Labour votes on 'refounding' plan

25 September 2011 Last updated at 17:31 GMT By Victoria King Political reporter, BBC News, in Liverpool Labour delegates have been debating the party's future Delegates at the Labour conference have voted on a series of measures to amend the party's constitution and the way its leaders are elected.

The proposals, known as "Refounding Labour", were designed by Ed Miliband to breathe new life into the party.

Shadow Welsh secretary Peter Hain, who has led the project, said it would open Labour up to new supporters, but some argued it had been rushed through.

The result of the vote will be revealed on Monday.

The proposals would give members of the public the right to become official Labour "supporters" without formally joining the party.

These supporters would then have the power to vote in leadership elections - at present, only MPs, MEPs, party members and members of an affiliated group, such as a trade union, can have a say.

Mr Miliband also wants to abolish the system of multiple votes in leadership elections under which individuals who are members of different affiliated organisations can vote more than once.

He wants to reform what he sees as the party's arcane procedures and make it more welcoming to outsiders, as well as forging links with other voluntary groups in the community.

But the some of the proposals have proved controversial with party members who fear it will reduce their influence.

'Dose of medicine'

Mr Hain told delegates at the conference in Liverpool: "We have to build a people's movement for Labour in our neighbourhoods, our workplaces, that is what we mean by Refounding Labour."

He said "revitalising Labour in this way" would help "ensure that lessons leaned on the doorsteps" could be transmitted all the way up to manifesto level.

Some have expressed concern that the ideas are designed to dilute union influence, but several union representatives spoke in support of them.

Paul Kenny, of the GMB, said Refounding Labour was "a harsh but required dose of medicine", adding: "We desperately need fresh ideas and new energy."

Wendy Nichols, from Unison, said her union would support the changes "even though we have concerns", especially about having to cast a single vote on "hundreds of changes".

But she said that when union members were "under the cosh" as now - with fights on public sector cuts and pension changes" - "Refounding Labour isn't exactly top of the agenda".

'All or nothing'

Ahead of the debate on the proposals, several delegates expressed concern at the speed at which they were being pushed through.

They also objected to having to vote on the proposals as a whole rather than one by one.

Dominic Curran, of Vauxhall constituency Labour Party, said: "I'm really, really disappointed and, frankly, outraged about how Refounding Labour has been dealt with.

"It's all or nothing, conference isn't being trusted to properly deal with this document.

"I thought the party had moved on, but I'm beginning to question that."

But the calls for an extended study were rejected following an unclear show of hands, sparking cries of "Carve up!".

Earlier, Liam Byrne, chair of Labour's policy review, which is half way through its two-year task, said there was a "new centre-ground in British politics" which the party had to fight for.

"It's not a place that the party gets to pick. The centre-ground is where voters say it is.

"Our challenge now is to change and move in and say once more the centre-ground is our home-ground, and this is where we fight."

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