CEC members have started reporting individually on CEC meetings. Let's collate these reports.

CEC Meeting Reports

Reports from: 8th March 2026 (2nd meeting)

Jenn Forbes (SOuth West & CEC CHAIR)

Chair’s Report of the CEC meeting of 8 March 2026

The newly-elected Central Executive Committee of Your Party held its first full meeting on 8 March, at which I was honoured to be elected Chair by my fellow members. So, in this new capacity, I want to provide members with a short report of the meeting and the decisions taken.

Real progress was made at this meeting, including the election of Jeremy Corbyn as our Parliamentary Leader, the election of CEC officers, a targeted strategy for the English local elections, and a strong position on the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran.

This hybrid meeting, with 11 of us meeting in person in London and others joining online, followed an initial introductory Zoom meeting last Tuesday. As we are starting from scratch, the first order of business had to be the adoption of a set of standing orders to govern the way the committee will work, together with an interim code of conduct to guide CEC members in their interactions with each other and in how they present the party to the public.

These rules are important, so it is understandable that members proposed several amendments to the drafts that had been circulated in advance. Regrettably, this meant these first steps took up the majority of the meeting. The standing orders and interim code of conduct were eventually passed and we now have a set of rules for a functional CEC, so we can get on with addressing the issues people care about, as members expect. We can look forward to future meetings running more smoothly as a result.

I’m delighted that the CEC could then move on to elect Jeremy Corbyn as Your Party’s Parliamentary Leader! With Jeremy leading us in Parliament, Your Party will have a respected voice reaching millions with our message of peace, solidarity and socialism.

We also elected the CEC’s officers, who will oversee the day-to-day running of the Party between CEC meetings and be accountable to the full committee, in line with the constitution. I am privileged to have been elected Chair, and I’m keenly aware of the responsibility that comes with being the first one to hold that position. I can have confidence because alongside me the CEC elected a strong, united team: Laura Smith will be Vice Chair; Dawn Aspinall Secretary; Fadel Takrouri* Treasurer; Louise Regan Political Officer; Noor Jahan Begum Spokesperson; and Cassi Bellingham Membership Officer. I'm thrilled to be joined in leadership by so many women! Together we will form the Officers’ Group, and we’ve already got going.

There’s no time to waste! No sooner has our own Your Party election concluded than the May elections are upon us. The CEC agreed a plan to implement members’ votes at the founding conference to adopt a targeted seats strategy, alongside supporting community independent groups aligned with our values. We aim to publish the full process very soon. We will also work at pace to support members in Scotland and Wales to enact their own strategies for the Holyrood and Senedd elections.

I’m pleased that the CEC unanimously agreed a statement on the war of aggression against Iran, calling for a halt to the use of British military bases and resources, a stop to all arms sales to the aggressor states, and an end to a war that is endangering us all. Almost 35,000 people have signed Your Party’s petition to Keir Starmer against British involvement — you can join them here if you haven’t already signed.

This was just the first full meeting, and I’m very conscious that we have much more to do on important areas like branch formation, community organising, policy commissions, and autonomous structures for Scotland and Wales. These were on the agenda, but sadly time ran down. With standing orders now in place, in future we will be able to agree a manageable number of amendments in advance to allow the CEC to get through the whole agenda.

This was a productive, if sometimes intense, first meeting. Full, official minutes will be shared with members once the CEC has approved them at its next meeting. Alongside the other CEC members and the whole membership, I’m determined we’ll make Your Party a campaigning force to be reckoned with, committed to the transfer of wealth and power to the overwhelming majority in a socialist society.

In solidarity,

Jenn Forbes, Chair of Your Party

* Fadel Takrouri has replaced Sue Moffat, who was originally elected to the CEC in the West Midlands but sadly was unable to take up the seat due to a family illness. In line with the rules, the Returning Officer asked for a recount and Fadel was elected alongside Megan Clarke. Members in the West Midlands were informed by email. All of us in Your Party send Sue and her family our solidarity and best wishes.

