Promoting Co-Operative Fortnight in Eastbourne

#coopdifference

Members of the Branch met with the public in Eastbourne Town Centre today, to promote Co-operatives Fortnight.

Our street stall distributed a range of information about the vital role the co-operative economy has both in the UK and worldwide, and explained more about how co-operatives work, and the work of the Co-operative Party in developing this, and related policies.

A big thank you to Neil, Ros, Jane, Phil and Dave for their hard work.

You can find out more about Co-operatives Fortnight by clicking here.

Good turnout for "Our Girl" Claire!

The East Sussex Branch proudly welcomed General Secretary Claire McCarthy back to her home town at our meeting on 11th February.

Claire spoke to a well-attended meeting about Co-op campaigns, and how we can support these going forward.  There were questions and discussions on a range of issues- including co-operative solutions as part of bringing rail back into public ownership; what the future is for co-operation in schools, and how our relationship should develop with the Co-operative Bank and other mutual businesses.

Claire spoke of the need not just to maintain our strength in Parliament and the devolved governments, but also to build the numbers of Co-operative local councillors in authorities up and down the country.

The Branch is proud to be supporting the prospective candidacies of several co-operators in the forthcoming East Sussex elections.  The branch also endorsed Andrew Pakes for the Co-operative Party NEC and Dave Brinson for the National Disciplinary Committee.

Most members were able to stay for an excellent lunch from Ellie at the RAFA.

Policy 2016- have your say !

Following feedback from Party members and review, the policy sub-committee of the NEC agreed to produce three ‘policy summary’ documents based around the following themes:

Secure and Confident Communities

Building a Shared Economy

Creating a More Equal Society

Click on any of the images to find out more, and how you can have your input !

Towards a Co-operative Economy

In recent weeks voices from across the labour and co-operative movements (and three quarters of the public when polled!) have backed our vision for an economy in which wealth and power are shared. Help us spread the word:

Together, our ideas on employee ownership, profit sharing and greater support for the co-operative sector add up to a radical alternative - one in which everyone has a stake in our economy, and a share of its success.

Since being published in our 2015 'Agenda for Britain', these ideas have received a lot of attention, especially in the past fortnight. Here are some of the highlights:

• Our Chair Gareth Thomas' bill in Parliament, which would require large companies to share some of their profits with staff, and ensure they are represented on company boards Watch clip and read speech
• Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell's speech in Manchester, where he backed our plans for employee ownership when a firm is put up for sale Read his speech
• Last week's Prime Minister's Questions, at which Gareth Thomas asked the PM whether it's time to back profit sharing for firms such as Sports Direct Watch clip
• Coverage in the Daily Mirror and Morning Star of polling commissioned by the Party, which shows that three quarters of of the public support our plans.
• General Secretary Claire McCarthy's letter in the Independent, raising the example of Glas Cymru in Wales as an alternative to rip-off privatised water firms. Read the letter here

It's been a busy few weeks. Bit by bit, our ideas and our co-operative values are showing there's a better way. If you're with us, help spread the word.
 

A Co-operative Manifesto for Labour

Last weekend, the Labour Party's National Policy Forum met, to debate the policy that will form the basis of our manifesto for a Labour victory at the 2015 General Election.

As has been the case for nearly 100 years, Co-operators will be at the heart of that Labour Government, and they were there in force at the Policy Forum, ensuring that co-operative policies are central to Labour's programme.

With wages squeezed, it's crucial that working parents have access to affordable, quality childcare - that's why at last week's Labour NPF, we won support for childcare co-ops as a key part of the solution.

With a commitment to mutual and co-operative forms of rail ownership, the Next Labour Government's plan for the railways will put passengers, staff and communities first ! 

And, building on Ed Miliband's pledge to freeze energy bills, we push for genuine co-operative solutions to take on the "big six" utility providers.