CLPD was formed in 1973 by a group of rank-and-file activists, with
support from about ten Labour MPs. The first President was Frank Allaun. The main motivation for the Campaign was the record of the Labour
governments in the sixties and the way that Annual Conference decisions were continually
ignored on key domestic and international issues. The immediate cause was Harold
Wilson's outright rejection in 1973 of the proposal to take into public ownership some 25
of the largest manufacturing companies, covering the major sectors of the economy.
CLPD's first demand was therefore for mandatory reselection of MPs so that
they would be under pressure to carry out Conference policies. This demand was achieved in
1979/80 through the overwhelming support of CLPs and several major unions, especially
those unions where the demand for reselection was won at their own annual conferences
(e.g. TGWU, AUEW, NUPE).
CLPD also sought to make the Leader accountable through election by an
electoral college involving MPs, CLPs and TUs. Hitherto Labour leaders were elected by MPs
alone. This demand was achieved in January 1981.
CLPD also promoted a range of reforms to give Labour women and black
members greater representation within the Party. The main demand for a woman on every
parliamentary shortlist was achieved over the period 1986 - 1988.
In addition CLPD also promotes non-democracy issues, such as the
significant extension of public ownership, defending the welfare state and the
first-past-the-post electoral system.
The major focus of CLPD's work in recent years has been to win back power
for the rank-and-file, which has been surreptitiously transferred to the centre under the
pretext of "modernisation".