Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (8)

 Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (8)

Review of the Conservative Party Constitution - Phase 3

Document sent to Party members by the Chairman of the National Convention, Julian Ellacott 29 January 2026

Suggested changes:

Sch 7-24     15   SELECTION OF CANDIDATES

Proposal:

The Association shall be subject to rules set down by the Board in respect of selection of candidates for public election (including but not restricted to Parliamentary, Mayoral and local government), which shall be based on the principle of members being central to the choice of candidate, as set out in Part [X].

The remainder of Paragraph 15 – Selection of Candidates to be taken out into a new Part of the Constitution (covered in Phase 5 (which will make clear that the principle of member choice will apply).

This is appalling! Why should the unaccountable Board determine how candidates are selected?   Why do we have to wait for Phase 5 to know what is being proposed.   The way things are going Phase 5 might consist of one paragraph:

The Board will decide everything and the members can like it of lump it, and will be unable to do anything about it!

Proposed:

15.1 to 15.3.2 all deleted

Sch-25 16 TRUSTEES

Existing:

16.1     All the freehold, leasehold and other property of the Association and its Branches, save only cash in hand and monies on current or deposit account with the bank, shall be vested in not less than two nor more than four Trustees (who shall be members of the Party) appointed to hold office as Trustees by the Association at a General Meeting or in a corporate trustee approved by the Party Board.

Proposals:

All the freehold, leasehold and other property of the Association, including its Branches, save only cash in hand and monies on current or deposit account with the bank, shall be vested in not less than three nor more than four Trustees (who shall be members of the Party) appointed to hold office as Trustees by the Association at a General Meeting and to include a corporate trustee approved by the Party Board.

The process for election of Trustees shall be the same as that for election of Officers, in relation to nomination and balloting.

Should Trustees have a fixed term of more than one year (given the heavy administration required to register new trustees)? 

or 5 year term with a cycle?

Majority control of the corporate trustee shall comprise members of the National Convention, nominated by the Chairman of the National Convention and ratified by the Board.

All assets held in trust must be specifically identified in the Annual Constituency Report and Accounts.

Should there be a restriction that trustees cannot be current or recent Association Officers?

How should this be broadened to include limited companies which own assets on behalf of Associations?

The Trustees should be elected annually with a five limit to their term in office.

It is not clear whether the “corporate trustee relate to a National position or a Constituency position.   If a Constituency corporate Trustee a majority of members should be Constituency Trustees.

A majority of the Directors of limited companies which own assets on behalf of Associations should be Association trustees.

Constituency Trustees should not be current officers of the Association.

Existing:

16.2     All property of the Association for the time being vested in the Trustees and the proceeds of sale and the income thereof shall be held upon trust for the Association absolutely, and the Trustees shall execute a trust deed in such form as the Board shall from time to time determine and such form as from time to time so determined shall form part of the Mandatory Rules under this Schedule.

Proposed:

All property of the Association for the time being vested in the Trustees and the proceeds of sale and the income thereof shall be held upon trust for the Association absolutely, and the Trustees shall execute a trust deed in such form as the Board shall from time to time determine.

In order to protect the Association’s assets and ensure their use in line with the objectives of the Party the Trustees must keep the trust deed up to date and in line with any model trust deed approved by the Board from time to time.

The latest version of Associations’ trust deeds must be lodged with the corporate trustee.

The Board may set out mandatory training for Trustees.

The Executive Council shall have the power to issue Directions to the Trustees.

Any leases or licences between Trustees and elected representatives of the Party must include provisions which require termination upon such representative’s membership of the Party being resigned or terminated.

Agree with the proposals.   They seem sensible safeguards.

That’s it folks!   As yet we have not seen the final draft of the rule book or Phases 4and 5   The Selection of Candidates is still to be reviewed.   What is abundantly clear is that if these proposal all go through the Conservative Party as a members organization is finished.   The Party will be run and dominated by the large donors.   Inevitably this will lead to the gradual decline of the Conservative Party as a political organization.