Bringing Len into line

Labour have not promoted very much one of the constitutional changes they are seeking to make, namely new rule 146B:

The Policy Platform is binding on all Party members elected to public office and on the Parliamentary Labour Party, the New Zealand Council and the Policy Council.

Previously the policy platform was only binding on members who stood on the Labour ticket. What this means is that Mayors such as Len Brown will be obliged to vote in accordance with the Labour Party policy platform in future. Brown is a member of the Labour Party, but did not stand as a Labour candidate.

I’d say this clause was drafted by the Maritime Union, a Labour Party affiliate member!

This means, if passed, that any Labour Party member who stands for any public office is bound to vote in accordance with the Labour policy platform. I’ve actually voted for some Labour Party members for local body elections – including in 2010. I won’t do so, if this passes as it means they will be servants of the party, not of their constituents.