Churchill/KNNK 2 contains:
1	Labour Party: general
2	Policy Review
3	National Executive Committee
4	Labour Party Conferences
5	Militant

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The Papers of Neil Kinnock

Title	Policy Review
Reference	KNNK 2/2
Covering Dates	1987–1991
Extent and Medium	14 archive boxes

Content and context

Papers on the party's 18-month review of all policy areas following the loss of the 1987 election, published in May 1989 under the title "Meet the Challenge, Make the Change". Also includes some material on two later updates: "Looking to the Future" (1990) and "Opportunity Britain" (1991).

Further information

See also the Economy section (KNNK 6).

Churchill/KNNK 2/2 contains:

Policy Review and Labour Listens campaign. Includes: notes from individuals including Tony Benn, Geoff Bish [Policy Director] and [Lawrence] Tom Sawyer, Deputy General Secretary, on policy development; notes on membership of the groups; rough notes of meetings; a note by Tony Benn on the aims and objectives of the Labour Party; priorities for phase 1; memorandum by NK on the role of the Shadow Cabinet in the Review; statement by NK for the National Executive Committee and Shadow Cabinet on consultation; overview by Larry Whitty, General Secretary, of the Review and the Labour Listens campaign; recommendations for the development of the Review; NK's address to the Parliamentary party on the purpose of the Review; notes from Tom Sawyer on progress of the Review; summary for phase 2.
1 file.

Jul 1987-Jul 1988

Policy Review and Labour Listens campaign. Includes: overview by Larry Whitty, General Secretary, of the Review and the Labour Listens campaign; memoranda from the Policy Directorate on the work of the groups, including aims, method, themes and structures and phase 2 of the Review; a list of recommended members of the various groups; notes from a National Executive Committee/Shadow Cabinet debate on the groups.
1 file.

Oct 1987-Aug 1988

Policy Review: general. Includes: cuttings on reactions to the Review; notes on discussions about party advertising; Shadow Communications Agency post-election research; copy of a statement of Labour's values and aims, by David Blunkett and Bernard Crick; paper on a strategic framework for moving from Opposition to government; note on the purpose of the Review; note on proposed membership of the groups.
1 file.

Jun 1987-Nov 1988

Policy Review: convenors. Includes: notes for convenors, policy criteria for phase 2 and papers and rough notes of NK's remarks to meetings of convenor groups; papers for a meeting of the group secretaries, particularly on phase 2; annotated draft reports of the Productive and Competitive Economy group, Economic Equality group, People at Work group and Democracy for the Individual and the Community group; drafts of introduction to the Statement of Democratic Socialist Aims and Values.
1 file.

Mar 1988-Jan 1989

Statement of Democratic Socialist Aims and Values. Drafts and final published copy, with comments and amendments from individuals including Ken Livingstone, Larry Whitty, General Secretary, Bryan Gould, Joan Lestor, Roy Hattersley and David Blunkett. Also includes the draft report of the Democracy for the Individual and the Community group, with comments from Peter Mandelson.
2 files.

Mar 1988-May 1988

Statement of Democratic Socialist Aims and Values. Labour Party pamphlets on the elements of socialism and also on the Suez Crisis, possibly used as source material for the Statement of Democratic Socialist Aims and Values.
1 file.

1947–1956

Freedom and Fairness campaign launch. Labour Party press cuttings on the Freedom and Fairness campaign launch (the last party relaunch prior to the Policy Review).
1 file.

23 Apr 1986

Policy Review: general. Includes: key themes of the review; an analysis of research into attitudes to politics; memorandum by Charles Clarke [head of NK's office] on how the Britain in the World group might work; note on economic trends into the 1990s, for all the groups; paper by Tony Benn on an agenda for Labour; presentation on Labour and Britain in the 1990s; note on the work of the groups, particularly the aim of the Review; letter from NK to the Guardian on its reporting of the Review; a letter from David Blunkett on postponing a Shadow Cabinet/National Executive Committee meeting; comments on a draft paper by [Lawrence] Tom Sawyer, Deputy General Secretary, on policy development; copy of a speech by [John] Enoch Powell on the nuclear deterrent.
1 file.

Jun 1987-May 1988

Policy Review: convenors' meetings. Includes: notes for NK's remarks to the convenors on assessing progress of the Review, Dec 1988; rough notes from meetings; introduction to the January meeting; note on procedures.
1 file.

