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Labour conference: Policy-making overhaul planned Labour conference: Jeremy Corbyn faces battle over Trident
(about 4 hours later)
Labour is to unveil plans at its annual conference in Brighton to overhaul its policy-making process in the wake of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership victory. Jeremy Corbyn has admitted he faces a battle to persuade his shadow cabinet to back him on scrapping nuclear weapons, at the Labour conference.
A review could lead to the end of the National Policy Forum and give all party members and registered supporters power over policies. The Labour leader called for an end to Britain's "weapons of mass destruction" in an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr Programme.
Sources close to Mr Corbyn say voters want a new direction. But he said there may be a "difference of opinion" on the issue when MPs vote.
Meanwhile a frontbencher is warning moderate MPs are at risk of being purged by the party's leftist elements. He also called for a crackdown on corporate tax avoidance, singling out Boots as a possible target.
The practice of mandatory reselection, introduced by supporters of the late Tony Benn in the 1980s to weed out MPs opposed to the hard left, would force every Labour MP to face a reselection battle. Mr Corbyn has vowed to transform Labour into a "big, open democratic" party where policies are openly debated rather than dictated by the leadership.
Their constituency party would look at the sitting MP's parliamentary record and consider their suitability for the next election. 'Free vote'
Some of Mr Corbyn's leading supporters strongly back the idea of reselection, but the Labour leader has ruled it out. The first test of the new approach will come this week in Brighton, when party members are set to vote on a string of key policies, including Trident, Syria and the EU. The Trident vote is likely to take place on Wednesday, the BBC understands.
Shadow culture secretary Michael Dugher said the practice had been tried in the 1980s, and failed. He added it was time to "stop the punishment beatings" of moderate MPs. Parliament will also vote on renewing Trident next year but there is likely to be a free vote for Labour MPs, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson has said.
'New rows' Mr Corbyn is a longstanding anti-nuclear campaigner said he hoped to do his "persuasive best" to get Mr Watson and other shadow cabinet members, such as shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn and shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer to back him on Trident but it would not be a "disaster" if there was a difference of opinion.
The announcement on policy-making is to be made by Angela Eagle, the current chair of Labour's Policy Forum, and would be the first official step to a way of opening up politics, sources close to Mr Corbyn added. He said: "We are going to come to an accommodation of some sort".
Tom Watson told BBC Radio 5 Live's Pienaar's Politics: "Jeremy says he seeks to persuade us I seek to persuade him too".
Labour MP John Woodcock, who represents Barrow-in-Furness, where Trident submarines are built, said the majority of Labour MPs were in favour of renewing Trident and it would get the go-ahead when Parliament votes on it.
Behind closed doors meetings will take later to decide what the Labour conference motion on Trident will say.
'Trotskyists welcome'
BBC Political Correspondent Ross Hawkins said it could be watered down into a bland compromise text that reveals little about the party's future direction.
Mr Corbyn also detailed plans to open up the party's policy-making process to the thousands of new members, many of whom supported the radical left-wing platform on which he stood in the leadership election.
Asked whether "Trotskyists" thrown out during former leader Lord Kinnock's reforms to the party in the 1980s would now be allowed back in, Mr Corbyn said: "Anyone is welcome to join the Labour Party, providing they support the principles of the party and be content with that.
"Thousands have joined the Labour Party in the last few weeks, 50,000 maybe 60,000 since I was elected two weeks ago, 150,000 since the general election.
"This is a growing, enthusiastic, optimistic party."
'Insurrection'
He said he was "not concerned in the slightest" if there were revolutionary left-wingers joining the party as he set a target of building Labour's membership to 500,000.
Islington North MP Mr Corbyn added: "Neil (Kinnock) is one of my constituents, we get along fine."
Setting out his plans to involve members and local parties in the policy process, he said: "There's a whole lot of talent out there.
"I'm not sure that the political classes... fully appreciate the disillusionment of so many people with traditional politics and their love and desire to be involved and have their voice heard. That's what I want to unlock."
He also defended his shadow chancellor John McDonnell who has said in the past that he supports "insurrection" on the streets for political ends.
'Student demonstration'
He told Andrew Marr Mr McDonnell had used "colourful" language to make a point, adding: "I'm not in favour of violence on the street or insurrection.
"I believe in doing things by persuasive, democratic means, that's what we have a parliamentary system for, that's what we have a democratic political structure for."
Mr McDonnell criticised a 32 month sentence handed down to Ed Woollard for throwing a fire extinguisher from the roof of a building.
Mr Corbyn said: "I think the point John was making is that was at the end of a student demonstration and this person threw a fire extinguisher from a roof - which was a stupid, absolutely wrong thing to do, I think that and I think John does as well.
"I think the sentence he got was possibly disproportionate to the crime he committed and I think that is the fundamental point about it."
The announcement on policy-making is to be made by Angela Eagle, the current chair of Labour's Policy Forum, and would be the first official step to a way of opening up politics.
The party will then use the review to make a decision on how to reform the system.The party will then use the review to make a decision on how to reform the system.
What is the National Policy Forum?
The main body for shaping Labour policy is the National Policy Forum, an elected group of more than 200 people representing councillors, trade unions, socialist societies and MPs.
It produces reports on the different policy areas, which are presented at annual conference and either accepted or rejected in a vote.
Read more on how the Labour Party makes policies
BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins said the change could trigger new rows in the party.
One frontbencher predicted full members of the party would not be happy that people who registered as supporters for £3 could potentially be given a say over policy, our correspondent added.
On Saturday, as he arrived in Brighton for his first conference as leader, Mr Corbyn said the next few days would highlight "more hope and more optimism" from Labour.
Although differences are expected to emerge over issues such as the renewal of Trident, possible military action in Syria, and the referendum on EU membership, Mr Corbyn said more things united the party than divided it.
And speaking to the Observer, Mr Corbyn said he could see himself as prime minister in five years' time.
He rejected suggestions he might resign if the party looked like it may lose the 2020 election.
"There is a democratic process in the party and that can be operated at any time. But am I going to resign? No. Of course not," he told the newspaper. "No. No. I will carry on."
Tom Watson, Labour's new deputy leader, said on Saturday he believed Mr Corbyn would lead Labour for 10 years.Tom Watson, Labour's new deputy leader, said on Saturday he believed Mr Corbyn would lead Labour for 10 years.
Labour's former interim leader Harriet Harman, meanwhile, highlighted the current lack of top jobs for women in the party.Labour's former interim leader Harriet Harman, meanwhile, highlighted the current lack of top jobs for women in the party.
In a speech to Labour's women's conference on Saturday, Ms Harman said "evidently we still have further to go to reach equality".In a speech to Labour's women's conference on Saturday, Ms Harman said "evidently we still have further to go to reach equality".
Mr Corbyn was criticised for not appointing women to the top jobs in his shadow cabinet, but he reiterated he had met his pledge to have a majority of female members.Mr Corbyn was criticised for not appointing women to the top jobs in his shadow cabinet, but he reiterated he had met his pledge to have a majority of female members.