Open Meeting 28th September 2003 Bourne Hall Hotel, Bournemouth 17.00 - 18.00

Present: Chris Jones, Belinda Pyke, Sylvia Moore, Anne MacKay, Tim Clapham, Jeremy Millard, John Mackay, Linda and Ian Ferrier (Andalucia), and David Earnshaw (Brussels)
Also invited to attend were members of the International and the Membership Departments from HO. Rachael Cowburn, Intl. Dept. Manager Elect had expressed her interest and hoped to be there but was also due to attend a contemporaneous EPLP meeting. No responses had come from the Membership department.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide a platform for any LI and interested Labour Party members to exchange views on current issues at Conference and, longer term, to help develop a consensus on LI objectives and how LI should function.

The initial focus was on mandating the LI Delegate (Sylvia Moore) to vote on the debates in Conference. These were to be centered on the NPF policy documents.

Iraq - Linda and Belinda both stated that the feelings in their branches were very mixed. Belinda argued there should be a debate in Conference without its being a crisis of confidence in Blair and the government. The whispers were that the big four unions had proposed a debate specifically on the aftermath of the war but this had been rejected by Conference Standing Committee on the grounds that the Iraq issue would be covered in the debate on the NPF Policy Document 'Britain in the World'. Jeremy argued that plans for the future needed to be addressed with the leading involvement of the UN on a truly multi-national basis. The main objection to the CSC's stance was that there was no opportunity for delegates to vote specifically on the Iraq issue.

Foundation Hospitals - Tim raised the question. Sylvia didn't know if it would be a contemporary resolution. The feeling of the meeting was that it was generally not supportive of the proposal.

Tuition Fees - Tim argued it was the wrong approach. We should oppose scaled fees in education and pay by a progressive tax system. Most people at the meeting were against fees.

Voting Rights - Belinda thought this might come up in a Democracy, Citizenship and Political Engagement policy debate. The official LI position was in principle against any limitation on the right to vote but had suggested a compromise stand of 'Use it or Lose it'. Anyone who can register to vote in general elections in UK should be encouraged to do so. This could be done via the LI website.

LI Committee Representation
There followed a discussion on LI's right of representation on Labour Committees - NEC, CSC, NPF etc.
Chris stated that we needed to be affiliated to a region before we can have delegates on NPFs.
Belinda said Brussels had submitted resolutions to NPFs from the perspective of people living abroad. Sylvia is contesting our non-eligibility on the grounds that LI can not possibly be in a region.
Tim linked back to the question of the LI constitution. Can the delegate get us established as an LI branch with full rights to enable the regularisation of our affairs? Sylvia agreed to pursue this and would try to promote the brand identity. Chris said we must rationalise our relationships with HO. Tim suggested the appointment of a deputy chair.

Anne MacKay Secretary