Yesterday we set out the Co-operative Party’s advice for local parties with regards to Corona Virus and committed to keeping you up to date. Since then, the government has changed its advice.

Our first priority is to provide a safe environment for our members, staff and the general public who attend our events or are canvassed by our supporters.

 We are therefore recommending that all upcoming branch and party council events and campaign sessions should be suspended.

If you would like to talk to Party staff about your event and need our help to make sure everyone knows it has been cancelled please contact mail@party.coop or 020 7367 4150.

You may also now have seen that the Government has announced that the local elections due to take place on 7 May have been postponed until next year. If you or candidates in your area have any questions about this, please contact local@party.coop

We appreciate that you and other officers will have put a lot of time and effort into planning events, campaigning and activity in your area.

Whilst we are asking for physical meetings to be cancelled, we will be in touch shortly with some ideas of how you can use technology to hold online and teleconference meetings in your area.

Through discussion with regional NEC reps and staff the decision has been taken to postpone both the Midlands Regional Conference (Coventry) and the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Conference (Sheffield) on 14 March.  All speakers and attendees have been notified about these two events.

We will continue to review future National events in the context of the government advice on travel and meetings, staff and speaker availability and likely attendance levels, and in discussion with local officers.

Co-operative Party Head Office remains open so please do get in touch should you have any questions, queries or concerns – you can email mail@party.coop or call us on 020 7367 4150.

At some point may become advisable for staff to work from home rather than in the Party’s Head Office.  This should not affect our work to any great degree or members’ ability to seek advice and help.

Guidance will be available on the website and information on how to contact individual officers if necessary.