Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (1)

 A Draft New Conservative Party Constitution has been issued.   I set out below various comments on particular clauses.   I welcome any comments.

41.4 comply with the objects of Associations as set out in Paragraph 2 of Schedule 7 or 7a of this Constitution; No change (except for updating references) Should this go further, e.g. referring to the Defining an Association criteria or other Board guidelines issued from time to time?

1) Schedule 7a RULES OF THE CONSERVATIVE FEDERATION should be deleted.

a) Throughout Conservative Party history Federations have been created and then abolished.    The reason is quite simple: the House of Commons is based on Constituencies.   These are the building bricks of Parliament, so Conservative Party organisation should be similarly based.

b) This does not stop Constituency Associations from getting together on an ad hoc basis or collaborating on particular items with each other.   Each Association should be able to decide these matters for itself.

c) Federations are another level of bureaucracy which the Party can do without.

 Should this go further, e.g. referring to the Defining an Association criteria or other Board guidelines issued from time to time?

No!   Defining an Association's criteria or other Board guidelines muddies the waters and gives opportunities to increase the powers of CCHQ without reference to the Party members.