Starmer in narrow win for reforms
SIR Keir Starmer’s watered-down Labour reforms have squeezed through after they narrowly secured the support of party members.
The Labour leader watched on during a tetchy debate in which delegates lined up to support and oppose his proposals for electing his successors.
Heckling and booing could be heard in the hall during speeches, which prompted appeals from session chairman Mark Ferguson, a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC), to appeal for respect to be shown.
But Sir Keir’s package of leadership reforms were ultimately backed by 53.67% to 46.33%. He had been forced to water down his proposals in the face of opposition from unions and the left of the party.
Under the original proposal, the one member, one vote (Omov) system would have been replaced with a return to the electoral college made up of the unions and affiliate organisations, MPs and party members, each with an equal share.
Those plans were abandoned with the revised proposals including a requirement for leadership election candidates to have the support of 20% of MPs, up from the current 10%.