Labour Co-operative

Labour and Co-operative Party (often abbreviated to Labour Co-op; ) is a description used by candidates in United Kingdom elections who stand on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party. Candidates contest elections under an electoral alliance between the two parties, which was first agreed in 1927. This agreement recognises the independence of the two parties and commits them to not standing against each other in elections. It also sets out the procedures for both parties to select joint candidates and interact at a local and national level. There were 26 Labour and Co-operative Party MPs elected at the December 2019 election, making it the fourth largest political grouping in the House of Commons, although Labour and Co-operative MPs are generally included in Labour totals. The chair of the Co-operative Parliamentary Group is Preet Gill and the vice-chair is Jim McMahon. Description Labour and Co-operative is a joint description registered with the Electoral Commission, appearing alongside a candidate's name on ballot papers. When elected, the designation continues to be Labour and Co-operative Party. Elected representatives belonging to this designation themselves often meet as a group, in addition to being part of an official Labour group; for example, MPs sit as part of the Parliamentary Labour Party but also (together with Labour Co-op members of the House of Lords) are members of the Co-operative Parliamentary Group.