Socialist societies
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A Socialist Society is a membership organization which is affiliated to the Labour Party.
The best-known socialist society is the Fabian Society, founded in 1884, some years before the creation of the Labour Party itself (in which the Society participated). The Society's membership is small but, in Labour circles, it exerts some influence. The Co-operative Party is a separate political party with an electoral agreement with the Labour Party and acts as a Socialist Society.
Affiliation means that the socialist societies - like a number of British trade unions - pay an affiliation fee to the Labour Party, and the affiliates' members become affiliated members of the Labour Party (a different status from full member), unless they specifically choose otherwise. In return the societies receive a formal role in Labour decision-making, and the affiliated members can take part in all-member ballots in certain circumstances. For example, they can participate in the election of Labour Party leaders.
Socialist societies also elect a delegate to the Labour National Executive Committee and can affiliate at a local level to Constituency Labour Parties.
Current Socialist Societies
In 2004, affiliated Socialist Societies were:
- Black Socialist Society
- Co-operative Party
- Christian Socialist Movement (http://www.christiansocialist.org.uk)
- Fabian Society
- The Jewish Labour Movement (formerly Poale Zion)
- Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights (http://www.lclgr.org)
- Labour Disabled Members' Group (http://www.labourbility.com)
- Labour Housing Group
- Labour Irish Society
- Labour Students
- National Union of Labour and Socialist Clubs
- Scientists for Labour (http://www.scientists-for-labour.org.uk)
- Socialist Education Association
- Socialist Environment and Resources Association (SERA - the Labour Environment Campaign) (http://www.serauk.org.uk)
- Socialist Health Association (http://www.sochealth.co.uk)
- Society of Labour Lawyers
There are other organisations, such as Arts for Labour (http://www.arts4labour.net/), the Labour Animal Welfare Society (http://www.labouranimalwelfaresociety.org/), Muslims for Labour, Labour Against the Euro, Labour Finance and Industry Group (http://www.lfig.org) and Labour Friends of India, which are not formally affiliated but act in a similar fashion and may aim for affiliation in time.