Dec 1988-Jan 1989

Policy Review: industrial legislation. Includes: text of a statement by Tony Blair on the social charter and the rights of people at work; note by Michael Meacher, employment secretary, and Eddie Haigh, Assistant General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union, on the People at Work review group and legislative protection for the unions; notes on Labour's policy on union immunity; note by Lord Irvine [legal and home affairs spokesman] on weaknesses in the Review on strike ballots and secondary action; draft note on key points in union policy; statement by the National Executive Committee on employment rights. Also includes: notes on the role of the Policy Review groups during 1990; forward planning for phase 3; a note on the review dealing with constitutional reform; letters from Jo Richardson [spokesperson on women's rights] on appealing more to women.
1 file.

Mar 1989-May 1990

Policy Review: Productive and Competitive Economy group. Drafts of the group's report, minutes, submissions and papers from group meetings, on subjects including: priorities for phase 2; industrial policy; mergers and monopolies; the exchange rate; inflation; public spending; the European Monetary System; finance and the regions; social ownership; trade. Also includes some papers from the People at Work group.
4 files.

Dec 1987-Dec 1988

Policy Review: Productive and Competitive Economy group. Papers from group meetings, on subjects including: promoting industrial research and development; science for the citizen; harnessing the information technology revolution; science strategy for the 1990s; high-tech investment; urban and regional policy; social ownership and regulation.
1 file.

Oct 1988-Apr 1989

Policy Review: People at Work group. Minutes, submissions and papers from group meetings, on subjects including: training; polling on employment and the unions; fair play at work; the employment gap between the black and white communities; Britain in the 1990s; economic trends. Also includes correspondence between John Eatwell [economic adviser to NK], Michael Meacher [employment secretary] and Edward Haigh, Assistant General Secretary, Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU).
1 file.

Jul 1987-Feb 1988

Policy Review: People at Work group. Draft of the group's report, with comments, notes on the work of the group and papers from group meetings, on subjects including: employment, education and training; industrial relations; poverty and inequality; Britain in the 1990s; London labour markets; economic trends; common themes in the economics review groups; socialism and production; economic prospects.
1 file.

Dec 1987-Nov 1988

Policy Review: People at Work group. Second draft of the group's report, with minutes, submissions and papers from group meetings, on subjects including: polling research; industrial democracy; the future of labour law; equal pay, sex and race discrimination legislation.
1 file.

Feb 1988-Apr 1988

Policy Review: People at Work group. Papers circulated to John Eatwell, Economic Adviser to NK (who was dealing with all three economic policy review groups), on subjects including: speeches for NK; wages and labour productivity; training; women's employment; individual employment rights; flexibility in the labour market; low pay and wages councils; vocational training and education; labour market strategy; science strategy; unemployment. Also includes papers of the full employment working group and the third draft of the People at Work stage II report.
2 files.

Dec 1987-Dec 1988

Policy Review: People at Work group. Drafts of the group report, with comments from Barry Shearman, [?] Peter Mandelson, Michael Meacher [employment spokesman]. Also includes: correspondence with John Eatwell, Economic Adviser to NK; submissions from union representatives; draft of the Statement of Democratic Socialist Aims and Values; economic briefs for the 1988 Autumn Statement debate.
2 files.

Jan 1988-Jan 1989

Policy Review: Quality of Life initiative. Proposals circulated to all the review groups and members of the Shadow Cabinet, with a list of articles for the press and text of a speech by NK. Also includes a draft outline for the People at Work group phase 2 report.
1 file.

Oct 1988-Dec 1988

Policy Review: John Eatwell. Papers circulated to John Eatwell, Economic Adviser to NK (who was dealing with all three economic policy review groups), on the European single market.
1 file.

Oct 1986-Jul 1988

Policy Review: John Eatwell. General correspondence on economic, business and industrial issues, replied to by John Eatwell, Economic Adviser to NK (who was dealing with all three economic policy review groups). Correspondents include: Jeremy Bray (3); Sir Hugh Cortazzi (2); Sir Emmanuel Kaye, Chairman of Lansing Bagnall Limited (3); Alan Clark, Minister for Trade; Lewis Carter-Jones (2); Professor Klaus Schwab, President of the World Economic Forum (2); Jack Straw; Sir Francis Tombs, Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
2 files.

1986–1987

Nov 1987-Jun 1988

Policy Review: Economic Equality group. Papers from NK's meeting with Business International, representing executives from major multi-national companies. Includes a briefing, notes of questions submitted by participants, and NK's prepared answers and text of his opening remarks. Also includes a draft speech by John Eatwell, Economic Adviser to NK, for a rally in West Derbyshire.
1 file.

