Union backs change to Labour leadership rules
THE decision of the UK’s biggest trade union to back OMOV (one member, one vote) in Welsh Labour leadership elections has made it more likely that the party will ditch its current “electoral college” voting system,
In September a special party conference in Cardiff will decide how Carwyn Jones’ successor as Welsh Labour leader and First Minister will be chosen.
A grassroots membership campaign is pressing for a switch to OMOV, but it is by no means certain that this view will prevail.
The current system came under severe criticism nearly 20 years ago, when Rhodri Morgan won a majority of nearly two to one in the members’ section of the ballot but was still defeated by Alun Michael, who went on to become the first leader of the National Assembly.
Mr Michael was victorious because he won more support from trade unions and other bodies affiliated to the Labour Party – who hold one third of the votes between them – and from MPs and Assembly candidates, who held the final third.
Earlier this year history was repeated when Mr Morgan’s widow Julie, the AM for Cardiff North, was defeated for the deputy leadership of Welsh Labour in similar circumstances by Carolyn Harris, the MP for Swansea East.
Under its outgoing Wales Secretary Andy Richards, the Unite union has been steadfastly opposed to OMOV. But with the departure of Mr Richards, the union has changed its stance.
A statement issued by the union’s Deputy Wales Secretary Gareth Jones said: “Our decision to support OMOV is a result of considerable debate and consultation within Unite and reflects the decision by our executive council to support this method to elect all Labour leaders across the UK.
“There has been enormous debate about the electoral system Welsh Labour uses to elect its leaders. Unite Wales has listened carefully to that debate and come to the conclusion that the present system has to change. Our view is that OMOV is the fairest and clearest system available which best reflects the views of ordinary party members and affiliated trade union members.”
The statement went on to say that supporting OMOV did not mean that Unite intends to step back from its involvement within Welsh Labour: “The trade unions founded the Labour Party and Unite intends to continue playing a very prominent role. These are troubling and difficult times, with the spectre of Brexit and the uncertainty it brings casting a dark shadow over Wales and its future prosperity.
“Strong, effective leadership within our party is more important now than ever before. Our leaders need to know that they carry the full confidence of the party they lead.”
In April, representatives of four other big unions in Wales – GMB, Unison, CWU and Usdaw – wrote a joint open letter opposing a move to OMOV and saying it was important to maintain a strong link between Welsh Labour and the trade unions.
Garry Watkins of CWU told us that on Tuesday this week a meeting of branch delegates from across Wales had decided to back a move to a two-section electoral college, under which party members would have 50% of the votes, with the other half reserved for trade unions and other affiliates.
A source in the campaign which backs OMOV said: “Unite’s decision to back OMOV means that the vote at the September 15 special conference of Welsh Labour could be very tight – assuming, of course, that the party’s Welsh Executive Committee (WEC) allows the OMOV option to be debated. That decision is likely to be made a week before the conference on September 8.”
At present the majority of WEC members are on the right of the party.
A change in the leadership voting system to OMOV would favour the front-runner, Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford, who voted for Jeremy Corbyn in both UK Labour leadership elections.
So far, no other would-be leadership candidate has managed to secure the required five nominations from AM colleagues.