Constitution of The British Freedom Party
(1) Name;
The name of the party shall be the British Freedom Party (“the Party”).
(2) Objects;
The objects of the Party shall be to defend and restore the freedoms, traditions, unity, identity, democracy and independence of the British people, to establish full sovereignty over all our national affairs by restoring the supremacy of the British Parliament, to withdraw from the European Union, to promote democratic British nationalist principles, to promote the social, economic, environmental and cultural interests of the British people and to preserve and promote the ancestral rights and liberties of the British people as enshrined in the British Constitution.
(2) (1) Political Objects
The Objects and Political Objects of the party may only be changed by a resolution passed by the members, and proposed by an Activist, that is passed by a ninety percent majority of voting members at an Annual General Meeting and that is also agreed by a unanimous vote of the Executive Council.
(2) (2) Resolutions passed by a two thirds majority vote of the members at an Annual General Meeting, which have been proposed by an Activist, and also agreed by a two thirds majority vote of the Executive Council may add new Objects and Political Objects to the list below as long as they do not contradict in intent, or effect, any existing Object or Political Object.
The List of Political Objects:
The British Freedom Party when in power will introduce laws directly empowering the British Constitution and establishing, as an absolute, the right of all British people to effective freedom of speech, assembly and worship. The undemocratic power of the corporate media and other vested interest groups will be curbed by the introduction of a statutory right of reply and tougher penalties for corruption in public affairs. The media will be prohibited from promoting individual political parties and individual candidates, or attacking political parties and individual candidates, during election times.
We aim to create a devolved, democratic system of regional government in which political decisions are made by ordinary citizens at the most local level of government possible.
We advocate that only English MPs be allowed to vote on issues exclusive to England.
We are pledged to extend and rejuvenate democratic government by means of electronic media and Citizens’ Initiative Referenda, and by returning to Parliament the powers that have been appropriated by the EU, supra-national bodies and globalist institutions, to take democratic control of the British economy, British nation state and Parliament.
We will pass laws that will require the consent of the majority of British citizens via a national referendum before the government may annul, remove or abridge any rights or liberties established in the British Constitution.
We will establish Citizenship Courts to hear legal cases relating to the status of naturalised citizens who have been convicted of serious crimes, terrorism or any other areas of legal competence as directed by any British Freedom Party government. Naturalised citizens convicted of serious crimes will have their citizenship status revoked.
To require that all British citizens must be able to speak English in order to allow them to integrate into the British National Community. Failure to speak English may be regarded by a Citizenship Court as grounds for removal of British naturalised citizenship status.
To end all immigration and economic migration and reverse the colonisation of Britain under multiculturalism and political correctness by deporting all those given naturalised citizenship status who have not fully integrated into British society. Such a decision will be made by a Citizenship Court.
To promote the rights of British workers above foreign workers. All vacancies for all British jobs must be prioritised for British citizens. No British jobs may be offered to any non-British citizen without first being offered, advertised and refused by any and all suitably qualified British citizens who may wish to apply for the job.
The British Freedom Party stands for a society based solely on the principle of meritocracy and we will ban all forms of class discrimination, political correctness, affirmative action plans and positive discrimination plans. Employment Law will be predicated solely on the legal basis that the best qualified British citizen must get the job regardless of any other factors. Those who fail to appoint the best qualified candidate for any employment position will be liable for legal action in an Employment Tribunal.
We will abolish student fees for students in higher education. The educational system of Britain will be changed to promote British culture, British history and identity, integration into British society, to create skilled workers who will be employed in British industries essential for the rejuvenation of the British national economy and to promote the British Constitution and our ancestral rights and liberties.
We will pass laws to prohibit all illegal immigrants, failed asylum seekers, illegal entrants, health tourists and other illegal residents within the United Kingdom accessing the National Health Service, educational opportunities, council property, welfare benefits or any other benefits either from the state or private bodies in receipt of state funds. Those who assist persons classified as ‘Illegal Entrants or Residents’ to access any public services will be guilty of a criminal offence and liable to a period of imprisonment to be imposed by a court of law.
To end the British state funding of all legal, state, private or charitable organisations that fund the legal appeals or offer legal assistance that assists, or seeks to assist, those illegally resident within the United Kingdom.
To end the British state funding, council funding or registered legal or charitable status of all organisations that are deemed by the British Freedom Party government to be promoting objects that contradict our policies of national integration.
To never again engage in wars such as Iraq and Afghanistan and to utilise the British Armed Services in the United Kingdom in order to ensure the national security interests of Britain are protected from all internal and external terrorist threats. The British Freedom Party stands for a policy of armed neutrality in international affairs. We are pledged to ensure that the lives of British servicemen are not risked in international quarrels in which no national interest of our own is at stake.
To secure the borders and national security of Britain with the assistance of the British Armed Services.
To remove from Britain by all lawful means all foreign criminals, illegal immigrants, economically inactive migrants, bogus asylum seekers, visa overstayers and other illegal entrants and unlawful residents within the United Kingdom regardless of their race, religion, nationality, sexuality, colour or any other factors.
To derogate from or annul all laws, either national or international, that prohibit or prevent the British government from protecting its national borders and which prevent the United Kingdom regulating who may, or may not, enter and reside within our sovereign territory.
