1. Motion: In Defence of the NEC Anti-Semitism Code of Conduct

Following a lively and lengthy debate, by 11:4, North Cornwall CLP passed the following motion provided by the Jewish Voice for Labour:

JVL – Model motion

This CLP welcomes the NEC Code of Conduct on Antisemitism as giving clearer and stronger guidance than previous codes and definitions on what antisemitism is and what it is not.

We note that the NEC code

1. states emphatically: “Labour is an anti-racist party. Antisemitism is racism. It is unacceptable in our Party and in wider society. “
2. fully incorporates the 38-word International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism and clarifies the controversial aspects of guidance notes attached to it
3. emphasises the vital distinction between
   i) antisemitism, properly understood as hostility or hatred directed at Jews; and
   ii) legitimate criticism of the state of Israel or the ideology of Zionism
4. confirms that opinion about Israel, Palestine and Zionism may be judged to be racist where there is evidence of antisemitic intent. This is consistent with the MacPherson recommendations in the Stephen Lawrence inquiry.
5. commits to protecting freedom of expression, including contentious opinions, as guaranteed by Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998. This includes opinions about Israel and its policies, and about political strategies seeking to influence them.

This CLP therefore calls on the NEC to:

• resist pressure to replace the Code of Conduct with the whole of the original IHRA document;
• include a broader range of Jewish opinion in any further consultations; and
• mobilise to fight the alarming rise of racism of all kinds in the UK and abroad.

 

 

2.  Proposal “Disability Labour and the Representation of Disabled People”

The meeting unanimously approved:

Proposal for Disability Labour and the Representation of Disabled People:

Objectives of Disability Labour

● To remove all obstacles preventing disabled party members from fully participating in the

political life of the party.

● To develop policy proposals that empower disabled people throughout society.

● To challenge prejudice, lack of understanding, and negligence shown towards disabled

members in the party.

Membership Structure

● Membership of Disability Labour should be automatic for all party members who are

disabled.

● Existing registration fees for Disability Labour should be scrapped, and replaced by

funding financed out of the membership fees of all party members.

● The Labour Party staff should provide the Disability Labour Executive with regular

updated information about its membership, so that the Executive can contact new

members.

Political Structure

● The Executive of Disability Labour should be elected by a One Member One Vote ballot

of disabled party members.

● Disability Labour shall explore the formation of additional subgroups and networks of

mutual support and solidarity between people with particular impairments, including

autism spectrum disorder, mental health conditions, deafness, visual impairments,

physical disabilities, and acquired brain injury.

CLP Access and Representation

● Guidance notes for CLPs produced by Disability Equalities Act Labour should be

required reading for all party officers.

● All CLP and Branch meetings, social events, and fundraisers must be held in fully

accessible venues with accessible toilets.

● Arrangements must be made for members with disabilities to take part in all CLP

meetings, including Executive and branch meetings, remotely.

● Microphones & amplifiers must be used at all meetings to ensure audibility, and regional

officers must make efforts to ensure CLPs are supported to provide these.

● Regional parties should make arrangements to ensure that CLPs can hire T loops for

disabled members if requested.

CLP Executive and Disability Officers

● CLPs should be required to establish Disability Forums when there is demand from

disabled members.

● Disability Officers must be Executive positions with full voting rights, and they be

consulted on all venues for CLP activities. If there are no disabled members willing to

run for the position, disabled members should be represented by an Officer representing

one of the other liberation groups (LGBT, women, BAME, etc.), or if that is not possible

then an Equalities Officer representing all of them.

● Disability Officers should have a physical disability (including hidden disabilities) in order

to be eligible to stand.

● Disability Officers may appoint an assistant, in consultation with disabled members, to

support LP members who have mental health conditions.

● All Disability Officers must have direct access to the membership data of disabled party

members in their CLP.

● All Disability Officers must be contactable by phone, email, text and any other accessible

means needed.

● Disability Officers shall be trained and supported by party staff to provide Equalities Act

and inclusivity training to other CLP officers. Such training will contain practical advice

on including disabled members in face to face campaigning.

● Disability Officers shall organise regular CLP Disability Caucus meetings.

● The cost of the venue for Disability Caucus meetings shall be covered by the CLP, not

disabled members themselves.

● Branches should be encouraged to have Disability Officers where there is demand from

disabled members.

● Signers, Personal Assistants, etc who are not LP members can attend CLP and Branch

meetings, if they sign a non-disclosure document. All assistance dogs should be

permitted.

● Local Campaign Forums must not exclude any candidate from selection, solely on the

grounds of being unable to undertake door-knocking in the same way as non-disabled

candidates. The same should apply to parliamentary selections.

Regional Level

● Each Region shall have a Disability Officer (this can be a job share between 2 people) to

support CLP Disability Officers, who should be elected by CLP Disability Officers.