Introducing Jenny Curtis CEC Candidate for North West

ABOUT JENNY: My name is Jenny Curtis, standing as an independent CEC candidate in the North West. I live in Colne, Lancashire. I became interested in active politics when Jeremy Corbyn became Labour Leader, and left when it became apparent that the Party was no longer one whose values I recognised. So when Your Party finally appeared, I signed up the same day! We have certainly had some ups-and-downs owns in the first few months, but overall we have established the bare bones of the Party we want to see. I want to offer my skills and experience to become part of the team that puts the flesh on those bones. I want to represent those people like me who are excited about the prospects ahead, but who don’t necessarily have a significant background or connections in political activism.

My priorities for the CEC would be as follows. Firstly, get branches up and running: these will be the bedrock of our communities and politics. They need to be visible and active, and have the tools to be effective. Decide strategy for the May elections. This is time sensitive and will need urgent action. We should consult with our branches about what would be the best approach for their locality. Build issues surrounding accessibility and inclusivity into our foundations: all who want to take part should be enabled and encouraged to do so. We need to set up a working group to make recommendations, and implement them. Develop effective communication and transparency at all levels. Members deserve to be involved, know what is happening, know what decisions are being made, and who is making them. This is essential to building trust. Make sure our Constitution and Standing Orders are fit for purpose, and that issues delegated to the CEC by Conference are carried through to completion. There are still too many gaps, unintentional errors and a lack of clarity. We need to have a robust structure to work within. Establish organised sections: we should make representation as wide as possible, as soon as possible.

What will I bring to the table? I have wide experience in leading, managing and organising, both in my work (retired teacher/senior management) and personal activities. I am a team player. Consensus is built through discussion and active listening. I am able to see “big picture” issues and identify manageable steps to deal with them, along with an eye for detail.

My political activism includes being Women’s Officer in previous CLP (building a small but lively and active Women’s Forum), branch chair, chair of the LCF (organising candidates etc. for local elections). I am a co-founder of Pendle YP proto-branch and keen to get us all moving!

I stand for unity, not division: consensus, not conflict.

Socialist, intersectional feminist, pro-Palestine.

JENNY ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS….

YOUR HOPES FOR YOUR PARTY

1. What does Your Party mean to you, what do you want to see Your Party members doing more, and how would you support that work from within the CEC?
2. What processes and safeguards would you want to see implemented to curb factionalism in the party and ensure that members remain sovereign when it comes to important decisions.

1. YP is a chance to be something completely new and different in the politics of this country. It’s exciting to think that we can actively engage with people and value what they have to say and incorporate this into national policy, alongside local campaign issues.

2. I’d work to make sure we remain committed to this ideal, calling out authoritative or disrupting behaviours. We can disagree respectfully and build consensus through listening and debate. We need to remember we have more in common with each other than we have differences, and take the fight to our real political enemies. I will support and uphold the constitution on these matters. OMOV is at the heart of our organisation and should remain so.

LET’S TALK POLICIES

On Disability

1. A disabled person’s care needs don’t end when a parent or carer reaches retirement age but the carer’s allowance does. What do you think the CEC and Your Party could do to address this injustice?
2. Are you committed to the social model of disability?
3. How do we ensure the rights of disabled people are taken seriously?
4. How will you ensure accessibility and inclusivity for disabled people in Your Party?

1. Currently, we live in a disjointed system where healthcare and social care are separate entities, and often provided by private companies or thrown onto relatives without adequate support. Elderly carers, who may need support themselves, are expected to continue caring for others. This is neither sustainable nor socially acceptable. We therefore need to work to create a better system. Short term, we need to campaign that (at the minimum) carers’ allowance continues for as long as the care continues, and also to raise the amount considerably. There is an army of carers out there who are saving the government a fortune while being forgotten and neglected. This needs to change.

2. Short answer, yes!

3. By listening to them. “Nothing about us without us” because anything else is patronising.

4. By building these values in as a constitutional right and enforcing them vigorously. To work with disabled people to help decide what is needed and necessary. By having hybrid meetings as S.O.P.

On Benefits

1. What is your vision for sickness, disability, carer, child and unemployment benefits?
2. Do you support a Universal basic income / Universal basic services?
3. Currently, Amnesty International calls the social security system in the UK ‘Consciously cruel’. What do you think needs to be done to tackle this?

1. As said previously, a much more effective social security system is needed. Something like UBI combined with UBS for those needing additional support could be a good way to deal with this so I’d like to see this actioned.

