A socialist society is a membership organisation that is affiliated with the Labour Party in the UK.
The best-known socialist society is the Fabian Society, founded in 1884, some years before the creation of the Labour Party itself (in which the Society participated). The Society's membership is relatively small (around 7000), but in Labour circles, it exerts much influence. The Co-operative Party is not strictly a "socialist society" in the context of the Labour Party. It is in fact a separate political party with an electoral agreement with the Labour Party. It acts as a socialist society for the most part although it has certain additional rights.
Affiliation means that the socialist societies - like a number of British trade unions - pay an affiliation fee to the Labour Party, and the affiliates' members become affiliated members of the Labour Party (a different status from full member), unless they specifically choose otherwise. In return the societies receive a formal role in Labour decision-making, and the affiliated members can take part in all-member ballots in certain circumstances. For example, they can participate in the election of Labour Party leaders and deputy leaders, have delegates and votes at Annual Conference.
Socialist societies also elect a delegate (currently Conor McGinn from the Labour Party Irish Society) to the Labour National Executive Committee and can affiliate at a local level to Constituency Labour Parties. A second seat was alloted to the BAME Labour in early 2007, when its membership rose above 2,500. The Socialist Societies also elect three representatives to the National Policy Forum, currently Emma Burnell (Labour Housing Group), Martin Rathfelder (Socialist Health Association) and Helen Gibson (Labour Students). Since the 2011 refounding Labour process seats on the NPF have also been allocated to LGBT Labour and the Labour disabled Members' Group.
The socialist societies are also involved in the Labour Party's policy reviews and the 2011 Refounding Labour process.
Affiliated socialist societies include:
There are other organisations, such as Arts for Labour, Centre Left Grassroot Alliance, the Labour Animal Welfare Society, Muslims for Labour, Labour Against the Euro, Labour Finance and Industry Group, and Labour Friends of India, which are not formally affiliated but act in a similar fashion and may aim for affiliation in time. The Co-operative Party is not a socialist society but rather a full political party with an electoral agreement with the Labour Party. It affiliates at a local level.