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Labour Representation Committee

A movement formed by trade unionists and socialists to secure a voice for socialists within the Labour Party, the unions, and Parliament.


John McDonnell

Socialist MP who announced his challenge for Labour leader in 2006


Scottish LRC set up: never mind the quality, feel the width!

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Dale Street

That just about sums up much of the sentiments expressed at the Saturday 28 February inaugural meeting of the Scottish Labour Representation Committee, which also doubled up as the formal launch of the Scottish People’s Charter.


Matt Wrack: "Build unity around demands"

Unions & politics
Author: 
Matt Wrack

Matt Wrack is general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). He spoke to Martin Thomas at the Labour Representation Committee conference on 15 November.


Martin Mayer: "The unions haven't been doing so badly"

Unions & politics
Author: 
Martin Mayer

Martin Mayer is chair of the TGWU Broad Left. He spoke to Martin Thomas at the Labour Representation Committee conference on 15 November.


Talking about workers' candidates

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Colin Foster

On 15 November the Labour Representation Committee meets for its annual conference. The rail union RMT has called a cross-union conference on working-class political representation for 10 January 2009.


Motion to the Labour Representation Committee conference

Unions & politics

The motion below has been submitted to the 15 November conference of the Labour Representation Committee by the AWL, and is also being proposed in other organisations affiliated to the LRC.


Labour Representation Committee conference

Labour Representation Committee
15 Nov 2008 - 10:00am
15 Nov 2008 - 5:00pm

Location: 

Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London


Description: 

Register at http://www.l-r-c.org.uk/payments/default.asp


Matt Wrack: we need a workers’ party

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Bruce Robinson

Report from The Convention of the Left, meeting in Manchester in parallel to Labour’s conference (20-24 September).

Though the organisers had successfully argued against a debate on links between the unions and Labour, the question of political perspectives for the unions ran through many of the contributions to the trade union session.


Get back to first principles

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Andrew Fisher

The left in Britain is in crisis. Recent years have seen the tensions caused by this crisis tear through the Socialist Alliance, the Scottish Socialist Party and Respect. Other projects have been even less successful.


For working-class opposition to both bosses’ parties

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Chris Ford

A discussion article by Chris Ford (AWL and LRC National Committee) on the current crisis of workers’ representation.


Motions to Socialist Youth Network conference

Youth

AWL members will be attending the 2008 conference of the Socialist Youth Network (youth section of the Labour Represent


Motion for RMT AGM on the Labour Representation Committee

Labour Representation Committee

This AGM notes the decision of Labour Party affiliated TUs and CLPs to disenfranchise themselves at the Bournemouth conference, the failure of John McDonnell to get on the ballot paper for Labour Party leader and the collapse of the SSP. We believe that this has brought our class to a position of crisis regarding political representation.


Crisis of workers' representation won't be resolved by "spontaneous combustion"

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Chris Ford

Just over fifty people attended the launch meeting of the local Labour Representation Committee in Hackney, East London, on Wednesday 27 February.


Draft motion on the LRC for unions not affiliated to the Labour Party

Labour Representation Committee

Conference believes that it is important for unions to have a political voice.

Conference notes with concern the Labour Party's decision at its 2007 conference to ban political motions from unions and Constituency Labour Parties.

Conference notes that unions concerned to promote working-class political representation have affiliated to the Labour Representation Committee. LRC affiliates include both unions not affiliated to the Labour Party, such as RMT and FBU, and unions affiliated to it, such as CWU, ASLEF, the Bakers' Union, and the NUM.

Conference resolves to affiliate to the LRC and work with other LRC-affiliated unions to promote the working-class interest in politics.


The future of the left?

Labour Representation Committee

Around 70 people heared John McDonnell speak at a Scottish Campaign for Socialism meeting in Glasgow on 2 February.


An axis for unifying the left

Labour Representation Committee

Extracts from an AWL leaflet distributed at a regional meeting of the National Shop Stewards Network, held in Glasgow on 1 December.


