Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (14)

 

Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (14)

The following clauses are from existing Schedule 6.

 Candidate Selection – Committee on Candidates

NP- 1   7

Proposed by CCHQ

Remove reference to English Parliament and PCCs; refer to Senedd and add Combined Authority Mayors.

Provide the option for a mechanism for mutual recognition of candidates with the Scottish Party?

These points are agreed but still no reference to the Northern Ireland Assembly.   Why not?

8

Proposed by CCHQ:

The Candidates Committee shall prepare a procedure for the selection and review of applicants onto the Approved Lists and submit that procedure to the Board for prior approval.

The Candidates Committee shall from time to time prepare mandatory rules as to the procedure by which Associations and other bodies select candidates for all or any public elections and submit that procedure to the Board for prior approval and publication.

This is an improvement on what was originally proposed.   At least now The Board has to give approval.   However the Board requires radical reform if it is to perform this function.

The following clauses are from existing Schedule 7/7A.

15.1  The Executive Council shall when required establish a Candidate Selection Committee, the members of which shall be:

15.1.1          The Chairman of the Association;

15.1.2          Other members of the Association appointed by the Executive Council in accordance with guidance published by the Committee on Candidates of the Board (as established under Schedule 6 of the Party Constitution);

15.1.3          The Agent, who will act as Secretary to the Candidates Selection Committee, and not be entitled to vote;

15.1.4          Such person as is appointed by the Board of the Party for the purpose, who shall be invited to attend all meetings of the committee in an advisory capacity and not be entitled to vote.

 

CCHQ:

This is essentially the Sift Committee.  Should we enshrine it at this level of detail in the Constitution or leave this to the rules to be set by the Board, or something in between?

Change reference to Agent to cover or other staff.

This wording must be kept so that if the Board decide to alter it members are made aware.

15.2  Selection of Parliamentary Candidates

15.2.1          Whenever it may be necessary to initiate the procedure to adopt a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, the Candidate Selection Committee shall, through the Chairman or other Officer of the Association, act in consultation with the Committee of the Board on Candidates and, as far as is practicable, shall follow the procedure published by the Committee on Candidates of the Board (as established under Schedule 6 of the Constitution). In any case the following procedure shall apply:

 

CCHQ: This is essentially the Selection Council and Member Meeting.  Should we enshrine it at this level of detail in the Constitution or leave this to the rules to be set by the Board, or something in between?

This wording must be kept so that if the Board decide to alter it members are made aware.

PER CCHQ: In the event of the motion to readopt a sitting Member of Parliament being passed, no further approvals are required.

This is to clarify that no member SGM is needed (which is a query often raised).

I am not surprised that this question is often raised.   The motion should be put to all members of the Constituency Association for their agreement at a General Meeting.   I remember John Major complaining to me that some MPs packed their Executives with family members so that they could not be removed!   This was not unusual!

Per CCHQ:

14          The Board may refuse or withdraw the membership of an Association.

 Clauses 16-19   Detail – for Rulebook (if it needs retaining at all)?

These details are necessary to ensure that there is a fair process in place and should be kept.

Proposed by CCHQ:

22.3 A Conservative group on a local authority shall not enter any formal arrangement with another political party or grouping without the prior consent of the Party Chairman, with such consent being coordinated by the CCA.

What about an informal agreement, and what is the difference?

Association of Conservative Clubs

25          (i)           Where a Conservative Club is affiliated to the Association of Conservative Clubs and a subscription, donation or per capita payment is made on behalf of the members of the Club to the Association in which the Club is situated, those members should be deemed to be Club members of the Conservative Party (hereafter referred to as Club members). (i)  Club members shall become Party members upon payment of such appropriate subscription as shall be determined by the Board from time to time. (iii)               In order to represent a Club or the ACC in a representative capacity within the Party such a representative must be a Party member.

Is this still relevant/does this need changing?

Probably!