To derogate from all international treaties on offering asylum to foreign citizens.
To remove British citizenship from any naturalised British citizens who have committed any serious criminal offence or offences after being granted naturalised citizenship status in the United Kingdom or who had been found guilty in any recognised court of law of criminal offences that had not been disclosed prior to being granted naturalised citizenship status. Such cases will be heard by a Citizenship Court.
To require all British citizens with dual nationality status over the age of eighteen to swear an oath of loyalty to Britain, the British Constitution and the British people. Refusal to do this will trigger removal of British citizenship status by a Citizenship Court.
To restore the possible sanction for the courts to impose the death penalty for convicted terrorists, those convicted of assisting, funding or attempting terrorism within the United Kingdom, convicted paedophile rapists, those convicted of multiple serious sexual offences, convicted producers and suppliers of child pornography, those convicted of First Degree Murder, those convicted of treason, convicted Class A drugs importers and those convicted of dealing or supplying Class A drugs.
To abolish the Equality and Human Rights Commission and all other politically correct emanations of the Servile State that promote and enforce political correctness or multiculturalism. We will scrap the Equality Acts and all other legislation that imposes political correctness and that empowers the Servile State.
To end the Servile State enforced principle of multiculturalism and to promote full integration of all British citizens into British culture.
To ban all manifestations of religious, legal, political, social and cultural separatism within the United Kingdom.
We will ban all manifestations of Sharia Law and all other separatist legal or religious courts, either formally structured or used informally, within the territory of the United Kingdom.
We will ban the burkha and other outward manifestations of multiculturalism which we regard as manifestations of political and social separatism within the United Kingdom.
We will enact laws to prohibit the building of any more mosques or other religious buildings funded directly by foreign nations or funded by foreign capital transferred from abroad into the United Kingdom. Mosques or other religious facilities that have been built in the United Kingdom with money from nation states or private donors from abroad without a majority vote of the local population agreeing to such a facility by a referendum prior to it being built, may be closed down if a majority of the local population agree to such a proposal which is introduced by a local referendum.
We will ban all cruel forms of animal slaughter in the United Kingdom. Such products may only be imported into the United Kingdom by certified importers. All such costs of certification and compliance will be borne by the producers of such products before being allowed to import such products into the United Kingdom.
We will work to maintain a private enterprise economy that operates within the broad framework of a British national economic policy that is designed to benefit British businesses, British workers, British consumers and the British economy.
We support the National Health Service and the Welfare State. We stand for a society that offers all our citizens a decent living standard and income. Unemployed British workers, the elderly and the disabled have been betrayed by the globalisation of our national economy. Cheap imported foreign labour takes British jobs, throws British workers into unemployment and undercuts wages and working conditions. Those who run British companies that employ illegal foreign workers will be prosecuted and imprisoned. Those corporations that have profited from illegal labour, offshoring or the inshoring of foreign workers will be fined and the money obtained used to provide funds for British workers to establish their own small businesses.
We oppose international monopoly capitalism and international socialism. We oppose globalisation and its laissez-faire free trade, and its associated demands for global free movement of workers, plant, goods and capital, which regard British workers and British industry as mere economic units to be used solely to maximise corporate profits in the global economy. We believe that our national, social, environmental and community stability and contentment is best achieved by the many enjoying a personal stake in our society. Accordingly, we believe that private property and wealth should be encouraged and spread to as many individual members of our nation as possible. We recognise that the government, the state and finance exists to serve the interests of the nation, British citizens and British industries, rather than the other way around.
The British Freedom Party is opposed to Cultural Marxism, Marxist Liberalism, Socialist Internationalism, multiculturalism, political correctness and liberal-capitalist globalism, which undermine our British national culture and our standard of living, human and ecological welfare, freedom and national identity.
The British Freedom Party supports a productive economy based on the ideal of a producer society, where the productive classes within the United Kingdom of the British workers, the British business community and the British entrepreneur are actively supported by the government and unhindered by unnecessary regulation and red tape.
We will seek to establish a new industrial revolution within the United Kingdom based on supplying our own national needs in agricultural production, nuclear and coal energy production, green energy and renewable energy projects, national infra-structure renewal projects, national defence projects and other national work projects. Our aim is to achieve national self sufficiency in as many sectors of the British national economy as possible.
(3) Membership;
(a) Any British citizen who fully supports the objects of the Party and the principles of British Nationalism, and who is not less than sixteen years of age, shall be eligible for membership. Those under sixteen may apply to join the youth wing of the Party.
(b) Any person who wishes to become a member of the Party must submit an application in writing signed by himself to the Membership Officer. Election to membership shall be in the discretion of the Executive Council, save that the Council will be bound to admit any person to membership if so directed by a majority of two-thirds of the members voting at a general meeting, pursuant to a resolution, due notice whereof has been given pursuant to Clause 9 (b) below.
(4) Subscriptions;
(a) The annual subscription shall be £30 (thirty pounds sterling), but pensioners, students and unwaged members shall be eligible to pay a reduced subscription of £20, and married couples shall be eligible to pay a joint subscription of £50, or £20 if both are pensioners, students or unwaged. Subscriptions for overseas members shall be £55. Members’ subscriptions shall be due on joining the Party and thereafter on the 1st day of November 2010, and on the 1st day of November in each subsequent year.
