The Co-operative Group has appointed Sarah Newens to the NEC, replacing Zach Evans.

During the summer, a by-election was held for the vacant seat representing Labour and Co-operative MSPs, MSs, AMs, PCCs, Elected Mayors and councillors.  Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham MBC was elected.

See here for members of the NEC and contact details. You can contact your NEC representative via the link on that page or by emailing Karen Wilkie, Board Secretary at board@party.coop.

Following the change to structure of the NEC from 2023, each local party and branch has two regional NEC representatives, in addition to those elected to represented BAME, (dis)Abled, LGBTQ+, Youth and elected members.

In England, both regional NEC members represent the whole of your section so you can invite either to your Party Council or branch meetings, particularly if the meeting is to take place on line.  For in-person meetings, please bear in mind the travel time and costs – the party council or branch should meet the travel expenses of any NEC member they invite.

For regional parties, both NEC members should always receive notice of meetings.

At the AGM in July, Jim McMahon MP (Westminster Parliamentary Group) was re-elected as Chair, with Ruth Hall (Scotland) as Vice-Chair.

Because of the date of the General Election, the Party’s AGM was postponed from June to 7 September.

116 members attended, including 45 delegates from 24 local Co-operative Parties, Societies and Affiliates.

You can read the report of the AGM, including the results of the card votes here –  Co-operative Party Ltd AGM 2024 – Minutes – Co-operative Party

Each quarter, the General Secretary reports to the NEC on the Party’s activity and progress towards our Strategic Objectives.

Detailed work on towards the Party’s Objectives is set out in the Strategic Plan 2022-24.  2024 is the final year of the current three-year plan, which will be reviewed by the NEC for 2025-27 when it meets for its strategy weekend in November.

Here is a summary of the report to the NEC in September, which included the work on the General Election as well as the five Strategic Objectives:

This report has broken the election period down into a range of key activities to give a clear idea of Party activity through this critical period. They have been grouped along the lines of the key aims and objectives discussed by the NEC and identified of importance to the Party.

1. Develop on-the-ground Party campaigning.
2. Grow Party visibility.
3. Achieve and demonstrate cooperative influence over the sister party’s manifesto and plans for Government.
4. Generate high quality communication and digital content.
5. Provide our best ever support to our candidates.
6. Ensure the Party comes away from the General Election with a strong group of elected representatives.

1. Develop on-the-ground Party campaigning

Introduction

This is an area of work that the Party identified as something to develop ahead of the General Election. It has not been an area of strength within the Party over the last number of years. With hard work and focus the Party produced:

• 11 high quality regional and national campaign launches. In addition to the National Party’s mobilising, the Party worked with Party Councils and member Trade Unions to ensure they were well advertised and attended. They took place in Labour/Co-operative seats and had a wide range of senior political speakers attend.
• For the first time ever the Co-operative Party and the Labour Party had a joint national campaign day. This centred on the Party’s retail crime campaign. It saw activity in approx. 80 CLPs, with coordinated visits from the then Shadow Home Secretary and frontbench teams. There were joint campaign materials, boards, local press releases issued, and the day achieved national press coverage.
• The Party developed and released a new members’ campaign mobilisation tool titled ‘Team Co-op’. This tool allowed members to use their geographic area to determine the nearest Co-op Candidate and volunteer time and campaigning. It also was used in the production of the campaign launches and to facilitate members to access Co-op Party training and phone-banking.
• The Party invested much more than ever before in joint campaign materials and merchandise for the election period. This was a particularly popular aspect of the Party’s campaign, and the materials were well used. It helped bring visibility to candidates’ joint status and the campaigning of Party members.
• The Party worked hard to ensure that there was usable Co-operative Party content for candidates to use in election literature. This was supplemented by the hard work of working with Labour Party print services to ensure there were as wide a range as possible of properly joint brand campaign pieces. This work extended to working with Labour Party digital to ensure online resources were also jointly branded. There is always more work to do on in this area, but it was a strong effort and paid dividends through the 2024 General Election.
• The Party held a launch event both online and in person for the Party four campaign priority policy areas. This featured the Party and Parliamentary Group Chairs and took place at Co-operative Congress.
• The Party held nationally supported phone-banking through the short campaign and these sessions were also taken up by some member-led equalities networks.
• The Party ran a two comprehensive practical campaign training programmes just ahead of the short campaign and at the start of it. This training included door knocking, online campaigning, phone-banking and member mobilisation.
• Members of the staff team also contributed to much on the ground campaigning through the short campaign in their own areas of the country and across it.

