. They will:

• insist that the Party operates at all times in a democratic, accountable and transparent way, and set an example by regularly reporting back to those who elected them;
• demand that consultation with, and participation of membership is genuine, and that policy is determined by following the Party's democratic procedures, including the sovereignty of Annual Conference, and not through unelected parallel structures;
• defend participatory democracy and one-member-one-vote in the selection of candidates for public office;
• uphold the integrity of the Party's federal and regional structures, including the links between the Labour Party and the trade unions and oppose attempts to centralise decision-making in the hands of the parliamentary leadership;
• promote local and regional autonomy in the selection of candidates for public office.

Democratic socialism: Our suggested candidates will seek to uphold the Labour Party as a party of democratic socialism. This includes the commitment to the redistribution of resources and power from the few to the many.

Elimination of discrimination: Our suggested candidates will fight discrimination on grounds of gender, race, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.

A reforming Labour Government: Our suggested candidates will support the maintenance of the Labour Government in office, and monitor the implementation of the Party's manifesto promises.

They will seek to ensure implementation of the Party's commitments to trade union recognition, employment rights, the national minimum wage, increased powers for local government, to improved provision in health, education, pensions and welfare services and for the maintenance of universal benefits.

NEC Slate: Liz Davies, Andy Howell, Cathy Jamieson, Annie Marjoram, Mark Seddon, Christine Shawcroft, Pete Willsman.

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