graph from Luke Akehurst The relationship between liberalism and social-democracy in the Labour Party has long been controversial, and a source of strategic difference. Back in May I discussed the unseemly call by Compass to back tactical voting for the Liberal Democrats in the General Election, and their disastrous blurring of the distinction between the Labour and

Another day brings another bizarre email piece of muppetry from Compass. Why are they running a "Labour Leadership Ballot"? They are not an affiliate so have no nomination rights. I presume that like all the other campaigning groups within the Party they have supporters of different leadership candidates in their ranks - in Compass' case quite likely all five. What does measuring the support do? W...

This is the speech given by Jon Cruddas MP to Labour Friends of Searchlight over the weekend Today we begin to discuss Labour’s journey of change. A party of organisers. Organising for a party of social justice and community. We have Hope not Hate, London Citizens, the Christian Socialist Movement Labour Neighbours Projects, Compass, and many examples

Richard Grayson (former head of policy for the party and one of the leading lights behind the Social Liberal Forum) has written a thoughtful pamphlet for Compass about the different strains of thought within the Liberal Democrats and what they mean for coalition government. The subtlety of some of Richard’s views mean you have to

Much of the debate on the deal between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to form a coalition government has focused on how "strange" it was for the two parties to enter a partnership. In The Liberal Democrat Journey, published by Compass, Dr Richard Grayson details the transformation of the Liberal Democrats over the past decade and shows why the coalition is not all that alien.

With so many interesting discussions throughout the day, it was rather disappointing Compass’s conference didn’t take place over a few days instead of the one. Central to the conference was the tribalism vs. pluralism debate.

My Centre Right post on Friday, drawing attention to the apparent nostalgia for the USSR held by Compass Chairman Neal Lawson, drew some interesting reactions from lefties. One commenter denied the link, saying "Any nostalgia for the Eastern Bloc is...

At the Compass annual conference yesterday, Jon Cruddas MP gave this speech and received a standing ovation. It is perhaps his best speech ever Its been a cracking day. Vibrant. Open. Optimistic. In contrast to a sour right wing noise around Labour since the election. That goes something like this: We lost the vote of those

Another month, another round up of new left and labour movement blogs: 1. Plot’s Plot (SSP) 2. Spirit Leveller (Labour/Compass) (Twitter) 3. Left Futures (Labour) (Twitter) 4. Planeshift’s Blog (Unaligned) 5. Aled-Dilwyn Fisher (Green) (Twitter) 6. Radical Wales (Unaligned) 7. Labour Uncut (Labour) (Twitter) 8. Zetkin.net (Labour) 9. Ed Miliband For Labour Leader (Labour) (Twitter) 10....

You may have noticed from my twitter feed that I am one of those comrades and colleagues in the Labour Party who believes that the front runners in the leadership contest already have plenty of nominations. Obviously the Parliamentary Party are in the chair on nominations. Them's the rules. But they'll be letting us down if they don't actually provide the wide choice that all the ca...