2. Digital and Communications

The Party set out to ensure we had consistent, creative and focussed online and digital content through the General Election period. Ahead of the election the Party was able to use raised funds to double the size of its Communications team and this was of huge import to the delivery of our output. In particular:

• The four policy asks of the Party’s campaign were: double the size of the co-operative sector, 1 million new owners of energy (Local Power Plan), community power (new community right to buy) and tackling retail crime allowed for a focused and consistent set of communication products. It is maybe the first election in which the Party had such rigorous focus which then went on to become established Labour Party commitments.
• The Party rapidly increased the volume of its communications and emails. This was policy and candidate focused.
• The Party made much more use of a wider range of social media platforms through the campaign. This wasn’t just using the same content across different platforms but making tailored content for each platform. Clearly this is much more resource intensive but helped the Party’s ability to reach new audiences.
• The quality of the output has been roundly praised by candidates and members.
• The Party set out to ensure that the digital output featured a much larger proportion of video content. This necessitates team members to travel and achieve quick content turn arounds but allowed the Party to better platform candidates and its issues.
• The Party made much more of site visits through the short campaign, these visits to community pubs, community owned shops, retail stores and community energy projects allowed for more dynamic and policy focussed content.
• The use of the signed off policy, site visits and local platforming allowed for our content to be shareable and candidate friendly, which assured a much higher take up by our candidates and members than would otherwise be the case.
• Through fundraising, the Party was also able to hugely increase our spend through the campaign on social media advertising. This helped lead to a 15,000+ increase in our supporter list.

In numbers:

6.64m Impressions across all social media

285,086 Total engagement across all social media

Facebook:

Over 70,000 Link clicks

Over 273,000 Reach

Over 300,000 Impressions

Instagram:

Over 921,000 Impressions

Post reach over 750,000

Daily average impressions over 21,000

Twitter:

Over 396,000 impressions

Individual tweets over 45,000 impressions

3. Candidate support

The Party set out through the election to seek to ensure that Co-operative Party candidates were better supported by the Party than through other past elections. The Party had the strategic aim of supporting circa 50 official candidates and ensuring that those with unofficial nominations also felt supported. The Party went into the short campaign with 49 candidates and:

• Provided financial support to official candidates both nationally and locally. This included bringing forward the 2025 Constituency Plan Agreements. The Party invested more in candidates’ campaigns than through the last three General Elections.
• Offered individual and group training sessions and support on a range of digital work including advertising, design and content.
• Provided usable digital tools to candidates through the election and through the candidates’ hub.
• Produced strong campaign materials support through the short campaign.
• Provided usable communication content and local press releases through the campaign.
• Was able to source individual campaign support from volunteers for candidates.
• Sought to mobilise members to support both through phone-banking and in person

4. Policy/manifesto work

A key aspect of the Party’s focus and need was the influence we were able to achieve within the Labour Party manifesto. As previously reported the Party put its policy priorities at the forefront of our campaigning and communications. We produced the Party’s own platform and had a physical launch of the policy priorities. As a result of much work the Party enjoyed good influence, for example:

• Double the size of the co-operative and mutual sector was included in the LP Manifesto.
• Community Right to Buy included.
• Local Power Plan (1 million owners of energy) was included in the LP manifesto.
• Stand-alone offence of retail crime was included in the LP manifesto.

There were other aspects of the language and thrust of the manifesto that the Party worked to achieve in areas such as high streets, diverse ownership methods.

5. Post election results

The Party now enjoys its largest Westminster Group in its history, alongside 60% of PLP members being members of the Party. We have a government with strong co-operative commitments. The Party has an historic large number of Cabinet Members (6), and Ministers (20) spread over 8 Government Departments. This has been added to with Group members becoming PPS’, whips and Select Committee Chairs. The Party has begun work with the Group and Ministers to start to see the delivery of the Party’s objectives.

1. Local Elections 2024

The Local Elections 2024 saw impressive Co-operative gains and took the Party’s elected representation to a historic high.

The Party gained 5 new Metro Mayors bringing our total to 8 across the country.  We also gained 9 new Police and Crime Commissioners bringing us to 15.

We have 50 Labour & Co-op Leaders (of groups and councils) and through the elections gained 130 councillors to take our total past 1,600. Following the election, 1 in 4 Labour councillors are now Labour/Co-op. Approx. 70% of Co-op candidates were elected compared to approx. 50% just Labour elected.

In total the Co-operative Party had 341 councillors elected, with 147 unsuccessful. Below a range of other statistics are provided following the Local elections 2024.

