The CLP

Every year the local constituency Labour Party elects ‘officers’ to carry out the organisational and campaigning priorities of the party. The Executive Committee makes all day-to-day operational and administrative decisions, and is the primary decision-making body of the CLP.

The structure of the CLP is in many ways like that of the branch, but covers a wider area and has more members. The Executive Committee  of the CLP will have a chair, vice-chair, secretary and treasurer – According to the rule book, at least half of the voting officers of the EC must be women.

These officers should work together to create an annual development plan for the constituency which encourages recruitment, campaigning, fund-raising, policy development and election work and that ensures the party is a dynamic and campaigning force in the community. The exec is jointly responsible for encouraging central constituency activity such as the production of newsletters, new members’ meetings, local policy forums, fund-raising events, education training events, doorstep voter ID, street stalls, school gates campaigning and working with supporters and community groups The officers also play a key role in liaising with the party branches and their officers.

These positions are elected at the Annual General Meeting, by a vote of all attending CLP members.

In Stevenage, all members can attend periodic All Member Meetings (AMMs), where they can participate in discussions and take part in votes on policy motions.

Members can find officer role descriptions at this link

Stevenage CLP Officers (June 2023-2024 )

Branch Labour Parties

The Labour Party is divided into branches, usually based on the ward boundaries for councillors. Branch members are also members of the constituency party.  Branches discuss political issues; plan local campaigning activities; send motions to the CLP meetings; nominate officers for the CLP; select local council candidates and participate in the nomination and reselection of labour MP’s.

Local branches bring the Labour Party to your community in Stevenage. Branch members are involved in residents’ associations, youth clubs, sports clubs, trade unions and other bodies. Much of the time at branch meetings is taken up with discussing local problems and national politics. The branch keeps the CLP representatives informed about local issues and the views of the members about national issues.

Each branch:-

• is involved in distributing literature on behalf of the Party and sometimes publishes its own newsletter
• can collect donations to  the Party
• invites Labour Councillors, trade unionists and other public representatives to their meetings to keep in touch with their work. Branches usually meet once a month.

At election times, the branch plays a vital role. It uses all its resources to work for the election of Labour Representatives. During campaigns, and sometimes between them, members contribute by e.g. canvassing, leafleting, maintaining canvassing and other records and issuing statements and leaflets in support of the Party and its candidates.

The CLP currently consists of 6 branches each of which has a chairperson, secretary, vice chair, treasurer and each branch nominates 2 delegates to the CLP.

The area covered by the regional office coincides with the Government’s eastern planning and development region . The Eastern Region website is at https://www.laboureast.org.uk/

Your Labour Team – Labour East