Jargon Busting

Most organisations use acronyms and jargon, and the Labour party is no different.  So, here's a handy list of terms.

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. 

In Preston this usually takes place in ?? and is the meeting at which our Constituency Labour Party (CLP) 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. The Preston branches are  Find out more about our branches here

Cabinet

Committee of senior government ministers/shadow ministers. Also the main decision making body of Preston Council  consisting of the Leader & councillors with portfolio responsibilities. Find out more about Preston Council's Cabinet here. 

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. It acts as the steering committee for Annual Conference. People are periodically elected to the CAC by members.

Canvassing

Also called “door knocking”.  This is a doorstep conversation with a voter.  It's where activists find out the things that are important to voters and encourage Labour supporters to get out to vote.

CLP: Constituency Labour Party. The CLP is made up of several wards and based on the electoral area for the election of MPs. Preston CLP is made up of ? branches. Our MP is Sir Mark Hendrick.

EC: Executive Committee. 

Elected officers at ward and constituency level form the Executive Committee. The elected members of the Preston CLP EC  can be found here. 

Front Bench

one of the two rows of seats in the parliament occupied by government ministers or shadow (opposition) ministers.

GC: General Committee. 

Meetings of the GC are where decisions are made for the whole constituency. GC delegates are elected from the Labour Party branches, Union branches and affiliated socialist societies.

GM: General Meeting. The General Meeting is where decisions are made for the whole constituency.

GOTV: Get Out The Vote. Throughout a campaign Labour voters are identified through canvassing. . Activists 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 in Preston Council.

LCF: Local Campaign Forum.  ???

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.

OMOV: One Member One Vote. This is the ballot system used for Labour Party elections, such as the Leader and Deputy leadership elections, where all Labour Party members are entitled to one vote and where all votes carry equal weight.

PLP: Parliamentary Labour Party. The group of all sitting Labour MPs.

Quotas

This is a policy to ensure gender balance. For example, at least 50% of CLP delegates to the GC, EC and Labour Party conference must be women.