What is the impact of ordinary members?

Question 1

Function of ordinary party members

Answer 1

Function in fundraising and campaigning at a grassroots level

Question 2

How do ordinary party members have opportunities to impact their parties?

Answer 2

Role in candidate selection

Role in the selection of leaders

Role in policy making (depending on the party)

Question 3

How does each party have a local level structure?

Answer 3

Local Conservative Associations, sometimes with ward branches below them. CONSERVATIVES

Each constituency has a Constituency Labour Party (CLP). Many also have a council ward level Branch Labour Party (BLP) LABOUR

The Lib Dems have local branches but are also organised along federal lines with separate national parties for England, Wales and Scotland. LIB DEMS

Question 4

How does each party have a local policy making system?

Answer 4

Local Conservative Associations play a key role in organising the grassroots of the party and in planning local campaigning and selecting candidates, although with less autonomy in the latter than previously. CONSERVATIVES

CLP takes the lead in local and national election campaigns. LABOUR

Local branches take the main role in running constituency-level campaigns and can also submit motions to conference for debate. LIB DEM

Question 5

How does each party have a national level structure?

Answer 5

National HQ is Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) at Millbank, Westminster. Day-day operation is managed by the Board of the Conservative Party, made up of representatives rom each section of the party including MPs and local associations. Only 3 of the 18 or so members are from the grassroots party.

Day-day operation is undertaken by the National Executive Committee (NEC). This enforces party discipline and can expel members for breaking party rules and has final say on parliamentary candidates. The NEC is comprised of around 40 members and automatically includes the representatives from the parliamentary party, affiliated trade unions, CLPs, local councillors and Young Labour. Elections are often factionalised. Two by-elections in April 2020 were seen as a victory for Keir Starmer as candidates backed by moderate group Progress won.

The Federal Board is the national governing body, it comprises 35 voting members including the party’s president, the leader and three other MPs/peers, the chairs of three national parties, a councillor, a Young Liberals representative and 15 members directly elected by party members.