From:
John McNeill
Date:
Nov 28 16:35 UTC
Short link
Dear All
Here is the cheeky message I sent to John Cullen and forgot to send to all.
Thanks for your level headed reply John.
My real problem is that I have a few burning issues that I would like to
discuss with the ruling party but appear to be barred from any such
discourse. Should I join the Labour Party to facilitate a discussion?
John McNeill
Dear John Cullen,
It is refreshing that a Labour Party member has entered the forum so to
speak. You raise an interesting question when you say "... the details of
local politics are not necessarily of interest to everyone..."
Are you saying that local politics is discussed by a group that is even
smaller than the number of party members or not at all? What sort of a
member is not interested in local politics? Do Newham's local Labour
Parties (outside the administrative framework of local government) talk to
local people about local politics?
Yours sincerely
John McNeill
General Manager
-----Original Message-----
From: john cullen [mailto:john@eventful-management.com]
Sent: 27 November 2008 18:00
To: Newham Issues Forum
Subject: Re: [Newham] The Newham Labour Party
Not quite sure what happens in East Ham but in over 20 years of being
involved in the Labour Party I am not aware that any new members have to be
"checked out". The party is open to all who wish to join (there are a few
exceptions if for instance you are a member of another party or have been
chucked out in the past but this will only affect a tiny number of
individuals).
What happens then is largely up to you. Some of the local branches are more
active than others, but most meet regularily though the details of local
politics are not necessarily of interest to everyone. Members do select the
candidates that are put foward for various elections ie councillors, MLA,
MPs, the Mayor (yes he was selected by members in the first place and
subsequently reselected) & Euro MPs.
Whether an individual member will have an influence on the policies of
Newham council or the Government is not an easy question to answer. Some
members do ensure their voice is heard by organising campaigns etc and maybe
by getting themselves selected as a council candidate etc. Debates do take
place within the party and other associated groups like the Fabians & the
Coop party about various issues and this does get fed back into the general
policy mix. How much difference one individual can make is really down to
that individual.
john cullen