Today, a new initiative has been launched called Reset the Labour Party. Its statement has been published here. The Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD), Momentum and Mainstream all support the statement’s call for this reset.
The Reset the Labour Party statement has been endorsed by candidates standing for election to the CLP Section of our Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), MPs, Councillors and others.
CLPD said: “To succeed in government there needs to be a significant change in direction. To help achieve that our Party needs to: rebuild democracy, restore genuinely democratic selections, end the suspension of MPs for legitimate scrutiny of the Government, and move away from the kind of top-down control that prevents local members from choosing their own council representatives.”
Alex Charilaou, Co-Chair of Momentum, said: “It’s clear our Party is at a crossroads. The Gorton and Denton by-election showed us that if we don’t change direction, we face defeat.
Narrow, top-down politics has damaged us – only a pluralistic, democratic Labour Party can restore trust with voters and deliver the transformative change our country is crying out for. We’re proud to join other progressives in Labour to call for a complete change in approach.
It’s absolutely vital that Labour members vote for NEC candidates who recognise the challenge ahead of us and agree that we must reset the Labour Party.”
Kerry Postlewhite, Chair of Mainstream, said: “I’m supporting a reset because I care deeply about the success of our Party and our government. At its best, Labour brings together a wide range of voices and ideas in a spirit of common endeavour, and ensures that all members feel respected, listened to and valued.
“Sometimes that means people who may not always see everything the same way recognising the importance of coming together when the moment demands it. The Gorton and Denton by-election, and by-elections in Runcorn and Helsby and Caerphilly before it, show that Labour needs a major reset.”
The statement is signed by three NEC candidates supported by Mainstream, three NEC candidates supported by Momentum, and one independent candidate for the NEC.
Mainstream, Momentum and the independent candidate will continue to run separate campaigns for this year’s internal elections. However, in signing the statement, the candidates involved signal a shared concern for “a progressive, democratic and pluralist Labour Party.”
NEC elections 2026
There are nine CLP Section seats on our Party’s NEC, all up for election this year. There are two stages to these elections: 1st stage – Nominations from CLPs; and 2nd stage – Party Members’ vote, this summer. The vote this summer is an OMOV (One Member One Vote) ballot, counted using an STV (Single Transferable Vote) method.
1st stage: Nominate candidates for the CLP Section of the NEC who support this reset
Candidates require nominations from CLPs. CLPs have to submit their nominations to the Party by 12 noon, Friday 26th June. Please find out when your CLP will be meeting to make the decision on who it will nominate. Plus, spread the word about who are the best candidates to nominate.
Candidates to nominate – CLGA
For this year’s election, CLPD and Momentum are supporting the three Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance (CLGA) backed candidates:
Gemma Bolton
Yasmine Dar
Minesh Parekh
Details are here: MS Word file here PDF file here.
Candidates to nominate – Mainstream
To maximise the number of NEC seats secured by candidates who support a reset in the Party, it is also recommended that these three Mainstream candidates are nominated:
Cat Arnold
Jovan Owusu-Nepaul
Kerry Postlewhite
Details are here: MS Word file here PDF file here.
CLPs are encouraged to nominate all six of the above candidates.
The Reset the Labour Party statement
In the face of the growing electoral threat to the Labour Party exposed by the Gorton and Denton by-election – and ahead of difficult elections across Wales, Scotland and England in May – members from across our Party’s progressive majority are uniting behind a call to urgently reset the Labour Party. The upcoming National Executive Committee elections are an opportunity to do just that.
We stand against the insular, centralising approach of the current leadership that refuses to draw on the energy, talent and ideas of our whole movement, the continued underfunding of public services and local government, and the pandering to the talking points of the far right. Labour can only survive – and actually deliver for people and communities – if we choose a different path: fair taxation of the wealthiest, real investment in public services, taking essential services like energy and water into democratic ownership, and promoting peace and internationalism abroad. We welcome advances made by this Government, such as the ending of the two-child benefit limit, but we know that Labour must be bolder, braver and broader than ever before to rise to the immense challenges of the current moment.
We stand for rebuilding basic democracy, pluralism and fair process within our party. That means restoring genuinely open parliamentary and other selections, ending the suspension of MPs for legitimate scrutiny of the Government, and moving away from the kind of top-down control that prevents local members from choosing their own representatives and engaging in meaningful debate and participation. We support democratic policy-making and strong equalities structures. The Labour leadership must listen to the views of Labour members and affiliates.
Members are at the heart of any successful democratic party. When people feel genuine ownership, motivation and pride in the movement they belong to, the whole Party is stronger. Yet we are seeing too many members giving up on Labour in anger, or drifting away in disappointment. Rebuilding our membership – by valuing their voice and making space for real participation and engagement – must be a priority for Labour’s success.
We, the undersigned members from every section of the Labour Party – parliamentarians, councillors, internal election candidates, members and trade unionists, pledge to reset the Labour Party.
The statement is backed by a broad-based group of parliamentarians, including individuals associated with Mainstream, the Socialist Campaign Group and the Tribune Group of MPs. It is also supported by councillors from across the UK and a member of the Welsh Senedd. For all signatories, see here.
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