Labour Conference: NEC elections - Better organisation won seats for Left

THE LEFT-WING Grassroots Alliance swept to power on Labour's ruling National Executive Committee yesterday after one of the hardest- fought internal election campaigns of recent years.

Outspent by the leadership-backed Members First group, the Alliance nevertheless proved to be better organised and staffed in individual branches across the country.

One year after members snubbed Peter Mandelson in favour of Ken Livingstone for a seat on the NEC, the loose grouping of left-leaning candidates showed, yet again, that committed activists can still wield considerable influence among the rank and file.

Tribune editor Mark Seddon, who became the Alliance's leading spokesman, highlighted the effectiveness of the campaign by topping the poll with more than 75,000 votes.

The battle for the six constituency seats on the NEC was marked by some bitter exchanges, with outgoing party general secretary Tom Sawyer accused of bias in favour of Members First after he publicly denounced the group's tactics.

Former leader Neil Kinnock raised the level of vitriol further when he dubbed the Alliance a group of "Trotskyites, sectarians and other selfish parasites".

Members First had a war chest of pounds 100,000, including pounds 30,000 from the engineers' union, AEEU.

It was also alleged to have hired a private marketing firm to telephone members at a rate of pounds 1 a call.

Tim Pendry, co-ordinator of the Alliance, said that it now formally ceased to exist and its members would speak as individuals, not as group members.

"They were successful because they represent members who feel that at best they have been taken for granted in recent years, and at worst, used as a sales force for the leadership," he said.

However, Millbank officials suggested that the real reason for the resounding victory for the Alliance was not its politics but that its candidates were better-known with the party.

Most of its slate, particularly Seddon and Davies, were well-established figures with media profiles, whereas Members First hopefuls were largely "anonymous". The popularity of Michael Cashman former EastEnders star proved that name-recognition played a big part, they claimed.

Left-wingers won four of a possible six seats in the local activists' section of elections to Labour's ruling National Executive Committee.

The left-wing Grassroots Alliance won 342,000 votes, taking four seats, compared to the pro-leadership Members First group's 311,000.

Tribune editor Mark Seddon, standing for the Grassroots Alliance, topped the members' poll with 75,584 votes.

Actor Michael Cashman - standing for the pro-leadership Members First group - came second with 70,256 votes.

Trade unionist Diana Jeuda, from the same group, was third with 62,509.

London barrister Liz Davies, banned by the NEC from standing as a parliamentary candidate, came fourth with 61,970 votes.

Scottish Executive member Cathy Jamieson took fifth place with 61,707. Veteran party official Pete Willsman was sixth with 58,108 votes.

The 35 per cent turnout of 133,597 votes cast, was described by the party as normal.