Niall Christie (Scotland)

CEC report - Niall Christie - March 8, 2026

Background: Ahead of the meeting, the interim Scottish Executive Committee (SEC) and myself raised, via open letter, the need for an urgent approval of the process to elect a permanent SEC, to hold eight regional meetings to take a decision on standing in the upcoming Holyrood election, and to start the process of electing an election oversight committee (EOC) and candidates (where needed). Both myself and members of the interim SEC received repeated assurances that this would be discussed by the CEC.

Pre-meeting: Scottish comrades had raised the issue of expenses having not yet been paidI have raised this with the new CEC and believe some members have started receiving these. Please feel free to cc myself into any emails with HQ if you have concerns about this.

Key points for Scotland:

I attended this meeting online. The agenda circulated as late as 11pm. No staff reports were provided in writing despite previous assurances.
The open letter submitted by the interim SEC, which we received assurances would be discussed and voted on at Sunday's meeting, was not added to the agenda.
The elections in Scotland (and Wales) were listed to be discussed on the CEC agenda on Sunday, but did not appear in the relevant papers. I wrote to the chair to query this, but received no response.
Despite Scotland being overlooked, a vote was taken on a paper on the 2026 local elections in England which passed - including a process for selecting candidates, campaigning, funding, and other relevant issues. The process for this will begin on March 15.
I asked when the Interim SEC should expect a response to our open letter and did not receive a response, with claims those setting the agenda had not seen this. The open letter was then forwarded during the meeting to officers for a third time.
The establishment of local branches was on the agenda to be discussed but was not allocated time in the meeting.
As a result of the Standing Orders which were proposed and passed, the vast majority of decisions will now be taken by the Officers Group, rather than the CEC.
The CEC as set has a significantly expanded scope and number of roles compared to the constitutional decisions taken at conference, and will include senior staff from the party secretariat.
I questioned the undemocratic nature of not having anyone from Scotland (or Wales) sitting on the Officers Group taking decisions about the next steps for Scotland. I was assured there would be a chance to “input” by the chair.
Decisions about Scotland - including the establishment of branches, the SEC and the 2026 Holyrood elections - are now in the hands of the officers group.

Additional points:

With very little notice I worked with comrades from the Grassroots Left and other independents to submit amendments to both the proposed Standing Orders and Code of Conduct to the CEC, as well as the proposed role of the Officers Group.
Included in this was again raising the need to use STV elections to appoint national officers in line with the democratically-agreed constitution, which was rejected.
Full details of the amendments submitted can be found as part of the report written by the Grassroots Left (to follow, attached below).
Updates from staff were again given verbally. It had been requested that these are provided in writing ahead of time in future to allow for further scrutiny and for accessibility. This did not happen. I hope these will be circulated.
A proposal that meetings rotate around regions and nations was rejected.
No dates for the next meeting of the CEC were agreed, and the agreed Standing Orders do not set regularity of meetings of the CEC.

Next steps: The interim SEC has agreed to meet on Monday evening (March 9) to discuss the lack of movement from the CEC and the implications this will have on democratic decisions taken at Your Party Scotland’s founding conference - including on plans for Holyrood 2026 and establishing a permanent CEC.

Other updates (to be added as they are published):

Grassroots Left:

The Many:

Sam Gorst (North West): https://x.com/sam_gorst/status/2031067281376112984?s=46&t=FlMe_-X9yfMW8K_i3hzo9Q

Naomi Winborne-Idrissi (South East):

Note: I am now on paternity leave for a few weeks. I will still be responding, but less readily, and would appreciate patience and support at what will be a busy time. A massive thank you to comrades from the Interim SEC and Grassroots Left who have been a huge help to me over the past few days as myself and my family get settled.

Sam Gorst (North West)

NAOMI Wimborne-Idrissi (South East)

Your Party CEC meeting held Sunday March 8 in Central London

Report by Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, South East region

Nine elected members plus two staff were present in person. Fourteen members plus two more staff took part via Zoom. One member did not attend. Fourteen of those attending had stood for election on The Many slate, seven for Grassroots Left and three independents.

The meeting was due to start at 15.00 but was delayed for about 15 minutes due to difficulties setting up hybrid. It had originally been scheduled to run for just 2 hours. An extra 45 minutes was added. This still did not permit any substantial discussion on any of the agenda items. Branch formation dropped off the end of the agenda entirely.