2. Yes!

3. And yes, Amnesty International are right. We have descended from a system that supports to a system that punishes, yet any of us could need social security at any time through no fault of our own. We need to tackle societal attitudes and its going to be a difficult job. However, it’s been done before and can be done again.

On Jobs

1. How do we generate more well paid jobs in this country?
2. Do you believe the wealth gap between employers and employees needs to be addressed and, if so, where would you cap it?
3. Do you think the real living wage should continue to be voluntary or obligatory?
4. Do you think we should introduce a ‘back-to-work’ scheme in this country where people are given an annual allowance, instead of fortnightly benefits (for a period of time), so that they can become self-employed instead?
5. Do you think think the Employment Rights Act is adequate and, if not, why not, and how would you want to improve it?

1. Going to turn this around slightly and say, more jobs should be well paid. If a job needs to be done, people should be paid fairly to do it. There have been so many cuts made through the lens of “austerity” – especially to things like the arts, sports, museums, music, local services – that simply restoring investment to public services will generate jobs. Additionally many people would like to work for themselves, especially in creative fields, but insecurity and overheads either puts them off or makes it difficult to earn a living. UBI would certainly help in this sort of scenario.

2. Yes it does. Nobody works a billion times harder than somebody else! I haven’t got a figure in mind but I’ve heard a figure of 20x from bottom to top. So if the people at the top want more, the people at the bottom have to get more too.

3. Obligatory (and should be higher).

4. No comment on this as I haven’t looked into it, but see also comments about self-employment above.

5. Again, not completely up to speed on this (I’m now retired!), but things like workers and union rights have been eroded and the constant threat of “burning unnecessary red tape” would undoubtedly be a threat to health and safety at work. So I’d like to see it reviewed and made properly fit for purpose. This would include things like the right to strike and to picket.

On Housing

1. How do you think we can improve housing in deprived areas, so as to tackle the urgent issues of rising rents, unaffordable housing, shortage of social housing and, in some areas, Airbnb or developers taking over all free properties that could become homes for people? This issue is badly affecting young people who can’t afford the rent on their low wages and also older people 50+ who also can’t find enough work
2. When we win an election, and if it’s within your remit to do so, what measures would you implement to address the homelessness crisis.

1. Housing and homelessness is a huge issue and will need tackling from several directions. Personally I’d like to see an end to things like buy-to-let mortgages, “investment properties” being built and then standing empty, and no-blame evictions. I’d also like to see renters able to use their rent payment record as part of their credit rating. Low cost mortgages from councils/government for those who are first time buyers, social housing for those preferring to rent. Refurbishing existing properties to a liveable standard and redeveloping brownfield sites rather than endless urban sprawl which mainly benefits developers. For starters!

2. I’ve covered most of this above as regards the long term, but there also need to be more immediate measures regarding homelessness and those who live on the streets. Extending emergency shelter provision comes to mind, as does ensuring these are truly safe spaces. Working with homeless charities to see what needs to be done, and (longer term) trying to prevent homelessness in the first place.

On Inequality

1. Where do you stand on Trans rights and do you believe a woman’s place on the CEC should also be open to Trans women?
2. What is your stance on a youth/student wing, Disabilities group, BAME group, Women’s group or a LGBTQIA+ group within the party?
3. If it were within your remit, what measures would you want to see put in place to combat Transphobia, gender stereotypes, racism, religious intolerance and the general ‘fear of the other’ within our communities, for example in education, in health, in the work place and in negative media portrayals.
4. How do you think we can tackle the centuries-old culture of blaming poor people, and address the real causes of poverty?

1. I stand for trans rights and believe trans women are women, so yes women’s places should be available. I further believe that the current wave of transphobia is the tip of a large misogynistic iceberg, so a threat to trans women is a threat to us all.

2. I’d certainly support the other groups you mention to have proper representation within the party, including CEC level, as it says in our current Constitution.

3. Combating these attitudes (including scapegoating the poor) needs to be societal and legislative. I can’t believe how far and how quickly gains have been reversed!

4. Again, we need to reverse a whole way of thinking. Not easy to do overnight, but people tend to empathise more with individuals than homogeneous groups, so telling stories of those people might be a way in. We need to make perjorative words (eg ‘scroungers’, ‘workshy’) unacceptable in describing the poor in the same way as we do for words that are racist or homophobic. But most importantly, we need to end poverty itself.

