Ann Black of the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has 
circulated helpful information about the coming procedures in relation to the Labour Party’s policy formation for the 2015 general election.
She states: “At the end of February the National Policy Forum (NPF) will publish new consultation papers before a final forum meeting in July agrees the foundations of the 2015 manifesto. This is the last chance to influence the policies on which Labour will fight the general election. Constituencies can submit amendments until early in June (exact date to be decided) so it is worth organising meetings even during a very busy campaigning period.”
She also sent this additional information to Harry Barnes, by email:
“… the papers will be published on the Your Britain website and anyone will be able to comment. Also Constituency Labour Parties will be able to submit formal amendments – currently a maximum of 10 is proposed, with no more than two on any of the eight documents, but this is still under discussion. However, it will then be up to NPF reps from your region to decide which ones to take forward, and how, and with what degree of enthusiasm.”
She added that “the NEC is part of the NPF and will contribute to whatever emerges from the July forum and goes onwards to conference”, and that “the taskforces are … supposed to be feeding in through the policy commissions before July”.
In response, Harry Barnes has submitted a motion for consideration at the next meeting of his Labour Party branch. He explains: “It is intended to then be submitted for the agenda of the General Committee of my Constituency Labour Party. I would encourage all local Labour activists to pursue a similar approach.”
His motion states:
“That this Constituency Party will hold a meeting in April 2014 to determine any formal amendments it wishes to submit to consultation papers which Labour’s National Policy Forum (NPF) is due to issue by the end of February, with our local branches and affiliated bodies being enabled and encouraged to examine these consultation papers at their March meetings, and that arrangements be made for a regional member of the NFP to attend the April meeting.”
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Harry Barnes blogs at Three Score Years and Ten where this was first published.
The Your Britain website is here.
Information about the Labour Party policy commissions is here.