Total

• 541 candidates contesting 550 seats across every region in England
• 8 (of 9) Combined Authority Mayors
• 3 (of 37) P(F)CC candidates
• 12 (of 14) London Assembly members
• 4 Parish Council only candidates
• 490 council candidates across district, borough, metropolitan borough, county, city and unitary authority – 7 of the 490 are also standing for parish or town council
• 163 candidates were standing for re-election as Labour and Co-operative
• 47 stood down

Total Candidate numbers by region/nation

• England and Wales – 541

• East Midlands – 9
• East of England – 107
• London – 13
• North East & N Cumbria – 51
• North West – 103
• South East – 91
• South West – 55
• Wales – 4
• West Midlands – 49
• Yorkshire & the Humber – 59

Total councils contested

• 97 out of 107 (91%) councils contested in England
• 9 parish councils contested

Councils with the highest numbers of candidates were

• 33 – Stevenage Borough Council
• 28 – North Hertfordshire District Council
• 17 – Warrington Borough Council
• 14 – Plymouth City Council
• 13 – Leeds City Council and Sheffield City Council (tied)
• 17 councils had 10 or more Co-operative candidates

Of those who have provided equality data

•  44% identify as women, 56% identify as men, 0.5% identify as non-binary
• 16% identify as BAME
• 22.33% identify as having a disability
• 14.75% identify as LGBTQ+
• Also, 20% have caring responsibilities for young children (50/50 gender split)

Age profile

• 18-30 – 75/533 – 14%
• 31-40 – 81 – 15%
• 41-50 – 81 – 15%
• 51-60 – 133 – 25%
• 61-70 – 103 – 19%
• 71-80 – 56 – 11%
• 81+ – 4 – 1%
•  Unknown – 8

The youngest candidate was 18yrs and 3.5mths at the election.

London GLA candidates included 10 returned Lab/Co-operative GLA members.

2. Co-operative Development Programme 2025

The programme of training for new candidates ahead of the 2025 Local Elections has begun and had one full programme delivered with the second starting.

Local Election/Metro Mayor Manifestos

To enable local delivery of co-operative solutions through Local Elections 2024 the Party:

• Issued its ‘Build your own manifesto document’.
• Held Group policy sessions with Council candidates and Councillors.
• Worked with individual Groups to develop strong co-operative manifesto content.
• Similarly, Party staff worked with individual Mayoral campaigns to achieve co-operative content. Examples can be seen within Oliver Coppard’s technology co-operatives and Andy Burnham’s manifesto contained strong commitments including innovative policy relating to travel costs and credit unions.

King’s Speech

Following the General Election the Westminster Government’s King’s Speech contained key measures the Party had campaigned for including:

• Local Power Plan
• Stand-alone retail crime offence
• A new community right to buy

These announcements were supplemented by Co-operative Parliamentarian’s Kings Speech contributions as well as Ministerial speeches.

Great British Energy (GBE)

The Bill to create GBE has entered Parliament. The Founding Statement of GBE contained its commitment to the future delivery of the Local Power Plan and the Secretary of State’s 2^nd reading debate underscored the Government’s commitment to this policy. In addition, the Co-operative Party has published an open letter to the GBE new Chief Executive. The Party will continue to work with the sector, Ministers and elected representatives as the Bill goes through Parliament.

Post General Election Political work

Following the General Election the Party has sought and had early meetings with sectoral partners, Ministers from DBT, HMT, CMS and HCLG as well as meetings with advisers and in Downing Street to discuss co-operative growth measures and the policy commitment to double the size of the co-operative sector.

Wider work in this strategic objective

• The Westminster Government reversed an effective ban on onshore wind projects, a measure that will aid the community energy sector.
• Co-operative Party MP Steve Reed, Secretary of State for EFRA announced an intention for consumer panels to be established in water companies. A measure the Party championed with ‘Democratic models of ownership for the 21^st Century’.
• A range of Co-operative Party Parliamentarians have asked a range of Parliamentary Oral Questions – including a Treasury Question on Co-operative Growth from Jim McMahon and Rachel Blake on Community Energy post General Election.

In pursuit of this strategic objective the Party has:

Traditional media

• The General Secretary spoke on Times Radio on the issue of Retail Crime.
• The Party was featured and quoted in The Mirror on Healthy Start Vouchers, following analysis the Party compiled.
• Following a PMQ from Labour and Co-operative MP Emma Foody on ticket touts the Party was quoted in both the Mirror and Guardian.
• Throughout the General Election the Party featured in BBC News analysis and had a Mirror piece on retail crime. This campaigning work also led to the Party compiling an online petition on the issue with 5,000 signatories.