The Environment + Green & Renewable Energy

1. Consider the challenges of building renewable energy. What is your view on how we should handle the trade‑offs between industrial growth, renewable construction, environmental impact, and the concerns of local people, for example, in the proposed Morgan & Morecambe Wind Farm?
2. What do you think should be done to tackle global warming and environmental degradation?
3. How do we achieve a just transition from the fossil fuel extraction industry to carbon neutral occupations?
4. How do you think we can tackle the lobbying power of the fossil fuel and animal agriculture industries?

1. This is a challenge, but one in which we have at least made a start in this country. People seem to generally see the need and benefits of renewable, but there is still tension about the siting of projects. I can’t speak for the particular development mentioned except in general terms, that sensitive environments should be protected. This also goes for farming practices.

2. In short, everything that could be done, must be done. And quickly.

3. Getting the green economy right is essential. We cannot keep having infinite growth with finite resources. People working in threatened sectors (fossil fuel industries etc) need reassuring that their livelihoods will not be devasted, but transferred to greener industries (with free retraining where necessary).

4. Clamping down on all the “incentives” currently on offer from powerful lobbyists would be a good start and could easily be legislated for. Neither should they be allowed to publish or promote factually inaccurate campaigns.

The Economy

1. Imagine Your Party has just won the General Election. How do you think Your Party could best manage the hostile economic reaction of the capitalist markets and hostile hyper capitalist countries?
2. What is your view of economic growth versus de-growth, and what do you think the key economic policies of Your Party should be?
3. Do you support the Wealth Tax?

1. Managing both the media and the markets is likely to be a big issue for YP. Economic policy isn’t my area of expertise but we need to be robust in both implementing policies and defending them. Proving to the public that our policies work and are benefiting them is essential.

2. I’m quite interested (but not knowledgeable) about the principles of economic de-growth and this is something we should probably be discussing as a Party. Many people are no longer buying into the “more is better” narrative and this is something we could build on.

3. Yes, absolutely, although I’m not yet decided on what form this should take.

Foreign and Defence policy

1. Do you commit to a complete arms embargo on Israel and ending all military cooperation, and what do you think about the global militarisation of foreign policy generally, including the planned defence of Ukraine.
2. Do you believe the UK government is complicit in the Palestinian Genocide (named as such by the UN 9/25).
3. If it were in your remit, would you reverse the proscription of Palestine Action?
4. What are your thoughts on defence expenditure in general, but also in light of the fact that we’re going through a cost of living crisis in this country and our taxes could instead be used to ease the financial burden on households and support our public services?
5. What does a ‘free Palestine’ look like to you?

1. Yes to the embargo. Re global militarisation etc, we should be committing ourselves to peace and negotiation before we ever commit to wars on foreign soil. The world is a dangerous place and we should be trying to make it better, not worse, for the ordinary working people of any country (who are always the first to suffer). International co-operation, not conflict. Which probably sounds quite idealistic, but I’m not going to apologise for that!

2. They certainly have a case to answer. I suspect there is more going on than any of us realise.

3. From the evidence I’ve seen, yes. Further, I would want to repeal all the legislation which tries to stamp out the right of peaceful protest.

4. Defence expenditure is too high, especially in our current economic climate. Welfare, not warfare.

5. This would be whatever the Palestinians want it to be. Only they have the right to tell us what a free Palestine should look like.

General Questions on policy

1. What are the key policies that you would like to see in the Your Party manifesto for the next general election?
2. Imagine Your Party has just won a general election, what’s the first action or policy you would work to implement?
3. What do you think our taxes should be spent on?
4. What should, or should not, pension funds be invested in?
5. What are your thoughts on mass surveillance? Mandatory ID might be on ice but what about future attempts to reintroduce it, and what do you think about live facial recognition?
6. What are your thoughts on full public ownership of vital public services?

1. I think I’ve already answered a lot if what I’d like to see. I think the 2017 Corbyn Labour manifesto is a good starting point.

2. First actions in government? So much damage has been done we practically need to start over. But I’d say the cost of living crisis, part of which would be public ownership of utilities, then housing.

3. missing.

