LABOUR POLICY AND ANIMAL WELFARE

Briefing note from Mark Glover NEC member and a member of the National Policy Forum.

The Labour Party has launched its new and exciting programme of policy making – Agenda 2015 – which provides a timetable and mechanism for policy development leading up to the production of the next Labour general election manifesto. Central to this process is a new online ‘policy hub’ which members, organisations and supporters can use to submit ideas and policy suggestions, comment and vote for policy ideas.

The policy hub can be found at: http://www.yourbritain.org.uk

It is a user-friendly site with an introductory video on the front page. To make post submissions or to comment you will have to log in and may need to register (again, very simple). If you are already registered to use membersnet or other Labour websites you can use your existing log-in details.

We all now have an opportunity for submitting and supporting policy ideas on animal welfare in a way that can be read by other party members, the National Policy Forum and the Labour leadership.

To make a submission, comment or vote:

• go to the second tab on the home page: ‘Join the Debate’

• then you can choose one of the priority topics

or scroll down and click on where it says: ‘Can’t find the subject you want to discuss? Click here.

• ‘Animal welfare’ appears and you can make a submission using the button on the right hand side.

LAWS will be sending in a document and you will then be able to add a comment and vote for it as a positive contribution.

All submissions will go forward to a policy commission and members of the National Policy Forum are responsible for monitoring the ideas coming forward. It is essential that there are animal welfare measures put forward for discussion.

If a particular submission is seen to be based on widespread community and/or public support or it receives a high level of support through the voting mechanism, the individual or organisation making the submission may be invited to give evidence in person to the relevant policy commission.

COMMUNICATION If you send something in to the Your Britain website, please let us know. We can then keep LAWS members up to date with animal policy issues and encourage them to give their support. CONTINUED ON All elements of the party, from individual members to CLPs and MPs and affiliates can get involved and there is more information how in the Agenda 2015 document. (You can find this document by typing Agenda 2015 into the search box in membersnet So now it’s down to you. Please get involved. Make your own submissions or support those already posted and, importantly, let us know what you are doing. Notify walter@burley57.wanadoo.co.uk