(b) The Executive Council shall not be permitted to refuse the subscription of any member otherwise in good standing if it is tendered no later than 31st October, save by expelling such member pursuant to Clause 6.
(5) Resignation;
(a) A member shall cease to be a member if he gives written notice to the Secretary of his resignation.
(b) A member whose subscription is more than two months in arrears shall be deemed for all intents and purposes to have resigned with effect from but not including 31st October.
(c) Refusal of Membership. The Executive Council may, by majority vote, issue an order to the Membership Officer to refuse any named individual seeking membership of the party only on the grounds that they may bring the party into disrepute, cause internal disruption or create legal liabilities for the party.
(6) Expulsion;
Members who have offended against the Code of Conduct or otherwise acted in a manner contrary to the interests of the party shall be liable to disciplinary sanction.
(a) The Executive Council shall have power to convene a Disciplinary Tribunal in order to hear any appeals by expelled members. These Disciplinary Tribunals may be held twice a year if required to hear any appeals by suspended members.
The formation of the Tribunal will be comprised of three members of the party who will put themselves forward at the Annual General Meeting for the post, or, in the absence of candidates coming forward to volunteer for the posts, have been appointed by the Executive Council and approved at the Annual General Meeting of the members by a majority vote. The Disciplinary Tribunal members must hear each case independently and on its own merits in accordance with procedural fairness, the rules of natural justice and any relevant civil case law on members’ rights in such hearings. They must reach their decisions impartially, in regard solely to the quality of evidence offered up to them by both sides in the hearing and on the facts presented before them.
(a) (1) The Party Chairman may issue an Emergency Expulsion Notice to any member or activist if, in his considered opinion, such an emergency expulsion is required to protect the reputation, financial or legal interests of the party. Such an Emergency Expulsion must be agreed by the Party Chairman, the Party Legal Officer and the party Disciplinary Officer prior to the notice of expulsion being sent to the member by the Party Membership Officer. The notice of expulsion must include full grounds for the emergency expulsion and details of the appeal procedure. Any individual expelled under an Emergency Expulsion Notice shall have the same legal and procedural rights of appeal as any expelled member as under (6) (a) (7) (b).
(a) (2) In the first instance of any member of the party believed by the Party Chairman, a majority of the Executive Council or the Party Disciplinary Officer to have committed any offence as defined in the Code of Conduct, that is not of a sufficiently serious nature to merit expulsion, then that member will normally be subject to a written reprimand. If a reprimand is issued by the Party Disciplinary Officer the Executive Council must be provided with a copy of that reprimand at the next full meeting of the Council.
(a) (3) Such written reprimands may also be issued to members by the Executive Council by a two thirds majority vote and the Party Disciplinary Officer must provide a note of the reprimand to the member being reprimanded. A copy of such a reprimand from a Party Disciplinary Officer must be forwarded to the Party Chairman and the members of the Executive Council within seven days. A second such written reprimand from the Party Chairman, the Disciplinary Officer or the Executive Council within two years would normally be met, upon receipt by the Party Chairman and the Executive Council of a copy of the reprimand, with a suspension of membership of between one and six months, which exact time period is to be agreed by the Executive Council by majority vote. The suspension is then to be notified via the Disciplinary Officer, to the member in question. Any reprimand issued by the Executive Council or the Disciplinary Officer will be recorded in the Party Disciplinary Log by the Disciplinary Officer and may be used as evidence in any future or pending suspension or expulsion hearing.
(a) (4) In the event of a written reprimand issued solely by the Party Disciplinary Officer to any activist without the authorisation of the Executive Council, the activist concerned has the right of appeal to appear before the Party Chairman and the Executive Council to request an annulment of that disciplinary offence. This request will be heard at the next full meeting of the Executive Council. If the Executive Council decide by a two thirds majority vote to annul the reprimand then it is removed and not recorded in the party disciplinary log, which is the responsibility of the Party Disciplinary Officer to maintain. If the reprimand is upheld by the Executive Council then it will be recorded in the Party Disciplinary Log by the Disciplinary Officer and may be used as evidence in any future or pending suspension or expulsion hearing.
(a) (5) A member may be expelled by a two thirds majority vote of the Executive Council for a breach or breaches of the Codes of Conduct. Such allegations may be presented to the Executive Council by the Disciplinary Officer of the Council. The grounds for the expulsion will be sent to the member by the Party Secretary and recorded by the Disciplinary Officer. In ordinary expulsions the member will be given fifteen days’ written notice by Registered or Recorded Delivery Post sent to his last known address to attend a meeting of a Disciplinary Tribunal, at such time as a Disciplinary Tribunal is held if they wish.
(a) (6) If the member does not respond to the Party Secretary by registered post within 14 days that they wish to appeal, then the member will be taken as having voluntarily resigned from the party.
(a) (7) The Disciplinary Tribunal will be comprised of three activists who have proposed themselves for the position and have been appointed by the members on the basis of a simple majority vote at the Annual General Meeting. They will be provided with full written particulars of the allegations or complaints that have been made against the individual by the Executive Council, the Party Chairman or the Disciplinary Officer. The tribunal shall use all reasonable endeavours to convene at a location convenient to the member whose expulsion it is to consider.
