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To promote the aims, values and objectives of the Party
as set out in Clause IV of the Party Rule book outside of the
United Kingdom;
- To provide a focal point for the social and political needs
of Labour Party members and supporters living or working abroad either permanently or temporarily;
- To develop electoral support for the Party among British
subjects abroad;
- To support and liase with sister parties as appropriate;
- To provide the Labour Party with feedback from its overseas
members and act as a source of information and advice based on the international experience of those members.
w o r l d w i d e
With members in over 40 countries LI can truly claim to be international in scope with a wide diversity of membership
and interests represented.
It is a relatively young organisation established by the British Labour Party in 1995 with its first meeting held
in 1998.Party members internationally struggled over a number of years to achieve recognition for the Party's membership
abroad and for their right to be involved in the democratic processes of the Party. Never purely a fund raising
organisation it has developed and has now been given the right to control itself within the scope of the Labour
Party family.
It is structured into branches, groups and individuals and is managed by a six-member executive drawn from members
from around the world each elected for a four-year term by the membership on a rotating basis every two years.
Known as the Labour International Coordinating Committee the Executive sees its role as one of support and development
for LI Worldwide.
Membership of LI is not a condition for participation and many Groups encourage supporters and members of sister
parties to take part in LI activities. Obviously it is hoped that those eligible will subsequently wish to join
the Party but it is not essential except where strictly Party issues are involved.
Some of the flexibility within the structure is shown by the different activities of the Branches. The Spanish
Costa Blanca Branch as well as being an active political unit also has a strong social emphasis. The Geneva /Voisine
branch straddles France and Switzerland, is a member of the British Community Associations of Switzerland. Brussels,
which is the oldest branch, emphasises the development of Party Policy through the Party Policy Forum and has strong
links with European Socialist Parties based in Brussels while the USA Branch has close links to the Democrats.
Individual members in countries without sufficient members to make a Group are always pleased to welcome Party
colleagues and can give visitors significant insights into local conditions. LI is currently asking for member
volunteers to be recognised contact points in these less well member-populated areas.
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linking home and abroad
Labour International has the rights of a Constituency Labour Party in respect of membership fees and Annual Conference
and can therefore vote and submit resolutions to Party Conference in addition to making Policy contributions.
LI are linked to the Parliamentary Party through Country
Representatives and it is expected that this aspect of activity will develop with the active support of Head Office
in this field.
The NEC approves the regulations governing LI and may appoint a representative of Head Office staff as an ex officio
member of the Executive. The International Department provides the main point of contact with the Party on an ongoing
basis.
c a m p a i g n s
Globalisation has meant that a very broad section of British citizens now live around the world. These include
teachers, pensioners, nurses, lecturers, aid workers, international and European civil servants, secretaries, accountants,
engineers and
consultants of all types.
Unfortunately the rights of British subjects abroad are frequently overlooked in areas such as pensions, voting
rights, medical
services and similar civic rights. One of Labour International's major tasks is therefore campaigning on rights
for all British subjects abroad as well as on more political issues.
For example supported and encouraged by members worldwide the Brussels, Andalucian and our French/Swiss Branches
have all been actively involved in the campaign for overseas voting rights
and winter fuel payments.
i n t e r n a t i o n a l p e r s p e c t i v e s
The very nature of our membership is such that Labour International is internationally minded, in favour of European
integration and a strong international order. Democratic
Socialism is nothing if not an international ideal and all branches
and individuals tend to develop very close relationships with sister parties of Socialist International and the
Party of European Socialists and cooperate in joint meetings and activities. We aim to bring these broader perspectives
into our relationship with the domestic Party through our Policy submissions and Campaigns.
www.labourint.org.uk
The problems of communication with a wide flung membership are met in part by the development of the LI website.
The site provides details of current activities, access to web sites run by other branches, contact details for
LICC members, country contacts, a members letter page, the LI rule book (commendably short) and a variety of other
information of interest to members and the public. The Web Editor, John Mackay from Costa Blanca
Branch, is an ex officio member of LICC and welcomes
contributions from members for the site.
Each year there is a minimum of one mailing by surface post for all members that contains a summary of activities
for the year as a sort of Annual report. This is also published on the LI website.
T h e M a l i n i a k F u n d
The Maliniak Fund was established thanks to the very generous bequest of Gillian Maliniak who was a longstanding
Party member of our Rome branch.
The funds are used solely for Labour International for the
following purposes:
- Joint activities, outreach programmes including campaigns,
conferences, public affairs and public awareness;
- Investment in the establishment and development of new
LI branches;
- Efficient communication between LI members;
- Development and coordination of LI contributions to Labour
- Party policy formulation;
- Liaison and networking to assist LP action groups in obtaining
international viability and connections;
- Provision of international resource information to national
LP groups;
- Projects that meet the above objectives.
The fund is administered by LICC in accordance with the
intentions of Gillian and enable the Executive to effectively support LI development projects in many parts of
the World.
International
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