Report of the Co-operative Party 2011/12 to Co-operative Group half yearly members meetings The Co-operative Party continues to be a major political force on behalf of the co-operative movement. This year we have been at the forefront of bringing the UN International Year of Co-operatives to Parliament, as well as to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and town halls around the country. We intend to build on this profile in coming years. Building on our successes in recent years, we have achieved a great deal - legislation to improve and safeguard the position of co-operative organisations, establishing the Co-operative Councils Network to take forward the movement’s agenda at a local level, bold policy solutions that put co- operatives at the heart of society, working with our Labour and Co-operative MPs to be an effective voice for co-operation and mutuality in Parliament, and advancing the work of the Co- operative Group on issues such as the position of young people in our society and expanding the role of co-operatives in international development. Over the coming months we will be working hard on those initiatives and developing new ones, working closely with our colleagues in the co-operative movement as an effective advocate for our values in the face of enormous economic change. New General Secretary Michael Stephenson, General Secretary since 2008, moved on during 2012 to a new role in the Co-operative Banking Group. Since September 2012, the new Co-operative Party General Secretary has been Karin Christiansen. Karin has a wealth of experience in international development and is the Party’s first ever female General Secretary. Karin is keen to meet as many co-operators as possible in coming months and to hear the ideas, experiences and challenges of our movement. Co-operators in Parliament There is strong representation of the Co-operative Party in the Shadow Cabinet. Three Co- operative Parliamentarians (Ed Balls, Stephen Twigg and Lord Bassam) serve in Shadow Cabinet and several more Co-operative Party MPs are shadow ministers, including Gareth Thomas MP as Shadow Charities Minister with responsibility for social enterprise. Also, three Co-operative MPs are Chairs of Parliamentary Select Committees. This high level of senior representation ensures that the co-operative movement is well represented in this Parliament. Co-operative MPs including Chris Leslie, Andy Love, Chris Evans, Stella Creasy, Cathy Jamieson and Ed Balls have been particularly high profile in the campaign to reform the banking sector and make banking more transparent and fairer. Our MPs are ever more focussed on achieving real outcomes for the movement, targeting specific issues and pushing the co-operative agenda. They have secured Adjournment and Westminster Hall Debates on football supporters’ trusts, rail mutuals and co-operative energy. Parliamentary events organised by Party staff have covered issues such as energy and Fairtrade, bringing co- operative ventures such as the Co-operative Group, Divine Chocolate, Co-operative Energy and Zaytoun face to face with Members of Parliament. Over half of all Labour MPs including Ed Miliband are members of the Co-operative Party – the highest level ever. The Friends of the Co-operative Ideal continues to provide a network for all Labour MPs interested in co-operation to work with the movement and support our policies and campaigns. A co-operative offer for London Labour’s manifesto for London in the 2012 elections drew heavily on the Co-operative Party’s manifesto, launched by Ken Livingstone in 2011. Of his six key pledges, one was to form a London-wide energy co-operative to reduce energy prices for Londoners; another aimed to tackle high rents and low quality housing through a co-operative letting agency. This was the highest profile in living memory for co-operative policies in a major election. Although Ken Livingstone was unable to win the Mayoral election against Boris Johnson, Labour gained four seats in the London Assembly and the enlarged group of Labour & Co-operative Assembly Members have pledged to take forward these co-operative ideas and build on them in the future. Jennette Arnold AM has been high profile in her support for the UN International Year of Co-operatives, leading the campaign for Boris to recognise the milestone with events and activities. So far, Mayor Johnson has refused. The Co-operative Councils Network The Co-operative Party is working with pioneering Labour Councils to implement a radical vision of co-operation in local government. Over twenty councils, including Rochdale, Liverpool, Lambeth, Oldham and Newcastle, founded the network and have each committed to pilot co- operative service delivery and wider community development. They continue to pioneer radical ways of involving local people in the services they use. More information can be found at www.councils.coop End Legal Loansharking and promote credit unions Stella Creasy, the Co-operative MP for Walthamstow, has been a high profile opponent of the legal loansharks – payday loan companies and the like such as Wonga. Stella has been campaigning to cap the total cost of credit as well as strengthen the safer, more affordable co- operative alternative, credit unions. The Co-operative Party is working alongside Stella and Movement for Change to develop a range of actions that local groups and individual members can take to support the campaign and to boost the profile of credit unions in their area. Co-operative councillors are also being encouraged to support the campaign, by clamping down on the activities of local payday loan companies and ensuring that their council is doing all they can to develop and support local credit unions. A modern Party The Co-operative Party now has its highest membership for over twenty years, at almost 10,000 members. The renewed Women’s Network and the ever-growing Youth section are ensuring a new generation of co-operators are involved with co-operative ideas and local organisations. The Co-operative Party’s website at www.party.coop showcases co-operative articles and ideas, and the Party has over 9,000 followers on Twitter at @CoopParty. Looking forward 2013 will continue to see the Party gaining greater profile for itself and the co-operative movement. We are always keen to hear the ideas and priorities of co-operators and encourage all those attending society meetings to get involved and have a say. The Co-operative Party, 77 Weston Street, London SE1 3SD 020 7367 4150 | www.party.coop .