Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (10)

 

Draft New Conservative Party Constitution (10)

Review of the Conservative Party Constitution - Phase 5

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

Suggested changes:

We have now moved onto to Phase 5, which covers provisions relating to:

Constitutional Review Discussion Paper Phase 5b – Q2 2026

This Phase covers the following topics:

 • Part IV – The Board of the Conservative Party

 • Part IX – Recognised Organisations (plus Specialist Groups and Other Bodies)

 

Proposals:

IV-1 There shall be a Board, which shall be the supreme decision-making body in respect of Party organisation and management (with the Leader being responsible for determining political policy and political strategy, notwithstanding [clause X]). The members of the Board shall be: 4There shall be a Board, which shall be the supreme decision-making body in respect of Party organisation and management (with the Leader being responsible for determining political policy and political strategy, notwithstanding [clause X]). The members of the Board shall be:

The Chairman of the Conservative Party, appointed by the Leader, who shall be Chairman of the Board. In the event that the Leader appoints two or more Co Chairmen, the Leader shall designate which of them shall be Chairman of the Board for the purposes of this clause. The other(s) shall not be a member of the Board unless by virtue of fulfilling another position.

Two Deputy Chairmen of the Party, namely The Chairman of the National Conservative Convention (elected pursuant to [clause X]) who shall chair meetings in the absence of the Chairman of the Conservative Party.

A Deputy Chairman appointed by the Leader. If the Leader appoints more than one Deputy Chairman of the Party, they shall designate which of these shall fill this position, with others not being members of the Board, unless by virtue of filling another position.

DELETE all of the above.

INSERT as follows:

There shall be established and maintained a Board of the Conservative Party (referred to in this constitution as “the Board”). The Board shall consist of:

12.1                   The Chairman of the Conservative Party (“the Chairman of the Board”) elected by the members of the Party in Annual Meeting, who will chair the Board.

12.2                   Three Deputy Chairmen

12.2.1                   One of whom shall be Chairman of the National Conservative Convention and, 

12.2.2                   Two of whom shall be elected by the Party members in Annual Meeting.

 

The Chairman of the Party should be elected by the ordinary Party members at an Annual General Meeting to which all members are invited.

IV-3 12.4 Insert before Chairman “elected”

IV -4 12.5 Insert before Chairman “elected”

                                       12.6 Insert before Chairman “elected”

                                       12.7 Insert before Chairman “elected”

                                       12.8 Insert before Chairman “elected”

IV-4 12.9 Insert: The Chairman of the Northern Ireland Conservative Party.

 

12.7 Delete: “The Treasurer of the Party, who shall be appointed by the Leader”.

!2.7 Insert  “The Treasurer of the Party who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Party”

IV-8 17 DELETE The Board shall have power to do anything which, in its opinion, relates to the management and administration of the Party.

This clause makes the rest of the Party Constitution irrelevant.   It has been used many times to override the Constitution and should therefore be abolished.

Insert “The Board shall oversee all activities within the Party and  be responsible for:

 

17.2 Keep the existing wording :  the review and approval of the Party’s annual budgets, the monitoring of financial performance and the production and publication of annual accounts;

Delete the proposed wording: Approving and regularly monitoring budgets Approving annual accounts in line with statutory requirements.

17.3 What does this mean? – “The Party’s Nominating Officer (and approving a process for delegating authority to nominate the Party’s candidates at elections)”   How does this fit in with the Committee on Candidates?

17.19  Delete: Determining and overseeing a procedure for the election of the Leader, pursuant to [clause X]

Does this mean that the procedure for electing the Leader is now determined by the Party Board and not the 1922 Committee?   The clause should be deleted.   The procedure for electing the Leader should be in the main body of the Party Constitution.   On too many occasions the rules have been changed!

IV-10-19 Insert: The Chairman of the Candidates Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Party to which all members are invited.

 

Recognised Organisations, Specialist Groups and Other Bodies

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