Moray Constituency Labour Party has elected a new Executive Committee for 2018-19. Jo Kirby was elected as the new Chair of the local party at its recent AGM, which saw new faces elected to the committee, as well as some more familiar ones.

The new CLP Executive Committee is as follows:

• Chair: Jo Kirby±
• Vice Chair: Marion MacLennan±
• Leader of the Labour Group on Moray Council: Cllr John Divers
• Secretary: Dr Stuart MacLennan
• Treasurer: Alan Burgess
• Women’s Officer: Kate Imlah*
• Trade Union Liaison Officer: Larry Easton*
• Youth Officer: Alasdair Keith

± moved roles; * new officer.

Newly elected Chair Jo Kirby expressed her thanks to local members upon her election, as well as to her predecessor, Marion MacLennan:

I’m thrilled to be to have been elected Chair of Moray CLP at this crucial time for our local party. We’ve turned a corner both nationally and locally, and the party is fighting fit for a general election, whenever it comes. I’m particularly grateful to Marion, who took over as Chair two years ago in difficult times, and steered the party to the recovery we’re seeing now.

CLP Secretary, Dr MacLennan, reported to the AGM that the local membership has never been higher. This was reflected by the Treasurer, Mr Burgess, who reported increased income from membership fees.

The AGM saw the appointment of a new member of the Executive Committee: local teacher Kate Imlah as Women’s Officer; as well as an old one: Larry Easton as Trade Union Liaison Officer. Mr Easton was a long-standing member, who stood for Moray District Council for Labour in the 1990s, but left the party over 20 years ago. Mr Easton’s return to the fold, as well as the hundreds of new members who have joined the local party in recent years, demonstrates the groundswell of support for Labour in Moray.