New MP Maiden Speeches

Many new Co-operative MPs made their maiden speeches. This was an opportunity for them to carry Co-operative Party messages, campaign and branding, with many of the speeches carrying such content. Some of these speeches then featured as email and join asks within Party email lists.

…And Co-operative

The Party launched a joint letter to broadcasters with Party members, calling on the broadcasters to correctly identify Labour and Co-operative Politicians when appearing on their platforms. 1,000 members have so far taken up that call.

Local Government Forum

The Party held its Local Government Forum following the General Election. The online event was well attended and featured a range of Westminster Ministers and Local Government leaders.

Events

The Party has spoken at report launches for Power to Change and Ruskin College on community power and at other organisations’ events for candidates and new MPs including the We are Here campaign, LCID and LCEF.

The Party chair hosted the Co-operative Group’s Social Mobility report launch in Westminster.

The Party has undertaken a range of work on this strategic objective. Much has been covered within the General Election report but in addition the Party has:

• Delivered a strong Local Election launch event for members with Metro Mayors, Council Leaders and Police and Crime Commissioners. The event was live from studios in Yorkshire.
• Produced an election special of The Pioneer Magazine profiling campaigning and Party candidates.
• Held an online Eid iftar
• Attended and spoke at a Scotmid Board event
• Held the September Subscribing Societies meeting hosted by Scotmid in Edinburgh
• Held its Annual Summer School for new members in August
• Held post-election briefings for members
• Attended and spoke at Co-operative Congress
• Delivered a smaller number of Co-op Live sessions (because of the General Election) on key areas of Co-operative Party campaigning.

Electoral reporting and returns

A significant area of work in this strategic objective through the period has been the intense pre- and post-election reporting that the Party is subject to. This includes weekly reporting, briefings and guideline changes from the Electoral Commission. This work continues after the election, when the job of reporting and returns is undertaken. This requires significant staff time and resources. The Party has now nearly completed its returns and looks forward to an audit in November.

Staffing

The other area of import within this strategic objective has been natural staffing changes in the lead up to the election and afterwards. The Party had several staffing changes along with a small number of extended absences, which necessitated some covering of roles and interim staff measures. Additions including Caitlin Prowle as interim Head of Political Affairs has helped ensure the Party has been able to continue performing at a high-level post-election.

Wider work

In pursuit of this strategic objective the Party has also:

• Attracted further financial and non-financial donations to the Party for use through the short campaign
• Held its internal 3-year strategy day.
• Completed its audit and its AGM.
• Offered speakers, stalls and video content for the Midcounties, East of England, Central Co-op and Co-op Group AGMs. Each AGM voted in favour of retaining its support for the Party.
• Conducted an NEC by-election

At the end of Q2 2024, our total individual membership was 13,068.

Including affiliates, our total membership stood at 13,082.

Total new recruitment for Q1 & Q2 2024 was 768 – this includes both new joiners and those who re-joined after being lapsed.

Our total subscribed supporter list (those with valid emails) at the end of Q2 stood at around 110,000. In the last few months, we have seen a large increase in our active supporters through the Safer High Streets / Retail Crime campaign, Facebook ads, and interest in our May 2024 Candidate Development Programme. Converting supporters to members is our main recruitment source.

We continue to gain our greatest share of new members through a diverse range of targeted ‘Join Asks’ from prominent Co-operative Party (and Labour) identities. Subjects for Q2 ranged from our success in the local elections to a commemoration of the Cheltenham Agreement (the Lab-Co-op 1927 electoral pact).

Membership income up for Q1 & Q2 was just over £303,000.

May was the highest month for recruitment, with 157 new members.

Unison Labour Link voted to affiliate to the Party in November 2023 and this came into effect in 2024.

Throughout 2023 and into early 2024 we continued to look at ways increase both local recruitment & retention, and expand our national email supporter list, which is by far the biggest source of new member recruitment. This included the co-operation of local parties and branches in pro-actively recruiting, using text messages to remind members that they are in arrears, localising the new member journey so that new members received immediate information from their region, and asking CLPs to invite Co-operative Party guest speakers to their meetings and to spread the word about the Party locally.

Local recruitment was boosted in Q1 through Local Government candidate recruitment.

Recruitment into 2024 will continue to be challenging, and we will continue to devote considerable attention and time to retention and to improving the member experience and journey. The July general election also provided opportunities for this in conjunction with member mobilisation.