Ed Miliband today offered to give ordinary members of the public a vote in future Labour leadership contests.
In the first of his long-awaited party reforms, he put forward a plan to open up the elections to non-members which would also slightly weaken the trade union influence.
Labour's ruling National Executive Committee was this afternoon discussing the idea before next week's Labour conference.
The surprise plan is to create a new category of registered Labour Party Supporter who would be allowed to vote in the section of the leadership college currently reserved for trade unions and affiliated organisations.
"The idea is to make the party more outward looking and to give a role to people who may be interested in politics but are not yet ready to join the party," said a Miliband aide, adding: "It is a pretty historic moment if we get the go-ahead for this."
Party sources said firm proposals would not be put to a consultation until next year, indicating that the unions have put up resistance.
People could register as supporters free on a website. The idea is commonplace in America, where they vote in primary elections, but is new to Britain. Only 1.5 per cent of Britons belong to a political party - one of the lowest rates in any established democracy.
The Conservatives successfully held a form of "primaries" to pick some candidates in the last general election, allowing all voters in a constituency to take part in the selection.
Mr Miliband faces criticism, however, because he has shelved his long-running attempt to negotiate a reduction in the union share of policy votes at party conference.
