Minutes of Left Unity Founding Conference November 30

1 Tom Ramplin from Bristol opened conference and moved Standing Orders Committee reports No 1 and 2.

2. Tom Ramplin proposed Liz Davies and Tony Mercer as chairs of conference. This was agreed. Liz and Tony took the chair

3. Tom asked for 16 volunteers as tellers. Volunteers came forward

4. Safe Spaces

4.1 Felicity Dowling from Liverpool moved the Safe Spaces Policy and accepted remission of sections 13b, 17,18, 21, 22,23

4.2 Rachel Archer from SOC clarified that SOC had not accepted partial remission; the options before conference were either remission of the whole document or acceptance of the whole document

4.3 Ruth Cashman from Lambeth spoke in favour of remission of the whole document

Conference voted to remit the document on a hand vote

5 Transitional National Council

5.1 Ally McGregor from Leamington Spa moved the motion from Leamington Spa and Coventry on transitional arrangements for the National Council.

5.2 Pete Green from Hackney spoke against the amendment, Toby Abse from Greenwich and Lewisham spoke in favour, Jenny Almaid from Lambeth spoke against

The amendment was defeated 110 F 228 against

6. Aims: 

6.1 The Aims section of the constitution was moved by Richard Murgatroyd from the IDC

6.2 The proposal from Lambeth Left Unity moved by Stuart King that the platforms should be taken as platforms of the organisation but not as the aims of the organisation. Salman Shaheen from Hackney spoke against the proposal. This was carried by 172 F 167F 30 Abs

6.3 The proposal from Camden Left Unity moved by Ken Loach that a vote or votes on the submissions for the ‘Aims’ section of the constitution should not be put at this conference. John Penney from Crewe spoke against the proposal. Defeated on a hand vote

6.4 The amendment from Loughborough to the aims section of the constitution was moved by Geoff Gay. Richard Brenner from Southwark spoke against. This was defeated on a hand vote

6.5 Platforms

6.5.1 Platform 9^3/4 was moved by Mike Wayne from Southwark

6.5.2 a) The Left Party Platform was moved by Felicity Dowling in which she accepted  amendments Camden apart from 4, 6 & 8.

b) Ken Loach moved the amendments from Camden to the LPP

c) Steve Wallis movement the amendments from Manchester South/Manchester Central to the LPP

d) Simon Hardy moved the amendments from Lambeth to the LPP

6.5.3 The Socialist Platform was moved by Nick Wrack from Southwark

6.5.4 The Class Struggle platform was moved by Steve McSweeney from East London

6.5.5 The Communist platform was moved by Jack Conrad from Camden

6.5.6 The Republican Socialist Platform was moved by Steve Freeman

6.5.7 The Hackney/Tower Hamlets statement was moved by Pete Green

6.5.8 The Lambeth amendment to the aims section of the draft constitution was moved by Dave Stockton

There was then a discussion from the floor with 11 speakers

6.6 Voting

6.6.1 Platform 9 ¾ was been withdrawn

6.6.2 Amendment from Camden to Left Party platform

a)     Those paras not accepted by LPP ie paras 4,6 and 8 carried 134 against – 137 for – 74 abstentions

b)    Camden amendment as a whole  carried on hand vote

6..6.3 Manchester amendment

a) Carried 164 F 116A 63 Abs

b) Falls on show of hands

6.6.4 Lambeth amendment to Left Party Platform 150 F 170 ags 51Abs

6.6.5 Left Party Platform as amended 295 F 101Ag 12 Abs

6.6.6 Socialist Platform 122 F 216 A 28 abs

6.6.7 Class Struggle Platform fell on hand vote

6.6.8 Communist Platform fell on hand vote

6.6.9 Republican Socialist Platform was withdrawn

6.6.10 Hackney/Tower Hamlets 172F 121Ag 28Abs

6.6.11 Lambeth to the aims section of the constitution defeated on a show of hands

6.6.12 The amendment from Leicester to the aims section was moved by Richard Johnson and Liz Gray

There were no speakers against. The amendment was carried on a show of hands

6.6.13 Aims section of the constitution carried on a show of hands

7.Selection of Party Name

7.1 Left Party from Crouch End LU was moved by Andrew Burgin

7.2 Lefty Unity Party from Rugby Left Unity was moved by Pete McClaren

7.3 Left Unity from Northampton Left Unity and Manchester South/Central was moved by Alison Treacher from Manchester Central/Manchester South

7.4 Democratic Voice from Huddersfield LU was moved by Melanie Griffiths

8. Constitution

8.1 The constitution as a whole was introduced by Sean Thompson for the IDCC

8.2 The amendment from Harringey and West London on how the constitution could be amended in future was moved by Nick Rodgers from Haringey

Speakers were taken for and against the proposal from the floor.

