Workers' Party of Yurnsk
| |
| Party Leader | Mikhail Panvilov |
| Headquarters | 19 South Street, Rengrad |
| Pocial ideology | Social Democracy , Democratic Socialism |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| International Affiliation |  Socialist International
|
| Colours | Red, Orange |
| Party president | Alexander Arensky |
| Motto | Progress & Solidarity |
The Workers' Party of Yurnsk, or simply Workers' Party, is the principle social democrat party of Yurnsk and is recognised as Yurnsk's 'party of the left'. It currently serves as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons (behind the Democratic Conservative government) with 207 Members of Parliament (MPs) and maintains representation in the House of Lords. It also serves on every municipal local council and forms an executive in hundreds of local councils.
The Workers' Party surpassed the Liberal Party in the 1890s until the Liberals formed a government in the 1940s. The Workers' Party once again surpassed their Liberal rivals in the late 1950s and now dominates the centre, centre-left and left wing political spectrum.
The Workers' Party was formed in the 19th Century due to trade union movement and the growth of socialist groups. For much of its history the Workers' Party argued for democratic socialism until a recent change in policy (sparked by the 1999 'Market Future; The adaptation and implementation of Social Democracy' book created by a number of MPs within the party) has moved the party to social democracy.
Party Structure
The Workers' Party exists as a membership organisation of Constituency Workers' Parties, affiliated trade unions, affiliated socialist clubs and over a dozen affiliated semi-independent parties - mostly from the Empire. Decision making is made by the Executive Council although the party conference and senior committees have an influence on the Executive Council.
The Executive Council consists of 30 elected Workers' Party members (elected at the conference), 30 affiliated trade unionist representatives (appointed by respective unions), 15 self-declared 'Socialist Representatives' from socialist clubs, 15 representative of affiliated semi-independent parties (elected or appointed as the respective party sees fit) and 10 'Leader Representatives' - including the party leader, president and members of the Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet (depending on the position of the party in Parliament). The one-hundred member Council has a final say on party matters, a power critics question.
The party has 169,000 members in the Constituency parties and around two million as affiliates. Together these generate some £32,000,000 for the party.
There are several informal groupings in the party such as the Modernisers & Social Democrats (led by Panvilov) and the Traditionals (democratic socialists led by current party president Arensky) which allows members to form into political groupings within the party. The Executive Council also creates several official and formal party groups which members join upon entry, these include Working Women, Worker Future and Minority Workers.
Policy
Workers' Party policy is, by Executive Council motion, 'progressive' and with an ongoing aim of 'building a socialist state' through 'social democratic policy' yet the Council ruled, in 2003 under Panvilov, policy may be 'pragmatic in achieving the above goals' which basically stated the party could abandon traditional policy roots and could, as Panvilov wishes, move closer to the centre ground of politics.
The party had long campaigned for the abolition of the monarchy, anti-clericalism and full scale nationalisation for just under a century until its platform was moderated by the Executive Council which moved the party to the 'soft left' in the 1950s. From the 1950s a moderate socialist platform continued until the election of Mikhail Panvilov as party leader in June 2003 which moved the party to a social-democratic platform. When questioned on his political position Panvilov explained he stands 'between the centre and the left: I am a Social Democratic, not a centrist and not a socialist.'
Generally speaking, the majority of the party has conformed to social democratic values although a significant minority still stay as democratic socialists within the party. Party president Alexander Arensky (himself a self declared 'democratic socialist') did not deny 'our party has two clear branches' yet explained that it 'has not split the party at all' rather explaining they 'certainly inspire debate in the party and we resolve policy disputes through votes in the Executive Committee. Besides, there is no doubt that the party is majority social democrat.'
Panvilov has created a Manifesto for the Future which expands on his 'five proposals for a new Yurnsk':
- Raising the national minimum wage from $5.50 to $7.50 an hour,
- A state run health care service 'free at the point of use',
- Abolishing all business tax and replacing it with a new progressive income tax,
- Devolved government to the Empire,
- Establishing a Commission for Electoral Reform with the aim of implementing proportional representation, and,
- Cutting CO2 emissions by 25% by 2040, and 80% by 2100.
The Manifesto was ratified by the Executive Committee in 2004 and has become a hallmark of 'Panvilovian' politics. The party's economical stance now concentrates on encouraging economic growth and an emphasis on taxing the individual and not the business which Panvilov admits '[business] must become our ally, not enemy'. Standard of life would be dramatically increased by raising the minimum wage and the creation of a state run health care service (funded by progressive taxation). With the manifesto the party refused to drop its long standing stance on Empire devolution and promised greater municipal powers on islands and an 'Assembly of the Empire' for discussion and common-Empire policies. Miqtoba, a hotly contested island with a large Muslim population with terrorist undertones, was promised to be 'treated with respect, and not dominated by Yurnsk'. The Manifesto promised to work towards 'greater devolution' on the island with a 'Miqtoba Assembly by 2020' following ceasefires by terrorist organisations with the 'on going aim of Miqtobian independence'. Together with the Liberals the Manifesto promised proportional representation and expressed support for the additional member system and also supported cuts in carbon emissions with proposals originating in the Liberal party. Insert non-formatted text here
