Motion to Women’s Conference Old Bexley & Sidcup CLP (Women’s Section)

‘Women’s conference to revert back to pre- Main Conference’

This CLP (Women’s section) notes:

• Women’s Conference is now a stand-alone Conference.
• We note the timing is in the winter month of February.

This CLP believes:

• Women should be at the forefront of policy making and encouraged to participate at all party levels.
• Separating women from Main Conference cuts access off to Labour’s showcase event.
• Poorer CLPS will struggle to send women to both conferences with two sets of travel and extra hotel fees.
• Women wishing to attend both will be excluded from being selected to Main Conference on the basis that they have attended an earlier one in the year, in favour of others.  
• Women may hold out for Main Conference and not attend Women’s Conference.
• Selection meetings will be hard to plan with many CLPs not meeting in December.
• Women’s Conference can benefit from press coverage as during Conference season and as a stand-alone event it is less likely to be featured by the media, effectively cutting women off from mainstream politics.
• The winter month event might discourage less able or older women to attend from across the country.

This CLP resolves:

• The Women’s Conference returns to pre-Conference timetabling.

• That this motion is circulated to Jenny Formby the General Secretary of the Labour Party.
• That this motion is circulated to the Women’s Conference.