LABOUR’S leadership was mocked today for a new campaigning “rewards” scheme which, among other things, offers party members a chance to Zoom with Sir Keir Starmer as a thank you.
The Dialogue scheme lists the “prize” for the best-performing Constituency Labour Party (CLP) by February as a visit by deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner during their CLP meeting.
The second prize is a visit from a shadow cabinet member, and the third is £200 of “digital spend credits.”
The national top individual caller receives an invite to a “VIP event.”
Those who make 4,000 calls get invited to a Zoom event to be thanked by Labour leader Sir Keir and Ms Rayner.
A call from Ms Rayner is the reward for making 3,000 calls, a signed note from Sir Keir for 2,000 calls, a Zoom call with Ms Rayner for 1,500 calls, a thank you call from a shadow cabinet member for 1,000 calls, a note from Ms Rayner for 500 calls, and a “thank you text” for 250 calls.
Rewards for best-performing phone banks are visits from local MPs, Ms Rayner, or Sir Keir.
Social media users labelled the scheme as “cringe,” “patronising” and described it as akin to corporate call-centre targets.
Luke Farley, chairman of Elmet and Rothwell CLP in West Yorkshire, told the Morning Star that the rewards were “ill-considered at best.”
He said: “The idea that saying ‘thank you’ to volunteers is a reward to be earned and not a natural response to people who give up their time is indicative of a poor culture within the party.
“I’ve spoken to people from across the party — both left and right — and everyone’s pretty astonished at this.
“I don’t have a problem with ‘rewards’ per se — the party has been doing it for years — but saying thank you isn’t a reward, and nor is expecting your local MP to speak to constituents.
“I don’t particularly have an issue with presentation of the shadow cabinet or leader and deputy leader as celebrities — they can have a real pull for some members and bolster campaigning efforts.
“However, they should be engaging with members via events to encourage attendance and campaigning, not as a reward for having done so.
“The party needs to encourage people to use the Dialogue system, but I really think this is the wrong way to go about it.
“It should run a raffle with actual prizes, rather than offering basic courtesy for making 250 calls.”
The Star contacted Labour for comment.
