The Co-op Party believes that people will achieve more by working together than they can by working alone.
As the political party of the co-operative movement, the Co-op Party works to promote co-operative and mutual forms of organisation, working in partnership with the Labour Party.
Paul Bull
Well, what a year it’s been for the Co-operative movement?
A year ago, the Co-operative Bank was to take over 632 branches from Lloyds to create an enlarged operation based on a model of customer-centric, member-led, ethically-driven banking with the goal to promote the interests of mutuals.
The Co-operative Party was there to support those aims, because they are fundamental to the values and principles of the co-operative movement.
The Party was there, even when the deal collapsed.
Since then it seems to be a catalogue of disasters for the Group
Who was there each time, offering strong support for the future of mutuals in the face of pressure for a big business solution to these problems?
Yes, the Co-operative Party.
Throughout the all these crises, the Co-op Party has helped keep the vision of the Rochdale Pioneers alive.
It is important for the Party to make sure that the Group remain true to the founding values and principles of co-operative movement.
This is the time is the time for the Party to become the face and voice of the co-operative movement and to ensure that the Co-op Group remain steadfast in its aims
Yet the Party is under threat – under threat from that self-same Co-operative Group.
There is no doubt about the Group has already cut the Party’s funding.
The “Having Your Say” exercise may mean those funds will be reduced even further. They may even be cut completely.
We have to remember, though, that the Co-op Party is not the political voice of the Co-operative Group – it is the poitical voice of the whole co-operative and mutual movement. The Group may be the biggest player in the UK movement but that movement doesn’t begin and end with the Group.
The Party needs to survive.
The Party needs to survive to give voice for a movement of over 6000 co-operatives in the UK, each of which are working together to seek positive change.
For the Party to survive, the Party needs to change.
I’ve already noticed that the Party has started to change.
I was there at Conference in Manchester in 2012 under the old system – and there in Edinburgh last year offering a dynamic new future.
The Party is formulating good polices through engagement with members in a structured manner.
Party Conference has refined these policies through debate and will use this to inform the manifesto for the 2015 General Election.
An election we need to win in partnership with the Labour Party.
The Co-operative Party is on the move to ensure that it is viable, and it needs a strong NEC to realise that future.
I want to secure the future of the Co-operative Party
I believe that people can achieve more by working together than they can by working alone.
I think I can best serve that aim by working with other members of the new NEC to ensure the future of the Co-operative Party.
Stonger Together – Better with Bull
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