Amendments had been submitted by email in advance as requested when the agenda was sent out 7.43 pm on Saturday – less than 18 hours ahead of the meeting. Further documents were sent out at 11pm. There were no amendments other than those submitted by Grassroots Left-aligned CEC members.

Movers were given 60 seconds. The Chair initially went straight to the vote but when challenged agreed to invite those opposed to explain why.

STANDING ORDERS

Amendment proposed that in this formative phase, there should be extended monthly in person meetings of the CEC plus weekly two-hour online meeting.

This was opposed by a member saying their personal circumstances would not permit them to commit that amount of time.

Amendment fell 14 to 9

Amendment proposed extending deadlines for notification of meetings and submission of motions/amendments.

Amendment fell 14 to 9.

Amendment saying CEC items should only be deemed confidential if explicitly directed by a vote of the CEC.

Argument against – that this would be a recipe for endlessly discussing the same issues.

Amendment fell 13 to 10

Amendment saying secretariat members (paid staff) should be named, accountable to the CEC and subject to recall by the CEC

Argument against – that names should not be published until there is an end to people facing online abuse.

Amendment fell 14 to 9

Amendment proposing that CEC meetings should take place in two parts, one with only elected CEC members present, one with staff invited by the CEC to contribute.

No arguments against.

Amendment fell 14 to 9

Amendment proposing limitations to powers of the chair by following common trade union practice, ie challenge to chair’s ruling or removal of the chair requires a 50 pct +1 vote rather than two thirds.

Argument against – that this would be recipe for an unstable committee, as witnessed in the last few minutes.

Amendment fell 14 to 9

Amendment on ways of working for the CEC and officer group, proposing that a vote of no confidence in an officer would require a simple majority rather than ⅔ majority and could be tabled at any CEC meeting rather than just the AGM; that operational, finance and regulatory matters should be the responsibility of the full CEC not just the officer group.

Amendment fell 14 to 9.

Vote on Standing Orders as proposed, unamended

Passed 14 for, 8 against. I abstained.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Amendment proposing greater transparency (as with standing orders), that confidentiality should be determined by a vote of CEC members.

Amendment fell 14 to 9

Amendment proposing adding “inclusivity” to the list of principles

Amendment passed 21 for, 0 against. This was the only amendments which was not voted down.

Amendment proposing formation of a diverse CEC sub-group to develop a more comprehensive code of conduct, rather than just the chair having that task

Amendment fell 14 to 9

Vote on Code of Conduct as proposed, with one amendment

For 14, against 4, abstentions 4

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICERS

Amendment proposing that CEC agendas should be determined collaboratively, not only by the chair and secretary.

Amendment fell 14 to 9

Amendments re-inserting a paragraph calling for engagement with diverse communities, which was missing from the final proposal, and replace term “BAME” with “global majority”.

Both amendments fell 14 to 9.

Amendment proposing that each elected officer should work together with two other CEC members, to promote collaborative working and collective leadership.

Amendment fell 14 to 8

Amendment proposing deletion of paragraph calling for a Parliamentary Leader, to be replaced by “Between now and the next general election, YP Members of Parliament will work together collectively. “

Amendment fell 14 to 8

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Jenn Forbes was proposed for Chair. I proposed Louise Regan as a unifying candidate who had chairing experience and also wide respect across the movement and had not been involved in factional campaigning. Louise declined the role.

Each role was contested but there were no hustings and no discussion of candidates’ suitability for a given role. Votes went consistently 14 to 9 in favour of TM candidates.

Results:

Chair – Jennifer Forbes

Deputy chair – Laura Smith

Secretary – Dawn Aspinall

Treasurer – Fadel Takrouri

Political Officer – Louise Regan

Membership – Cassi Bellingham

Spokesperson – Noor Jehan Begum

Parliamentary Leader – Jeremy Corbyn

The lay officers now become the Organising Group which will meet regularly with the parliamentary leader and the secretariat between CEC meetings.

