Improving Partnership in Power
The Partnership in Power reforms introduced in 1997 have ensured that more members have been involved in discussing and debating party policy than was ever the case before.
PiP has provided a model to facilitate policy development at all levels of governance and has provided a framework for the partnership between government and party.
Over the years thousands of submissions have been received from constituency parties, affiliates, community groups, individual party members, charities, members of the public, and other interested groups, The last round of policy development saw thousands of party members taking part.
We have also taken our debates out to the wider community both through the consultation documents and through the development of the ‘Big Conversation’ style events.
PiP has also proved valuable in supporting the campaigning work of local parties and Labour representatives providing an avenue to discuss policy issues and broaden local networks. And because PiP develops policy over a three year cycle and has discussion and debate at its heart, it proved to be a good vehicle for developing party members’ political knowledge
A Stronger Voice for Members
In 2003, as part of moves to ensure that Partnership in Power continued to be successful, a wide-ranging review was set up with three working groups involving all sections of the party. The review considered how the party could best develop policy in the third term. The working groups took evidence from across the party and our affiliates on their experience of PiP and suggested improvements.
Following the review, Annual Conference 2005 agreed new proposals to improve PiP to give members, local parties, affiliates and other party stakeholders a stronger voice in shaping party policy. Changes were designed to enable better engagement on topical issues as well as provide party stakeholders with better opportunities for continued dialogue with policy commissions.
Key changes were:
1. Discussing topical issues: Policy commissions were made responsible for engaging with the party and affiliates on topical issues. This would be done by producing a work programme which will highlight the policy issues and challenges facing the Government in the year ahead.
2. Building a dialogue: Policy commissions will also be responsible for building a dialogue with party stakeholders who have made policy submissions ensuring that members can better see the link between their contribution and the work of government.
3. Lessons from the Big Conversation: The Big Conversation was hugely successful in enabling local parties, affiliates and Labour representatives to engage the wider community on the policy choices and priorities facing the party in government. The party has learned significant lessons from this initiative including:
• the courage to open our consultations widely
• the value of asking big questions and focussing discussion on policy choices and priorities
• the format of policy consultation meetings which involved small group round-table discussion
• how to develop new ways of communicating
It was also agreed that the reformed PiP would produce fewer policy consultation documents, prioritising making them more engaging and designed in a format that makes it easier for local parties and other stakeholders to consult members and the wider community.
Extending and Renewing Party Democracy
At Annual Conference 2007 delegates voted to build on the Partnership in Power reforms and further improve the way our party makes policy. These changes were designed to recognise that every party member should have a role in our policy making processes. In particular the reforms:
• gave a greater role to Conference in specifically directing the work of the National Policy Forum
(NPF) through the introduction of a ‘contemporary issues’ process;
• introduced of a one member one vote ballot on the party programme in advance of a general election;
• strengthened the party’s policy-making institutions; and
• introduced a duty on local Labour parties to engage with all local community groups in their area.