Must-read 6 Steps to Build Community WealthUsing what we already have to generate local economic growth co-operatively
17th January 2019 Scotland – the co-operative well spring of democratic ownership Richard McCready Political Officer (Scotland) The Scottish Parliament has called on the Scottish Government to increase support for co-operatives and employee-owned businesses in a motion moved by the Scottish Labour Leader and supported by Scottish Co-operative Party MSPs
10th January 2019 Government failure is leaving people vulnerable to food poverty – but the co-operative movement offers hope Caitlin Prowle Yesterday’s Environmental Audit Committee report on food insecurity shows that this Government’s failed policies are leaving people hungry. But where the Government is failing to take action, the co-operative movement is already working to help.
17th December 2018 Supporting the UK’s fishing co-operatives Archived: Ben West Communications & Digital Officer It is one thing to declare the UK an 'independent coastal state'. But it is UK policymakers who will shape what that means in practice
21st November 2018 Doubling the size of the co‑operative sector in our countryside David Drew In this week's committee debate on the Government's Agriculture Bill, I argued that more co-operatives would deliver a fairer and more resilient sector which works for farmers. Our proposed amendment would provide agricultural co-operatives with the funding, support and protection they need to thrive.
2nd November 2018 When people look at their town, it is a test for what the future holds for their place and their community Jim McMahon Chair of the Co-operative Party and Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Speech by Jim McMahon MP, Chair of the Co-operative Party Parliamentary Group in this week's Budget debate
29th October 2018 Budget 2018: Ending austerity means building a co‑operative economy Jim McMahon Chair of the Co-operative Party and Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Response to today's UK Budget from Co‑operative Party Parliamentary Chair, Jim McMahon MP
27th September 2018 “Why on earth shouldn’t the people who create the wealth own the wealth that they create?”, asks Richard Leonard Richard McCready Political Officer (Scotland)
27th September 2018 Richard Leonard backs plan to give first-year school pupils a £20 credit union ‘starter for 20’. Richard McCready Political Officer (Scotland) Scottish Labour Leader Richard Leonard MSP has demonstrated his commitment to co-operative principles by putting forward a policy which will implement our ideas about credit unions right across Scotland.
6th September 2018 Ofgem’s energy price cap is a sticking plaster on a broken industry Anna Birley Policy Officer While £75 off bills is a welcome short-term fix, our energy industry desperately needs an overhaul. Democratic public ownership, where customers and workers have a say and a stake in where their energy comes from, is the only way to ensure a "fair" tariff.
5th September 2018 The water industry is in desperate need of reform, but South West Water’s consumer share offer is too little too late Anna Birley Policy Officer While South West Water's consumer share offer looks good on paper, in practice it amounts to little more than a cheap gimmick. The broken water industry needs deeper reform which truly puts ownership back into the hands of customers and workers.
25th June 2018 Government plans to strengthen the Social Value Act Joe Fortune General Secretary The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster speaks to the ‘Reform’ think tank about re-building trust in public procurement post-Carillion.
21st June 2018 Scots want to see governments intervene more robustly to encourage responsible tax palnning by business Richard McCready Political Officer (Scotland)
12th June 2018 Co-operative councillors can begin delivering Labour’s co-operative vision right now. Tom Hayes Oxford City Councillor for St. Clement's Ward and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford In power across the country, co-operative councillors are showing that even in the toughest of circumstances, it's possible to begin implementing the polices, ideas and models that will one day deliver a Labour & Co-operative government all the way to Downing Street.
25th May 2018 Credit unions demonstate why ownership matters Kezia Dugdale It's up to all of us to ensure the Scottish Government works to provide more ethical and affordable alternatives in our communities.
17th May 2018 The Scottish National Investment Bank must promote all forms of business ownership Claudia Beamish MSP for South Scotland and Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change The Scottish National Investment Bank should be inclusive of a variety of ownership models: municipal, public, community and co-operative.
