GE2025: Leadership renewal an 'ever ongoing exercise': WP chief Pritam Singh

Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh and chairperson Sylvia Lim talk about the party’s renewal efforts.

Transcript

00:00What I always had one eye on when I became Secretary-General in 2018 was to think about

00:11the next generation, the future of the party, and I think what I would say is that's an

00:16ever-ongoing exercise.

00:18You want to bring in people, and not just bring in people as I mentioned yesterday,

00:22bring in people who are better than you.

00:25And this is something which has always been at the centre of my work in the Workers'

00:30Party, and I continue to do that.

00:32We reach out to many, many different types of people, but as I alluded yesterday, it's

00:37harder in the opposition.

00:40If I can use the analogy of a mountain, there's a rock face, and then there is a gentle ascent

00:48to the summit.

00:50No prizes for guessing where the Workers' Party candidate starts.

00:54I mean, this philosophy, although maybe not so obvious to some of you, has been around

00:58for a long time.

00:59So, speaking for me personally, you may be shocked to hear that I've been holding this

01:04party chair position for 22 years, you know.

01:09Organisationally, I don't think it's ideal because, you know, you should have renewal from

01:14time to time.

01:15But the circumstances were such that in those days we didn't have enough people, so I came

01:19in at a so-called early age at 38.

01:22But as you would have seen yesterday, at our manifesto launch, Britain Manai don't need

01:27to be there because, you know, we have some MPs in Parliament now.

01:31They have learned a lot, you know, from their time in Parliament, especially this recent term.

01:37So, they can carry the can for some of these major projects already.

01:42So, it's an ongoing process, and I would say that when the time comes for me personally

01:48to step down as chairperson, I won't be sorry.

01:52Yeah, I think I should also look towards the 60s as a different period of my life.