Guide to UK Political Manifestos

The next UK general election must be held by January 2025, but may well happen sooner. Once the date is confirmed and the campaign is officially underway England’s three main political parties – the Conservatives, Labour, and Liberal Democrats – will each set out their policy plans in a manifesto, usually launched with as much fanfare as possible. While the Covid crisis and Ukraine war have shown how these glossy documents can be rapidly overtaken by events, they nevertheless remain an important statement of the parties’ ambitions and a yardstick for performance in office. However, while all the parties produce a manifesto, their approach varies widely, with the Conservatives’ opaque centralised approach contrasting with Labour’s and the Lib Dems’ more transparent step-by-step process of consultation with party members.

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This Dods Political Intelligence report provides a guide to the manifesto process of England’s three main political parties, including how policy is developed and finalised, and some of the influential internal and external figures involved.