STAFF REPORTS

There were reports on electoral regulatory matters, staffing and the financial position of the party. We were told the interim staff group currently remains in place, composed of a small professional core with volunteer support. All papers and handover documents will be given to the newly elected officer group rather than the full CEC.

I raised a point about party finances, noting that the Electoral Commission’s 4th Quarter report on donations to political parties showed £670k for Your Party, representing transfers from MOU limited. I asked for the CEC to approve further substantial transfers which are available from MOU and desperately need to fund local branch activities. This discussion was shut down and referred to the officer group.

IRAN STATEMENT

Louise Regan proposed a statement about the US/Israeli attacks on Iran which was approved nem con.

LOCAL ELECTIONS STRATEGY

A lengthy paper was presented and a number of questions raised regarding

the process for candidates getting permission to use the Your Party emblem and description on the ballot paper
campaign funding - Are candidates expected to self fund or will the party provide this?
handling of appeals from potential candidates rejected by the officer group
a proposed administrative fee for candidates seeking Your Party approval
where there are multiple prospective candidates, the officers group managing a selection process involving local members, not the elected CEC members for the region.

These questions were not discussed but referred to the officers group.

We were told that branches would have to become "accounting units" acceptable to the Electoral Commission in order to be recognised by YP.

An amendment was proposed that any independent community groups that we work with across the regions and nations in May 2025 should be explicitly socialist in their founding documents or constitution. This was opposed on the grounds that it would introduce purity tests.

The amendment fell with 12 votes against, 9 in favour.

Niall Christie, the sole Scotland rep, asked about the upcoming Holyrood elections and expressed concern that there were no members from either Scotland or Wales on the elected officer group. He noted that a letter to YP from the Interim Scottish Executive had not been answered.

The paper was passed with 14 in favour and 7 abstentions.

CLOSE OF MEETING

The meeting closed shortly before 17.45 without addressing remaining agenda items including branch formation.

No date was provided for the next meeting. I asked for confirmation that minutes would be shared with CEC members before wider circulation. The chair did not answer directly but indicated that the organisers group would decide.

Reports from: First meeting 3rd March 2026

NAOMI Wimborne-Idrissi (South East)

Here is my report from last night's introductory meeting of the Your Party CEC. I have posted this in a whatsapp group for South East YP members and will be making myself available to answer questions and hear their views at an online meeting early next week.

The Central Executive Committee met for the first time on Tuesday 3rd March. Described as an introductory meeting and scheduled with 1 day’s notice, it took place online. A second meeting has been scheduled for Sunday 8th March. These meetings were arranged by the outgoing interim leadership of YP.

Timing on Tuesday was very tight with just one hour allocated for the business. Introductions from 22 members and three staff, followed by remarks from Jeremy, took up the first 20 minutes. We then moved on to election of a chair. Jennifer Forbes, a member of The Many slate elected in South West, was proposed.

I questioned whether it was appropriate to elect anyone to the permanent role of chair, as set out in the constitution agreed at the November conference, before a set of standing orders and the officers’ remit had been discussed and agreed. The point was also made that newly-elected members were not in a position to decide on a permanent chair until there had been a full in-person meeting of the CEC for members to get to know one another, as part of building the collective leadership party members want.

It was agreed that this election was indeed solely for the person who would chair the rest of that meeting and the one to follow on 8th March.

I put myself forward for the interim role, as did Niall Christie from Scotland, another independent. The three of us were given 1 minute to speak. Jenn Forbes was elected as interim chair with 14 votes versus 9 for me and 1 for Niall.

The meeting then moved on with Jenn chairing. We received reports from staff on how the party has been operating logistically to date and an overview of social media statistics. These reports were dense and detailed and could not be discussed meaningfully in the time available. The chair said they should be made available in print soon.

It was discussed and agreed that in future, reports will be submitted in writing 5 days ahead of meetings.

We then briefly discussed how to run the next meeting on Sunday, intended to be held in person (with hybrid online access available) at a London location to be notified. Possible items for the agenda included standing orders, election of permanent chair and other officers, implementing member votes at conference, facilitating member democracy in Wales and Scotland, processes including code of conduct for CEC meetings and the wider party, local branch setup, upcoming elections and campaigns including opposition to the attacks on Iran, mobilising for Palestine and for the Together Alliance demonstration on March 28. We were told that a code of conduct had already been drafted by the Returning Officer and would be presented to the next meeting.

