Would electing one NEC rep per region end the tendency to vote for slates? Around 25% of members participated in the election this year.

I did all I could as constituency secretary to promote discussion and encourage participation in the recent NEC and NPF elections. The options I had included promoting one candidate, promoting those candidates I thought kept us informed (inevitably encouraging incumbency), promoting some principles (like encouraging candidates from outside London), or promoting all candidates. The latter included 22 (post nomination) email requests from candidates to share information with my members. If I had done so they would have backed off the mailing list in droves.

We considered nominations as a constituency and they were discussed at three branches first. My hope was this would encourage some greater sharing of information and knowledge about the ballot. But when discussions start with one (usually well informed) member asking ‘what is the NEC’? You realise there is a bit of a mountain to climb.

For all the talk of how we need to welcome new members and welcome back those who deserted us during the difficult years, I have seen little evidence of a concerted head-office campaign to inform them of how they can participate in the party structures or introduce them to how the NEC works. Retaining and welcoming membership isn’t just about what we do locally.

Do we really need to leave it to the NEC reps themselves to tell us which committees they are on and what they are doing on them? There was more evidence of that inability to understand how the party works this weekend when one well informed tweeter asked if her constituency should have sent reps to the NPF.

The tendency is for those in the know to look out for one person they have heard of and then vote for those that candidate is supporting. I don’t think this is quite the right left split others have made it out to be, but it does mean success goes with the slates. So congratulations to Johanna Baxter for breaking through that and commiserations to Luke Akehurst. You did not deserve the mud slinging and I value your hard work despite your avowed views.

 Can we now find a way of bringing the NEC closer to voters. Perhaps a regional approach would help? Yes I know that would increase the number of constituency reps on the NEC, but what is wrong with that? We are the heart of the party after all.