Labour Representation Committee conference: a missed opportunity

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Chris Ford

"The LRC meets at a time when socialists within the Labour Party, trade unions, left groups and many progressive campaigns are being forced to face up to a number of hard truths in reassessing their future", read the National Committee statement to the Labour Representation conference on 17 November.


LRC balks at new start, but debate will go on

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Chris Ford

“The LRC meets at a time when socialists within the Labour Party, trade unions, left groups and many progressive campaigns are being forced to face up to a number of hard truths in reassessing their future”, read the National Committee statement to the Labour Representation conference on 17 November


LRC and the Recomposition of the Left

Labour Representation Committee

Leaflet for Labour Representation Committee conference, 17 November 2007. "The LRC needs to make itself the axis for a recomposition of the left... a new Workers' Representation Committee... an urgent appeal for socialist unity". Read the rest by downloading the attachment, below.


Labour and union left debate after Bournemouth

Unions & politics
Author: 
Rhodri Evans

A "relaunch to achieve workers’ representation” — that is what supporters of Solidarity will be arguing at the conference of the Labour Representation Committee on 17 November.


Motions to LRC conference 17 November 2007

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Martin Thomas

Below are motions drafted by AWL members and supporters of the paper Solidarity for the Labour Representation Committee conference coming up on 17 November. Several of the motions deliberately overlap with each other in content, so that if some fail to get the support of bodies affiliated to the LRC, or fail to get that in good time, then not all the content is lost.


Turn to build Trades Councils

Unions & politics
Author: 
Martin Thomas

In response to Bournemouth, we should initiate a long-term consistent campaign to build or revive Trades Councils as political organs of the labour movement.


LRC Conference: We need a Workers' Representation Committee

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Chris Ford

The national conference of the Labour Representation Committee on 17 November will provide an opportunity for socialist and trade unionists who want turn the tide of retrogression in the labour movement.


Labour left unfocused

Labour Representation Committee
Author: 
Clifford Brown

Party should be “committed to socialist policies” now lacks any means by which it might be carried through. The only practical suggestion was that, given the dramatic loss in Labour Party membership, it was now much easier for the left to take over moribund constituency parties (and presumably the smaller they get, the better, as it then becomes even easier).


Unions vote for political hara-kari: LRC responds

Unions & politics

On 23 September the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth voted to ban unions and local Labour Parties from putting motions on current political issues to any future Labour Party conference.


Labour Representation Committee conference

Labour Representation Committee
17 Nov 2007 - 10:00am
17 Nov 2007 - 4:30pm
Location:
Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London

Socialist Youth Network conference: a start

Youth

By a SYN executive member

At last year's Labour Representation Committee conference, a small group of young people met to discuss setting up an LRC youth organisation. Out of this came the Socialist Youth Network, which, after a number of planning meetings, held its first conference at University of London Union on 13 January.


Labour, Marx and 21st century socialism: an interview with John McDonnell

Labour Representation Committee

David Broder, Chris Ford and Mladen Jakopovich spoke to John McDonnell about his campaign for the Labour leadership as well as what socialism means to him.


John McDonnell: Blair, new Labour's crisis and the fight for working class representation

Labour Representation Committee

At the AWL summer school in July 2006, John McDonnell MP, Maria Exall and Sean Matgamna debated "Blair, new Labour's crisis and the fight for working class representation". Hear John McDonnell's speech by downloading this MP3 file.


McDonnell campaign launch

Labour Representation Committee

Over 100 people attended the rally to launch John McDonnell's leadership campaign in Manchester last Thursday. The platform included Tony Benn, Alice Mahon and Jeremy Dear, General Secretary of the NUJ.


Stop Blair and Brown: An appeal to the unions

Unions & politics

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

There are times when politics is in flux, when resolute action, or, alternatively, gutless inaction, shapes the future. Now is such a time.

Tony Blair’s “retirement agenda”, what he wants to do in his last period as prime minister, is thoroughly reactionary.


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