17th April 2018 Co-operative Party publishes ‘Ownership Matters’ report, making the case for democratic public ownership Co-operative Party The Co-operative Party, Labour’s sister Party, has today published detailed proposals for new models of democratic public ownership for key industries including water, energy and rail.
5th April 2018 Britain won’t solve its productivity crisis unless employees get a real stake in their workplace Daniel Eggert The Chancellor isn’t wrong to talk about productivity in the UK – but he is missing a key part of the jigsaw by failing to promote employee ownership and co-operative models.
13th March 2018 Why ownership matters Dave Watson Head of Policy and Public Affairs at UNISON Scotland and Co-operative party member New ideas on economic policy are being applied in a practical way in Scotland, with a Labour Leadership which understands that ownership matters.
12th March 2018 Co-operative MPs call for release of lending blackspot data Archived: Ben West Communications & Digital Officer This evening Co-operative MPs will call in Parliament for the release of data revealing which parts of the country are being targeted by high-cost lenders, and which have been abandoned by big banks as a result of branch closures.
10th February 2018 Co-operative Party commissions independent report on expansion of co-operative sector Co-operative Party Co-operative Party General Secretary Claire McCarthy responds to the Shadow Chancellor's announcements today
10th February 2018 Making our vision of a co-operative economy into reality Claire McCarthy Former General Secretary As co-operators, we understand that practical actions, not just rhetoric, change our world. That's why today we take two important steps towards making plans to double the co-operative sector a reality
22nd January 2018 Gareth Thomas demands high-cost lenders pay for the damage they cause Archived: Ben West Communications & Digital Officer In Parliament this afternoon, Co-operative Party Chair Gareth Thomas called for high-cost lenders such as BrightHouse to be required to pay towards the cost of providing debt advice for hard-pressed consumers.
9th January 2018 As the world’s financial capital, London can lead the way in creating a banking system that works for the rest of us Archived: Ben West Communications & Digital Officer A London Assembly report has set out a path towards the kind of diverse and socially-oriented banking system seen in successful economies such as Germany
29th November 2017 After a wasted decade, the route to recovery lies in sharing ownership with employees Anna Heard By focusing on the needs of business and the commanding heights of the economy, the Government's Industrial Strategy ignores the real solutions to the productivity crisis.
16th November 2017 Apps don’t exploit people, broken markets do. Anna Heard Archived: Ben West Communications & Digital Officer As technological change transforms the workplace, some would like you to believe that exploitation is an inevitable consequence. Co-operatives and trade unions are showing it doesn't have to be.
6th November 2017 Accidental tax avoidance? In a system this broken it’s easy – just ask the Queen. Archived: Ben West Communications & Digital Officer We're rightly outraged by a broken system - but it falls to all of us to hard-wire accountability and responsibility back in.
30th June 2017 A race to the bottom or building wealth co-operatively? The choice is ours. Anna Birley Policy Officer For decades, communities have been told that their only option for regeneration is to compete against one another to incentivise big business to set up shop, and that waiting for inward investment is the only path to growth. But the race to the bottom could soon be over, thanks to a new approach that puts local people at the heart of rebuilding their local economy.
11th May 2017 5 things the next Parliament can do to put fairness and equality at the heart of Britain’s economy Anna Birley Policy Officer As Britain's economy stares into the abyss, it's time for us to be ambitious - by doubling the size of the co-operative and mutual sector, we can create the fairer kind of economy that millions of us need
10th April 2017 Barcelona has always been a centre of radicalism. Now the City’s €1bn spending power is being used to build a more democratic economy. Anna Birley Policy Officer Procurement may not capture the imagination, but Barcelona is using it to limit the dominance of big busines and support the social and sharing economy in the City.
Policy paper: an economy where wealth and power are sharedPolicy paper drawing on members' submissions, which forms the basis of policy debate 2 at 2018 Annual Conference