Submission from E. Butler

PROPOSED THIRTEENTH EDITION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY BY EDDY BUTLER

SECTION 1: POLITICAL OBJECTIVES

1) The British National Party shall be a political party which shall be referred to throughout the rest of this Constitution as “the party”.

2) The political objectives of the party are set out in the following Statement of Principles:-

(a) The British National Party is a party of British Nationalism committed to the principle of national sovereignty in all British affairs. It is pledged to the restoration of the unity and integrity of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It believes that the peoples of the entire British Isles, and their descendants overseas, form a single brotherhood, and is pledged therefore to adapt or create political, cultural, economic and military institutions with the aim of fostering the closest possible partnership between them.

(b) The British National Party stands for the preservation of the national character of the British people. It is therefore committed to stemming the tide of immigration to Britain.

(c) The British National Party is pledged to the maintenance of a private-enterprise economy operating within a broad framework of national economic policy. It is opposed to international monopoly capitalism and to laissez-faire free trade and free movement of plant and capital. Social stability and contentment is best achieved by the many enjoying a personal stake in our society. Accordingly, we believe that private property should be encouraged and spread to as many individual members of our nation as possible. We recognise that finance exists to serve the nation and its industries, rather than the other way around.

(d) The British National Party is implacably opposed to Marxism and liberal-capitalist globalism, which undermine our standard of living, human and ecological welfare, freedom and national identity.

(e) The British National Party stands for a policy of armed neutrality in international and military affairs. We are pledged to ensure that the lives of British servicemen are not risked in international quarrels in which no national interest of our own is at stake.

(f) The British National Party will introduce a Bill of Rights, establishing as absolute the right of all British people to effective freedom of speech, assembly and worship. The undemocratic power of the mass media and vested interest groups will be curbed and tougher penalties introduced for corruption in public affairs. We favour a devolved, democratic system in which political decisions are made by ordinary citizens at the most local level of government possible. We are pledged to extend and rejuvenate democratic government by returning to Parliament the powers that have been appropriated by the EU.

3) Any changes of policy such as may be needed to adapt to changing circumstances are permissible only insofar as they do not run contrary to any of the aforementioned principles.

SECTION 2: MEMBERSHIP

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3) Membership of the party shall be open only to those who are 16 years of age or over.

4) The national leadership of the party shall have the sole right to determine the annual subscription payable by members of the party, subject to the provision that any change on the subscription rate determined during any year shall not take effect until the 1st January of the following year.

5) All new members of the party shall remain probationary members for twenty four months from the date of joining and can have their membership terminated by the party’s National Chairman or by a national officer authorised by him without recourse to the disciplinary procedure laid down in Section 6.

6) All rights and privileges of membership of the party shall be withheld from any persons who allow their subscriptions to fall into arrears.

7) No member of the party shall be a member of another political party.

8) The elected National Chairman of the party, or any party official authorised by him, shall be empowered to refuse, without giving reasons, any new application for membership considered not to be in the interests of the party.

9) Persons joining the British National Party agree to work within the party’s Constitution and the principles outlined in Section 1.

10) A person who pays to be a Life Member still has to serve a two year probationary period and cannot stand for the post of National Chairman for five years. The full disciplinary provisions of Section 6 apply to Life Members.

11) To initiate disciplinary action against a probationary member, the Regional Organiser should report the probationary member to the National Chairman or to the national officer authorised by him, outlining the offence and the recommended action. Within 21 days the National Chairman or to the national officer authorised by him must decide upon the action to be taken and inform the probationary member of the decision or the matter would fall.

12) A member with over twenty four months continuous membership is to be known as a full member.

SECTION 3: PARTY LEADERSHIP

1) Once elected, the National Chairman shall have full executive power over all the political affairs of the party. This will include:

(a) Power of appointment to all the Regional Organisers, and all political National Officers chosen from among the Advisory Council members. In general the Party Chairman appoints to political roles (e.g. Elections, Communications, Publications, Publicity, Policy, Education and training, discipline and disputes).

(b) Power to determine all routine executive, policy and tactical decisions made by the party.

2) The Deputy Chairman shall have full executive power over all administrative affairs of the party (with the exception of the power to appoint Regional Organisers). This will include:

(a) Power of appointment to Administrative roles (e.g. the National Treasurer, the National Organiser, Staff Manager, Events Manager, Fundraising Manager and other roles as required).

(b) Power to determine, and where necessary change, all administrative, organisational structures within the party and to determine all rules and procedures whereby such structures are governed.

3) Any disagreement as to where the boundaries of the remit of the National Chairman or the Deputy Chairman lies will be decided by the Advisory Council.

4) While the National Chairman or the Deputy Chairman may at his discretion delegate decision making powers to individual colleagues or to assemblies of his colleagues where he feels that such decisions may be better made, they shall have ultimate and final authority upon any decision made that is within their area of authority.

5) The National Chairman or the Deputy Chairman may appoint Non Advisory Council members to senior positions but these officers do not count as National Officers.

