Anyone involved in grassroots Labour politics care to discuss some thoughts?

I'm just getting back involved with the local Labour Party after many years of inactivity and I'm seeing some of the same things as you. It's not that the stalwarts are unwelcoming, it's just that they're a bit stuck in the their ways. They are also a bit defeatist at the moment.

But a lot of them have been in politics for a long time and have years of experience, so you can't discount them quickly. You have to remember that it's difficult for them to have someone new come in and be full of ideas, take your time to get them onside and learn who's forward thinking naturally and who'll take more persuading.

In our branch about 10% of the members are active and attend meetings and socials. The rest are a bit of a mystery. I'm trying to get them involved but it's slow going.

My advice is to keep plugging away, it will be slow but will get easier as you build up some momentum. And start your own blog for yourself, then invite other local Labour people to write on it. That will get you underway.

Tell them I'd vote Labour again if they stopped trying to be the Tory-lite party.

Otherwise it's Green for me hereon in.

Anyway, I volunteered to write a one-pager on party policy and local issues on childcare / working women etc.

MarionCole I think that is a good idea. While everybody was whinging about not being consulted by the PLP yesterday, somebody said he heard that Ed will publish his manifesto by probably the Spring. My fellow comrade thought it was a good thing, something like a saviour. But I thought that means no consultation again.

Cikal You are absolutely right about using social media as an asset.

We had the campaign planning meeting, and despite the deep snow there was a very good turn-out. All very enthusiastic and volunteering for jobs.

Sadly, similarly to Litchick's experience, we spent half the meeting complaining about not being consulted by the PLP on issues.

I've been involved for many years but am bowing out now.

The Labour party to some extent under Blair, but completely under Brown, had no interest in grass roots politics.

It was led centrally and fairly undemocratically from London. The concerns of working class men and women around the country were utterly ignored.

We were constantly raising the concerns about constituents about the economy, immigration etc. These were stamped on. A Londoncentric, statecentric, Guardian shaped agenda was dogmatically pursued.

I got very demoralised.

And we all know what happened in the elections. Traditional Labour voters didn't turn out.

I'll wait to see what Ed's got to say, but don't know if I'll ever return to my previous involvement.

The problem for Labour gingercat is that the Conservatives having been using the internet and social media and networks for years. The creation of things like myconservatives and conservativehome are examples of this

cikals That is a bit of a swing.

Our members do not know much about that "Facebook-thingy". But they are quite keen to develop some online presence.

I used to be a member of the Labour party and quite involved in the grassroots before I joined the Tories a few years ago. The difference in the quality of organisation is very marked, the Tories are lightyears ahead. I know this might be due to greater resources but there just seemed to be a lot more energy and enthusiasm in the Conservative activists.

That sounds truly depressing, esp in a seat with lots to play for. And I'm guessing that many of the new members the party is attracting now will join over the internet and never ever develop any strong connection with the local party? They will just be passive numbers, voting in leadership/NEC elections in a manner more influenced by media coverage than by internal party discussion. We are moving to a situation where parties are no longer popular movements at all. Combined with the creaking parliamentary voting system, that makes for a really ruined political culture.

I find it a strange and different planet, and am also the youngest. By far. But ours is a strong Labour constituency, so probably no need for big upheaval.

We are having election strategy meeting this week, so we'll see how things turn out.

I think it might just be your CLP. Although I am still quite excited as D Miliband got lost and came into our offices yesterday. All the ladies fainted.

I've never been a Labour Party member, so I don't know how things are organised, but would I be right in thinking that the increasing centralisation of the party, the erosion of the grassroots' role in determining policy via the annual conference, and so forth, have really lowered the status of local party organisations to such a degree that fewer and fewer talented and committed people will participate? DH has just joined, and it does seem a fairly sorry affair at local grassroots level (this in an area with a historic huge Labour majority).

Committed people must find the party machine grindingly weak -- and perhaps prefer special interest campaigning groups?

I went to a meeting the other week at grassroots. And I was the youngest person there. I am not young. Nuff said.

Labour have never been influential in my constituency - it's Lib Dem or Tory, but FFS they need to get their act together now as the Lib Dems are dead in the water - it's a perfect opportunity.

So YANBU