The backstreets of Norwich on a wet Sunday afternoon might seem an unlikely place from which launch a new political movement – but around 250 people turned up at Epic Studios in Magdalen Road for Your Party’s first Regional Assembly on 19 October. Time alone will tell whether we were taking part in something significant in British political history.
It was an unusual gathering for several reasons:
- First, because political meetings in Britain don’t often have people queuing to get in
- Second, because the meeting lasted four hours and almost everyone stayed to the end
- Third because there were no speakers.
This last point was perhaps the most important aspect of the meeting. We were not there to listen to speeches – to be inspired by leaders – but, rather, as ordinary members, to begin the process of working out the basic principles and ideas which will underpin Your Party.
Democracy from the ground up
The fundamental aim is to create a political party which will be genuinely democratic from the outset because it will be led and controlled by the members who are listened to and respected rather than ignored.
This was the first of a series of regional assemblies called to discuss “provisional” draft documents setting out the constitution of the new party, its aims and values, how it will work and how its leaders will be elected.
The meeting in Norwich attracted members from all over the east of England. We sat together in groups of 10 to 12 people, informally led by “facilitators” and each group was asked to discuss and comment on particular sections of the various documents.
Messy but meaningful
In some ways it was rather muddled and slightly chaotic, partly because we had not had much time to read the documents beforehand. But the important thing was the process: the act of involving the membership in the creation of this new party.
Getting people to talk freely among complete strangers is not always easy, but the atmosphere was thoughtful, tolerant and good-natured. There was a healthy balance of men and women and a good spread in terms of age.
Work in progress
The draft documents themselves will be revised in the light of comments and suggestions made at the Norwich Assembly, and they will be further amended by members at similar meetings up and down the country in the next few weeks. The aim is to present the revised version to the founding national conference in Liverpool next month.
During the “feedback” session, towards the end of the Norwich meeting, questions were raised about the language used in the draft discussion papers. There was a feeling that some of the draft wording was uncomfortably like a watered-down version of Labour Party papers!
Power returning to the people
Sunday’s meeting in Norwich was a reflection of something which has become apparent across the general course of British politics over the last few months: a strong desire among ordinary people to have their voice heard and listened to.
If the birth of Your Party is to be a success, however difficult and messy the delivery, then it must be led by the membership as a whole and be open, honest and transparent from top to bottom. It will fail unless all members have the right to know what is being said and done in their name.
The politicians must trust the people.
Your Party is holding a Regional Assembly at 11:30 on Saturday 25 October at the Jobserve Community stadium, Colchester.
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