On 14 August 2021, by a large majority, Pavilion Labour’s GC adopted the resolution below, calling on the Labour Party leadership to close both the Chair Circle Membership and Rose Network and replace them with inclusive, socialist and democratic alternatives. We cannot have “rich doors” and “poor doors” into our party.
THE CHAIR CIRCLE & ROSE NETWORK
This Party notes the recent advertising of the “Chair Circle Membership” by the Labour Party that for an annual payment of no less than £5000 allows donors the following privileges:
• Regular communications from the Party Fundraising team including guest edits and campaign updates.
• Invite only strategy updates to hear how your support is making a difference to our electoral efforts
• A Chair Circle pre-reception ahead of the summer and winter Rose Network events (which costs an additional £100 a month or £1200 a year)
• An invitation to the Chair’s Circle Annual Dinner, held each year in November
• Opportunities to connect and network with like-minded Chair Circle members.
• Complimentary 4 day Chair Circle pass to the Labour Party’s Annual Conference including a Chair’s Circle welcome reception, hosted by Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Angela Raynor.
(source: https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Labour-Party-Chair-Circle.pdf)
This Party would like to make the following observations:
All party members and affiliates who pay their subscriptions should be entitled to regular communications from the Party Fundraising Team and campaign updates.
Those same members should all be entitled to regular strategy updates not least of all because it is those members who will be delivering the strategies by organising in their communities, constituencies and branches, knocking on doors, holding campaign stalls and phone banking.
The Labour Party leadership must be fully aware that an annual fee of £5000 for the Chair Circle Membership is far beyond the reach of the vast majority of members and activists.
The Labour Party leadership must be fully aware that an additional annual fee of £1200 a year to be part of the Rose Network is far beyond the reach of the vast majority of members and activists.
The Labour Party leadership must be fully aware that the vast majority of its members who volunteer and campaign not just during election periods but the rest of the time are being disenfranchised and side-lined for the benefit of wealthy donors.
The Labour Party was borne from working people and their trade unions and must never be the party of wealthy donors, closed door dinners or privileges for the already powerful. That is the role and the purpose of the Conservative Party.
This Party calls on the Labour Party leadership to democratise membership and influence by withdrawing extra privileges, power and influence for those who can afford them and to instead re-engage with grass-roots membership, community activists and trade unions. We call on the Labour Party leadership to close both the Chair Circle Membership and Rose Network and replace them with inclusive, socialist and democratic alternatives.
We believe that our beloved, proud and principled party is the party of all people regardless of their income. We believe that our party must never be for sale to the highest bidders and must never exist to further the influence of the wealthy and powerful. We cannot have “rich doors” and “poor doors” into our party.
We request that our Consituency Secretary writes to the Leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Leader Angela Raynor asking that they instigate the request above, in bold text.
Proposed by St Peter’s and North Laine Branch
Agreed by a large majority by Brighton Pavilion CLP’s General Committee
14 August 2021
Brighton Pavilion Labour Party 