The Co-operative Party Annual Conference
September 2010 - Cardiff
Friday 10 Sep 2010
The day started in the most convivial manner meeting Richard Tomlinson and Chris Herries and a few of Plymouth and South West delegates on Train Journey to Conference.
After booking into my more than adequate accommodation booked by Saxon, and getting some lunch, I got to the Hilton Hotel with enough time to look round the marketplace in foyer, picked up a few pens (as usual!) and some leaflets.
2 to 5pm:
Usual reports from Conference Arrangements Committee with some disquiet from delegates about motions dropped etc, appointment of tellers; Chair Gareth Thomas address to conference, Michael Stephenson introduced Party Annual Report mentioning excellent local election results in both Norwich and Exeter, debate on rules changes, 4 proposed rule changes were lost, the other 15 were carried. This was followed by keynote speech by Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM, Welsh First Minister, and then by the other keynote speech by the Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, in which she championed our co-op agenda, a larger mutual sector, a mutual solution for Northern Rock and agenda for Co-op Councils. The afternoon session came to a close with introduction of candidates for conference arrangements committee including our own unfortunately unsuccessful candidate Roger Spackman.
5 to 7pm: We then boarded coaches to the Annual Conference Reception (sponsored by Cooperative Press) held at The Senedd National Assembly for Wales where we had a few glasses of wine and were addressed both by present leader of Co-op Group of AM’s Lorraine Barrett and Labour/Co-op MP Chris Evans, also Alan Michael MP helped in launching Co-op Party’s Agenda for Wales in preparation for 2011 elections. The Senedd is a very exciting modern building where in the chamber AM’s communicate all questions through computers at their desks.
At the end of this busy afternoon/evening on our return to city centre Saxon and I went in search of some food in local hostelry.
Saturday 11 Sep 2010
8 to 9.30 am:
Saxon Spence and myself attended Surgery on Party Councils. The briefing was given by Gerard Hill on new grants and reporting system. Concern about the size of reserves of some Councils; other concerns raised by delegates were timetable and operation of grants and how this affects the running, planning and budgeting within Party Councils. Saxon and Richard both spoke on effects and problems we face eg: labour party CLPs secretaries, union contacts and lack of information from co-operative group on activities etc.
9.30 to 12.30pm:
The morning conference session started with an uplifting and encouraging keynote speech by Acting Labour Leader Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP in which she outlined we are already fighting back and winning local elections nationally, reminding conference when we won in 1997 we continued the job and won more local elections, this is not happening for this Con/Dem government. She praised recent local results in Norwich and Exeter and also Co-op Party for success in getting 28 MP’s elected, and the unprecedented rise in Membership nationally since General Election.
The session then moved on to Debate 2 International and Environmental Issues in which we had motion 12, moved by Chris Herries and carried at vote. Among other motions was one from Plymouth and South West on encouraging Whitehall to buy more British produce. This session produced the most heated debate of conference, motion 15 proposed by Chelmsford Star on over-population and causes of poverty. This was followed by Debate 3. Economic, Financial and Employment Motions 28 to 33 plus emergency motion, among them our motion 29 in which Saxon spoke well and moved; all were carried.
12.30 to 2pm:
After a quick bite to eat, Saxon and I attended a most interesting fringe meeting on land reform hosted by former Labour/Co-op MP Dave Drew and Cllr Rob Evans.
2 to 5pm:
The afternoon started with an unusually excellent keynote speech by Rt Hon Ed Balls MP followed by another excellent report from Holyrood by Johann Lamont MSP. There then followed a lively and interesting Q&A session with MP’s, AM’s, and MSP’s. Conference then went to debate motions 19 to 24 of Public Services Debate, which dropped off the agenda on Friday, all of which were carried.
5.30 to 8pm:
I then went along with Saxon to another fringe meeting, which was most interesting, and an informative discussion on Co-op Futures for Healthcare. Speakers included Geraint Day and Mo Girach. Then I attended, and had a few drinks, the Co-operative Woman’s Reception and re-launch of Woman’s Network. As I had not booked a place on Annual Conference Dinner I met up with a few other delegates from Sussex and Mid-counties for drinks and something to eat to round off a busy day.
Sunday 12th Sep 2010
8 to 9.30am:
After a quick breakfast I made it a little late to Elections and Campaigns Workshop hosted by Joe Fortune and Martin Tiedemann. They reminded how far we have come in the change in our relationship and greater influence with Labour Party since 1997, how post-banking crises, mutualism and co-ops are in the news and future campaigns, use of internet, web etc.
9.30 to 12.30:
The final session of conference started with returning to Debate 1 on Public Services covering motions 25 to 27 including one on Housing Co-operatives; all were carried. This was followed by an amusing and informative report on Welsh Assembly by Lorraine Barrett AM. Conference then moved on to final Debate 4: Party Organisation, Constitutional and Electoral Issues motions 1 to 11 including rejecting motion on change to STV, and motion for an elected second chamber (House of Lords) which was carried.
This was followed by Discussion on Co-operative Councils led by Cllr Paul Brant, Liverpool City Council in which Saxon Spence spoke on need for mentoring and advice to help any fledgling deal with cuts etc and becoming a Co-op Council. Later we had further report from Lambeth council leader Cllr Steve Reed and much useful information and debate followed. We were then given results of Conference Arrangements Committee election: Eileen Driver and Russell Porteous were elected. There then followed a Vote of Thanks given by Jamie McMahon during which he stated it had been a well run and fantastic conference and thanked all the Co-op party Staff, Speakers, Chair and Delegates. There is a lot of energy in movement despite these difficult times and it was new era with exciting opportunities for mutual and co-operative solutions.
We all joined in singing Auld Lang Syne and so ended this year’s conference. Thank you again for allowing me the honour to be one of your delegates.
Ian Grady
Somerset Branch