Imogen Tranchell explains the progress so far

The people of this country are suffering a daily diminishing of democracy. A cruel, corrupt government advances the interests of a tiny group of landowners and financiers, inflating inequality, punishing people with poverty and ignoring climate catastrophe.

Meanwhile the opposition, named to represent the interest of working people, has chosen to abuse and undermine their own members and supporters – refusing to implement the Forde Report recommendations, oblivious to the Labour Files documentary and currently running amok stitching up selections for prospective parliamentary candidate selections. In this bleak political climate it is vital that the left are champions of democracy and provide open pathways to participation – to harness & value the activism of our comrades – to build our strength through our solidarity.

Momentum has been the only mass movement organisation within the Labour Party that has gone beyond being a narrow faction.  Its members have pushed and supported policies within Labour, sought to revitalise Labour’s campaigning to be more inclusive and imaginative and had a reach into community and local campaigning which is rare within Party structures.

This is why the internal processes and democracy within Momentum are probably more important than in any faction, grouping or affiliate of the Party.  Basic democracy ensures decisions and priorities are arrived at reasonably fairly.  The Refounding process in Momentum has sought to unleash democracy among participants, members and followers in ways that would fundamentally enable newer, wider and more diverse people and communities to engage with the Labour Party.

When Jeremy Corbyn stepped down as leader of the Labour Party, Momentum needed to redefine its role and enable its thousands of members to have a voice. The National Coordinating Group (NCG) reps, elected in 2020, started a Refounding process to decide the future of Momentum. Over a ten-month period, proposals for changes to Momentum’s structures and constitution were put forward by local groups and were then debated and amended by Assemblies and the NCG, after consultation with affiliates, including trade unions.

In May 2022 these proposals were put to an all-member ballot. This was a painstaking exercise in democracy and provides Momentum with a strong foundation to build on going forward.

The agreed proposals include:

• A biennial all members’ convention
• A quarterly members’ council
• Improved direct democracy using a petition system
• Members to have a decisive say on the leader and deputy leader endorsements
• Regional organising forums
• Rules for establishing and  supporting local groups
• New transparency and accountability measures for the NCG 
• A set of principles to guide Momentum candidate endorsements
• A new purpose, principles, aims and commitments for the constitution
• Twice-yearly liberation forums for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, disabled, LGBTQ+ and women members

Some of the proposals are fairly straightforward to put into action. Others require work and commitment in order to be realised. This is work that, as with the start of the Refounding process, should include as many Momentum members as possible. 

Hope galvanised hundreds of thousands of people into activism under Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party. Those people are trade unionists, housing activists, students, campaigners for climate justice, for racial justice, for economic justice, fighting against imperialism and inequality, struggling for socialism. When the Refounding proposals are fully implemented, Momentum can bring members together, coordinating action across the nations, sharing and supporting with skills and experience, and truly be a people-powered movement in the Labour Party and beyond. 

Imogen Tranchell is a Momentum NCG rep and Co-Chair of Hammersmith Kensington Fulham Chelsea Momentum local group.

Image: https://peoplesmomentum.com/transforming-labour/refounding-momentum/