Stand up at the back! Speak up, boy!

It's certainly an interesting idea, trying to get the wider public involved in determining your party's manifesto:

Tories invite public to decide on policy

David Cameron, the Conservative Party leader, has pledged an unprecedented change in policy making by committing the party to giving the public a direct say in shaping the Tories' election manifesto.

Mr Cameron is to launch a policy debate: 'I want us to end the age of top-down 'we know best' politics'

The Conservatives are to launch the most extensive grassroots policy debate in British political history, called Stand up, Speak up - The Nation's Dispatch Box.

In a letter being posted to MPs, constituency chairmen and candidates this weekend, and which has been seen by The Daily Telegraph, Mr Cameron said that he was determined to mobilise public opinion before deciding which recommendations of the 18-month policy review he would use to fight the next election.

But I'm not entirely sure about "unprecedented" or indeed how wise. When Lib Dem policy papers go out to consultation it's usually a public process. Sure we probably don't market it as much as we could but in recent years that has involved web discussion boards and the like, in which I happen to know Tory members have participated.

But we haven't done it with our manifesto. We've done it with our policy work. Our manifesto discussions have been internal, and for very good reason - it's our party that would have to implement them. Our manifesto is our "shop window" which is what draws support or not as the case may be. This seems like the "car boot sale" of manifestos - there might be some great deals, but there's going to be a great deal of tat you won't want on your manletpiece. One way of ensuring you're not just doing "we know bet politics" is to ensure that there is engagement and healthy debate within the party and that the membership is sovereign when setting policy from which the party picks its manifesto.

Study after study shows that it is the "usual suspects" - something like one per cent of the population apparently - that engage fully in such things. Yes, we should always be looking for ways of increasing that proportion, but like Blair's "Big Conversation" I suspect that this will turn out to be a gesture, and worse, has the potential of increasing cynicism in political parties as people are disappointed you don't take their ideas.

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