In a dramatic turn of events, the leadership of the Labour party was bested in a showdown concerning the nationalising of crucial infrastructures. The motion meant to reaffirm the party’s commitment towards placing railways and the energy industry into public ownership, proposed by Unite, Labour’s biggest backers, passed with minimal opposition.
The general secretary of Unite urged Labour to “make different choices”, however, party insiders suggested that these proposals might not make their way into Labour’s forthcoming manifesto. Jonathan Reynolds, Shadow Business Secretary, clarified to the BBC that, “We’re not going to nationalise the energy system”, and when probed if they would abide by the vote, his response was a simple “No.” Mr. Reynolds explained that while the votes reflected the sentiments of conference attendees, disagreements could persist in some areas.
Prior to this, Ms. Graham received a standing ovation for presenting the motion. She made a strong case, stressing that Labour must represent the voice of workers and communities and suggested reclaiming our energy into public ownership. She noted that the French people, who owned their own energy, encountered lower bills, whilst Britains were victims of uncontrolled energy monopolies.
The motion passed with sparse opposition and secured backings from three principal Labour-supporting unions – Unite, ASLEF, and TSSA. Moreover, Momentum, the left-wing group established to support the ex-leader Jeremy Corbyn, hailed the vote as a “huge victory” and “a clear message to the leadership.” The group expressed the majority public sentiment that public services should remain under public ownership rather than being run for profit.
Before the vote, Unite released a survey disclosing that a significant portion of the voters in The Red Wall region were in favor of shifting energy utilities into public ownership. Additionally, the motion re-established Labour’s commitment to completely build HS2 and retain or reopen fully staffed rail ticket offices. Earlier on Thursday, Sir Keir Starmer, Labour Leader, questioned his commitment to erecting HS2’s northern leg due to the government’s negligent handling of the project’s finances.
The policies voted on by the conference are incorporated into the National Policy Forum of Labour, a platform which comprises debates and finalizes Labour policies. One of such policies includes renationalising railways as contracts with the current operators expire. Another promises to form GB Energy, an entirely publicly owned national energy company with a mandate to compete against private industry and promote clean energy.
