NEC
From The Map of Labour
(this information, when first posted, has been cut and pasted from www.labour.org.uk)
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[edit] The work of the NEC
The National Executive Committee is the governing body of the Labour Party that oversees the overall direction of the party and the policy-making process. It carries out this role by setting strategic objectives on an annual basis and meeting regularly to review the work of the party in these areas.
All members of the NEC are members of the National Policy Forum. This body oversees the development of party policy through a rolling programme of policy development. Throughout the year, NEC members participate with government ministers in Labour Party policy commissions that prepare reports on different areas of policy which are then presented to and consulted on with the party membership before going to annual conference.
This forms the basis of Labour’s general election manifesto. The NEC is also responsible for upholding the rules of the party and propriety of Labour selection processes.
[edit] Members of the NEC
The NEC has 33 members and is structured so as to represent all key stakeholders in the party. Information is also available on Getting elected to the NEC.
The Labour Party Leader, Labour Party Deputy Leader and Leader of the European Labour Party are ex-officio members of the NEC.
The Government appoints three members of the NEC. elected by the NEC from amon elected by the NEC from among iYoung Labour elects one member.
12 members are appointed by affiliated Trade Unions.
The affiliated Socialist Societies elect two members.
CLPs elect six members of the NEC
Two members of the NEC are elected by Labour Party Members to represent Labour Councillors.
The Parliamentary Labour Party, or PLP elects two members.
Labour MEPs, known as the EPLP elect one member
As at June 2007 its membership is:
Leader: Gordon Brown
Deputy Leader: Harriet Harman
Treasurer: Jack Dromey
Government: Pat McFadden
Government: Angela Eagle
Government: Dawn Primarolo
EPLP Leader: Gary Titley MEP
Young Labour: Stephanie Peacock
Div. I - Trade Unions: Keith Birch
Div. I - Trade Unions: Michael Griffiths
Div. I - Trade Unions: Jim Kennedy
Div. I - Trade Unions: Diana Holland
Div. I - Trade Unions: Harriet Yeo
Div. I - Trade Unions: Paddy Lillis
Div. I - Trade Unions: Andy Kerr
Div. I - Trade Unions: Norma Stephenson
Div. I - Trade Unions: Debbie Coulter
Div. I - Trade Unions: Cath Speight
Div. I - Trade Unions: Mary Turner
Div. I - Trade Unions: Joe Mann
Div. II - Socialist Societies: Dianne Hayter (Chair)
Div. II - Socialist Societies: Keith Vaz MP
Div. III - CLPs: Ann Black
Div. III - CLPs: Ellie Reeves
Div. III - CLPs: Peter Wheeler
Div. III - CLPs: Walter Wolfgang
Div. III - CLPs: Pete Willsman
Div. III - CLPs: Christine Shawcroft
Div. IV - Labour Councillors: Jeremy Beecham
Div. IV - Labour Councillors: Sally Powell (Vice Chair)
Div. V - PLP/EPLP: Janet Anderson
Div. V - PLP/EPLP: Dennis Skinner
Div. V - PLP/EPLP: Michael Cashman MEP
[edit] Party officers
All party officers are members of the NEC, with the exception of the auditors. Clause VII.1 of the Constitutional rules defines these roles, and rules 4A-4C the electoral method. The officers are:
- Leader of The Labour Party, elected from the Commons members of the PLP
- Deputy Leader of The Labour Party, elected from the Commons members of the PLP
- Chair of The Labour Party, elected by the NEC from among its own members
- Vice-chair of The Labour Party, elected by the NEC from among its own members
- General Secretary of The Labour Party, elected by party conference on the recommendation of the NEC, cannot be a MP/candidate
- Treasurer of The Labour Party, nominated by affiliated organisation or CLP, elected by card vote at conference (CLP portion by one-member-one-vote postal ballot) for two year term
- Two Auditors of The Labour Party, not on NEC, elected on same basis as Treasurer
The General Secretary must be a full-time employee of the party, and the Leader and Deputy Leader will be paid MPs. It has been recent practice that other officers are unpaid volunteers.
[edit] Party Chair and Party Vice-chairs
The name of the Chair of The Labour Party office has become confused since 2001 when party leader Tony Blair appointed Charles Clarke to the courtesy position of "Party Chair" without the NEC or the national conference authorising such a position. ("Blair mistook his Clarke for a chair", Roy Hattersley, July 26, 2001) As of 2007, the office is called "Chair of the NEC" on the Labour Party website.[1] Prior to 2001 the office was generally called "Chair of the Labour Party".
When Gordon Brown became Prime Minister he appointed six courtesy "Vice Chairs of the Labour Party" [2], again without the NEC or the national conference authorising such positions. As of 2007, the office of Vice-chair of The Labour Party under the Constitutional rules is called "Vice-Chair of the NEC" on the Labour Party website.[3]
Gordon Brown appointed Harriet Harman to the courtesy position "Labour Party Chair" in 2007,[4] in addition to her office as Deputy Leader of The Labour Party under the Constitutional rules.
[edit] Party Treasurer and Registered Treasurer
Since the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) came into force, the party has had to register a Treasurer to the Electoral Commission, who becomes legally responsible for various returns to the Electoral Commission. Clause VII.2 of the Constitutional rules permits the NEC to register any person as the Statutory Officers under PPERA.
It has been the practice of the NEC to register the full-time General Secretary as Treasurer under PPERA, rather than the elected volunteer Treasurer. This has created two Treasurer roles within the party, so to disambiguate these roles the elected Treasurer is often called "Party Treasurer", and the PPERA Treasurer is often called "Registered Treasurer". The party accounts are signed by both treasurers using these titles,[5] though under PPERA only the General Secretary need sign them.
After Peter Watt resigned as General Secretary on 26 November 2007, employee Christopher Lennie has been appointed PPERA Treasurer.[6] During the interval, Gordon Brown as party leader was temporarily acting PPERA Treasurer under PPERA section 24(6), so legally responsible for the PPERA returns.