May 1986-Jun 1986

Policy Review: Economic Equality group. Minutes, submissions and papers from group meetings, on subjects including: income tax; National Insurance and income support; housing finance; child care; social insurance; income inequality and poverty. Also includes: the report of the pensions working party; papers on phase 2; draft of the group's statement to Conference; draft introduction to the group's report.
1 file.

Jul 1988-Mar 1989

Policy Review: Physical and Social Environment group. Minutes, submissions and papers from group meetings, on subjects including: planning; housing; out of town shopping; rural housing; inner cities; protecting the natural environment; transport. Also includes the group's phase 2 report.
1 file.

Jan 1988-Sep 1989

Policy Review: Democratic Rights group. Minutes, submissions and papers from group meetings, on subjects including: electoral reform; freedom of information; women's rights; lesbian and gay rights; children's rights; employment and social security; legal advice services and legal aid; a Bill of Rights; legal rights.
1 file.

Nov 1987-Dec 1988

Policy Review: beginning of phase 2. Includes: summaries of the phase 1 reports; first report of the Social Justice and Economic Efficiency group; note on opportunities for involvement in phase 2; minutes of and notes for convenors' meetings on phase 2; notes for NK's remarks to the Parliamentary party on the Policy Review; note by the General Secretary, Larry Whitty, on the Review and Labour Listens campaign; annotated notes from the Policy Director, Geoff Bish, on phase 2; paper on women and Labour; outline programmes agreed by the groups.
2 files.

May 1988-Jan 1989

Policy Review: beginning of phase 2. General papers on the beginning of phase 2 and convenors' meetings, including: the draft brief for the Shadow Communications Agency on the review; progress report from the Policy Director [Geoff Bish].
1 file.

Oct 1988-Mar 1989

Policy Review: submissions for phase 2. Papers including: drafts of a strategy note on phase 2; policy submissions on transport, defence and disarmament, economy, urban and regional policy, Britain in the world.
1 file.

Feb 1988-Jan 1989

Policy Review: Employment rights working group. Discussion papers on a new policy for the over-55s, flexible retirement and flexible working time.
1 file.

Nov 1988-Mar 1989

Policy Review: Britain in the World group. Discussion papers on subjects including European defence policy and nuclear defence, Eritrea and Ethiopia, southern Africa and the Middle East.
1 file.

Oct 1988-Mar 1989

Policy Review: Britain in the World group. Includes: report timetable; minutes; draft speech for NK on defence; paper on past policy on the Falklands; Socialist International papers; transcription of BBC On the Record interview with Sir Geoffrey Howe, Foreign Secretary on arms reductions; summary of voters' attitudes, particularly towards politics.
1 file.

Nov 1988-Feb 1989

Policy Review: general. Includes: draft outline for the People at Work group phase 2 report; Britain in the World group papers and correspondence on defence and Europe; Campaign Management team forward programme for the Review; Economic Equality group paper on a national minimum wage; National Executive Committee note on the Review timetable.
1 file.

Jan 1989-Feb 1989

Policy Review: Economic Equality and People at Work groups. Includes: speech notes on the future of work; text of March 1989 Nottingham lecture on Labour economic policy; notes on the economic sections of the Policy Review on economic equality and efficiency and people at work; various briefing papers including Low Pay Unit analysis of the 1989 Budget and source material for speeches.
2 files.

Jan 1989-Mar 1989

Policy Review: "Shaping the Future". Papers on the Labour Youth Affairs Conference, Feb 1989 (part of the Policy Review), including joint initiatives with Red Wedge [pop stars who campaigned for Labour in 1980s, arising from the Arts for Labour scheme].
1 file.

Aug 1988-Jul 1990

Policy Review: Democratic Rights group. Includes: annotated paper on an equalities strategy; drafts of the group's report on democracy, the individual and the community, with explanatory notes for NK.
1 file.

Apr 1989

Policy Review: People at Work group. Annotated drafts of the group's phase 2 report.
1 file.

Apr 1989

Policy Review: People at Work group. Annotated drafts of the group's phase 2 report.
1 file.

Apr 1989

Policy Review: People at Work group. Final amendments to the group's phase 2 report, particularly on industrial relations.
1 file.

Apr 1989

Policy Review: Productive and Competitive Economy group. Includes: notes and correspondence on the economic section of the Policy Review; draft group reports; texts of speeches by NK on the economy and the Policy Review.
1 file.