(b) Such member shall be given an opportunity to make representations in writing and/or to appear (i) in person or (ii) by his solicitor or counsel (whether or not a member of the Party and whether admitted in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, or called to the bar of England and Wales or of Northern Ireland, or a member of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland) or (iii) by any other member of the Party (whether or not admitted as a solicitor or called to the bar) before the tribunal to answer complaints made against him, and shall not be expelled unless at least two of the three members of the tribunal vote in favour of his expulsion.
(c) The Disciplinary Tribunal will state its reasons for upholding the expulsion of a member or activist to the Disciplinary Officer and the Party Secretary within five days. The Party Secretary shall state the tribunal’s reasons for upholding the expulsion of a member or activist in writing despatched to such expellee by First Class Registered or Recorded Delivery post no later than ten days after the date of the tribunal at which such member was expelled.
(d) A member or activist so expelled shall have a right of appeal to the Executive Council, on condition that he lodges notice of appeal no later than fourteen days after the date of his expulsion either by handing a copy to the Secretary or by sending a copy to the Secretary by First Class Registered or Recorded Delivery post.
(e) It shall be sufficient for the member or activist to give notice by writing thus: “I appeal against my expulsion from the British Freedom Party by a disciplinary tribunal held on the [ ] day of [ ] [20[ ]]”. The member or activist shall be entitled but not bound to state his grounds of appeal with particularity.
(f) Any expelled member or activist lodging notice of appeal in accordance with these rules shall be deemed for all intents and purposes to have been suspended only and not expelled from party membership pending the hearing of his appeal. Such member or activist will however be debarred from exercising any of the privileges of membership, activist status or office pending the hearing of his appeal, save for the purposes of Clause 18, in respect of which he shall enjoy the same rights as a member in good standing. Any expelled member or activist lodging notice of appeal in accordance with these rules shall be given not less than fifteen days’ written notice by Registered or Recorded Delivery post to his last known address to attend a meeting of the Council, to be convened not more than one hundred days after the holding of the tribunal appealed against.
(g) On appeal the member or activist shall be given an opportunity to make representations in writing (to be read to the Executive Council by the Party Secretary) and/or to appear (i) in person or (ii) by his solicitor or counsel (as defined by clause 6 (c) above, and whether or not a member of the Party) or (iii) by any other member or activist of the Party (whether or not admitted as a solicitor or called to the bar) before the Council to answer complaints made against him, and to show cause why he should not be expelled from membership, and unless a two thirds majority of the officers then present and voting vote to reverse the tribunal’s decision to expel, he shall forthwith be expelled from membership of the Party.
(h) There shall (subject always to clause 3 (b) above) be no further appeal, save on points of law, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include questions of construction of these rules, and the question whether any decision to expel was so unreasonable that no tribunal deliberating in good faith could rationally have reached it.
(7) The Executive Council;
(a) The Executive Council shall consist of twelve members:
The Party Chairman
The Party Vice Chairman
The Party Treasurer
The Party Legal Officer
The Party Elections Officer
The Party Staff Management Officer
The Party IT and Website Officer
The Party Press Officer
The Party Communications Officer
The Party Disciplinary Officer
The Party Membership Officer
The Party Registered Nominating Officer.
One of the officers may also be named as acting as the Party Secretary by the Party Chairman or a member of the party may be asked by the Party Chairman to assume that role and approved by a majority vote of the Executive Council.
(b) Candidates for seats on the Executive Council shall be proposed and seconded by notice in writing given to the Secretary no earlier than 1st October and no later than 31st October, and elected by secret postal ballot of the members to be held no later than 30 September 2011 and every three years from that date.
(b) (1) The ballot papers shall be kept unopened until the post has arrived on the third Thursday of November, when all received ballots shall be opened and counted under the supervision of two senior officials appointed by the Executive Council who are not candidates, together with the candidates and up to two scrutineers each.
(b) (2) The election shall take place on a ‘first past the post’ basis.
(c) (1) Members of the Executive Council will remain in office for a three year period and then have to stand for election before the Annual General Meeting.
(c) (2) The Executive Council will on the basis of a majority of votes, by two thirds majority or a simple majority or by unanimous vote as defined in the various sections of the constitution, control the direction of the party and also define the responsibilities and duties of the party officers, activists and members.
(c) (3) The Executive Council may, by two thirds majority vote, propose changes to the Party Constitution. Any changes to the Party Constitution proposed by the Council must though be passed by a resolution put to the members by the Party Chairman and Vice Chairman and achieve a two thirds majority approval vote at an Annual General Meeting or a Special Executive Council General Meeting called by the Council, before they can become new and active constitutional amendments.
(c) (4) The Executive Council will run the party on a day to day basis and will liaise with the membership either directly or via the Party Chairman, who is empowered to communicate and impose Executive Council orders, rulings and directives relating to the party and its membership to all party officers, activists and members appointed and approved by the Executive Council. It shall not be permissible for one person to hold more than one office on the Executive Council.
(c) (5) The Party Chairman will communicate and take advice from appointed Executive Council officers on issues relating to their areas of competence and authority before issuing orders to other party officers, members and activists that relate to the area of competence of that officer and which have not been expressly authorised beforehand by the Executive Council.
