GRASSROOTS LABOUR WOMEN for the Labour Women’s Committee

Grassroots Labour Women candidates stand for a transformative Labour Government; socialist, feminist, and anti-racist policies; and party democracy.

CHALLENGING INEQUALITY

We will challenge discrimination and inequalities – intensified by the government’s handling of the pandemic and increased by austerity with a devastating impact on all aspects of women’s lives. This has a disproportionate impact on Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic, disabled, and young women, lone parents, and women on low incomes. We will work with trade unions and community campaigns to overcome this.

The Tories have prioritised protecting profits over saving lives leading to tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths. There have been big increases in violence against women, unpaid care work by women, and women on universal credit.

Labour needs a plan to support women who have lost their jobs and are struggling with the physical and mental health consequences of lockdown. Access to at-home early medical abortions, introduced during the pandemic and found safe and effective, should be permanent.

We need an economy for the many not the few – one that works for women and will improve life for everyone. Rejection of the Tory austerity agenda was at the heart of the 2017 and 2019 manifestos and provides the basis of a programme for recovery.

FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

We support a Green New Deal. Labour must invest in renewable energy, challenge the big polluters and build support for a just transition to a net zero carbon economy. We support an ethical foreign policy with peace, conflict resolution and nuclear disarmament at its core. Rather than participating in illegal foreign wars, Labour should support women struggling against oppression across the globe.

FOR LIBERATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Labour must be a force for equality, intersectionality and working class unity. We must stand with the Black Lives Matter global uprising for lasting structural change and against all forms of racism including antisemitism, Islamophobia and Afriphobia and the scapegoating of migrant and Traveller communities. We must challenge discrimination and prejudice, including tackling sexism, sexual harassment, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and ableism.

We will help build inclusive self-organised equality structures in the party. We will support and defend all- women shortlists and their extension to other under-represented groups.

FOR PARTY DEMOCRACY

We support a democratic, member-led Labour Party that includes open selections of all candidates for elected public office. We will fight for natural justice, transparency, accountability, and fairness in internal processes, and against unjust suspensions and disciplinary action, and restrictions on legitimate debate.

FOR A STRONG LABOUR WOMEN’S ORGANISATION

We welcome the return of a policy making women’s conference and its role in electing a Labour Women’s committee after a two-decade absence. The Labour Women’s committee will have a key role: empowering a democratic and campaigning women’s organisation at local, regional and national levels as described in the Democracy Review 2018; supporting Women’s Officers and women’s branches to be vibrant and indispensable parts of our local organisation.

History shows that electing a Labour government needs women’s support. Together we will work for a strong Labour women’s organisation – campaigning to realise our aspirations and sending the vital message that the Labour Party is there for women.

The cause of women is the cause of Labour