Clayton West Branch Labour Party minute book

Scope and Content

The minute book for the Clayton West Branch Labour Party minutes from 1973 to 1979. The minutes include the election of the committee members at regular intervals, details of membership drives held, social and fundraising events organised and the campaigning and canvassing for both local and general elections undertaken by committee members. There is also reference to possible boundary changes which would affect the area; the suggestions being that Clayton West could be subsumed by the Colne Valley constituency party and the Scissett branch could merge into Clayton West. The minutes also record debates regarding the power of Parish Councils in their local area. Many members felt that the Parish should be responsible for local issues such as footpaths, allotments and street lights.

The minutes also show references to wider issues such as discussions of the new Employment Protection Act and the rise in tuition fees for the Open University. There is also mention of the 'Campaign for Labour Party Democracy' which called for the party to be more accountable to the members over implementation of policies. On the 14th Feb 1976 a resolution was passed to be taken to the next AGM by the branch representatives that the CLP 'applaud the removal of our Ambassador to Chile' as a result of the torture of a British national and that they 'call on this Government to break all links, political and economic, with the Government of Chile'.

Access Information

Original available for consultation by appointment