To the National Executive Committee

Andy Kerr (Chair), Wendy Nichols (Vice Chair), Jeremy Corbyn MP, Tom Watson MP, Diana Holland, Jon Trickett MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Kate Osamor MP, Richard Leonard MSP, Alun Davies AM, Richard Corbett MEP, Lara McNeill, Keith Vaz MP, Keith Birch (Unison), Jim Kennedy (Unite), Andi Fox (TSSA), Pauline McCarthy (Bakers), Paddy Lillis (Usdaw), Wendy Nichols (Unison), Andy Kerr (CWU), Sarah Owen (GMB), Cath Speight (GMB), Ian Murray (FBU), Mick Whelan (ASLEF), Joanne Cairns (USDAW), James Asser, Ann Black, Yasmin Dar, Rachel Garnham, Jon Lansman, Eddie Izzard, Claudia Webbe, Darren Williams, Pete Willsman, Rhea Wolfson, Nick Forbes, Alice Perry, George Howarth MP, Margaret Beckett MP, Shabana Mahmood MP

Open Letter: Open Selection

Dear NEC members,

Democracy and accountability are core principles of Labour’s manifesto For The Many, Not The Few. They are central to our proposals for taking back control of our major utilities. They are the principal concerns of our Democracy Review. But as a party, we lack  democracy and accountability when it comes to the selection and reselection of our parliamentary candidates.

Labour International CLP has proposed an Open Selection constitutional amendment for this year’s Conference which would remedy this situation by automatically giving all Labour members a democratic vote to chose the best Labour candidate for their seat, every election.

This Open Selection proposal would abolish the trigger ballot, which forces local members to campaign actively to ‘deselect’ their sitting MP: an antagonistic process which is currently fomenting division in the party at a time when we urgently need more unity.

In its place, Open Selection would extend the principle of one member one vote throughout the party. OMOV has brought huge positive changes to Labour. It commands overwhelming support amongst members and has been responsible for an astronomic rise in party membership. Extending OMOV to the selection of parliamentary candidates will make Labour membership even more meaningful and attractive.

Open Selection would open up opportunities for the hugely expanded pool of talent within our party to stand as MPs - bringing us into line with parties around the world for whom primaries are a welcome democratic fact of life. Importantly, Open Selection would NOT limit the use of All-Women or All-BAME shortlists.

Lastly, Open Selection will bring Labour MPs closer and more accountable to their CLPs, and help them stay in tune with their local members whose campaigning, canvassing and membership dues are so vital in getting them elected.

We understand that the NEC will be making a raft of recommendations to Conference. Given the huge support for Open Selection throughout the membership, we urge the NEC to include Labour International’s Open Selection motion within these proposals.

We all want a society that is fairer and more democratic - one where everyone has a say. It’s vital that Labour set the example here in its own internal processes. Please include Open Selection in your recommendations to Labour Conference - as the next step in developing a democratic party that is genuinely for the many, not the few.

In solidarity,