ULA Conference Called for February 4th 2012 - Will a Party Be Formed ?

[C. Flower]

The issues are programme and party constitution. Plenty of work there.

[Baron von Biffo]

"A central database of registered activists shall be securely compiled in time for a full delegates conference on the year anniversary of the first conference on 23 June."

"The central party apparatus shall take requests from branch secretaries to disseminate material passed on by activists to their branch across the national database in a regular bulletin."

"Dues shall not be asked of activists until elections are held on every level in the party."

"No activist shall undertake consecutive terms as a delegate or as a member of the steering committee."

"A constituent assembly, involving input from grassroots members of all components, including the nonaligned, shall put forward a party constitution for approval and amendment at the delegates conference on 23 June. It must be ready and circulated by 1 May."

[C. Flower]

They can be the chains that bind in the wrong, as well as the right way.

[Baron von Biffo]

They can be the chains that bind in the wrong, as well as the right way.

It's a pic of a weak link.

[Dermot Lacey]

It would be embarrassing to delay any further.

Also, the campaign against property tax is taking on some momentum. If a party was formed out of it, what kind of party would it be?

A deeply hypocritical one starting as its basic campaign - the only so called Socialist Party in the world that was against a property tax.

[Baron von Biffo]

A deeply hypocritical one starting as its basic campaign - the only so called Socialist Party in the world that was against a property tax.

Nominally Left parties have all sorts of strange positions.

Have you heard that our so-called socialist Welfare minister thinks unemployment is a lifestyle choice?

Did you know that she wanted the single biggest cut in the budget to be applied to disabled kids?

[antiestablishmentarian]

A deeply hypocritical one starting as its basic campaign - the only so called Socialist Party in the world that was against a property tax.

Labour don't do irony, but if they did...

[C. Flower]

It's a pic of a weak link.

I know

[unspecific]

So does anyone have any ideas or criticisms for a proposed motion?

[C. Flower]

So does anyone have any ideas or criticisms for a proposed motion?

I think that the character of the party in organisational terms is one of the most important questions. I'm planning to start a thread on democratic centralism, so that thoughts about this can be debated.

[unspecific]

Great. I'll start one on the North, half-challenged a guy on CedarLounge to come up with the solution. When each thread has their "motion" crafted, maybe we could bring them back here and have a poll as to which one we really push. Or not.

Could you delete the other duplicating/empty conference thread? Try keep the place neat because we might need a lot of threads..!

[antiestablishmentarian]

Perhaps we could do with another ULA subforum to discuss the conference specifically. After all, the conference thread on CLR linked to this site for online discussion of motions. Motions could be put there as stickies, and discussed at length by interested parties, and perhaps people who write on that forum could post as guests instead of having to register? I think that would do alot to put all the material in one place and allow for greater input from people who have opinions but might not want to sign up to the site.

[C. Flower]

Perhaps we could do with another ULA subforum to discuss the conference specifically. After all, the conference thread on CLR linked to this site for online discussion of motions. Motions could be put there as stickies, and discussed at length by interested parties, and perhaps people who write on that forum could post as guests instead of having to register? I think that would do alot to put all the material in one place and allow for greater input from people who have opinions but might not want to sign up to the site.

Edit: I think the best way to approach this is to clearly prefix thread titles with "Draft Motion for Discussion" Tt only takes a minute to register, and allows for better moderation of threads.

The option for a social group is also there, if people want private discussion at any stage.

[C. Flower]

Personally, I feel the main motion for discussion should be a motion to form a party, and that the very broad outlines of the purpose, programme and type of organisation should be agreed at the forthcoming conference.

I would also suggest that a motion be put forward proposing headings for discussion for a [party constitution and for a detailed party programme, along with a proposed time table for discussion of these headings, in the branches, with a further conference before the summer to agree the party constitution and programme.

A motion proposing the form of decision-making for this process (internal democracy) is also needed.

[unspecific]

Discussing the main party structure is vital but different people will have different areas of focus. Some will say there is no point becoming a party unless their leaderships can put together a unifying compromise policy.

Also, some people are more interested in this or that and if we provide them with such an outlet to focus those energies/experties they might also take a peak at the party structure debate and get involved there... and vice versa. For instance, I have no special knowledge of the conditions in Northern Ireland but on the CLR post about the conference one of the commenters randomly brought up his dissatisfaction with the ULA's non-position to the North so a thread was necessary.

A sub-forum might actually be a good idea, especially as a more fleshed out conference in the summer will need months of specialised debate too.