The Labour Party Annual Report 2005 [antikvár]

FOREWORDBYIAN McCartneyThis has been an extraordinary year to be the Chair of the National Executive Committee (NEC). A year ago, when we last met at conference in Brighton, I set the Labour Party a challenge: I said that, if we were hungry enough, ambitious enough, if we left Brighton inspired and motivated, we could make history together.I am so proud that we, collectively, rose to that challenge. We are the first generation of Labour Party activists that had the politicai and organisational strength to work together to deliver a third term Labour government. I am proud of that victory, just as I am proud of the detailed, radicai manifesto that we built at last year's conference, and which the British people voted for in May. We now have an almighty task ahead of us: to deliver that manifesto and prepare the ground for a fourth term!This week we take two very important key steps forwards. Firstly, conference will vote on the review of Partnership in Power, which I have been chairing for the past two years.Partnership in Power is our policy making process, which delivered us the 'Warwick Agreement' and our radical manifesto.One of my first acts as Party Chair was to announce the review of Partnership in Power, which had by then been in place for a number of years. During that time party members and trade unions have suggested a range of ways the process could be improved, and I wanted to respond in a positive way. I am delighted to say that the review has been open and consensual, and has reached a number of recommendations that will make our party:More accountable, by ensuring that we hold ministers to account on implementing the current manifesto, as well as planning for the next one.More open to ideas from party members and the wider public, by learning the lessons from the Big Conversation.More flexible, so that ministers and party members can discuss 'real time' events - the issues that arise in government and have not always fitted in to our policy making structures.Secondly, we are launching our document on the 21st Century Labour Party. This document is packed full of campaigning ideas for party activists who want to help the Labour Party to:-Recruit.-Engage in political debate.-Campaign.-Provide representation.-Fundraise.-Provide local leadership.These are really exciting projects, ones that I am proud to have been involved in. Our goal is a simpte one: a campaigning, forward-looking party, one that is rooted in its traditional values, but renewed at a local level and confident about applying them in the modern setting.As a Labour government, we can see that our endeavours are regenerating our communities, with our cities in renaissance. As we renew our country, we also need to renew our local parties so they look like, feel like and are like the communities they seek to serve. AiüülKlan McCartney Chair of the NEC