The 2020 NPF Consultation has now closed. Since opening on 20th May, we have received around 4,000 submissions and held eight policy roundtable events with over 400 members to hear their views. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to share your insight and ideas on how we can re-shape our policy platform.
Consultation activity
The coronavirus crisis meant the consultation looked a little different this year. This crisis is the biggest our country has faced in a generation, and so the consultation focused on how we can re-build our economy, environment, public services, international relations and political system once the pandemic has passed. All eight documents remain on the website here: www.policyforum.labour.org.uk/npf-consultation-2020
Labour Policy Forum
The consultation was hosted on Labour Policy Forum, with all eight documents available to download. Through the site we received approximately 3,700 submissions on topics ranging from local government reform to the climate crisis. Submissions were received from both individuals and groups, including members, supporters, local parties and organisations.
Don’t worry if you didn’t have time to send us your thoughts, as Labour Policy Forum is open all year round for you to submit your ideas.
Member engagement
While social distancing guidelines meant we could not hold in-person events, we used this as an opportunity to begin exploring new methods of engagement. This led to a programme of eight online policy roundtable events on topics ranging from the health and social care system after coronavirus, to championing internationalism in the post-coronavirus world. We were delighted that at least one member of the Shadow Cabinet attended each event and heard directly from members about their policy priorities post-coronavirus.
When the consultation was extended, we took a further opportunity to engage even more members by publishing a guide on how local parties can hold their own online policy events in their local communities, via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. We hope you found this a useful way to engage your local party in the policy development process. If you would like more guidance on this, please email us at policydevelopment@labour.org.uk.
What happens next?
Submissions on Labour Policy Forum, notes taken at all of the events and ideas received by email and post will now be collated and sent to each of the eight NPF Policy Commissions for their consideration.
The Commissions will then update the consultation documents according to the submissions they have received, and these will form the NPF Annual Report for 2020. This Report is taken to Annual Conference and voted through on conference floor by delegates in order to form our policy platform. As you’ll no doubt be aware, Annual Conference is no longer taking place this year, but as per our rules, nothing will become the Party’s Policy Platform until it is passed by the next Annual Conference in 2021.
Policy Development
Although the Consultation has closed, you can still get involved in policy development and have your say on Labour Party policy.
Please do continue to send us your policy submissions via Labour Policy Forum: www.policyforum.labour.org.uk/make-a-submission. We accept submissions on any and all topics and they will continue to be considered by the eight Policy Commissions throughout the year.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Labpolicyforum to keep up-to-date with policy development news, and use our hashtag #LabourPolicy when sharing related content.
If you need any help getting involved in Labour Policy Forum, please do email us at policyforum@labour.org.uk.
