Our “Tell №10” consultation was a joint venture between the Conservative Women’s Organisation (CWO) and Conservative Policy Forum. As a grassroots policy initiative, it focussed on how we can help to improve women’s lives with an even better policy offer.
Between January and April 2021, we invited members to identify the top three policy areas that most impact women and to work in groups to create policy ideas to tackle these issues. Participants were then asked to work in groups of up to five people to describe specific policy areas that they agreed might encourage women to vote Conservative. We analysed these responses and identified three common topics for further consideration by the CPF: promoting lifelong learning and training; supporting flexible working rights and those with caring responsibilities; and addressing the social care challenge.
In all, we received a total of 423 policy ideas from 763 participants. This included a high proportion of women and young people. Of those proposals that came from CPF groups during the final stage of the initiative, half (48%) addressed social care, a third (31%) lifelong training and a fifth (21%) flexible working & caring commitments.
Previous input from the CPF—most recently our winter 20/21 consultation—was considered ahead of the plans for adult social care published by the Government on 7 September and ideas in this latest CPF report will help to inform policymakers as they "continue to work with stakeholders to co-produce our vision for adult social care" and prepare to publish a White Paper for adult social care later this year.
On this occasion, our report to the Director of the Prime Minister’s Policy Unit, the CPF Chairman and the new Party Chairman consisted of the most developed proposals, plus other common themes. As usual, we look forward to publishing a formal response to members’ ideas in due course. Thank you to everybody who was involved, especially those members from CWO who participated in this initiative.
Snapshot of Common Themes
“We need a society which values achievement, free speech and individual responsibility.”
“Education, lifelong learning, family life and social care should all be approached and underpinned by the aim of empowering all individuals in our society, regardless of background to have equal opportunity to reach their full and maximum potential throughout their lives.”
“Families should be supported to take more responsibility for social care.”
Many groups said they would support an additional levy and proposals for adult social care—including an increase in National Insurance.
Several groups mentioned the Dilnot proposals and support a cap on life-time individual social care costs.