The Co-operative Party believes that people will achieve more by working together than they can by working alone.
We were founded in 1917, though our roots go back all the way to 1844 and the Rochdale Pioneers, the founders of the modern day Co-operative Movement.
During World War I, the co-operative sector faced discrimination at the hands of a government dominated by private business interests.
In response, we were formed in 1917 to create a level playing field for co-operatives and to promote the wider principles of co-operation.
What is the Co-operative Party?
We’re the political arm of the wider co-operative movement, which includes over 6000 co-operatively-owned business across the UK.
We believe that the only way to create a just and fair society is through power being shared evenly throughout society, and not arbitrarily based on wealth, class, gender and race.
What does the Party do?
Our role is to promote co-operative ideas in Westminster, Edinburgh and Cardiff and in local councils across the country. There are 25 Labour & Co-operative MPs in Westminster and representatives in devolved and local government across the UK.
In particular this means:
- Creating a level playing field for co-operatives, including promoting the growth of a new generation of community and worker-owned co-ops
- Promoting co-operative solutions across politics, in areas including community ownership and reforming our public services.
For more information see: http://party.coop/
Chesterfield Co-operative Party – A Co-operative Manifesto for Change
