University Archives
Campaign for Labour Party Democracy
The CLPD started in a very small way in 1973/74, but at its height in the late 1970s and early 1980s it had nearly 300 affiliated organisations and some 450 individual members. The main stated objective of the group was 'To campaign for greater participatory democracy within and between all sections of the Labour Party'. Major support and membership came from constituency Labour parties and trade unions, and the CLPD was active in increasing the role of such groups within the national Party. The group had some success, beginning in 1979 with the adoption of an electoral college for the selection of the party leader.
Hull University Archives received a small collection of papers relating to CLPD from Dave Merrett, who was its 'Yorkshire Regional Key Person' for a number of years. There are minutes (of Annual General Meetings, Executive Committee meetings, etc.), reports and discussion papers for the years 1973 to 1991. [DX/222]