Third Place First was founded in the 1990s to encourage more campaigning in areas where we were not the holder or runner-up in the local parliamentary seat. Seats were sometimes winnable from third place or lower.

Ultimately the aspiration of Third Place First is for a Labour victory at the next general election. Victory can be achieved by concentrating on the seats won in 2005, but not all of these will be regained so we need to look outside of these areas. Within these parliamentary seats there are council wards that we currently neither hold or are runners-up. Votes in these wards are just as valuable as votes in wards we hold but sometimes we do not campaign in these areas.

The Third Place First meeting in Reading on 23 June had been well attended, had been very positive, and had shown enthusiasm for tackling difficult campaigning issues. Help and advice at a local level can often help where the campaign requires experience of tackling new challenges. How do we tackle the Greens for instance? There should be both national and local events, some on general campaigning, some of them bespoke events to deal with local issues.

Third Place First met at the Labour party conference to discuss how to move forward in the current climate in order to maximise the Labour presence at all levels over the next three years. Those taking part included Cllr Keith Dibble (chair of Third Place First), Richard Angell (deputy director of Progress), Caroline Flint MP and Harriet Yeo (chair of Labour’s NEC) and reps from all regions. The objective was to specify specific actions which could help gain seats.

There were often issues at a local level but that members were not aware of others who had found campaigning solutions to similar issues. Membersnet was too complicated and ways should be looked at to make it more user-friendly.

Some CLPs do little campaigning, so potential movers and shakers need to be identified and encouraged. In elections such as for police and crime commissioner and for Europe a vote in Tunbridge Wells is just as important as one in the stronger Labour area of Gravesham. Teams need to be built on a ward-by-ward basis.

Each region has a shadow cabinet member as their ‘regional champion’. Third Place First needs to build a relationship with each of these.

Selection of prospective parliamentary candidates will begin in earnest in the new year. They can become leaders and can generate new life in parties but this will involve them understanding that expectation and will have training implications. This must be addressed in the Future Candidates Programme.

•    ‘First time on the doorstep’ sessions should be run for members.
•    There is widespread experience in fighting traditional opponents – this should now be extended to the Greens.
•    Twinning of MPs with non-Labour CLPs must be strengthened.
•    Access to and skill with Contact Creator is a current inhibitor – more members in a CLP must be given that access and trained to use it.
•    Third Place First should extend beyond the south-east if Labour is to become a ‘One Nation’ party.

Finally, it was agreed that the immediate priority was the PCC elections on 15 November, which do not affect London. Many members from outside London had helped within elections in London – especially in the mayoral elections. It was hoped that London members, including senior members of the party, should return the favour.

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Howard Linsley is a member of Liss parish council in Hampshire

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Please read more about the campaign on the Third Place First pages