Ann Black

Ann Black OBE is a British political activist who serves as a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party. She served from 2000 to 2018 and was re-elected in November 2020. She was chair of the NEC from 2009 to 2010, and has also served as chair of the NEC's disputes panel.

Ann Black

OBE
Born1950 or 1951 (age 69–70)
NationalityBritish
Years active2000–present
Known forMember of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee

Career

In 2013, Black worked as a computer programmer at Oxford Brookes University.[1] She is a member of the Unison trade union.[1]

Political career

Labour in government, 2000–2010

Black was first elected to the Labour Party's National Executive Committee (NEC) as a representative for Constituency Labour Party groups (CLPs) in 2000.[2][3] At the time, she was campaigning for pensions to be linked to earnings instead of prices.[3][4]

In September 2002, Black wrote a paper for the committee expressing concern about the invading Iraq.[5] In 2003, she wrote a statement encouraging the government to hold a referendum on introducing the Euro.[6] Later that year, she voted in favour of readmitting the mayor of London Ken Livingstone to the Labour Party after he had been expelled for running for election against a Labour candidate in the 2000 London mayoral election, but against using the selection method a Labour incumbent official would go through.[7] In 2004, she wrote to the Labour leader and prime minister Tony Blair opposing his invitation of Ayad Allawi, the prime minister of Iraq, saying that "most people want to put Iraq behind them and unite around Labour's positive domestic agenda".[8] She spoke out against the Labour government's plans to introduce ID cards in 2005.[9] She was re-elected a CLP representative in 2006.[10][11] In 2009, she served as vice-chair of the NEC.[12] In the same year, she was one of three members of a panel of NEC members that investigated allegations against Labour MPs in the United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal.[13][14] In 2010, she was chair of the NEC.[15][16]

Labour in opposition, 2010–present

In the 2010 Labour Party leadership election, Black urged Labour Members of Parliament to nominate candidates they might go on to vote for in order to provide a more diverse range of candidates, which was seen as support for nominating Diane Abbott.[17][15] When determining the rules the 2015 Labour Party leadership election, Black opposed checking new members against the party's canvassing records.[18] In the election, she voted for Jeremy Corbyn.[19] Later that year, she worked on a report about representation of women in the Labour Party with the shadow minister for women and equalities Kate Green.[20]

In July 2016, Owen Smith challenged Corbyn for the leadership of the party in the 2016 Labour Party leadership election. Black supported Corbyn being automatically included on ballots, and an increase in the price to become a registered supporter of the party.[2] She also proposed that members who joined before 24 June should be able to vote, but the proposal failed due to a tied vote. She then supported making 12 January the cut-off.[21] In the election, she voted for Corbyn.[19] Ahead of the 2016 election for CLP representatives on the NEC, the Labour Representation Committee said that it wouldn't support Black due to her votes determining the electorate for the 2016 leadership election, and for supporting the suspension of Brighton and Hove Labour Party.[2][22] It went on to support her as part of the Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance (CLGA) group of candidates. In October 2016, Black was re-elected to the NEC with more votes than any other candidate.[2]

In January 2018, Black was replaced as chair of the committee's disputes panel with Christine Shawcroft, who Stephen Bush described in the New Statesman as "regarded as more of a reliable factional operator".[23][24] Shawcroft resigned from the role in March of the same year.[25] In February, Momentum announced a slate of candidates for the year's elections to the NEC that didn't include Black, reportedly because of how Black had voted to determine the electorate for the 2016 leadership election.[21] She was expected to win the election to be chair of the National Policy Forum (NPF) later that month.[26] The election was postponed by allies of Corbyn minutes before it was due to go ahead.[27] Black was elected as chair of the NPF in April 2018.[28] Black stood in the 2018 election for CLP representatives on the NEC without the support of the CLGA. During the election, Momentum withdrew its support for Peter Willsman, which led to speculation that Black might win a seat.[19] She came in thirteenth place, with nine candidates elected.[29]

In September 2019, after the 2019 United Kingdom general election was announced, Black criticised the NEC for prioritising formal re-selection processes for Labour MPs over organising selections for constituencies which didn't have a candidate.[30]

Black has been described as "independently minded" and "left-wing", and a swing vote on the NEC.[2][31]

In November 2020 she was re-elected to the NEC.

