Impact of Co-Operative Party on 2012 London Elections
1. Impact of the Co-Operative Party
on London Elections 2012
Val Shawcross AM
2. Contents
The role the Co-operative Party played in
the 2012 elections.
Key Co-operative policy points for London.
The results of the elections.
Where next?
Issues facing Londoners
3. How you helped
Organisation and mobilisation
Funding and Support
Policy development
4.
5. An Economy in all our
Interests
Promote growth of co-operatives to create
jobs by incentivising lending to start-up co-
op enterprises, appointing a City Hall ‘Co-
operative Commission’
Londoners should have access to a credit
union
The Mayor should advocate a more diverse
banking system and stand up for
customer owned banking as a crucial
element in reform of the City.
6. Building for the Future
All Londoners should have access to
affordable homes over which they have real
control. The Mayor and Assembly should look
to bring London’s co-operative housing
stock up to the European average of 10%.
Existing social housing stock should be made
more accountable to tenants.
The Mayor should promote mutual forms
of retirement homes.
7. Co-operative Communities
Promote transfer of community assets – such as city
farms – to the control of local people. The Mayor
should advocate a new ‘community gateway’
model
The Mayor should look to mutual models for
cultural events.
The Mayor should support and promote the Co-
operative Councils initiative.
Young Londoners must have a real democratic
voice, a co-operative Youth Assembly and
encouraging young people to be ambassadors
for their communities
8. Ethical London
The Mayor and Assembly must ensure that
London takes seriously its position as the
world’s largest Fairtrade city.
London’s green spaces – such as the
Royal Parks - should be made more
accountable to Londoners
The Mayor and GLA should use 2012, the
UN’s Year of Co-operatives, to
promote our movement and teach the
values of co-operation
9. Sustainable Infrastructure
The Mayor should promote and develop
consumer energy co-operatives as a radical
way to cut fuel poverty, tackle climate change
and address the cost of living crisis.
London’s infrastructure should be greener,
sustainable, better integrated and
‘smarter’. The new Mayor should advocate a
smart city approach and improved access to
broadband, especially through telecoms co-
operatives.
12. What do these results mean for
Labour on the London Assembly?
Labour have increased their control over
London's Assembly, despite Boris's win in
the Mayoral elections
We now have 12 seats, a gain of four over
last year at the expense of the
Conservative and Liberal Democrat
parties, and the Green Party held on to
their two seats.
14. Issues facing Londoners
Unemployment, Low pay and Poverty
High cost of Living
Homelessness, lack of affordable homes
High private rents, bad landlords
Cuts to public services NHS, Police,
Councils
Impact of population growth –transport
capacity
Environment – poor air quality