Finding party is hard Labour - The Stratford Observer

Finding party is hard Labour

Stratford Editorial 23rd Oct, 2016 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

THE STRATFORD Constituency Labour Party seems to have “simply disappeared”.

So say the South Warwickshire branch of Momentum – which seeks to strengthen the Labour Party by increasing participation and engagement at local, regional and national levels’ – which has been searching for the party.

Chris Mackinder, Chair of South Warwickshire Momentum, said: “No one answers emails of the phone, the website has been taken down – the Stratford Labour Party has simply disappeared.

“We are considering sending out search parties or maybe putting pictures on lamp posts or on milk bottles, just to see if we can find out any information about what has happened to the local Labour Party.”




Momentum say there has been a 40 per cent surge in membership of the Stratford Labour since the election of Jeremy Corbyn last year and there are now over 370 members of the CLP, but add there has not been an AGM of the local party for four years.

The group say they have tried to contact the Labour Party West Midlands Regional Office, the NEC (National Executive Committee) and the party chair Iain McNicoll – but without success.


In 2015, Labour gained its first councillor in Stratford for 41 years, Jason Fojtik, who had not responded to an email sent by The Observer before going to press. An email to Jeff Kenner, who stood for Labour at the last election in Stratford, had also gone unanswered.

A West Midlands regional Labour Party spokesperson said: “All Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) were informed at the start of July that Labour Party meetings were suspended until the conclusion of the Leadership contest on September 24 – nine days ago.

“Labour Party members in Stratford-on-Avon are informed about the dates of local party meetings.

“Arrangements for future meetings have already been sent to members.

South Warwickshire Momentum cover the three Constituency Labour Parties of Stratford, Warwick and Leamington and Kenilworth and Southam.

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