I was hoping that eventually the Party would see sense and create a democratic Constitution.   It was not to be.   The Dictatorship, unaccountability of the Party Board and layers of bureaucracy remain.   Transparency in the Party is zero.   Why cannot membership figures be given on a 6 monthly basis so we van have an idea as to what Party members are feeling or do the hierarchy fear that membership is into a serious decline.   On the other hand perhaps that is what they want, so then they would not have to bother with members!

 

A History of the Conservative Party Constitution (Episode 3) July 1997

 Moving towards a Conservative Party Constitution.

Jon Sopel interviews John Strafford and Theresa May

Changes to the Conservative Party Constitution Phase 7

Here we go again.   Has your Constituency Chairman told you about this?   Comments to follow! 

Email sent by Julian Ellacott, Chairman of the National Convention on 30 July.   

Dear John, Thank you to the many of you who provided your input in response to the previous phases of consultation on changes to the Party Constitution. The responses have been analysed and draft text updated as a result. To recap on the process, we are reviewing the Constitution in phases, covering different topics, starting last year and running until later this year. Once all sections of the Constitution have been covered all of the proposed changes will be put to a vote (in line with the Constitution). We have now moved onto to Phase 7, which covers the following sections: Wording from various existing Schedules relating to candidate selection, proposed to be consolidated into its own new section along with additional principles relating to selection processes Schedule 6 – Further Rules of the Party The document setting out suggested changes and questions for your consideration is here.

Phase 7 Discussion paper Please review the document and then use the following online survey to submit your views on these topics. The consultation will close on Tuesday 18 August. There will be an online call at 6.00pm on Monday 17 August for you to discuss these topics and provide your input.   Please use this link to register for the call in advance. Association and Federation Chairmen are also encouraged to share this consultation with your fellow Officers, Executive Councils, staff and any particularly interested members, and host local meetings to discuss it and provide feedback (as some of you did for previous Phases). If you wish to submit marked up text instead, please download the discussion document above, mark up the text in the first column, and email as an attachment to national.convention@conservatives.com, or if you prefer a freeform text response, just email it to the same address. Thank you in for your participation in this important task. Yours, Julian Ellacott Chairman of the National Convention and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee

A History of the Conservative Party Constitution (Episode 2)

 June 1997

The Establishment fights back. Archie Hamilton, the new Chairman of the 1922 Committee is not keen on democracy!

Will the 1922 Committee fight back on changes to the Party Constitution?

 

With Lord Graham Brady at the Conservative's Flackwell Heath branch Summer Party held on 3 July.   Supper was organised and hosted by the lovely Kirsty Griffiths and her husband Rob.   I put two questions to Lord Brady as follow:

1) Under the present Conservative Party Constitution the Executive of the 1922 Committee determines the rules for the Leadership Election after consultation with the Party Board.   Under the proposed new Constitution to be implemented  on 1 January 2027 this is changed to "The Party Board will determine the Rules for the Leadership Election." (nothing about consulting with the 1922 Committee!)   Does he agree with this change?

Lord Brady's response "Under the present Constitution any change has to be agreed by a majority of the 1922 Committee. I would be surprised if they agree to it!"

2) Recently Rishi Sunak said that his greatest regret as Leader of the Conservative Party was not being elected by the ordinary members of the Conservative Party, because if he had been so elected he would have been able to put forward his proposals on policy and know that the voluntary Party supported him.

Lord Brady responded "There were several hustings meetings at which Rishi could have put forward his Agenda"   

Under the present Party Constitution if a Leader is the only candidate for election, the new Leader and the Party Board can order a vote of the Party membership to endorse the new Leader.   This is what William Hague did after he was elected by just the Conservative MPs!    Rishi could have done the same!

A History of the Conservative Party Constitution-Episode 1

 In June 1997 the Conservative Party set out to elect a new Leader after the General Election defeat. A Constitution for the Party had been proposed, but the Establishment closed ranks to stop it! Archie Norman sets out his views. John Strafford responds!

Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (13)

 

Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (13)

I have given many comments on Schedule 7 of the Constitution (see below), so I will not repeat them, other than to say that the Establishment have maintained their grip on control of the Party.   However there are a few points that ought to be looked at again.   They are as follow:

Proposed by CCHQ:

Schedule VII-7 Refusal of membership or expulsion from an Association

To be removed, subject to legal check – it most likely duplicates material in Membership section.

How can you put forward something that requires a legal check?   What if it doesn’t duplicate material in the Membership section? Sloppy!

Schedule 7- 7 Officers

Proposed by CCHQ:

A Treasurer

Agreed good common sense

Proposed  by CCHQ: An individual shall not be eligible for election as Association Chairman where they are, in relation to any part of the geographic area covered by the Association:

(a) a councillor of a principal local authority;

(b) an elected Mayor;

(c) a Member of Parliament;

(d) a Member of the Welsh Senedd;

(e) a Member of the Scottish Parliament; or

(f) a candidate for any of

(b) to (e) above.

   Where an Association Chairman, after election as Chairman, is elected or selected to any role listed above, and that role relates to any part of the geographic area covered by the Association, they must stand down as Chairman at the next Annual General Meeting.

This is an improvement on the Party Constitution and should be applauded subject to the following:

Insert: after (e) “a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly; or”

Delete: “(b) to (e) above”

Insert: “(a) to (f) above”

Delete: “at the next Annual General Meeting”

Insert: after stand down as Chairman “and a meeting of the Executive Council called to elect a new Chairman as per Schedule 7-8 5.6.

If you are a Candidate for any of the above there is a conflict of interest in your role as a Candidate which is a political role, and and accountable as such to the Party and the role of Chairman responsible for the Party organisation.

Existing Constitution

Sch 7 -13

6.5.11 The Executive Council shall have the power (subject to any resolutions of the Association made at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting) to deal with all matters affecting the Association and its membership, and to exercise control over all Branches and specialist committees or groups.

Proposed by CCHQ:

The Executive Council shall have all powers necessary (subject to any resolutions of the Association made at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting) to meet the purpose of the Association provided that their actions do not contradict the purpose of the Party or objective of the Association, or any direction from the Board.

Delete: “or any direction from the Board”

The Board could direct anything.   Why should it have that power?

Proposed by CCHQ:

6.5.3 The Association’s representatives on its Area Council shall be the Chairman, Deputy Chairman Political and Deputy Chairman Membership and Finance. For Associations covering more than one constituency, the Constituency Officer (for each constituency) plus two further representatives living in each constituency, elected by the Executive Council, shall also be members of the Area Council.

Delete: entire clause.

Insert “All members of the Association shall be members of the Area Council and the Regional Council”

If we want a democratic Party then ordinary members should be able to attend and vote at Area and Regional meetings.   The Conservative Party abolished pyramid democracy in the Trade Unions.   Why allow it in the Conservative Party?

Sch 7 22

Proposed by CCHQ

A motion at any meeting of the Association shall be carried on a majority vote, unless provided for otherwise by the Board.

Delete: “unless provided for otherwise by the Board”

What is the point of voting if the Board can overrule it?

Proposed:

Sch 7 23

14.1 The Board shall set rules for the resolution of disputes.

What Rules?

 

Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (12) - the Rulebook!

As this is the third draft of Schedule 7 I was hoping that many of the suggestions made on the first draft would have been taken up.   Not a chance!   Once again we have the undemocratic Party Board increasing its power.   The bureaucracy gets worse.   In addition to this large chunks of Schedule 7 have been moved to the "Rulebook" - whatever that is.    I will make some detailed comments later but in the meantime just what is the "Rulebook?"   Has anyone seen it?   Is it part of the Constitution?   Who controls it?   Can it be changed and if so how and who by?   Will ordinary Party members have any say in it or will it just be changed by the Party Board or the National Convention without the ordinary members being informed?   Will every member get a copy of it?

I think we should be told!

Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (12)

Email sent by Julian Ellacott: 23 May 2026: Finally, following the consultation on Schedules 7/7A earlier in the year, the comments received have been analysed and an updated draft produced. Given its significance, we are circulating the draft to enable any further comment – if you have any comments, please email national.convention@conservatives.com. The updated draft is here. Thank you in for your participation in this important task.

