C. Leadership Election 2016 – Data Protection
The Labour Party has recently received direction from the Information Commissioner’s
Office in respect of complaints received from affiliated supporters and registered supporters
about communications from candidates in the last Leadership election.
In particular we have had to supply written assurances that measures will be put in place to
obtain individual consent to send unsolicited direct marketing, including in internal elections,
and that this consent will be obtained for each contact method we wish to use.
Further we have been advised that:
If the Labour Party or its elected members intend to send marketing material to individuals
(regardless of their membership status) it should ensure that consent is gained. A facility should
be provided to allow the individual to consent to each method the Labour Party or its elected
members wish to contact them by.
The implication of this direction is that candidates in internal Labour Party elections MUST
NOT be given access to lists of existing registered and affiliated supporters which allow for
unsolicited marketing messages to be sent by email or telephone. Indeed, there must be
explicit consent given by each supporter to receiving marketing messages by each and every
channel of communication.
We currently rely on the rules governing internal elections to offer some protection from this
direction from the ICO in respect of Labour Party members, but we are urgently considering
whether this directive has further implications in respect of direct communication by
candidates in any internal ballot with Labour Party members.
As far as the Leadership election is concerned we will have to:
1. Make more explicit any data sharing arrangements with affiliated organisations so
that there is greater clarity about communications which may be received by
individual affiliated supporters.
2. Make more explicit the data protection statement for registered supporters so that
there is greater clarity about communications which may be received.
3. Re-confirm with existing affiliated supporters that they wish to receive any
communications in respect of the current Leadership election.
4. Set out clearly in an early communication to all members and registered and
affiliated supporters the likely communications programme with procedures for
opting in/out of various communication channels.
5. There should be a moratorium on any access to membership list by any office holder
or elected representative save for normal membership procedures related directly to
their office for the duration of this election. Any member using Labour Party
membership data in an unauthorised way will be referred to the Office of the
Information Commissioner and may be subject to disciplinary action.
8392_16 Printed and promoted by Iain McNicol, General Secretary, the Labour Party, on behalf of the
Labour Party, both at Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT.