1.1 The official name of the political party constituted by this document shall be “Something New”, hereinafter referred to as “the Party”.
1.2 The Party shall be an Unincorporated Association and the members of the Executive Board shall be equally and severally liable for all assets, liabilities and obligations of the Party.
1.3 Amendments to this Constitution will come into force after the approval of a two-thirds majority of members voting. Such a ballot shall be held after a proposal by the Executive Board approved by a two-thirds majority of those voting.
1.4 This amended constitution shall come into force immediately following its approval by members voting in a ballot according to the requirements of the constitution in force at that time.
2.1 To engage a broader range of people in political activism than is achieved by existing political parties.
2.2 To encourage people to vote who currently feel they are unserved by the political system.
2.3 To support a broader range of people being elected to political office than is achieved by existing political parties.
2.4 To reduce the control political parties have over their elected representatives in relation to those representatives’ obligations to their electorates.
2.5 To restore public faith in politicians and the political system.
2.6 To provide effective and efficient political administration of public authorities.
2.7 To influence the governing of the UK to perpetuate a nation that is a just, fair and tolerant and liberal democracy.
3.1 The Party shall contest elections to public office.
3.2 The Party will seek to engage the public in the selection of candidates for public office through the use of open primaries and other means.
3.3 The Party will raise funds, trade and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons in compliance with electoral law.
3.4 The Party will campaign publicly to deliver its aims.
3.5 The Party will employ and pay people to supervise, organise and carry out the Party’s aims.
3.6 The Party will purchase, lease or rent property, goods and services necessary to carry out the Party’s aims.
3.7 The Party will invest any monies of the Party not immediately required, in accordance with the Trustee Act of 1925.
3.8 The Party will do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of its aims.
4.1 Membership is open to individuals resident in the UK who share the aims of the Party and who are not members of any organisation of which the Executive Board has declared is incompatible with membership of the Party.
4.3 Individuals who are not resident in the UK may join as International Members, subject to the same caveats as UK Members. In the following clauses, “Member” shall not include International Members, unless explicitly stated.
4.3 Members and International Members are not required to pay a subscription.
4.4 Members and International Members shall accept the Party’s constitution and rules made in accordance with this constitution and do nothing to undermine the reputation of the Party or to bring the Party into public disrepute. Nor shall they act in a manner intended to cause, or actually causing, damage to the Party’s interests including by breaching confidentiality, or any Laws with which the Party is required to comply, including those relating to electoral administration, political party administration or data protection.
4.5 Members shall be entitled to vote in all relevant internal Party elections. International Members from outside the UK are not entitled to vote.
5.1 The Party shall hold a Biennial General Meeting at places and times decided by the Executive Board. Only Party members may vote at the Biennial General Meeting.
5.2 The Biennial General Meeting will
5.3 All motions at the Biennial General Meeting may be passed by a simple majority of those voting. Procedures for submitting nominations and motions at the Biennial General Meeting shall be determined by the Executive Board from time to time.
5.4 The Biennial General Meeting may consider motions on Party policy, our stated values, and strategy for debate.
5.5 Motions for debate at the Conference must be submitted in accordance with the procedures determined by the Executive Board from time to time.
5.6 The Executive Board may also convene other General Meetings for specific purposes, which will be open to all Party members and international members. The Executive Board shall determine procedures for convening and conducting such conferences from time to time.
5.7 The first Biennial General Meeting will take place in the summer of 2015. Until that time the membership of the Executive Board will determined by the majority agreement of the Party Leader, Treasurer and Nominating Officer. Thereafter the Biennial General Meeting shall take place in the summer of every second year after the previous Biennial General Meeting.
5.8 The Executive Board may institute an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time and this meeting may take the form of a Biennial General Meeting.
6.1 The Executive Board is the Party’s management committee, entrusted with the duty of ensuring that the Party achieves its stated objectives. The Executive Board is responsible for the Party’s funds, structure and publicity and strategy. The Executive Board shall finalise and approve the Party’s manifesto for elections.
6.2 The Executive Board is authorised with managing the Party on a day-to-day basis by majority vote using an online tool, such as Trello, until such time as more formal roles with delegated responsibilities are authorised by General Meeting, Biennial General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting.
6.3 The Executive Board will establish and maintain the Rules for governing the Party and the selection of Candidates for election and for the conduct of meetings.
6.4 The Executive Board may institute a postal or online ballot of Party members for any matter of business that would ordinarily require the convening of a General Meeting of the Party.
6.5 The Executive Board will elect a Chair at each Biennial General Meeting or in the event of a vacancy for the post.
6.6 The Executive Board may establish temporary and standing Committees for the administration of the Party and the development of policy. These committees may include any suitable person, without regard to their membership of The Party or the Executive Board. Any member of the Executive Board may elect to be a member of any Committee of the Executive Board. The Party Leader may appoint any suitable person to any Committee of the Executive Board.
6.7 The Executive Board may institute other offices as they see fit and appoint suitable people to those offices. Holders of these offices must be Party members but need not necessarily be members of the Executive Board. If they are not members of the Executive Board, they will be appointed ex-officio and non-voting members of the Executive Board and will be required to report to the Executive Board.
6.8 The Executive Board shall initially comprise of 3 Party members, but should expand in size to a maximum of 12 Board members as party membership grows. The size of the Executive Board is to be reviewed and agreed at each Biennial General Meeting, or may be reviewed by an Extraordinary General Meeting. The Executive Board will be elected by transferrable vote at the Biennial General Meeting of the Party. Nominations will be invited at least one month before the Biennial General Meeting, and any UK resident Party member may stand. The Executive Board may co-opt additional members. Co-opted members shall not have a vote on the Executive Board.
6.9 Elections to the Executive Board shall be conducted in accordance with rules and procedures laid down by the Executive Board from time to time.
6.10 The resignation of a member of the Executive Board shall be minuted and those minutes shall be signed by the Chair of the Executive Board or secretary next to the entry relating to the resignation.
6.11 Should a vacancy on the Executive Board occur between elections, the Executive Board will seek to fill that vacancy at the next General Meeting.
6.12 The Executive Board will be convened by the Party Leader and Chair who will agree a time and venue and give reasonable notice to all Executive Board Members. The quorum of the Executive Board shall be five voting members or 40% of the whole voting membership of the Executive Board, whichever is the smaller number of people.
6.13 In the event that The Party employs staff or contractors, the Executive Board will appoint a suitable person as Chief Executive of the Party, who will act as the principal line manager and contract manager for the Party.
6.14 The Executive Board and its Committees will record minutes of their meetings, recommendations and decisions, which will be signed by the Chair and Party Leader.
6.15 With the agreement of the Executive Board, candidates may stand for election for public office under a dual endorsement from secondary party. The party Executive Board would be required to ensure the manifesto and other statements to which the candidate would be required to subscribe did not conflict with the stated values of the Party.
6.16 The Executive Board may approve candidates from other parties adopting the name and logo of The Party as a dual party candidacy in addition to their primary party. The party Executive Board would be required to ensure such candidates subscribed to an agreed statement in support of The Party’s aims and manifesto; and that the candidates’ primary party manifesto and other statements to which the candidate would be required to subscribe did not conflict with the aims and constitution of The Party.
6.17 Local branches of Something New may be established and managed in accordance with rules published elsewhere by the Executive Board.
7.1 The Party Leader shall give political and administrative direction to the Party.
7.2 The Party Leader shall be elected at each Biennial Meeting by transferable ballot unless the position is uncontested. All Party members are entitled to stand for and vote in the election of Party Leader. Nominations shall be invited from the membership at least one month in advance of the vote.
7.3 In the event of a vacancy to the post of Party Leader, the Executive Board will appoint a Party Leader for a maximum period of 6 months or until an election to the post of Party Leader can be held if that date is earlier.
7.4 The Party Leader will be one of three National Officers.
8.1 The Responsibilities of the Party Treasurer and Nominating Officer are as defined by Law.
8.2 The Party Treasurer and Nominating Officer may appoint deputies to assist them in their duties as they see fit.
8.3 The Party Treasurer and Nominating Officer shall be elected at each Biennial Meeting by transferable ballot unless the positions are uncontested. All Party members are entitled to stand for and vote in the elections of the Party Treasurer and Nominating Officer. Nominations shall be invited from the membership at least one month in advance of the vote.
8.4 In the event of a vacancy to the post of Party Treasurer or Nominating Officer, the Executive Board will appoint a Party Treasurer or Nominating Officer for a maximum period of 6 months or until an election to the post of Party Treasurer or Nominating Officer can be held if that date is earlier.
8.5 The Party Treasurer and Nominating Officer will each be one of three National Officers, and may be required to submit reports to General Meetings, Biennial General Meetings or Extraordinary General meetings as appropriate.
9.1 The Executive Board may amend this Constitution under the following circumstances:
a) with at least 50% support of those voting in a ballot of all Party Members.
b) with at least 60% support of those voting at a General Meeting, Extraordinary General Meeting or Biennial General Meeting.
c) with at least 75% support of those attending at a meeting or online vote of the Executive Board.
This Constitution was agreed by the Executive Board on
Party Leader / Treasurer: Raymond James Smith
Date: 16/10/2016
Nominating Officer: Paul Robinson
Date: 16/10/2016
Technology Officer: Philip John
Date: 16/10/2016