(c) (6) The Executive Council will be required to produce a report for every meeting of the Council and meeting of members detailing the work of the Council, activities of individual officers and detailed progress reports related to party functions. This report will be available to all members and placed on the party website after each meeting of the Executive Council.
(c) (7) Individual party officers on the Executive Council must be consulted on any issue relating to their area of competence before the Executive Council may vote on any issue.
(c) (8) Individual party officers must be immediately consulted for their opinions on any issue by the Party Chairman or any officers of the party if any issues arise that relate to their specific area of competence. Their advice must be obeyed and can only be overruled or annulled by a two thirds majority vote of the Executive Council after a proposal introduced to the Council by the Party Chairman.
(d) Any casual vacancy (whether amongst the officers of the party or amongst the members of the Executive Council) occurring by resignation, permanent incapacity or death may be filled by the recommendation of an officer of the Executive Council and approved on the basis of a majority vote, and the member so co-opted will hold office for the same term as the member whose place he takes would have held office, but for his resignation, permanent incapacity or death.
(e) Council meetings shall be held not less than four times a year and the quorum of a meeting shall be two-thirds of the Council’s membership. Any three members of the Council including the Party Chairman acting together shall have discretion to call further meetings of the Council if they consider it to be in the interests of the Party. The Secretary shall give all the members of the Council not less than ten clear days’ written notice of a meeting. Decisions of the Council shall be made by a simple majority and in the event of an equality of votes the Chairman (or the acting chairman of that meeting) shall have a casting or additional vote. The Secretary, or in their absence, a member of the Council or an individual appointed to do so by the Party Chairman shall take minutes.
(f) The Council may from time to time appoint from among their number such committees as they may consider necessary and may delegate to them such of the powers and duties of the Council as the Council may determine. All such committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Council and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Council.
(g) The Council shall be the governing body of the party and shall determine the policy, strategy and tactics of the Party and shall (subject to clauses 13, 15 and 18 below) be responsible for the management of the Party and shall have the sole right of appointing and determining the terms and conditions of service of employees of the Party and appointed officers of the party.
(g) (1) The Party Chairman will not have the power to change, annul or override any decision of the Executive Council without the backing of two thirds of the majority of the Executive Council that approves beforehand the terms of those changes.
(g) (2) The Party Chairman will be able to issue Emergency Expulsion Orders for any member or activist with the agreement prior to the issuance of the order of the Party Legal Officer and Party Disciplinary Officer.
(g) (3) In the event of any disagreements between officers of the Council, the Party Chairman will be able to intervene and order an investigation, issue recommendations for reconciliation and to request the Party Staff Management Officer be involved in training the officers concerned.
(g) (4a) The Party Chairman will be able to demand from any Executive Council officer a full report detailing what work they are doing at any time. This report will then be made available to the rest of the Executive Council.
(g) (4b) The Party Chairman will be able to ask the Executive Council to vote on a vote of no confidence in any Executive Council member at any time.
(g) (5) The Party Chairman will be able to order a Special Executive Council Meeting if required which the Executive Council will then be able to vote on and approve.
(g) (6) The Party Chairman is responsible for putting before the Executive Council party disciplinary proceedings relating to activists, appeals for the rescinding of reprimands issued to members issued by the Party Disciplinary Officer and for organising the final appeal from members whose expulsions have been upheld by the Party Disciplinary Tribunal.
(g) (7) The Party Chairman will have the final casting vote in all votes.
(g) (8) The Party Chairman will be able to issue the deciding vote in any deadlocked vote in the Executive Council.
(g) (9) The Party Chairman will be able to request the removal of an unelected Executive Council member by a two thirds majority vote of the Council at any time.
(h) A majority of two-thirds of the Council will have full power to remove a member of the Council from his position, and a member who fails without good cause to attend three consecutive council meetings will be deemed to have resigned. “Good cause” means sickness, family bereavement, pressing professional or business commitments, and public service. The Executive Council will then be authorised to appoint a new officer from the membership by a two thirds majority vote to replace the removed officer and they shall stay in that role for the duration of the remaining tenure of the removed officer, or until removed by a two thirds majority vote of the Council who may then appoint other officers if and when required.
(i) The members of the Council shall be entitled to an indemnity out of and a lien over the assets of the Party for all expenses and other liabilities properly incurred by them in the management of the affairs of the Party, but shall not be entitled to any personal indemnity against any member in respect of particular or general expenditure, without that member’s consent first had in writing.
(8) Officers;
(a) The officers of the Party must be both members and activists of the Party.
(b) The Branch officers shall be proposed by local members, approved as candidates by the Party Secretary and elected by the members. The Executive Council by a majority vote will approve the appointments of Branch Officers. Regional Officers will be appointed by the Executive Council by a majority vote from local member activists who have put themselves forward for the position before the Executive Council. The appointment to such positions will be agreed by a majority vote by members of the Executive Council.
(b) (2) Such unelected officers can be removed by a majority vote of the Executive Council if so proposed by the Party Chairman.
(b) (3) the officers of the party must abide by all lawful, constitutional and authorised orders and directives from the Party Chairman or Executive Council officers acting under their lawful authority and competence.
(b) (4) Officers are authorised to give directions to activists and members as authorised by the Party Chairman or Executive Council.
