Writing our manifesto together, from the grassroots up

Today we are publishing Labour’s final year policy consultation documents which will ultimately become Labour’s policy programme and the foundation for our offer to the electorate in 2015.

We all know the damage that this Government is doing. We see it every week when we knock on doors. Working people on average £1600 a year worse off. Families distraught about the bedroom tax. Kids without food at the end of the month. Too many young people without a job.

We all know that the country is crying out for change, and it is our job to deliver it. We need to write a manifesto that is rooted in communities, and that speaks to the people that this Government ignores.

To write that manifesto, we need your help. As Labour members you are our eyes and ears in every community, up and down the country. The eight policy papers that we are publishing today are a testament to your ideas and submissions over the last three years, but now we need you to step up another gear.

When I became Chair of the National Policy Forum I knew that my most important task was to make sure members have a chance to have a say, and you have done so in your thousands. Since we launched the Your Britain website we’ve had nearly two thousand submissions to the policy process.

Over the next three months you have the chance to read these papers, discuss them in your area and with your CLP, and come forward with any ideas for what you think we should do differently. Every CLP is entitled to propose up to ten amendments, which National Policy Forum representatives can then choose to bring forward to a final meeting of the NPF in July. The papers will then be agreed and adopted by Annual Conference in September as our official policy programme ahead of the General Election next year. The deadline for amendments – which CLP secretaries can make through YourBritain – is 13 June.

It is great to have the chance to guest edit LabourList – over the course of the day, we’ll have blogs written by activists involved in making our policy process a success. We’ll also have the first in a series of articles to be published on this site looking at the policy papers in detail. Today’s will be from Johanna Baxter and Sadiq Khan on the Better Politics Policy Paper.

Thank you for all of your work to make our reformed policy process such a success so far. I am determined that we are going to write this manifesto together, from the grassroots up.

Angela Eagle MP is Chair of the National Policy forum and the NEC

Take a look at our policy documents now and get involved in the debate:

1. Stability and Prosperity
   Our policy on the economy – from growth and the economic recovery, to public spending, taxation and how we can reduce the deficit in a fair way.
2. Work and Business
   Our thinking on how the UK can compete in a global economy, including how we can support business, rights at work, fair pay and the future of pensions.
3. Living Standards and Sustainability
   Issues affecting quality of life in Britain, the cost of living, and our environment. Key topics include energy, climate change, food, rural affairs and transport.
4. Stronger, Safer Communities
   How we rebuild our communities and create a society in which everyone plays their part – including community safety, housing, local government and immigration.
5. Education and Children
   Our childcare plans, and thinking on young people’s wellbeing and learning – from early years through to further and higher education and apprenticeships.
6. Health and Care
   Our plans for the NHS, health and social care – and how we’ll bring about a new focus on whole person care
7. Better Politics
   How we can build a One Nation politics – looking at engagement, equality, civil society and the change our political system needs.
8. Britain’s Global Role
   Britain’s role within the global community – including foreign policy, international development and defence.

If you have any questions about the process, please don’t hesitate to email [email protected].