How are Federal Policy Committee Working Groups selected?

Working groups normally contain about 15-20 party members. In recent years we have been very glad to receive a large number of applications to be on policy working groups; typically between 100 and 200 for each group. In a context therefore where up to 90% of applicants may not end up on the working group, we are understandably looking for people with a strong level of understanding of the policy area concerned, including through lived experience, rather than simply more general support for it.

Applicants are asked to answer four substantive questions, about their party experience; any experience in the policy field under discussion; their views on some of the key questions; and anything else they would like to say.

At the start of the working group process, FPC has usually at least two full discussions of the policy area and the group’s remit, and areas of knowledge or experience it would particularly like to see reflected in the working group’s membership. With this guidance in mind, all applications are then read by an FPC sub-group comprising two vice chairs of the committee and three other members of the committee, along with policy unit staff. They review all applications individually and meet together to then recommend a working group to FPC.

In creating the working group, the central concept is ‘balance’. Balance between different areas of knowledge within the working group’s scope, and between contrasting views on the main areas of difference of view. If leading members of any relevant party AOs have applied, this would normally be reflected in the group’s membership. There is also a very strong emphasis on balance of a range of demographic factors, including gender, age, geography, LGBTI status, ethnicity and socio-economic background. A balance between specialist policy knowledge and lived experience of the area concerned will also be sought.

Clearly, balancing all these areas into a group of about 15-20 members requires some difficult trade-offs, and the selection of those who are appointed will reflect this rather than be a judgement that an applicant does not have any useful experience or insight to bring this area. Our policy process does also offer a range of other ways for those not part of the group to contribute to the final outcome, through a range of formal and informal consultation mechanisms as well as the final debate at Conference.