Policy Making

Policy Making

Conservatives
1. Party leader retains the major role in policy making though is expected to account for the views of others e.g. the front bench, the 1992 Committee, party elders and grassroots membership
2. Fresh Future initiative by Hague aimed to make policy making more inclusive
3. Two new bodies - the National Conservative Convention and the Conservative Political Forum were created, though both remain largely advisory in nature
Labour
1. From 1997, the party adopted a 2-year policy-making cycle
2. The National Policy Forum appointed policy commissions to make proposals, which were then to be formalised in the National Executive Committee (NEC) before passing to the party conference for approval
3. The Party leader therefore had more control and there were less surprised at conference
Lib Dems
1. Federal in structure, compromising English, Scottish and Welsh state parties that head a further four, three and three tiers respeitively
2. Decisions are taken at the most appropriate level
3. The biannual federal conference is the supreme policy-making body in the party. It deals with policy proposals from the federal policy committee state, regional and local parties
4. The party leadership has a good deal of control over the federal policy committee
Though many political parties understand that it is important to be involing ordinary members in policy making, it is important to ensure that policies will attract votes, not just members. It is important to be 'electable'

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	Created by dottydiva96 over 10 years ago