( c ) Members and Activists – All resolutions to be voted on by members at an annual meeting or at any special members’ meeting may only be introduced and proposed by members classified as activists.
(d) That they are properly classified as activists must be ascertained by the Party Secretary before they can accept the proposed resolution or the application for a special members’ meeting.
(e) Activist status is to be defined by the Executive Council by a two thirds majority vote. This definition may be added to or changed at any time by a meeting of the Executive Council. The present definition of an Activist is at Annex 2 : The definition of an Activist.
(f) Only an activist may organise and apply for a special members’ meeting.
(g) An activist can only be recorded as having been reprimanded after a two thirds majority vote of the Executive Council.
(h) Only an activist may stand as a disciplinary tribunal representative.
(1) Only an activist can stand as an officer of the Executive Council. All sitting Executive Council officers are to be classified as activists.
(9) Annual General Meeting;
(a) The Annual General Meeting of the Party shall be held after not less than twenty-eight days’ notice to the members of the Party and then in each calendar year, and not before 1st October, nor later than 24th December, to transact the following business:
(i) to receive the Chairman’s report of the activities of the Party during the previous year;
(ii) to receive and approve the accounts of the Party for the previous year and the Auditor’s report on the accounts and the Treasurer’s report as to the financial position of the Party;
(iii) to elect an Independent Auditor, or confirm that he should remain in office;
(iv) to record who has been elected to the Council;
(v) to decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted in accordance with Clause 9 (b)
(vi) to pass a no confidence resolution by a two thirds majority calling for the removal of any Executive Council officer except the Party Chairman. If this resolution is also approved by a simple majority of the Executive Council at the next council meeting at the start of proceedings the officer must be removed from their position by the Executive Council. A replacement may then be imposed by the Executive Council for the remaining period of the tenure of the previous officer subject to the usual conditions of them being an unelected officer of the Council.
(b) Notice of any resolution proposed to be moved at the Annual General Meeting shall be given in writing to the Secretary not less than fourteen days before the meeting.
(c) If the Secretary certifies that not less than thirty-five days before the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting, he/she sent notice to each member of the Party at his last notified address by ordinary second class post (but by air mail for members not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom), such notice will be deemed good and sufficient notice for all intents and purposes.
(10) Special General Meetings of the Executive Council;
(a) A Special General Meeting may be called by a two thirds majority of the Executive Council at any time but on not less than fourteen clear days’ notice, and shall be called within twenty-eight days of receipt by the Secretary of a requisition in writing signed by the Executive Council stating (in general terms) the purposes for which the meeting is required and the resolutions proposed, and tendering a deposit of £500 towards the expenses of a Special General Meeting. The deposit will be provided by the Party Treasurer from party funds and costs for the Special General Meeting will be borne by the party. Only one such meeting may be called, if and when required, by the Executive Council per year. This rule is to be strictly kept unless issues relating to the party’s legal interests require an emergency meeting to be held and which are authorised by a unanimous vote of the Executive Council.
(b) Notice of any resolution proposed to be moved at a Special General Meeting shall be given in writing to the Secretary not less than seven days before the meeting.
(c) If the Secretary certifies that, not less than fourteen days before the date fixed for a Special General Meeting, he/she sent notice to each member of the Party at his last notified address by ordinary second class post (but by air mail for members not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom), such notice will be deemed good and sufficient notice for all intents and purposes.
(11) Procedure at the Annual and Special Meetings;
(a) The Secretary shall, not less than thirty-five days before the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting nor less than fourteen days before the date fixed for a Special Executive Council Meeting or duly authorised Special Members Meeting, send to each member at his last known address written notice of the date(s) of the meetings and will in the case of the Annual General Meeting further send notice of the resolutions to be proposed thereat not less than seven days before the meeting.
(b) The Chairman, or in his absence the Vice Chairman, shall take the chair. If both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman are absent, the members present will elect a chairman for the meeting. Each member present shall have one vote and resolution shall be passed by a simple majority. In the event of an equality of votes, the chairman of the meeting shall have a casting or additional vote.
(c) The Secretary, or in his/her absence a member of the Council or an individual appointed by the Party Chairman, shall take minutes at Annual and Special Meetings.
(12) Special Members’ Meeting;
(a) A Special Members’ Meeting may be called by a member at any time if they can get 100 registered members to agree to hold such a meeting and also provide a deposit of £500 to cover the costs of that Special Members’ Meeting. Only one such Special Members’ Meeting may be called by any member of the party in any one year period.
(b) Once the signatures for such a Special Members’ Meeting are obtained by that member, and the deposit also obtained, then both the cheque and signatures must be passed by that member to the appointed Party Secretary who will then confirm the validity of the signatures with the Membership Officer and lodge the cheque with the Party Treasurer. When the signatures are verified as being from up to date members, and the money clears in the bank, then the Secretary will inform the Executive Council that a Special Members’ Meeting has been convened.
(c) The member will then book a suitable venue, to be approved by the Party Secretary, and the date and time of the meeting if approved by the Party Secretary will then be provided to all party members, the costs of which will be deducted from the deposit lodged by the member.
(d) The costs of the hall for the meeting will be paid for from the money deposited with the Treasurer. The named individual who has organised the Special Members’ Meeting and will be reimbursed any monies left after the costs of the meeting have been fully paid. Any excess over and above the five hundred pounds will be borne by the member requesting the Special Members’ Meeting.
