Labour Women's Network

The Labour Women's Network (LWN) is a grassroots socialist society within the UK Labour Party and the organisation officially associated with the party's women's wing. Its principal role is to help women participate more fully in Labour politics, particularly by supporting women who want to stand for elected office at local, national and other levels of public life. LWN was established in 1988 after the 1987 general election, when the number of women elected to the British Parliament remained low. Barbara Follett, Barbara Roche, Hilary De Lyon and Jean Black founded the organisation to address the barriers that limited women's selection as parliamentary candidates and their subsequent election. Its work has therefore combined internal party campaigning with practical development activity, including training, mentoring and support for prospective candidates. The organisation describes itself as a broad or big-tent group. It brings together women in the Labour Party with differing views on issues affecting women, rather than operating as a policy-making body with a single detailed platform. Its emphasis is on political participation, representation and leadership development. Through campaigning and training, it seeks to strengthen women's ability to navigate party structures, pursue candidacy and take on public roles. LWN is organised as a Labour Party socialist society. Socialist societies are recognised organisations that provide Labour members with an additional political home and a route to participation within the wider party. LWN is governed by a general committee, with elections held annually and committee members normally serving two-year terms, subject to the organisation's election rules and any by-elections. Eligibility to stand for committee office includes a minimum period of Labour Party membership before proceedings begin. A significant leadership milestone came in 2011, when Jo Cox became LWN's first chair. She later became the Member of Parliament for Batley and Spen in 2015, leaving the chair after her election. Following Cox's murder in 2016, Labour and LWN established the Jo Cox Women in Leadership Scheme in her memory. The scheme was intended to invest in training and development for women within the Labour movement and to carry forward Cox's interest in political leadership and representation. LWN is also affiliated with PES Women, the women's organisation of the Party of European Socialists. Its activities are primarily focused on the Labour Party and political life in the United Kingdom, while this relationship gives its work a connection to the wider European social-democratic movement. LWN is not a commercial product brand: its principal offerings are membership, political campaigning, training, leadership development and support for women involved in Labour politics.

The Labour Women's Network was founded in 1988 in response to the limited number of women elected to the British Parliament at the 1987 general election. Barbara Follett, Barbara Roche, Hilary De Lyon and Jean Black established the organisation to help more women secure selection as Labour candidates and win election to Parliament. From its beginning, the group combined political campaigning with practical assistance for women attempting to enter or progress through political life. LWN developed as a grassroots organisation within the Labour Party rather than as a separate political party or a commercial entity. Its focus has been to provide women in Labour with support, training and a collective voice. The organisation is deliberately broad in its approach, accepting members with different perspectives on issues affecting women. It does not function primarily as a policy-making body; instead, its central purpose is to increase women's participation and representation and to help women prepare for public office. The organisation's place within Labour's formal structure is that of a socialist society. Socialist societies are recognised Labour organisations that give members an additional route into party activity and a political community within the wider party. LWN is run by a general committee. Committee elections take place annually, while committee members generally serve two-year terms unless a by-election is required. The stated eligibility rules allow women to stand for election after meeting a minimum Labour Party membership period. Jo Cox became LWN's first chair in 2011. Her tenure ended when she was elected as the Labour Member of Parliament for Batley and Spen in 2015. Cox's later public career and her commitment to political participation became closely associated with the organisation's leadership-development work. After her death in 2016, LWN and the Labour Party launched the Jo Cox Women in Leadership Scheme. The scheme was designed to invest in training women in the Labour movement and to preserve a practical legacy around women's political leadership. LWN's activities include campaigning, training, networking and support for women who wish to stand for elected office at local or national level. The organisation's work is principally UK-focused and connected to Labour's internal candidate and leadership pipeline. It is also a member of PES Women, linking it to the women's wing of the Party of European Socialists and to a wider European social-democratic network. As documented in the available reference material, LWN remains an active Labour-affiliated organisation. Its identity is best understood as a political membership and support network, not as a consumer brand. Its enduring proposition is to make it easier for women in the Labour movement to gain the skills, confidence, support and opportunities needed for political representation.

• 2016

  Jo Cox Women in Leadership Scheme launched

  [1]Labour Women's Networken.wikipedia.org

  LWN and the Labour Party established a leadership-development scheme in Cox's memory after her death.

• 2015

  Jo Cox elected to Parliament

  [1]Labour Women's Networken.wikipedia.org

  Cox was elected as the Member of Parliament for Batley and Spen and left the LWN chair position.

• 2011

  Jo Cox becomes first chair

  [1]Labour Women's Networken.wikipedia.org

  Jo Cox was elected as the organisation's first chair.

• 1988

  Labour Women's Network founded

  [1]Labour Women's Networken.wikipedia.org

  Barbara Follett, Barbara Roche, Hilary De Lyon and Jean Black founded LWN to help more women become Labour candidates and elected representatives.

• 1987

  Low representation of women after the general election

  [1]Labour Women's Networken.wikipedia.org

  The low number of women elected to the British Parliament at the 1987 general election helped prompt the creation of a dedicated Labour women's organisation.

A broad-based Labour movement organisation focused on women's political representation, candidate development and leadership support rather than on commercial products or formal policy-making.

• Political training

  Candidate training and support

  LWN provides training and practical support for women who want to stand for public office. The available material identifies candidate development as one of the organisation's core purposes, particularly in relation to selection as Labour candidates and election to local or national office.

• Leadership development · 2016

  Jo Cox Women in Leadership Scheme

  Created jointly by the Labour Party and LWN after Jo Cox's death, this scheme supports training and leadership development for women within the Labour movement. It represents an institutional continuation of Cox's connection with LWN and her role in encouraging women to participate in political leadership.

• Political membership and advocacy · 1988

  Campaigning and member support

  LWN campaigns for greater representation of women in Labour politics and provides a network for women with varied views on women's issues. Its support activities are directed toward participation, confidence-building and access to political opportunities rather than the sale of commercial goods.

• 2016Jo Cox Women in Leadership Scheme

  United Kingdom

  Established by LWN and the Labour Party after Jo Cox's death, the scheme focuses on training and developing women for leadership within the party.

  Source
• 1988Campaign for greater representation of women in Labour politics

  United Kingdom

  The organisation was founded to campaign for more women to be selected as Labour candidates and elected to public office, addressing the under-representation highlighted by the 1987 general election.

  Source

1. 1Labour Women's Networken.wikipedia.org
2. 2Labour Women's Network official websitelwn.org.uk