Wednesday 23 May 2007

Consultation on Future for Left Renewal

Apologies for not blogging over last few days.

My eldest daughter's wedding was at the weeekend and I have been speaking at the PCS annual Conference in Brighton, the ASLEF annual conference in Scarborough and tomorrow I am addressing the POA conference in Southport.

Just to confirm that I haven't gone away!

People have been terrifically kind and supportive. I have received so many messages of support and good wishes it has been really moving.

More importantly the vast majority have expressed real determination to continue the campaign for socialist advance within and beyond our movement. People seem to be confidently bubbling with ideas about what we should do next and how we can move forward. Most have argued that promptly we need to build upon the enthusiasm and large scale mobilisation we achieved in the campaign.

I will publish a brief consultation paper over the next week in order to launch a consultation on how we go forward based upon an assessment of the lessons learnt from our campaign over the last year.

I would welcome people's views and suggestions.

My aim would be to take time in engaging people in as wide a discussion as possible in this consultation but to arrive at an early view on the strategy, structures, resources and programme of activities needed for this Left renewal initiative.

Just when some are hoping the Left has gone away, we can demonstrate our resillience and rank and file strength.

If we can build upon the overwhelmingly successful rank and file mobilisation we achieved over the last year we have the potential fot the most exciting Left initiative in a generation.

Let's get to it.