Jeremy said he would be proposing a policy development strategy involving members in voluntary policy groups, starting with disability.

There was a request for a report on party finances to be prepared for Sunday, along with plans for a financial audit. This was noted but not agreed.

I and others questioned the plan to hold an in-person meeting for just two hours, 3-5-pm, on a Sunday during Ramadan and suggested extending it to make travel worthwhile for people coming long distances and to have time for proper discussion of agenda items. The Chair agreed to review proposed agenda items and consider whether the meeting needed to be extended.

Questions were also raised about the need for more notice of upcoming meetings in the future, bearing in mind accessibility and inclusion issues. This was agreed.

Members asked for a shared means of communication such as Whatsapp. They were told to use the generic Your Party email address for now.

Jeremy said that an email would be sent to members after Sunday’s meeting briefly summarising work done by the CEC so far and plans for the future.

Mel Mullings (london)

Report from First CEC Introductory Meeting

Date: 4th March 2026

To: My London Members and Comrades

In the spirit of the transparency and accountability I guaranteed you, I am reporting back on the inaugural meeting of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) held via Zoom on Tuesday night 2000hrs.

As your representative, I want to be clear: I am committed to doing things differently and with unity as my foundation.

This first meeting, called with only 24 hours' notice, was a sharp reminder of why we must remain vigilant. We are here to ensure that the collective leadership voted for by members at our founding conference is respected, not sidelined.

Protecting Our Founding Principles

The meeting opened with a welcome from Jeremy Corbyn, who facilitated the initial part of the call. We had introductions from everyone. As per our Constitution, Jeremy cannot hold the position of Chair, so we moved toward an election.

Alongside several comrades, we raised a fundamental point of principle: We must respect the mandate for collective leadership. This means we cannot rush to elect permanent officers before we have agreed on Standing Orders or defined the Chair's remit. To do so would be to revert to the very "leader-knows-best" model we founded this party to move away from.

It was eventually agreed that this election would only be for an interim Chair to cover this meeting and the upcoming session this Sunday.

Interim Chair Election Results

Jen Forbes: 14 votes (Elected Interim)
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi: 9 votes
Niall Christie: 1 vote

Concerns Regarding Neutrality and Conduct

I must be candid with you: I staunchly opposed the selection of Jen Forbes. My position is based on the necessity for a Chair who can facilitate a diverse room impartially and crucially one who is willing to work with every member of this committee.

A Chair must be a mediator. If a candidate has already demonstrated a refusal to communicate or cooperate with other elected representatives including those from different regions and backgrounds they cannot effectively facilitate a national body. During the meeting, I observed the Chair ignoring the order of speakers and misrepresenting points raised in the chat. For a party that claims to be inclusive and nuanced, the Chair must be a facilitator, not a voice that prioritises itself. I will continue to hold the line: we need leadership that respects the dignity and mandate of every person in that room.

Equality Groups:

I want to be honest with you the rushed and fractious nature of this one-hour call meant that I was unable to raise the urgent item of our Equality Sections. These groups have already been formed and are waiting for the formal recognition they deserve.

I am frustrated that the chaos of the meeting sidelined this, as championing our intersectional sections is my priority. I will be submitting a formal email to ensure this is on the agenda for Sunday. We cannot talk about "progress" while our equality structures are left in limbo.

Staffing and funding audit

A request to get some briefing on staffing level as a start to understand some basic information about the staff level and funding was made.

Prioritising the Work:

Sunday the 8th of March is our first "full" session in London. I am pushing strongly for our meetings to be as long as they need to be to get the job done properly. Two hours is simply not enough to address the weight of the tasks ahead of us.

My comrade Solma Ahmed spoke powerfully on this, stressing that despite the physical demands of fasting during Ramadan, she is prepared to do whatever is necessary to facilitate a thorough meeting.

I remain positive and resolute by your mandate which elected me in. We are here to work for you, and that requires time and serious debate. I simply need your continued support.

