As a Jew, I worry about racism against Jewish people. I also worry about privileging the racism faced by Jewish communities in this country, as more worthy of resources than other forms of discrimination such as against Black people, Palestinians, Muslims and refugees. Abuses of power are measured in detentions, deportations and deaths.

Socialist campaign group of Labour councillors

I am proud to stand together with Cllr Matt White to represent local councillors on the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee. Like many in the party, the values of justice and socialism are close to my heart. My own family history and our Labour movement’s collective struggles drive me to ensure that these values are put into practice, rather than just being empty words.

Inspired by all of us, I was elected as a Labour councillor on the Wirral two years ago. I am standing for election to Labour’s National Executive Committee. For two seats for local government representatives, alongside my brilliant comrade Councillor Matt White from Haringey. Only Labour councillors can vote for us.

All Labour members can vote for some great CLP candidates, such as Nadia Jama, Laura Pidcock and Yasmine Dar. They are also standing for fairness and justice in our disciplinary system.

Cllr Matt White and I are backed by a wide range of organisations including the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour Councillors (Socialist Cllrs), Labour Representation Committee (LRC), Jewish Voice for Labour, Don’t Leave Organise, Labour Briefing, Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD) and Welsh Labour Grassroots.

I am standing for the NEC [National Executive Committee] again. This time for the Local Government section and every Labour Councillor can vote for me and my excellent comrade Matt White. Unfortunately, I won’t get the chance to have the votes from Labour members across the country. Last time I won 46,000 votes, so thank you very much.

We have some great candidates standing who are also standing for fairness and justice in our disciplinary process. Standing for free and fair elections. People like Laura Pidcock. So do nominate people like that and give them your vote also.

I was elected as Labour councillor for Bromborough two years ago today.

In my first year, I gained hardship payments for disaster victims in my ward and became secretary of Wirral Labour Group under new leadership. I experienced brief administrative suspension from the Labour Party, which helped me better represent my constituents, fellow Labour party members and councillors.

In my second year, I stood for Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC). With the nomination of 118 CLPs and backing of many organisations, 46,150 members voted for me. I was briefly suspended and reinstated again. Here are some landmarks of my year.

Backed by the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour Councillors, I (Jo Bird) am standing for election with my brilliant comrade, Councillor Matt White.

We are campaigning to:

» Build on our proud socialist traditions in local government, while organising and agitating for new alternatives to failing capitalism.

» Argue for common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange.

» Fight to democratise politics and the economy, including campaigning for Open Selection at all levels.

» Support the work of socialist MPs, trade unions and the wider socialist movement, acting as a conduit for socialist values in local government.

» Build on the multi-generational, multi-racial, class-based movement inspired by Jeremy Corbyn.

I was a candidate in the NEC election. I came fourth. I also, as part of that campaign, spoke with thousands of members across the country of all different kinds. It really struck me that black and Asian and minority ethnic members were struggling – almost more than anybody else – just to stay in the party.

The racism they were dealing with. The discrepancy between how their complaints were dealt with compared with antisemitism complaints is huge. That’s become very clear in the report also. [#LabourLeaks report states on page 708, “considerably more effort went into progressing antisemitism cases than other types of complaints, with antisemitism cases being prioritised.”]

1. Jeremy Corbyn is staying in Labour. His legacy includes hundreds of thousands more members. We count, we matter.

2. It's important to hold our leadership and government to account, even more so in times of crises and disaster.

3. Our government’s first job is to protect the people. They should have prepared an army of nurses and carers – fully equipped and trained for the war against a pandemic. But instead this government invested in military might and tax breaks for the super rich few. Already there have been so many bereaved families and uncounted Covid related deaths outside of hospital. We need work together to challenge establishment cover up and denial of preventable deaths.

Thank you so much to all 46,150 members of the Labour Party who voted for me for the NEC [National Executive Committee].

Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to win this time but we are taking the message.

I came fourth. It’s quite a resounding vote actually for the things I was standing for: - Fairness - Innocent until proven guilty - Stop suspensions before investigation.

In terms of the leadership election, 56% of Labour members voted for Kier Starmer and we need to reflect on that. I hope that Sir Kier Starmer stands up for the key issues of our time.

The NEC makes key decisions for Labour in between annual national conference. During the current by-elections for the NEC, five candidates including myself were suspended from the Labour Party. Did such draconian action bring the Labour Party into disrepute? More than 50 CLPs paid no heed and continued to nominate me for the NEC (118 CLPs altogether). Members demanded free and fair elections. I was swiftly reinstated by a panel of the NEC who found my behaviour “did not amount to a breach of the Party’s Rules”. Thank you to everyone who voted or spoke out!

118 Constituency Labour Parties have democratically nominated Jo Bird for NEC. Thousands of members continued to vote for Jo Bird while her membership was suspended.