Standing Orders and Agenda for Counterfire National Conference 2016
2015 has seen a political convulsion. After years of austerity, corporate politics and foreign wars, the mould of British politics has finally been broken.
Outrage at the Tory election victory produced an unprecedented summer of protests and the election of probably the most left wing leader Labour has ever had, a leader that comes from the movements and remains close to them.
Intense political polarisation has followed, and a battle for the future of British politics and society that is only just beginning.
From the 250,000 strong anti-austerity rally in the summer, to the first Corbyn rallies and the anti-war protests, Counterfire has been central to the spectacular developments that have taken place. As a result of this we have grown considerably.
This conference will be dedicated to analysing and discussing this fast moving situation in as much depth as possible. We will be considering the fragile economic situation, the continuing drive to war in the West, the worrying growth of racism and Islamophobia and discussing the left wing groundswell that has secured Corbyn his position.
Most important, together we will be charting the way forward for the left – how best to support Corbyn and strengthen the movements on the ground, how best too to grow the revolutionary left.
The conference will work best with maximum input from members across the country, from different workplaces, unions universities and communities. The broader the input the better the picture we can build of how the situation is developing. The more members there are the more ideas and experiences will be brought into play.
Delegates and observers
Only registered members can be delegates. Members who have joined by 29th January 2016 can be delegates as long as they take out a direct debit/standing order before the conference (including on the door). Otherwise, unregistered members can attend as observers. Other non-members can attend as observers by invitation.
Resolutions and amendments
Any registered member can submit resolutions and amendments.
Deadlines:
Resolutions: Friday 22nd January 2016
Amendments: Friday 29th January 2016
Steering Committee
Nominations for SC by 29th January 2016.
Nominees recieving a vote of at least 50% (based on total votes cast), will be elected to the SC up to the limit of SC numbers agreed by Conference.
Speaking and voting procedure for resolutions
Each resolution will be discussed and voted on in the order shown in the conference pack (or as instructed by CAC). The procedure will be as follows:
Speech for resolution
For amendment (if any)
Against amendment (if any)
And so on until all amendments have been moved, then
Against resolution (if any)
Vote for amendment(s) in order
Vote for resolution as amended or not.
Agenda
Saturday 6 Feb | 10 – 6pm
10:30am – 12:00pm: Revolutionaries and reformism: Corbyn and the crisis of the regime.
12:15pm – 1:30pm: The new paper and the website
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Lunch
2:30pm – 3:00pm: Steering Committee Election
3:00pm – 4:00pm Going for growth: Building Counterfire groups
4:15pm – 5:00pm: Slump, austerity and the resistance
5:00-pm – 6:00pm: Working in the unions
Sunday 7 Feb | 10:30am – 4pm
10:30am – 11:45am: Why theory matters
11:45am – 12:15pm: Finance
12:15pm – 12:30pm: Election results
12:30pm – 1:30pm: Lunch
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Europe, the EU and the refugee crisis
2:45pm – 4:00pm: Syria, Imperialism and Islamophobia