In Solidarity,

Mel Mullings

CEC London

Riaz Khan (East Midlands)

The first meeting of the YourParty Central Executive Committee (CEC) took place online on Tuesday 3 March 2026. All 24 members attended.

Key highlights:

Introductions, each member briefly introduced themselves
We discussed core YP positions: strong opposition to war amid escalating Middle East violence (over 1,000 lives lost and rising); criticism of Starmer’s approach allowing British bases to support actions, unlike Spain; preventing the far right/Reform, combating racism, and uniting across the UK to offer a genuine socialist alternative — including alliances and support for independent socialist candidates in elections.
The Spring Statement (3 March) provided no real hope: frozen tax thresholds hitting low earners, no new rental rights, and nothing substantial on council housing.
YP will prioritize community outreach and clear policy campaigns. A key early step: establishing a Disability Commission made up of members with lived experience.

Briefings covered organisational matters, including full Electoral Commission compliance (independent financial accounting/auditing) and communications reach/priorities.

Election of Chair

As it was our first meeting with limited mutual knowledge, we agreed to elect an interim Chair pending agreement on standing orders. Three members self-nominated; Jenn Forbes (South West region) was elected as temporary Chair.

Next meeting agenda (Sunday 8 March) will include:

Substantial discussion on the nations (Scotland and Wales), including specific needs, data access, and developing our autonomous structures.
Finance and governance decisions since founding.
Standing orders and code of conduct for the CEC.
Location of future CEC meetings.
Data and branch development.
Establishment of the Disability Commission.

This was a productive first step in building our democratic, member-led party. Let’s keep pushing forward in the East Mids.

Maria Donnellan (Wales)

Annwyl Bawb

The first meeting of the YourParty Central Executive Committee (CEC) took place online on Tuesday 3 March 2026. All 24 members attended.

Key highlights:

• In introductions, I emphasised that Cymru is a distinct nation with our own government, language, and the crucial Senedd elections approaching on 7 May 2026.

• We discussed core YP positions: strong opposition to war amid escalating Middle East violence (over 1,000 lives lost and rising); criticism of Starmer’s approach allowing British bases to support actions, unlike Spain; preventing the far right/Reform, combating racism, and uniting across the UK to offer a genuine socialist alternative — including alliances and support for independent socialist candidates in elections.

• The Spring Statement (3 March) provided no real hope: frozen tax thresholds hitting low earners, no new rental rights, and nothing substantial on council housing.

• YP will prioritize community outreach and clear policy campaigns. A key early step: establishing a Disability Commission made up of members with lived experience.

Briefings covered organisational matters, including full Electoral Commission compliance (independent financial accounting/auditing) and communications reach/priorities.

Election of Chair

Next meeting agenda (Sunday 8 March) includes:

• Substantial discussion on the nations (Scotland and Wales), including specific needs, data access, Senedd elections, and developing our autonomous structures.

• Finance and governance decisions since founding.

• Standing orders and code of conduct for the CEC.

• Location of future CEC meetings.

• Data and branch development.

• Establishment of the Disability Commission.

This was a productive first step in building our democratic, member-led party. Let’s keep pushing forward in Cymru — get involved in local outreach and the conference organising groups and let’s make this work.

Solidarity,

Maria

Sam Gorst (North West)

Dear North West Your Party Members,

I would like to provide an update on tonight’s inaugural CEC meeting.

As this was an introductory meeting, no substantive discussions took place regarding policy changes or modifications to current processes. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to introductions and the election of an interim Chair, pending a formal vote for a permanent position at the next meeting. There were differing opinions on the timing: some members felt the election should have been held tonight, while others believed it was important to understand the role's details before selecting a permanent Chair.

The first official CEC meeting is scheduled for this Sunday in London or via a hybrid format. Due to the short notice, I will be attending remotely as I will have my children but I will ensure my participation.

Election of the Interim Chairperson:

Jennifer Forbes — Elected
Naomi Wimborne Idrissi
Niall Christie

While the vote was conducted anonymously among CEC members, in the spirit of transparency, I personally cast my vote for Niall Christie after listening to him very briefly. Although, I have respect for both Jen and Naomi, I felt they have been too closely aligned to differing slates – whether a part of one or endorsed by one. I felt Niall would have been more of a neutral figure for a Chair.

