[Individual-members-EL] EL Indivual Members

[Richard Dunphy]

Dear Stephen,



Many thanks for doing this work on behalf of us all.



As regards your proposal for running candidates in the UK in the 2014 EP elections, I would love to have the option of voting for, and campaigning for, an EL party candidate, but I am not sure about the wisdom of running (an) independent candidate(s). If it is not possible to draw attention to the existence of EL as a party, and run on the basis of an EL Manifesto, what would be achieved by running as independents? Speaking personally, I must admit that I usually don't take independent candidates seriously (except, perhaps, at local council level) and tend to vote for a party, not an individual.



Also, would an EP campaign have to be financed entirely within the UK by a small group of supporters? Presuming so, again I wonder how feasible it would be - and all, more than likely, for a couple of hundred votes. OK, it might be argued that even a candidate running on an EL party platform might not poll more than a tiny vote, but at least in this case it would put the party on the map, so to speak, and remind many disenfranchised left-wingers in this country that there is a party alternative to Labour - at the European level at any rate. Would an independent candidature achieve this?



Sorry if this sounds negative. I'm not entirely close-minded, just exploring my initial reactions!



best wishes,

Richard.

________________________________
From: individual-members-el-bounces at listi.jpberlin.de [individual-members-el-bounces at listi.jpberlin.de] on behalf of Stephen Spence [stephen_spence at btinternet.com]
Sent: 24 June 2012 11:26
To: 'Indiv. Members EL'
Subject: [Individual-members-EL] EL Indivual Members

Dear All,

CONFIDENTIAL TO THIS LIST

I would like to advise you that I am in ongoing correspondence with Waltraud of the EL Statutes Commission trying to get a trying to get a date to meet in Brussels about individual members.  I am proposing, following up Nobert’s letter, a European wide individual members branch that can meet a couple of times a year, with a Branch Executive, a seat on the Executive Board, the Chair able to attend the Council of Chairpersons, and the Branch able to send delegates to the EL Congress based on the number of members.  In essence I am suggesting an Individual Members Branch should be treated like a Member Party.  I will let you know how these discussions progress.  I am happy to do this work but if there ever becomes a need for something to be said about it publicly I will need someone to do this, as I can only do this in a private capacity, behind the scenes, due to my public trade union work.

For individual members in the UK I would like to know your opinion on an additional matter.  I am wondering whether it might be possible for individual members of the EL to run as ‘Left Independent’ candidates affiliated to EL in the 2014 European Parliament.  Where there is no UK registered political party running as an ‘independent’ is an alternative option.  I had thought as the ‘European Left’ is registered party at the European level it might be possible to use that name but I can’t get any clear advice on that, and I think there were have to be a UK registered party to do it.  So the ‘Left Independent’ idea came into my head.  Does anyone have a view?

Best

Stephen

The University of Dundee is a registered Scottish Charity, No: SC015096
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