(e) No resolution passed at any Special Members’ Meeting organised by registered members and passed by the members present by a majority vote shall be binding on the Executive Council, but the resolution, if rejected by the Executive Council, must be put before, heard and voted on at the next Annual General meeting.
(f) The members must be informed of the Executive Council’s decision to accept or reject the resolutions of the Special Members’ Meeting.
(g) Alteration of the Rules concerning Meetings
The rules in regard to procedure of all meetings may be altered by resolution of the members at an Annual Meeting provided that the resolution is duly proposed and seconded in accordance with clause 9 (b) above, and carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of members voting at the Annual General Meeting and also approved by a two thirds majority of the Executive Council.
(13) Finance;
(a) All monies payable to the Party shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in a bank account in the name of the Party.
(b) All the assets of the Party, except monies deposited in the Party’s bank account, shall be vested in three trustees, as to whom see further clause 15 below. Notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution, the trustees may be removed from office only by a majority of at least two-thirds of the Executive Council agreeing to their removal, by a majority of members voting at an Annual General Meeting or by order of the Court.
(c) No sum shall be drawn from the Party’s bank account except by cheque signed by two of the four signatories who shall be the Treasurer and the three Trustees.
(d) Any monies which in the Executive Council’s opinion are not required for immediate use may be invested as the Trustees at their discretion think fit, but which ensures that money remains at all times accountable and under the ownership of the Party.
(e) The income and property of the Party shall be applied only in the furtherance of the objects of the Party.
(f) The Executive Council shall have power to authorise the payment of remuneration and/or expenses to any officer, member or employee of the Party and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Party.
(g) The financial transactions of the Party shall be recorded in such manner as the Treasurer thinks fit, subject always to the provisions of the relevant legislation.
(h) The Party’s financial year shall run from 1st January to the 31st December, and the first accounts will be made up to 31st December 2010.
(i) The members in an Annual Meeting shall have power to appoint by a simple majority vote an Independent Auditor to be paid out of party funds to inspect the accounts. The Independent Auditor may be but need not be a member of the Party. Once appointed the Independent Auditor will hold office until the next Annual Meeting or until removed by a simple majority vote of the members at any Special Members’ Meeting. They will be able to request at any time from the Party Treasurer via contacting the Party Chairman full access to all up to date accounts for an inspection a maximum of three times in any one year period following on from their appointment. For the avoidance of any possible doubt, neither the Executive Council, nor any officer of the party, nor the Trustees will have any power to remove the Independent Auditor, which is reserved solely for the members in an Annual General Meeting or Special Members’ Meeting.
(14) Borrowing;
(a) The Executive Council with the concurrence of all the Trustees first had in writing but not otherwise may borrow money on behalf of the Party for the purposes of the Party from time to time if so agreed by a two thirds majority of the Executive Council.
(b) When so borrowing the Council shall have power to raise in any way any sum or sums of money and to raise and secure the repayment of any sums or sums of money in such manner or on such terms and conditions as they think fit, and in particular by mortgage of or charge upon or by the issues of debentures charged upon all or any part of the property of the Party.
(c) The Council shall have no power to pledge the personal liability of any member of the Party for the repayment of any sums so borrowed without that member’s consent first being had in writing.
(15) Property;
(a) The property of the Party, other than cash at the bank, shall be vested in three trustees who must not be members of the Council. They shall hold the property upon trust for the members of the Party in accordance with the rules of the constitution thereof. They must not take any actions relating to that property without the direct authority of the Executive Council acting under a two thirds majority.
The elected Executive Council shall also appoint three Bequest Trustees. These three trustees shall be responsible for administering any bequests left to the benefit of the party. They may be the three Trustees already appointed by the Council to deal with existing party property.
While the Executive Council may replace one of the other trustees at any time, they may only replace two of them within any six month period with the approval of a majority of the Executive Council or with the approval of two thirds of the members voting at a General Meeting.
(b) The Trustees shall deal with the property at their own discretion but subject always to the lawful directions of the Executive Council.
(c) The Trustees shall hold office until death or resignation unless removed by a resolution of at least two-thirds of the Executive Council or by a two thirds vote of the members voting at an Annual Meeting, or by an order of the Court.
(d) Power to appoint new trustees will rest with the continuing trustees, subject however to the approval of at least two-thirds of the members of the Executive Council or by two thirds of the members voting at an Annual Meeting. A new trustee or new trustees shall be appointed by deed and the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any such deed of appointment shall, in favour of a person dealing bona fide with the Party or the Trustees, be conclusive evidence of the fact so stated.
(e) The Trustees shall serve without remuneration, but shall be entitled to an indemnity out of and a lien over the property of the Party for all expenses and other liabilities properly incurred by them in the discharge of their duties.
(16) Branches and Regions;
(a) The Executive Council may establish local units of the Party to be known as branches. The Council may authorize any branch to administer its own funds. In such a circumstance the branch will be a local accounting unit of the Party, for the purposes of any relevant legislation.
