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The Constitution

Fairer Voting Party Constitution

  1. Party Name
    1. The Party is known as the “Fairer Voting Party” and shall be registered at the Electoral Commission as such. It shall be referred to in this Constitution as the ‘Party”.
    2. The Party founder is David Allen.
    3. The Party shall be duly registered with the Electoral Commission in Great Britain.
    4. The Party in Scotland, and Wales may append their country name as follows, as appropriate to the circumstances.
      1. Fairer Voting Party Scotland or The Scottish Fairer Voting Party.
      2. Fairer Voting Party Wales or The Welsh Fairer Voting Party.
  2. Party Structure
    1. The party’s governance will be by the Fairer Voting Party Management Committee, hereinafter called the committee and will comprise of the Leader, The Treasurer and The Nominations Officer.
    2. Initially these roles will be undertaken by David Allen (Leader and Treasurer) and Lloyd Allen (Nominations Officer). In the event of the death or resignation of either David Allen or Lloyd Allen, the remaining committee member will assume the authority to appoint new members to the committee and be responsible for the statutory reporting of such.
    3. The party adopts the financial scheme provided with the registration application and headed Financial Scheme, Fairer Voting Party.
    4. Changes to officers, or additions to the committee will be notified to the Electoral Commission within the statutory timeframes.
    5. Roles and responsibilities
      1. Leader
        1. The leader will be responsible for directing activities commensurate with the party’s objectives. The leader will also appoint officers as and when required.
      2. Treasurer
        1. The treasurer is responsible for managing the financial and reporting requirements in accordance with the party’s financial scheme and statutory obligations.
      3. Nominations Officer
        1. The nominations officer is responsible for all things to do with candidature and elections in accordance with the statutory obligations.
  1. Principles and Philosophy
    1. Purpose
      1. The purpose of the party is to stand candidates in local and national elections, to seek electoral support for constitutional changes as described in the book ‘The Living Vote’ by David Allen, which will be the party’s manifesto and sole objective, and hitherto referred to in this document as the ‘manifesto’. 
      2. The objective is to garner electoral support to the extent that the government of the day will grant a referendum based upon the proposals in the manifesto.
    2. Values
      1. The Party will promote this objective with the intention of establishing a much wider and proportional exercise in the delegated authority of Parliament. We seek better government and wider representation and to achieve this we will conduct ourselves in accordance with the natural and formal concepts of the rule of law, justice, freedom of speech, civility, and peaceful engagement. Fairer and more equitable political representation is the key to improving governance for all.
      2. To these ends, we will discharge all our political objectives with responsible financial management, prudence, and probity.
    3. Principles
      1. The Party is a supporter-based organisation.
      2. The Party will function, financially, on supporter donations, including those from the leader. Merchandising will also be used.
      3. The Party will expect from its committee, candidates and prominent supporters, a high standard of conduct and civility.
  2. Supporters
    1. Description
      1. Supporters are people who register as supporters of the party and make financial donations to the party. They are members of the party in all but name and for the purposes of the structure and standing of an unincorporated association.
    2. Qualification
      1. Becoming a supporter is open to any person lawfully allowed to donate to UK political parties. 
    3. Mechanism
      1. Supporter’s donations will be recognized by the allocation of a “supporter’s number” which will remain active until the resignation or dismissal of the supporter, or when periodic donations cease, or sizeable donations expire after a period to be determined by the committee.
    4. Voting
      1. The committee will decide on all issues by majority vote, taking into account the opinions of supporters.
  3. Leader
    1. Appointment
      1. By virtue of being the founder David Allen will automatically be the leader until resignation or death.
  4. Service Period and Succession
    1. The Party leader will serve until resignation or death. Upon such events the committee will appoint a new leader and treasurer from the supporter base or, alternatively, dissolve the party.
  5. Role and Responsibility
    1. The leader is responsible for the achievement of the party’s political aims.
  6. Party Committee
    1. Positions and Roles
      1. The party’s day to day management will be by the committee.
    2. Meetings
      1. The committee will meet on a monthly basis for formal reporting of the party’s financial position, its adherence to statutory reporting requirements and strategic matters.
      2. Naturally, informal and regular contact between officers will be ongoing.
    3. Appointments
      1. Party officers will be appointed by the committee.
  7. Policy Development
    1. Policy
      1. The single policy is represented by the manifesto.
  8. Candidates
    1. Public Elections
      1. Qualification
      2. Candidates must be a party supporter with a current supporter’s number. They must obtain the necessary support and pay the appropriate fees before candidacy can be confirmed. Candidates must undergo a qualifications assessment, after which, and if they are successful a candidate qualification certificate will be issued.
      3. Selection
      4. Candidates will be required to undergo a selection process as determined by the committee.
      5. Suspension
      6. Candidates in breach of the values and principles of the party will risk invalidation of their supporter’s status.
      7. Fees
      8. In the event of suspension, revocation, illness, or any other matter that prevents the candidature from proceeding to the election, any fees paid will, by default be forfeit, though such forfeit may be rescinded by the committee.
  9. Associated Organisations
    1. The Party will work with other organisations and associations as appropriate and where commonality of purpose exists.
  10. Code of Conduct
    1. Elected officials
      1. Must at all times:
      2. Observe the highest standards of propriety and regularity involving impartiality, integrity and objectivity in relationship to the stewardship of party and public funds.
      3. Be accountable to users of services, the community and, through their elected office for the activities within their responsibilities, their stewardship of public funds and ensure all reasonable requests for information from their office for users of services and individual citizens are complied with and that departments and their staff conduct their dealings with the public in an open and responsible way.
      4. To follow the seven principles of public life set out by the Committee on Standards in Public life.
      5. Comply with this code and with rules relating to the use of public funds; co-operate in a way conducive to promoting good community relations and equality of treatment; not use information gained in the course of their service for personal gain; nor seek to use the opportunity of public service to promote their private interests; ensure they comply with any rules on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality that might be offered; declare any personal or business interests which may conflict with their responsibilities. Where there exists a register of interests. Individuals must ensure that any direct or indirect pecuniary interests which members of the public might reasonably think could influence their judgement are listed.
    2. Party Officers
      1. Observe the highest standards of propriety and regularity involving impartiality, integrity, and objectivity in relationship to the stewardship of party funds.
      2. Not to use information gained in the course of their service for personal gain; nor seek to use the opportunity of party office to promote their private interests; ensure they comply with any rules on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality that might be offered; declare any personal or business interests which may conflict with their responsibilities.
  11. Conflict Resolution
    1. Disciplinary Code
      1. Supporters, officers, and elected officials alike will be subject to impartial disciplinary actions for conduct that breaches the code of conduct or for other matters not specifically detailed but clearly to not be in the interests of the party.
      2. Complaints may be made to the committee who will then be required to determine actions to be taken.
      3. Formal receipt of a complaint will be made as will the timescale for appropriate actions to be taken. The complainant will receive a formal notification of the outcome.
      4. The committee will be responsible for overseeing the disciplinary process and ensuring that it is progressed in accordance with the procedure.
  12. Constitutional Changes
    1. Constitutional changes can be proposed by the leader or the committee and adopted by the committee by vote.
    2. Changes to the constitution will be notified to the Electoral Commission withing the statutory timescales.
  1. Dissolution
    1. In the event that the committee should decide to dissolve the party, all accrued and uncommitted funds will be donated to a similar organisation, probably a political party, whose political aspirations most closely align with the aims and objectives of the Fairer Voting Party.