Local Labour Parties in non-target seats “resented” losing access to online campaigning tools during the general election campaign, a long-standing member of Labour’s national executive committee has warned.
In a report on Tuesday’s NEC meeting, Ann Black also wrote that, though she “supported strongly urging members to campaign in the key seats”, feedback suggests the party “did not acknowledge that some cannot travel long distances because of work or family demands, lack of transport, illness or mobility difficulties”.
Black added: “We are all volunteers, and punishing members will not move them en masse 50 miles down the road. Instead, some did nothing, and will do less when we need them in future.”
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The NEC member claimed that Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) “particularly resented losing access to Contact Creator without warning, even when they were fully meeting their twinning obligations”.
Black said “sanctions” seem to have been applied “inconsistently”, noting also that some people she had received feedback from “were not aware of any CLPs in their region being cut off”.
But she argued that the approach was “constitutionally dubious”, claiming the party rulebook guaranteed CLPs access, though this is disputed and another source suggested use was at party discretion – with the rulebook only guaranteeing any provision is free.
READ MORE: General election result, campaign strategy, conference – Labour NEC report
Black continued: “An unintended consequence is that some CLPs kept local activity below the radar, and even won through their own enterprise without party IT tools.”
“Covert parallel and informal organisation, and setting local parties against regional and national officers, is not good for the party as a whole, and relationships need to be mended,” the NEC member added.
Black did say that she “supported the focus on battleground seats”, writing: “Overall, the judgments, guided by data at every stage, were excellent.” She revealed in her report that Labour had 216 target seats at the general election and won 92% of those seats, including 100% of its targets in Scotland.
But she added: “While the strategy was brilliantly planned and executed, there are lessons to be learned. Without the Operation Toehold initiative, which built up Labour council representation in unpromising areas over decades, Aldershot would not now have a Labour MP. Where will future Aldershots come from?”
READ MORE: Revealed: How many battleground election targets did Labour win and lose?
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Delivering our historic general election win was only possible thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm of party volunteers sharing Labour’s message of change across the country.
“Where we sent volunteers changed over the course of the campaign, and we remained in contact with volunteers throughout to ask them to campaign where they would make the most difference.
“We encourage party members to share their feedback and experiences by taking part in our general election survey so that we can build on our successes and identify ways to improve our campaigning for future elections.”
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