Yours sincerely, Julian Ellacott Chairman of the National Convention and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee

Constitutional Review Post-Consultation Paper – Exposure Draft 2 (May 2026)

Phase 3 (consulted on in Q1 2026;)

This Phase covers the following topics:

·       Part VII – Associations

Schedule 7/Schedule 7A – template Rules of Associations/Federations

Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (11)

 

Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (11)

Review of the Conservative Party Constitution - Phase 6

Document sent to Party members by the Chairman of the National Convention, Julian Ellacott  23 May 2026:

We have now moved onto to Phase 6, which covers the following sections:

- Part I – the Party’s Purpose

- Part XIII and Schedule 9 – Changes to the Constitution

- Part XIV – Commencement Provisions

- Part XV and Schedule 1 – Interpretation

 

Proposals:

Part XIII Changes to the Constitution - these continue the totally undemocratic ways in which the Constitution is changed.

My Proposed Changes, Delete: the whole of Part XIII

Insert: PART XIII

CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION

90     Subject to the provisions of Article 91 below, this Constitution may be amended or changed provided that the amendment or change is approved by

90.1        not less than 60% of Party members voting  in favour of the amendment or change at an Annual Meeting or Special General Meeting to which all Party members have been  invited.

90.2    not less than 50% of Party members present and voting at the Annual Meeting or Special General Meeting to which all Party members have been  invited.

 

91          Notice of the proposed adoption, amendment, change, or repeal of the Constitution shall be given with the notice convening the meeting of the Party at which such proposed adoption, amendment, change or repeal is to be considered.

92          The provisions of Schedule 9 to this Constitution shall have effect.

 

The Current proposals by CCHQ give huge powers to the Party Board, who are unaccountable to ordinary Party members.

Proposal:

My Proposed Changes, Delete: The whole of Schedule 9

Insert: Schedule 9

1      Any proposal to amend this Constitution may be initiated by the following:

1.1                 A resolution of the National Conservative Convention;

1.2                 A petition, delivered to the Chairman of the Board, signed by not less than 10,000 Party members.

1.3                 A resolution of the Board;

1.4                 A resolution of the Executive of the 1922 Committee.

1.5          A resolution of an Annual or Special General Meeting to which all Party members have been invited. This shall be submitted in the form of a Notice of Motion provided it has first received the endorsement of either a Regional Council to which all Party members in the Region have been invited, or the Executive Councils of ten Constituency Associations and authority has been given for it to be moved at the meeting by a representative nominated for that  purpose.

 2      Upon receipt of the resolution, the Chairman of the Board shall notify all members in writing of a proposed ballot on a motion for the change of the Constitution. The notification shall:

2.1             state the terms of the motion;

2.2                                                                        state the return date, time and address for ballot papers, not being a date less than 28 days, nor more than 56 days from the date of notification of the ballot. This notification shall be given with the notice convening the meeting of the Party at which such proposed adoption, amendment, change or repeal is to be considered.

 

3          This Constitution may be amended or changed provided that the amendment or change is approved by

3.1   not less than 60% of Party members voting  in favour of the amendment or change at an Annual Meeting or Special General Meeting to which all Party members have been  invited.

3.2   not less than 50% of Party members attending the meeting, voted at the Annual Meeting or Special General Meeting to which all Party members have been  invited.

 At present the ordinary Party member has no say in the Party Constitution.   The Party Board is unaccountable to the  members.   If the Conservative Party  is to be a genuinely democratic Party this has to change.

                   There are parts of the Constitution which are changed without the members having any say or having any knowledge of the change until that change is published.   For example, the Rules on the Selection of Candidates are changed  every year by the Candidates Committee and members have no say in these changes.   Similarly the Rules for the Leadership election are changed without the members knowing about the change until it is published as a fait accompli.   Sub-Committees of the Party Board or indeed the Party Board itself should not be allowed to change the Constitution.   They can make recommendations, but it should be up to the members of the Party to agree rule changes.