During the upcoming meeting, we will discuss several key topics, including branch setup, Scottish YP progress, our input into the first CEC elections, youth participation, community independent candidate to support, campaigns and financial scrutiny.

Some members expressed that the two-hour duration for the next full CEC meeting was insufficient, especially for those traveling to London and suggested extending the meeting times. I agree that the current timeframe is tight and should be extended. I support maintaining a hybrid format with rotating regional locations for future meetings to better accommodate members’ needs. I also agreed that members should get relevant reading information for the meeting beforehand to digest. It was agreed that is normal but the meeting was prepared with short notice. It will happen in future.

Overall, the meeting was cordial, with active participation and respectful dialogue from all. Everyone was given the opportunity to voice their opinions.

Prior to the meeting, I received 43 emails to a new dedicated CEC email address containing 129 points in total, this was after asking members what issues they wanted me to raise. I will categorise these points and advocate on your behalf during Sunday’s meeting and in future meetings. There’s a lot to get through with very little time. I also suggested an away day for us all to have wider discussion but for us all to also break the ice on a personal level - the slates caused a lot of friction - this could be a sensible way of us pushing through the initial difficult period.

Thank you for listening. I hope you appreciate these reports.

In Solidarity,

Councillor Sam Gorst

Your Party CEC - North West

Niall Christie (Scotland)

CEC report - Niall Christie - March 3, 2026

Background:

Ahead of the meeting, the interim Scottish Executive Committee (SEC) and myself raised, via open letter, the need for an urgent approval of the process to elect a permanent SEC, to hold eight regional meetings to take a decision on standing in the upcoming Holyrood election, and to start the process of electing an election oversight committee (EOC) and candidates (where needed).

Key points:

The March 3 meeting of the CEC was billed as an introductory meeting, with a limited agenda and no ability to submit agenda items/motions.
After the above open letter it was confirmed that the matters above will be discussed and voted on at the next meeting of the CEC (see below).
The next meeting of the CEC will take place on Sunday, March 8, in the afternoon. This will be a hybrid meeting, and I intend to attend online.
An interim chair was last night voted in to chair last night’s meeting, as well as Sunday’s. Three people put themselves forward: myself, Jennifer Forbes (South West), and Naomi Winborne-Idrissi (South East). Jennifer Forbes won the vote.
Updates on staffing and ongoing work were also given, covering everything from social media work, CEC elections oversight, to members’ complaints.
I raised in the meeting the need for full financial oversight, and access to information for the CEC. It was requested that updated figures for party accounts and other relevant details be shared with CEC members ahead of Sunday so this can be discussed.
Financial auditors have been appointed by the party, ahead of the CEC meeting.

Additional points:

Voting for the position of interim chair took place, with this individual given the ability to set the agenda for Sunday. Despite point 3.2.6 of the party’s Standing Orders, this did not use the Single Transferable Vote method of voting. I pointed this error out and hope this will be rectified in future.
There was disagreement about where a chair should be appointed in the interim or permanently last night. I was in favour of appointing an interim chair to allow the CEC to get to know each other better and ensure we do not sow division so early on the CEC.
I put myself forward for the chair position not because I want the role (far from it), but to try and ensure the issues of importance to Scottish members are on the agenda on Sunday, and because I was an independent candidate and hoped to act as a short-term unifying figure. It was for this reason I last night voted for Naomi Winborne-Idrissi, as she also ran as an independent, and I felt this would be the option most in line with how Scots voted during the recent CEC elections.
I do not intend to run again for the role, and would welcome feedback from members in Scotland on their views on who should be supported for the role permanently.
Updates from staff were given verbally. It has been requested that these are provided in writing ahead of time in future to allow for further scrutiny and for accessibility.
Both meeting dates were decided without consultation with CEC members, and we were given very little notice for both. The prohibitive cost of travel and potentially accommodation at short notice were also raised. While expenses have been offered, we have not yet seen the expenses policy and some members raised concerns about childcare at short-notice also for the upcoming meeting, which will take place in London.
I have spoken to other members outside the South of England and with their support I intend to propose that meetings rotate around regions and nations to ensure those not living in London are not prevented from attending meetings in person.
A code of conduct and standing orders for the CEC have been drafted by the party’s nominating officer and we expect to see these on Sunday.