Honours

Black was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in 2013 for "parliamentary and political service".[1]

References
  1. "Queen's Birthday honours for local heroes". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  2. "Who's who on Labour's National Executive Committee?". www.newstatesman.com. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  3. Wintour, Patrick (31 May 2000). "Members only". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  4. "TV actor takes Labour to task". The Guardian. 24 May 2000. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  5. Wintour, Patrick; correspondent, chief political (13 September 2002). "Labour's anti-war protesters plan party rebellion". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  6. "Party presses Blair on euro". The Guardian. 8 May 2003. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  7. "Path cleared for Livingstone return". The Guardian. 16 December 2003. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  8. Happold, Tom (17 August 2004). "Allawi invitation stirs Labour dissent". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  9. Tempest, Matthew; correspondent, political (28 June 2005). "Clarke defends ID cards as rebellion looms". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  10. Woodward, Will; correspondent, chief political (3 August 2006). "Labour members elect heckler ejected from conference to NEC". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  11. Tempest, Matthew; correspondent, political (3 August 2006). "Heckler elected to Labour NEC". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  12. Stratton, Allegra (18 May 2009). "Labour candidates turn on 'negligent' Gordon Brown over expenses". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  13. "At least 50 Labour MPs should stand down, says union leader". The Guardian. 27 May 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  14. Watt, Nicholas; Stratton, Allegra (27 May 2009). "Julie Kirkbride refuses public meeting as Labour MPs face star chamber over expenses". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  15. Sparrow, Andrew (9 June 2010). "Politics live blog – Labour leadership and PMQs". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  16. Curtis, Polly; correspondent, Whitehall (11 May 2010). "David Miliband and Ed Balls set to launch Labour leadership bids". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  17. "McDonnell out of Labour contest". BBC News. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  18. Wintour, Patrick; Mason, Rowena (19 August 2015). "Leaked notes reveal Labour ignored legal advice over new membership". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  19. "Momentum dump Peter Willsman from their NEC slate – in direct defiance of Jeremy Corbyn's office". www.newstatesman.com. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  20. "Labour women still face unfair barriers, says thinktank". The Guardian. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  21. Waugh, Paul (9 February 2018). "Momentum 'Slate' For Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) Axes Veteran Ann Black". Huffington Post.
  22. "Labour suspends Brighton branch amid accusations of improper ballot". The Guardian. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  23. "Labour's NEC row over Ann Black is actually a row about parliamentary selections". www.newstatesman.com. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  24. Asthana, Anushka; Syal, Rajeev; Elgot, Jessica (16 January 2018). "Momentum official replaces veteran chair of Labour's disputes panel". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  25. Watson, Iain (29 March 2018). "The dispute over handling of Labour disputes". BBC News. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  26. "Labour female chief 'was intimidated by 6ft 5in ally of Corbyn'". Evening Standard. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  27. Waugh, Paul (17 February 2018). "Fresh Labour Row Erupts As Corbyn Supporters Shelve Election of National Policy Forum Chair". Huffington Post.
  28. Rodgers, Sienna. "Ann Black elected National Policy Forum chair". LabourList. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  29. Sabbagh, Dan (3 September 2018). "Labour activist in antisemitism row re-elected to ruling body". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  30. Waugh, Paul (17 September 2019). "Labour MPs To Face Reselection Battles Despite Impending Snap Election". Huffington Post.
  31. Watson, Iain (28 April 2017). "Key Corbyn allies not selected by Labour". BBC News. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
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