Guildford Labour Party It's time for Labour in Guildford
Resources
In this resources section we layout a few helpful links and files. This will help you understand some of the jargon and if you wish to help out more, there is training and campaigning links.
Labour Jargon
We all know the Labour Party loves a few acronyms and a bit of jargon. Here are a few explanations.
Affiliate
Trade union or socialist society with established formal links with the Labour Party based on common values. Affiliated organisations pay a subscription to the Labour Party on behalf of their members.
Affiliated Supporter
A supporter who signs up through an affiliated organisation. For example, a trade union.
AGM
Annual General Meeting. Usually held in Guildford Institute where the Executive Officers are elected.
AMM
All Member Meeting. Meeting of the Constituency Labour Party open to all members in that constituency.
AWS
All Women Shortlist. Process to increase representation of women in Parliament by reserving 50% of winnable seats for women candidates.
BAME
BAME stands for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic.
Back Bencher
A Minister of Parliament (MP) or a councillor with no front bench responsibility.
BLP
Branch Labour Party. All members from a particular geographical area, usually along the local government electoral ward boundaries belong to a branch.
Cabinet
Committee of senior government ministers/shadow ministers. Also the main decision making body of a Council consisting of the Leader/elected Mayor & councillors with portfolio responsibilities.
CAC
Conference Arrangements Committee. The committee that determines the shape of the agenda for Annual Conference, and rules on the validity of contemporary and emergency motions. Acts as the steering committee for Annual Conference. People are elected to the CAC by members periodically.
Canvassing
Also called “door knocking”. This is a doorstep conversation with a voter; the gold standard of election campaigning. Here we find out the things that are important to voters and encourage our supporters to get out to vote.
CLP
Constituency Labour Party. The CLP is the electoral area for the election of MPs. The CLP is made up of branches and these contain several wards.
EC
Executive Committee. Elected officers at branch and constituency level form the Executive Committee. They deal with the day to day running of the CLP.
GM
General Meeting. The General Meeting is where decisions are made for the whole constituency.
GOTV
Get Out The Vote. You’ll hear a lot about this around election time. Throughout a campaign we identify Labour voters (through canvassing). We then encourage them to go and cast their vote on polling day.
GOTPV
Get Out The Postal Vote.
Labour Group
The group of Labour councillors on Guildford Council or Surrey County Council.
NEC
National Executive Committee. Find out more here Labour’s National Executive Committee.
NPF
National Policy Forum. Find out more here Labour’s National Policy Forum.
PLP
Parliamentary Labour Party. The group of all sitting Labour MPs.
Quotas
Policy to ensure gender balance. For example, at least 50% of CLP delegates to the GC, EC and Labour Party conference must be women.
Registered Supporter
A supporter who pays for a vote in the leadership contest; this expires a year after the date you joined unless you re-join as an Affiliated Supporter or full Member. You can re-join here.
Short Campaign
A period of time before election day during which all details of expenditure must be sent to the candidate for inclusion in their records.
A set of rules governing the functioning of local Labour Party structures.
TULO
Trade Union Liaison Officer. A CLP or BLP officer elected to build links with local trade unions and lead local Labour Party campaigns supporting local trade unions.
Ward
The basic geographical building block of the your local authority and the Labour Party.
Young Member
If you are under 27 you are automatically a member of Young Labour.
LP Rule Book
Labour Party Rule Book 2024
Everything you have ever dreamt of knowing about the way the Labour Party operates is contained in this 155 page document known as ‘The Rule Book‘.
Our Aims and Values
The Labour Party is a democratic socialist party. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many not the few; where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe and where we live together freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect.Clause IV of The Labour Party Rulebook
Don’t worry – we don’t expect anyone to read this as soon as they join the Labour Party! When you have some time, it is certainly worth taking a look though. ‘The Rule Book’ is an excellent resource for all Labour Party members and covers everything from our aims and values, our membership rules, the annual Labour Party National Conference, the role of our important national committees such as the NEC and NPF, how a constituency functions and right down to the election of officers in our branches. Grab a coffee and a comfortable seat and get set to make the most of your Labour Party Membership!
“I pledge to act within the spirit and rules of the Labour Party in my conduct both on and offline, with members and non-members and I stand against all forms of abuse. I understand that if found to be in breach of the Labour Party policy on online and offline abuse, I will be subject to the rules and procedures of the Labour Party.”
Member’s Pledge