In rule 3.II.2.C, Labour’s Rules describe a contemporary motion as one
… which is not substantially addressed by reports of the NEC or NPF to Conference
CLPs & Affiliates may only submit “contemporary” motions to conference. Contemporary, as in timeliness, is taken as an issue, that has arisen since the publication of the NPF report and more controversially that could not have been raised before. In 2016, the CAC ruled motions on austerity and the economy out of order as these had both been in existence in the spring. The words themselves permit the raising of an issue on which the NPF is silent, such as my proposed anti-surveillance motion. Authors of motions need to take these rules into account.
There is a rule change on the order paper to abolish the “contemporary” constraint and the Democracy Review is recommending the abolition of the National Policy Forum. So this could be the last time we need to worry about this stupidity.