Sep 1988-May 1989

Policy Review: phase 2 reports. Reports from the Productive and Competitive Economy group, Economic Equality group, Consumers and the Community group, the Democracy, the Individual and the Community group, People at Work group and Britain in the World group. Also includes a draft argument on the case for non-nuclear defence and the draft manifesto for the 1989 European elections.
1 file.

Apr 1989-May 1989

Policy Review: phase 2 reports. Revised galley proofs of draft reports from the Productive and Competitive Economy group, Economic Equality group, Britain in the World group, Physical and Social Environment group, Consumers and the Community group, the Democracy, the Individual and the Community group and People at Work group.
1 file.

May 1989

Policy Review: final report. Published copy of final report, "Meet the challenge, make the change".
1 file.

May 1989

Policy Review: history. Papers and correspondence on reaction to the Review, particularly the defence report, with correspondents including: Harry Barnes on the defence report; Ron Todd, General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) protesting at the defence report (2); Jack Cunningham [environment spokesman], protesting at changes to the Physical and Social Environment group report; Tony Blair protesting at changes to the Productive and Competitive Economy group report on nuclear power; Lord Taylor of Blackburn on his alarm at proposals for the reorganisation of the House of Lords; John Morris on the powers of the Home Office; Peter Archer on the powers of the Home Office. Also includes: collected discussion papers from the Tribune Group for the Review; responses to the defence report, including a supportive article by Michael Gapes, a transcript of an interview for Channel 4 News by George Younger [Secretary of State for Defence], notes by NK to the Shadow Cabinet on reports of his speech on non-nuclear defence at the Welsh Labour Party Conference, with a copy of his replies to questions on whether he would "press the button"; notes from Tony Benn, asking for more time to review the reports and submitting an alternative draft to the People at Work group report; note on the TGWU's response to the industrial relations report; paper on reform of the House of Commons; note of motions by Ken Livingstone on defence, with NK's amendments; briefs for Michael Meacher [employment spokesman] on flexible retirement and flexible working time, with annotated notes on the People at Work group's main proposals; notes on political priorities and the timetable for the Review; note on the history of the discussions in the Democracy, the Individual and the Community group; brief for a meeting with Roy Hattersley on constitutional reform; brief for a meeting with Ron Todd on defence; papers on defence and disarmament; notes of major corrections and amendments to the reports; memorandum from Charles Clarke [head of NK's office] on an amendment to the defence report put forward by Robin Cook.
1 file.

Apr 1989-Jul 1989

Policy Review: follow through. Includes: an analysis of Parliamentary candidates' election addresses, mentioning aspects of defence; draft of NK's speech on defence policy [? for the Welsh Labour Party Conference]; analysis of the Review by the Conservative Research Department; campaign briefing on the Review; annotated copy of the final report, "Meet the challenge, make the change"; background briefing on defence policy; note from Larry Whitty [General Secretary] on organising responses from the constituency parties; memoranda from Neil Stewart [Political and Campaigns Secretary], Larry Whitty and others on the follow through, particularly a series of question and answer sessions; draft general speech on the Review; draft speech by David Clelland on the Democracy, the Individual and the Community report, with a list of possible questions; draft speech on the housing policy report; paper by George Howarth with recommendations on strategy for getting the Review through Conference; summaries of the main recommendations of the groups.
1 file.

May 1989-Jul 1989

Policy Review: convenors' meetings. Papers including: drafts of a letter to the Shadow Cabinet on policy procedures and notes on procedure for preparing policy documents; minutes and notes of convenors' meetings and briefs for meetings; themes for Conference; draft outline of policy priorities; papers from the Economic Policy sub-committee; notes on membership of the Review groups; note by the General Secretary [Larry Whitty] on the Review groups and policy formation; memorandum on presenting the Review; correspondence with Roy Hattersley [Deputy Leader] on his reservations about policy development; note by the Policy Director [Geoff Bish] on preparing for government and future policy development.
1 file.

Nov 1989-Sep 1990

Policy Review: Economic Equality group. Includes: notes and drafts on practical policies for a stable economy; draft reports of the Productive and Competitive Economy group and Economic Equality group; note on ownership of the water industry; paper on employment rights and industrial relations; proposed structure for the Economic Sub-Committee's report; correspondence and papers on credit controls, the Exchange Rate Mechanism and the National Economic Assessment.
1 file.

Aug 1988-Feb 1991

Policy Review: questions and answers. Prepared questions and answers on aspects of the Review.
1 file.

1990–1991

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