Friday, December 7, 2018

Proposed Changes to the Conservative Party Constitution


Proposed Changes to the Conservative Party Constitution – December 8th 2018

The following changes to the Party’s Constitution are being proposed at a meeting of the National Convention on Saturday December 8th 2018:
1)      “Candidates Committee to establish Approved Lists for Welsh and Northern Irish Assembly Members, Police & Crime Commissioners and Elected Mayors.”

The Candidates Committee is wholly appointed, unelected and unaccountable to party members. This is a further tightening of central control of the Conservative Party.   Since this central control was established after the new Constitution of the Party was `one with an overall majority.   In the same period before this centralisation there were five General Elections of which the Party won four. Q.E.D.

2)      Removal of Past Area and Regional Chairmen from National Convention.

Historical knowledge of the Convention will be lost.   Why reduce the size of the Convention?

3)      “A Volunteer to be known as “The Voluntary Political Director of the Conservative policy Forum” shall be elected by the National Conservative Convention, for a term of three years.   Their responsibilities shall include co-ordination of the policy-related activities of the Associations, Areas and Regions.”

A power grab by the Convention.   Why isn’t the Director elected by the Party membership?   Why is the election for three years?   Where is accountability if the person elected does nothing?   Who determines which candidates can stand for election?   An opportunity  to make the Party more democratic has been lost.

4)      “A Vice-Chairman to be appointed by the board on the recommendation of the chairman of the National Convention whose responsibilities shall include reporting to the board on the work of the CPF.”

More power of patronage given to the Chairman of the Convention!

5)      Schedule 3 Article 5 Nominees for officers of the National Convention to have been Convention members for the two preceding years.
Schedule 3 Article 6 Nominees for President must have been a current member of the Board at the time of nomination.

These enshrine “Gubbins Turn” into the Constitution. Why do they not trust the members of the Convention to take these matters into account when voting?

6)      Schedule 5 Article 14 Removal of the right to stand for more than one regional post as it can leave unfilled positions when using postal or online ballots.

Why is that?   So now if you stand as Regional Co-ordinator and lose you cannot also stand as Deputy Regional Co-ordinator?

7)      Schedule 6 Article 14 If an Association officer is removed by the Board, the replacement does not have to be a member of the Association or Area management Executive if the Board so decides.

More power to the Board, so they can just fly in a CCHQ apparatchik to take control!

8)      Rule 5.7 Removal of the right of Association Officers to be voting members of all committees and branches.

This reduces the powers of Association officers.   Bad move.

9)      Rule 13.3 Removal of Chairman’s casting vote to bring into line with selection rules.

???

10)  Schedule 1 Article 1.2 Clarify Definition of 1922 Committee

No information given as to what this definition will be?

11)  Schedule 6 Article 6 The Chairman of the Committee on Candidates (sub Committee of the Board) shall be nominated by the Chairman of the National Conservative Convention.

More patronage for the Chairman.   Why isn’t this position elected by and accountable to Party members?