(b) Branches, once established by the council, may select their own local officers by a simple majority vote of local members present at a yearly local meeting. Only activists approved by the Party Secretary as being entitled to be classified as activists are allowed to stand for election as Branch or Regional Officers. These officers will work under the authority of the Executive Council and must follow all approved lawful directions of the Council and officers of the Council. Local officers may only be removed from their positions by a two thirds majority vote of the Executive Council or after any due Disciplinary procedures. If any Branch Officer is removed from their position by the Executive Council then another Branch Officer may be imposed from a short-list of suitable local candidates for the post by a two thirds majority vote of the Council. They will remain in the post for the remaining period of the one year role of the previous officer.
(b) (1) Local groups will vote for their branch officers once a year at a yearly local branch meeting specifically for such elections by a first past the post majority count of hands. All local members must be informed at least a month before the elections meeting that the meeting has been called. All local members are entitled to attend and vote at the meeting. Any complaints of irregularities in the election process are to be made by members and activists via a letter of complaint sent to the Party Chairman who may, after consultation with the Party Legal Officer of the issues in that application, request the local branch hold a new election.
(b) (2) The Branch officer will be responsible for keeping an up to date log of branch activities, called The Branch Activities Register, that details all the activities of the branch and which members of the branch attended those activities. This log will be made available to the Executive Council and the Party Secretary upon request.
(c) The Executive Council may establish by majority vote geographical groupings of branches into regions. Regions may also be formed where there is no Branch structure. Regional officers are to be appointed from local activists who volunteer for the position by a majority vote of the Executive Council and they must follow all lawful directions of the Council and its officers.
(d) The Council may authorize any region to administer its own funds. In such a circumstance the region will be a local accounting unit of the Party, in accordance with the relevant legislation.
(17) Elections and Discipline;
(a) It is the Party’s intention to contest elections to all levels of government. However, in order that the election campaigns reflect creditably upon the Party and to ensure that the campaigns are contested within the law, all candidates who wish to contest seats under the Party name must first obtain the written approval of the Registered Nominating Officer, who will be appointed by the Executive Council.
(b) No member may make public statements in the name of the Party unless that member has been first authorised to do so by the Executive Council, the Party Press Officer or their Regional Officer. Failure to abide by this rule is a breach of the Code of Conduct.
( c) No member of the party may be interviewed by, or give any statement to, the news media or any third party individuals on matters internal to the party, or regarding confidential internal matters, who has not been given prior authorisation to do so by his or her Regional Organiser or by a national official of the party. Failure to abide by this rule is a breach of the Code of Conduct.
(d) The Party’s Code of Conduct will be agreed by the Executive Council by a two thirds majority vote and a copy made available to the members when they join the party. The Disciplinary Officer will be responsible for the day to day monitoring and application of the Code of Conduct. Any changes to the Code of Conduct will be made available to the members within seven days of such a change taking place.
(18) Dissolution;
(a) A resolution to dissolve the Party shall only be proposed at an Annual General Meeting and shall be carried by a majority of at least ninety percent of the members present.
(b) The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the Council shall be responsible for the winding-up of the assets and liabilities of the Party.
(c) Any property remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Party shall be divided equally among the members of the Party, or as they shall direct.
(19) Definitions;
In these rules references to “he, him and his” shall be construed as including “she, her and hers” and vice versa, as the case may require.
The ‘relevant legislation’ means the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act, 2000, and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof.
(20) Choice of Law;
This constitution is to be governed by and construed in accordance with English law, and no action shall be brought upon it save in the courts of England and Wales, save in the case of members of the Party domiciled in Scotland or Northern Ireland, who may sue or be sued in the Scots or Northern Irish courts.
Members’ liabilities if the party is wound up are limited to a total sum of one pound only.
Annex 1: Code of Conduct
1) Any members or officers occupying any positions of authority within the party and who are thereby authorised to issue requests to other members for the performance of tasks related to activities of the party are expected to communicate such requests with respect for all officers and members of the party.
2) Party members may only act in accordance with the law, the party constitution and respectfully to other members when on official party activities. Any party members whose activities are such that they are regarded by party officers as liable to bring the party into disrepute, are found to spreading false rumours within the party, inciting dissent or acting in such a manner as likely to be regarded by any reasonable person as damaging to the party will be in breach of the Code of Conduct.
3) Party members are required to act on official party activities and at official party functions in a way that will not bring the party into disrepute with the general public or other members.
4) Party officers should not seek to abuse their positions or powers when acting as officers and should treat members of the party and members of the public and their fellow officers with respect at all times.
5) The Executive Council may decide to prohibit individuals, organisations or other bodies from attending party events or joining the party if it is felt by a majority of the Council that they are liable to cause problems for the party, either legal or internal.
6) The Code of Conduct may be updated and added to at any time by a two thirds majority vote of the Executive Council.
Annex 2 : Definition of an Activist
The definition of an Activist is any member who has either:
A) Stood as a candidate for the party in an election during the previous year;
B) Has been on ten or more party activities including:
1) Leafleting
2) Election campaigning
3) Fundraising activities
4) Community activism
5) Any party events
And has been recorded as having done so by their branch officer in the Branch Activities Register.
C) Is a properly appointed party officer, Branch Officer, Regional Officer, Tribunal Disciplinary Officer or any other properly appointed officer of the party.
D) Has donated more than 200 pounds to the party in the previous year. This will be confirmed by the Party Treasury Officer.