Other updates:

Grassroots Left: https://grassrootsleft.org/cec-meeting-02-03-2026/

The Many:

Sam Gorst (North West): https://x.com/Sam_Gorst/status/2028957162761032059

Naomi Winborne-Idrissi (South East):

Note: From this weekend I will be available less frequently as I go off on paternity leave for a few weeks. I will still be responding, but less readily, and would appreciate patience and support at what will be a busy time.

Candi Williams (South West)

Hello! 👋🏾

I hope you're well. Candi here, one of the South West CEC reps. I wanted to share an update from our first meeting.

Last night at 8pm, we had our very first CEC meeting. It was scheduled on Monday for Tuesday evening and framed as an introductory call. The agenda was pre-defined.

Below is the meeting report.

🥡 KEY TAKEAWAYS

You’ll see an interim Chair was elected. In the spirit of transparency, I voted for Naomi as interim Chair. She brings a deeply member-focused, democratic view and I think she’d be an excellent, fair, balanced Chair.

I also raised that, as the Constitution does not outline the Chair’s remit, we must agree on this and Standing Orders before appointing a permanent Chair or other Officer roles.

There was very little time in the pre-shared agenda to raise items.

*There has now been a “full” CEC meeting scheduled on Sunday 3-5pm* so I am hopeful this will allow for key issues to be raised. Some of us have requested for this to be longer session.

Branch formation and resources are at the top of my list from conversations with many of you, so I will be pushing this forward for the agenda.

We’ve also discussed the rise of the far-right across the region, so mobilisation and anti-racism will be another key topic.

Please use this short form to share anything and I’ll collate themes from there: https://forms.gle/1i7YiMCkp3ofgQPy7

Note: We only have 2 hours, but we’ll do our best to get through the most pressing topics.

✨ REFLECTIONS

All in all, it was a lively yet comradely session.

For me, it was a reminder of the importance of getting our Standing Orders and foundational ways of working up and running quickly. While they’re not necessarily the “exciting” bit, I believe having agreed norms for how we operate, make decisions and work together is key for a committee like this to run fairly and inclusively.

This will also be important as we are the collective leadership, with a mandate voted on by members. While we may naturally bring different views at times, we must all have equal opportunity to raise matters from the membership and debate in a comradely way.

As a final note, thank you! I know it’s not been an easy 6 months and we aren’t where we want to be with branches, but I’ll keep fighting to get things moving as quickly as possible. You have my word on that.

I am collating the best contacts for South West proto-branches and I’ll be in touch soon to learn more about you all.

I’m juggling this alongside a full-time job and other life commitments, so I appreciate your understanding and patience. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

I’ve also reached out to my South West counterpart and am waiting to hear back. I hope we’ll be able to join some of your meetings together soon.

In solidarity,

Candi ✊🏾

Election announcement

The results of the CEC election were announced on Thursday 26th at 1130.

You can still watch that announcement on YouTube here.

Below are the names from this page of the Your Party website.

Public Office Holders

CORBYN, Jeremy

SULTANA, Zarah

SMITH, Laura

LEWIS, Grace

North West

GORST, Sam

ASPINALL, Dawn

North East

DAVIS, Catherine

HAWKINS, Hannah

Yorkshire & The Humber

MOSLEY, Monique

WILSON, Sophie

London

MULLINGS, Melecia

BEGUM, Noor Jahan

East of England

AHMED, Solma

RUST, Jo

West Midlands

CLARKE, Megan

TAKROURI, Fadel

East Midlands

REGAN, Louise

KHAN, Riaz

South East

WIMBORNE-IDRISSI, Naomi

BELLINGHAM, Cassandra

South West

WILLIAMS, Candi

FORBES, Jennifer

Wales

DONNELLAN, Maria

Scotland

CHRISTIE, Niall

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