Sweeping changes to Labour rulebook branded 'unworkable' by senior council leader
2 min read
Plans to let Labour members elect the party's council leaders have been branded "unworkable" by a senior local government figure.
Nick Forbes, leader of the Local Government Association's Labour group, said the idea was potentially illegal and would end up costing the party millions of pounds.
The controversial proposal is one of a raft of proposed changes being drawn up by a review of the Labour rulebook.
Other changes would see the number of MPs needed to nominate a leadership contender slashed and increase the influence of trade unions and Labour members.
But it's the suggestion that the Labour membership, not elected councillors, who should decide the party's town hall leaders which has caused the most controversy.
Writing for The Guardian, Mr Forbes - the Labour leader of Newcastle City Council - said: "This is the reality for local government in the Labour party. Ordinary councillors working tirelessly, often late into the evening, doing their best to make lives better for the people they represent, yet sometimes vilified from our own side for cuts imposed by a Tory Government.
"Now the party’s democracy review is reported to be considering removing the rights of democratically-elected Labour councillors to elect and hold a leader to account. While we need a debate about how to improve local accountability, this idea is unworkable.
"It risks legal challenges to local authority constitutions, which state that councillors should choose the council leader. It risks endless infighting as Labour groups are pitted against each other. It risks turning every council decision into a local membership referendum.
"And it could end up costing the party millions organising ballots of members every year, which could be better spent competing with the Tories’ election warchest."
A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn said the review, which is being carried out by former MP Katy Clark, was still underway - but appeared to give the proposal his support.
He said: "There are no concrete proposals yet. There are many proposals from within the party but whatever would be agreed about any change would be agreed by the NEC and then put to conference and none of that has happened."
The spokesman added: "Jeremy’s made clear and stood on a platform that he wanted to open up party democracy and democracy more widely in society.
"The party and Jeremy have not endorsed any particular proposal."
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