Why submit a motion?

Motions are your chance, as an ordinary member, to shape Labour’s policy direction at the Local and National level.

How to submit a motion

1. Motions for the General Meeting of this body shall be accepted only from members entitled to attend and participate in the meeting and must be received by the secretary in writing not less than 14 days prior to the meeting for which they are intended.
2. Motions for discussion shall be made available to those entitled to attend with the notice and agenda of the relevant meeting, except for emergency motions which must be sent in writing to the secretary as soon as the nature of the emergency allows before the commencement of the meeting. Emergency business may be accepted by the majority of the meeting on the recommendation of the chair who shall interpret the term ‘emergency’ in a bona fide manner.
3. No motion shall be discussed at a meeting until it has been moved and seconded.
4. Amendments to any motion may be moved and seconded from the floor of the meeting but shall be handed to the secretary in writing. Amendments shall be taken in order with one amendment being disposed of before another is moved. If an amendment is carried, the amended resolution becomes a motion to which further amendments may be moved.
5. Voting shall be by show of hands. In the event of there being an equality of votes on any matter decided by a show of hands, the chair may give a casting vote provided that s/he has not used an ordinary vote. If the chair does not wish to give a casting vote, the motion is not carried.

If your motion relates to national policy it will be sent to National Policy Forum where it will be considered along with all other successful resolutions from across the country. The National Policy Forum decides which policy motions to send to National Conference. The National Executive Committee (NEC) then decides which motions to support at conference.