The amendment was voted on and carried on a hand vote

8.3 Gender representation

8.3.1 Sean Thompson moved the section of the constitution on gender representation on behalf of the IDCC

8.3.2 Loughborough amendment that women should have at least 40% representation was moved by Geoff Gay

8.3.3 Leamington Spa amendment that the clause on gender representation be deleted was moved by Ally McGregor

8.3.4 Crouch End amendment to create a women’s caucus with representation on the NCG was moved by Kate Hudson

8.3.5 Discussion took place from the floor for and against each amendment

8.3.6 Voting

Loughborough defeated on hand vote

Leamington Spa defeated on hand vote

Crouch End passed on hand vote

8.4 National and regional structures

8.4.1 Richard Murgatroyd moved the section of the constitution on national and regional structures

8.4.2 The amendment to 8c from Islington was remitted

8.4.3 The amendment to 12 from West London was withdrawn in favour of Crouch End

8.4.4 The amendment to 12 from Crouch End was moved by Andrew Burgin

8.4.5 The amendment to 12 from Lambeth was moved by Stuart King

8.4.6 The amendment to 12 from Greenwich and Lewisham was remitted.

8.4.7 Discussion took place from the floor for and against each amendment

8.4.8 Standing orders were suspended in order for the IDCC to have the right of reply

8.4.9 Richard Murgatroyd replied on behalf of the IDCC.

8.4.8 Voting

i) Crouch End :12a) iii – Delete [2] and insert [4] principal national speakers –agreed on a hand vote

12a) add new point [v. 15 nationally elected council members] Passed 125 F 113 ag 47 Abs

12b) Delete [6] and insert [4]. Delete [55%] and insert [one third] as quorum agreed on hand vote

ii) Lambeth

12a) i – Delete [40 regional representatives] and replace with [1 branch representative per 10 members elected by branch.) Defeated 115 F 142 Ag 33 Abs

12a) iii – regarding 2 nationally elected principal speakers. Delete completely and renumber subsequent sections. Fell because Crouch End on same topic passed first

8.5 The rights of individual members, branches, sections, platforms, caucuses etc.

8.5.1 x moved this section of the constitution

8.5.2 Pete McClaren moved s.5 amendment from Rugby to allow individual members submitting resolutions to conferences.

8.5.3 Terry Conway from Islington moved amendments to s.7a and 12 d, to clarify the difference between working groups around campaigns and sections for the oppressed and s.3f and 7c to delete a lower age limit.

8.5.4 Tina Becker moved amendment from Sheffield to delete clause 7b which said that ‘caucuses may not organise public campaigns against the aims and policy of the organisation’.

8.5.5 Theresa Delaney moved s7b ii – amendment from Cardiff to delete the reference to permanent factions

8.5.6  s.7 amendment from Lambeth was moved by Steve Ellis to change the terminology with which caucuses and tendencies are referred

8.5.7 Discussion took place from the floor for and against each amendment

8.5.8 Sean Thompson replied for IDCC

8.5.9 Voting:

i) Rugby amendment was passed on a hand vote

ii) Islington amendment on sections was defeated on a hand vote

iii) Islington amendment on age limit was passed on a hand vote

iv) Sheffield amendment was passed on a hand vote

v) Cardiff amendment passed on a hand vote

vi) Lambeth amendment passed on a hand vote

8.6 Other amendments

8.6.1 PaddyMcDaid from West London moved the amendment from West London/Waltham Forest to delete the section on  Northern Ireland. (s8)

8.6.2 Steve Hall moved Wigan amendment on the dangers of London-centric organising (s4)

8.6.3 Discussion took place from the floor for and against each amendment

8.6.4 Voting

Waltham Forest/West London amendment was passed

Wigan amendment was remitted against the wishes of the mover  161 FOR – 136 ABS – 21

9. Chief scrutineer Tim Nelson announced the results of the ballot on the name which were as follows

10. Given the time (around 4.30pm) Motions and amendments on priority campaigning (from the Class struggle platform, West London with amendments from Loughborough, Sheffield and Reading, Composite on NHS from West London and Islington, Sheffield with amendments from Birmingham West Londonand Lambeth, West London, Manchester Central/Manchester South, Southwark, Waltham Forest with amendments from Loughborough and Birmingham, Glasgow with amendments from Cardiff and West London and Southwark with amendments from Wigan) and on electoral strategy from Crouch End with amendments from West London and Huddersfield and Rugby with amendments from Wigan were referred to the transitional National Council

11 Contributions were heard from

11.1 Derek Hibben from Waltham Forest LU introduced Charlotte Munroe Victimised shop steward at Whipps Cross hospital who addressed conference

11.2 Liam Mulachy spoke on the Tres Cosas campaign and announced a bucket collection at the end of conference for the strike fund

11.3 Bob Findlay Williams on issues around access at this conference

11.4 Jim Hollingshead Liverpool

11.5 Liz Davies closed the conference from the chair thanking all those who had worked to make the day such a success.