Politischer Stammtisch doesn’t quite run off the tongue, but its meaning is quite straightforward – ‘political regular’s discussion table’. Once a month or so, many German taverns will set aside a table or two for a regular gathering of locals to discuss politics. These are informal events, part politics and part social that bring together the community to discuss the big issues of the day.
Camden Labour Party recently set up a working group made up of the local MPs, councilors and members to look at how the local party could be strengthened. The working group carried out a members’ survey – designed by the psephologist, Lewis Baston – and received almost 300 responses (20% of the local party). Most members said that they did not regularly attend party meetings, with many wanting them to be more interesting, more political, more social, informal and ‘comradely’.
The working group suggested Politischer Stammtischs as one way of meeting these demands. The recipe for a successful Politischer Stammtisch is pretty simple. First, find a venue – a café or pub is probably a good start to help ensure an informal and social aspect. Second, choose a topic and someone to start off the discussion. This person need not be a ‘speaker’ in the conventional sense, but could be a party member with a particular interest or expertise (e.g. perhaps developed through their work or other activities). A nurse might lead a discussion on the NHS or a school governor on education. Third, invite party members to take part. It may be useful to have a moderator to ensure it runs smoothly and to time, or the person who starts off the discussion could play this role. Once you have had your first successful Politischer Stammtisch simply repeat with any modifications you see fit.
London Young Labour, the party’s youth wing in the capital, recently decided to test the idea. Ed Miliband agreed to kick off a debate on the future direction of the Labour Party in a noisy London pub. Topics included how to expose David Cameron’s right wing instincts, affordable housing’s ascent up the political agenda and tactics for tackling the BNP. Speaking about Labour Party reform, Ed Miliband said that while Keir Hardie might not recognise much of the UK were he to come back to life, he would recognise the Labour Party branch meeting and this demonstrated why the Labour Party has to modernise its structures to keep up with the rest of the world. He also felt that the party should do more to mentor and train party members and activists.
A second Politischer Stammtisch has since been held, with Anne Quesney, Director of Abortion Rights, on her work to defend and extend a woman’s right to choose. Members discussed this particularly complicated issue in more depth than would have been possible at a normal speaker meeting.
Perhaps more important than the quality of discussion, a number of London Young Labour members who had not been to previous events turned up to the Politischer Stammtischs. Since then, they have continued to be involved, coming to events and campaigning in council by-elections in Brent and Tower Hamlets. This seems to fit with the thesis of the Camden Labour Working Group report that there are a number of members who are interested in politics and helping the Labour Party, but who find that the current system of party meetings simply doesn’t do it for them.
That’s not to say we should necessarily abolish the current branch structure, which has an important role in sustaining a local Labour presence. This is especially the case in areas where we have lost or may in the future lose councillors. The Lib Dems tend to collapse completely when they lose council elections, because they have no real local base. By contrast, Labour is able to rebuild using our branch structure, which although not always perfect, forms an important backbone for the party. Politischer Stammtisch should be seen as a complement rather than a competitor to the traditional party structures that can involve members who otherwise would not participate. So get discussing!