Labour Representation Committee (2004)
The Labour Representation Committee (LRC) is a British socialist pressure group within the Labour Party and wider labour movement. It is often seen as representing the most left-wing members of the Labour Party.
Abbreviation | LRC |
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Formation | 3 July 2004 |
Purpose | Socialist pressure group within the Labour Party and wider labour movement |
Location |
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Region | United Kingdom |
President | John McDonnell |
Chair | Matt Wrack |
Vice-Chair | Claire Wadey |
Treasurer | Alison McGarry |
Key people | Political secretary: Mick Brooks Membership secretaries: Keith Henderson |
Parent organisation | Labour Party |
Affiliations | Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance |
Website | https://labourrep.com |
Overview
The LRC was formed at a founding conference on Saturday 3 July 2004, taking its name from the original Labour Representation Committee, formed in February 1900.
The LRC encourages Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) and Branch Labour Parties (BLPs) to affiliate, along with local, regional and national unions, and individual party members and supporters. It has around 150 affiliates and 1000 individual members. In parliament, the group is represented by the Socialist Campaign Group. The LRC also has a youth group, the Socialist Youth Network.
The Chairman is John McDonnell, who the LRC supported as a candidate for leader of the Labour Party. Its Organiser is Lizzie Woods. Joint-National Secretaries are Andrew Fisher and Peter Firmin. Its Vice-Chairs are Jenny Lennox and Susan Press. The Treasurer is Graham Bash, Editor of Labour Briefing. They are the current officers of the organisation.
According to LRC affiliate Socialist Appeal, in November 2014: "The Labour Representation Committee has lost a third of its members and is now down to 600 – in a party of 190,000. It is teetering on the verge of collapse."[1] Despite this claim, LRC members were involved in launching the activist Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory in early 2015.
LRC Youth
LRC Youth is a section of the LRC for those aged 27 and under. It was founded as the Socialist Youth Network in March 2007 and relaunched in 2012 under its current name.
National Committee
The National Committee is elected annually by delegates to the LRC's annual general meeting. Its members are elected for 12 months to conduct general business between annual general meetings. It is responsible for electing, and holding to account, an Executive Committee, which is responsible for any general business between meetings of the National Committee. The National Committee is also responsible for the preparation of publications, and for appointing delegates to represent the LRC.
The current National Committee is elected at the LRC's annual general meeting in November, and its membership is as follows:[2]
2009 | 2012 | |
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Section A: Officers |
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Section B: Individual members |
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Section C: General Affiliates |
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Section D: Equality seats |
n/a |
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Section E: Affiliated National Trade Unions |
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Section E: LRC Sister Organisations |
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Section F: Local LRCs |
n/a |
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Affiliated MPs
The Representation Committee has a number of officially affiliated MPs, those being:
- Jeremy Corbyn MP
- John McDonnell MP
Affiliated unions
The LRC maintains support from a number of trade unions, the most prominent of these being:
- ASLEF
- BFAWU
- Communication Workers Union
- Fire Brigades Union
- NUM
- RMT
Affiliated Constituency Labour Parties
- Ashton-under-Lyne CLP
- Brentford and Isleworth CLP
- Chingford and Woodford Green CLP
- Delyn CLP
- Ilford South CLP
- Isle of Wight CLP
- Islington North CLP
- Leeds Central CLP
- Leyton and Wanstead CLP
- St Helens South CLP
Affiliated Branch Labour Parties
- Bloomsbury and Kings Cross BLP
- Brislington East BLP
- Henleaze BLP
- Hastings and Rye East BLP
- Kensal Green BLP
- Newport and West Wight BLP
- Sutton BLP
Other affiliated organisations[3]
- Campaign for Socialism (Scotland)
- Momentum (organisation)
- Keep Our NHS Public
- Reclaiming Education
- People's Assembly Against Austerity
- Free Speech on Israel
- Jewish Voice for Labour
- Labour Against the Witchhunt
- Jewish Socialist Group
- Hands off the People of Iran
References
- "Scottish Labour in crisis as leadership election begins". Socialist Appeal (UK, 1992). 17 November 2014.
- "LRC National Committee".
- "Friends & Affiliates". Labour Representation Committee. Retrieved 16 December 2019.