This weekend the Labour Party is at its National Policy Forum (NPF) at Warwick University. The NPF has for fifteen years been the focus of policy ideas in the Labour Party, as a deliberative and democratic way of forming policy.

Policy in the Labour Party is made through a process called Partnership in Power (PiP) which is designed to involve all party members, local parties, trade unions, socialist societies and Labour representatives as well as the wider community in shaping policy. Hundreds of thousands of people have been involved in this process so far.

Under Gordon Brown’s leadership, Labour Party Conference has been reformed, and the NPF has been opened up more to local party members. We consult our members in policy development because we recognise that we stay relevant as a political party through our connections to, and involvement in, our local communities.

Through institutions like the NPF and local policy forums we develop policy over a three year cycle. In this cycle thousands of people have made submissions and got involved in the process and this year, for the first time ever, local party members have been able to submit their own textual amendments, with a large number received and many local parties taking part.

The NPF is dominated by local Party representatives and other representatives from socialist societies, affiliated Trade Unions and others. This balance is also reflected in the amendments which will be discussed at the NPF.

The enthusiasm of local Labour Party members to have their say, and the opportunities given to them to do so through this process stands in stark contrast to a Tory Party devoid of democratic policy-making, which has relied on policy commission run by figures from the failed Tory past.