Brown’s co-op election vow

‘Movement’s values will be at the heart of our campaign’

MUTUAL THOUGHTS … Co-operative Group Chair Len Wardle and Co-operative Party General Secretary Michael Stephenson share a joke with Ed Miliband, who is to draft Labour’s manifesto

February 16 2010

Gordon Brown has vowed to put co-operative values at the heart of Labour’s forthcoming general election campaign.

And, even though critical talks in Northern Ireland forced the Prime Minister to miss the recent launch of the Friends of the Co-operative Ideal group, the first Co-operative Party member in history to hold the highest political office in the land sent a strong message of support to Co-operative Movement representatives gathered in 10 Downing Street.

Mr Brown said in statement: “Now more than ever is a time when the ideas and values of the Co-operative Party can flourish. The Friends of the Co-operative Ideal is an opportunity for all those who share those principles to show their support.

“As we prepare for the next election, I am keen that we draw on the enduring values that the Co-operative Movement represents — and for which Labour’s sister party, the Co-operative Party, has stood for since its foundation in 1917.

“I have asked Ed Miliband to work with the Co-operative Party as we draft the Labour manifesto for the forthcoming election, so that co-operative and mutual ideals are an integral part of Labour’s platform for fairness and for change.”

At the reception, Mr Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, described the Friends of the Co-operative Ideal as “a fantastic initiative” and forecast that many Labour MPs would become members.

He said: “The values people really care about are at the heart of the Co-operative Movement and those values will be at the heart of the election manifesto.

“The Co-operative Party manifesto published last year set a high bench mark and we’ll be working hard to get the Labour manifesto right to win a fourth term.

“The reason we’re seeing such a resurgence in co-operative ideas is because of the events of the last two years. There’s huge potential to speak to people and reach out and embody the policies and values of the Co-operative Movement and offer solutions on issues like the banking system, public services, energy and the environment.”

Co-operative Party chairman Gareth Thomas thanked Gordon and Sarah Brown for their help in arranging the reception in Downing Street and said there had been a “sea change” in how the Co-operative Movement was perceived at Westminster and Whitehall.

“However, there’s still a lot to do but the Friends of the Co-operative Ideal will help bring people together and move things forward,” he said.