4. Pension funds to be invested ethically.

5. No to mass surveillance, mandatory ID and live facial recognition.

6. Yes to full public ownership of utilities.

YOUR PARTY RULES & MANAGEMENT

1. In your opinion, what would be the most effective and fair way for Your Party to decide on and write policy (i.e. proposed and written the by CEC, by branches, by individual members, or by Sortition Assembly, for example)?
2. What are your thoughts on how the CEC, and other Your Party structures, could be made to function more effectively and in the interests of its members?
3. Do you support dual membership and, if so, which other parties would you approve?
4. ⁠Will you ensure that ‘one member, one vote’ is enshrined into the party’s constitution?
5. Voters do not want to see discord in Your Party.  What processes would you want to see put in place to allow members to raise grievances, have them addressed fairly and expediently, and for lessons to be learnt?
6. Would you ensure the CEC provides members with a contact number and email so that members can contact you with suggestions and questions?
7. Taking cybersecurity concerns and obligations into consideration, at a time when there is serious concern  that member’s data could be hacked, leaving members exposed to harassment and other risks, what protections, other than those provided by cybersecurity tools, would you want to see put in place when sharing membership information with local branch executives?
8. How do you see Your Party operating in areas where people are fundamentally right wing and any kind of public street stalls can be very dangerous for those involved, and how should Your Party CEC and the party centrally support comrades in those areas?
9. Do you support the party investing, on a targeted and financially sustainable basis, in permanent and visible local spaces to enable branches to hold meetings, run public-facing events, and engage with citizens outside of election cycles? Please also explain why you support, or don’t support, this initiative.
10. Given the fact that politics is rife with self-serving careerists who priorities their own interests and the interests of their donors, over the interests of party members, and British voters, to the extent that they are prepared to lie their way into office and then break every promise they ever made, would you support a simple mechanism that allows party members to call an immediate vote of confidence in any Your Party elected official, including MPs, councillors and staff on the CEC (or other party structures)? Also, in the event that they lose that vote of confidence, that they are immediately removed from that office (ideally triggering a by-election in the case of MPs and Cllrs)

1. Policy should be decided by all who want to participate. I would see the branches as the focal point, with individuals bringing ideas and expertise, branch discussions feeding into regional assemblies, revisions and amendments being made at these levels before reaching Conference. Time at conference could then be spent finessing because broad consensus should already have been reached.

2. Nutshell answer – communication and transparency. .

3. I personally didn’t support dual membership because I think it divides both focus and loyalty. However, I can also see that we need as wide a breadth of opinion and expertise as possible – plus it is what members decided, so we need to make it work. Bottom line as to which parties would be if they were also willing to reciprocate dual membership arrangements. I wouldn’t want to allow their members in if they didn’t!

4. Yes!

5. Robust and speedy complaints procedure followed by a session dealing with lessons learned and recommendations made.

6. Yes!.

7. Not an expert on the technical side but we need members data kept safe. Due diligence undertaken on branch executives.

8. We shouldn’t be cowed by the right wing but on a personal level our members don’t deserve to be intimated. So yes to additional support.

9. The idea of investing in local spaces is an interesting one and I’d certainly like to see it happen, if that is what the members decide. There would be a few practical issues (not least finance, plus insurance, safeguarding etc) but I like the concept.

10. Regarding votes of confidence etc yes, I support the concept of recall at all official levels. There is provision in the Constitution for this so the CEC needs to ensure the system is simple, robust, fair and effective!

GENERAL QUESTIONS

1. How would you distinguish democratic socialism from social democracy, do you identify with either, and, if so, why?
2. Should there be an electoral alliance with the Green Party?
3. Please sketch how you would fight an election campaign paying particular attention to the voting base you would attempt to mobilise, the messages you would try to get across, and the means you would employ to promote such messages.
4. Do you think we should keep the Monarchy?
5. Do you think it’s important for Your Party to have strong animal rights policies? If so, can you provide examples?

1. For me, Democratic Socialism is a socialist economy which is agreed in a democratic way (ie not imposed), social democracy is capitalism agreed in a democratic way. I identify as a democratic socialist.

2. Too early to say! This is also not entirely up to us. I don’t see why we can’t work together on many issues, whether formally or informally. But we also need to forge our own unique identity.

3. The voting base I’d most like to engage are the disillusioned and the never engaged. A government holding 100% power on a 30% share of a 20% turnout is scarcely democracy in action.

4. We probably need a Head of State, but whether this is a monarchy or not is open to discussion. I don’t think there is yet a public appetite for this, so for the moment I’d rather concentrate on issues the public do seem to be asking for such as the abolition of the House of Lords and replacing it with a smaller, elected, second chamber.

5. If we chose to keep or to farm animals, we have a responsibility to care for them properly and ethically. Our laws on animal rights and protections are better than many, but certainly not perfect.

JENNY CURTIS ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/share/14Y4m6Xjte1/

YOUR PARTY NORTH WEST HUSTINGS (7th February 2026)….

Your Party CEC Elections – Meet the Independents (9th February 2026)….

Crispin Flintoff Show: Who Should Lead Your Party? (22nd January 2026)….

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