Labour Party to Discuss Policy Changes at National Policy Forum in Nottingham

The meeting is expected to address underlying differences on policy within the Labour Party, following the mixed fortunes the party experienced in this week's by-elections.

The Labour leadership will be pushed to make more spending commitments, with a particular focus on issues such as free school meals and the benefit cap.

The provision of free school meals for all primary school children is a policy favored across the Labour spectrum, but the leadership has been under pressure to make a commitment, with the Labour-supporting Mirror newspaper and the National Education Union mounting campaigns for free meals.

Another issue that is likely to be discussed is the lifting of the two child limit in the benefits system, which is backed by the UK's largest union Unison.

The union is attempting to insert this change into the draft policy document, but it remains to be seen whether a consensus can be reached.

The difficulty for the leadership is that their critics on these issues are not just from the party's left-wing, but also from within the ranks of the party.

Former shadow cabinet minister Jon Trickett asked the House of Commons library to calculate the cost of lifting the current two child limit, which suggested around £1.4bn.

The Left-wing group Momentum is also running a campaign to lobby delegates to back more radical policies, including rent controls, the nationalization of energy and water companies, and a commitment to a £15 an hour minimum wage.

The group is expected to call for more distinctive policies to be adopted by the party.

The challenge for the Labour leadership is to balance the need for costed policies with the desire to make clear commitments to voters.

The meeting is likely to be a significant moment in the party's efforts to rebuild trust and build support ahead of the next general election.

Significant amendments to Labour's policy platform have been agreed upon ahead of the party's upcoming meeting, set to take place this weekend.

These changes mostly stem from supporters of the party's leadership and include commitments to scrap the Home Office's Rwanda policy, improve early years education, and renationalise rail.

However, if the leadership is defeated on any issues, they have two potential escape clauses.

The National Policy Forum will be responsible for drawing up the Official Policy Programme, but this is not the same as the party's manifesto.

Furthermore, some policies may not make the cut in the agreed policy documents, with a provision stating that "Labour's fiscal rules are non-negotiable" and will apply to every decision taken by a Labour government, with no exceptions.

This means that if Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves believes an agreed policy is unaffordable, it won't happen.

The priority for the party will be to present a united front, even though the "hard choices" on spending are proving uncomfortable for some party members and unions alike.

Despite the potential for disagreement, the party will aim to show a united front in order to maintain a strong image ahead of potential elections.