The decision of the NEC to postpone this year’s Annual Women’s Conference with no new date set is the latest in a long line of decisions by the current Labour leadership to undermine National Labour Women’s Organisation and reduce the influence of women members and trade unionists.

In recent years, the Women’s Conference has been reduced in size and time allocated, once again tagged onto Annual Conference and treated as a fringe event. Time for policy-making in 2024 was reduced to just 20 minutes per topic – completely inadequate for addressing important topics such as women’s health, violence against women and girls and the situation of women across the globe. Our National Women’s Committee has been disempowered – meeting infrequently and not resourced to carry out its remit.

This year’s Annual Women’s Conference would have been more important than ever, with important policy motions to discuss relating to Labour’s approach to women and welfare – including Personal Independent Payments, the two-child benefit cap and the Winter Fuel Allowance – women in the workplace and women’s education and health provision. If our Labour government does not listen to women members and trade unionists, it cannot hope to maintain and regain the support of women voters.

The following motion calls on the NEC to reconsider its decision so that women members can be heard.

This CLP/Branch notes the decision of Labour’s National Executive Committee to postpone this year’s Annual Women’s Conference with no new date set.

This CLP/Branch believes:

1. 1. That this decision will have a detrimental impact on women’s voices being heard within Labour’s policy-making process, particularly as there will no longer be ring-fenced motions at Annual Conference 2025 from women.
   2. A democratic Annual Women’s Conference plays an important role in Labour’s policy-making process, enabling women members and trade unionists to influence our Labour government, keep it in touch with the views of different communities and voters, and ensure it is delivering for women.

This CLP/Branch calls on the NEC to:

1. 1. Reinstate our annual Labour Party Women’s Conference as soon as possible.
   2. Bring forward alternative mechanisms to ensure women’s voices are democratically heard at Annual Conference, for example by empowering CLP Women’s Branches and/or the National Women’s Committee to submit Contemporary Motions.

Motions to the NEC can be sent to Labour’s General Secretary Hollie Ridley – hollie_ridley@labour.org.uk or the General Secretary’s Office – gso@labour.org.uk.