SECTION 4: ELECTIONS TO THE PARTY LEADERSHIP

1) Elections for the post of National Chairman shall be held every year. Nominations shall open on 20th July in each year and close at noon on 10th August. The election shall be held on a ‘one member, one vote’ basis in a secret postal ballot of all full members paid up by 1st of July.

2) Any member of the party may become a candidate for the post of National Chairman of the party provided that person is, and has been, on or before the close of nominations, a fully paid up member of the party for a minimum of five consecutive years, and has secured the signatures on his or her nomination paper of 250 full members as at 1st July. Each member can nominate only one candidate. On 1st July each year a statement will be issued detailing the total number of full members.

3) Nominations may only be collected from 1st July and must be completed on official nomination papers which are downloadable from the main party website.

4) Notification of a leadership election shall be issued in the September issue of the member’s bulletin, while the October issue will include a single side of A4 manifesto sheet from each candidate (designed and supplied by them) and a ballot paper. It will be sent by post to all full members as at 1st July, including those who normally receive their bulletins electronically.

5) A pre-recorded debate between the candidates shall be publicised on BNPtv, a private page on the BNP website will give each candidate up to six sides of A4 designed by them, the party magazine shall give each candidate equal space (at least two pages each) to set out their ideas, and at least three hustings meetings will be held with equal time for each candidate in different parts of the country and be open to all paid up full members from the areas in question. In the event that unavoidable external circumstances render any of these methods of communication impractical they may be omitted or replaced as decided by a simple majority vote of a special meeting of the Advisory Council.

6) Candidates may also campaign using their own methods, subject to the party’s Code of Conduct contained in Annex 1 of this Constitution and Section 6: Discipline. This includes but is not limited to blogs, websites, leaflets, brochures, e-mails, telephone calls, texts and meetings. The party will not provide membership lists in paper or electronic format but local officers may assist candidates with the local lists which they may legitimately have in their possession.

7) The ballot papers shall be kept unopened until the post has arrived on the third Thursday of October, when all received ballots shall be opened and counted under the supervision of two members of the Advisory Council, appointed by the Advisory Council, who are not candidates, together with the candidates and up to two scrutineers each.

8) The election shall take place on a ‘first past the post’ basis.

9) In any year in which no nominations for the post of National Chairman of the party are received the currently serving holder of the post will be deemed to have received a mandate from the party to hold it for a further term. In any year in which there is a challenge for the post of National Chairman, the currently serving National Chairman shall be deemed to be nominated automatically should he wish to stand again.

10) In the event of a General Election being called between 10th August and the 1st October and at least one candidate has been duly nominated, then the campaign will be suspended, resuming immediately after polling day. The Advisory Council will determine the new timetable.

11) If an outgoing National Chairman is a paid employee of the party and either does not wish to remain as such or is not required as such by the new incumbent, he shall receive severance pay in line with the statutory requirement, plus one month for each year served up to a total of eight years, and one week extra for each year thereafter.

12) The successful candidate in any such election will be considered as occupying the office of National Chairman immediately on completion of the counting of votes in that election.

13) If for whatever reason the post of National Chairman becomes vacant then the Deputy Chairman will become Acting Chairman until the yearly round of elections. The Advisory Council will have to select a new Deputy Chairman. No member of the Advisory Council may be removed until after this process has been completed, but vacancies can be filled.

SECTION 5: ADVISORY COUNCIL

1) The Advisory Council shall be made up of the National Chairman, the Deputy Chairman, all Regional Organisers (one per region as defined in the European Elections), five members elected by the Annual Conference, five appointed by the Chairman and five by the Deputy Chairman. The National Chairman and the Deputy Chairman may replace their appointees at any time except on the day of an Advisory Council meeting.

2) The Advisory Council shall meet not less than four times a year, and while the agenda for such meetings shall be set by the National Chairman, there shall be a section at each such meeting where any member of the Advisory Council may raise matters of any other business.

4) The Advisory Council shall appoint the Party Auditor, choosing this person by simple majority vote. The Party Auditor shall be entitled to inspect all the party’s accounts and financial records at their normal location and at any reasonable time by prior arrangement, and shall supply audited accounts and an auditor’s report to the first Advisory Council meeting in each financial year.

5) The Advisory Council shall also appoint by simple majority vote the Auditor who is required to submit accounts on an annual basis to the Electoral Commission. This auditor may or may not be the same as the Party Auditor.

6) The Advisory Council shall elect four of their number to serve as Bequest Trustees. The Bequest Trustees shall not be the National Chairman, the Deputy Chairman nor the National Treasurer. These four trustees shall be responsible for administering any bequests left to the benefit of the party. They would be the only party members authorised to arrange future bequests. In the normal course of events, upon receipt of a bequest the money will be paid straight into the main party accounts. Any property bought or investments made by the party will be held in trust by the Bequest Trustees. The Bequest Trustees serve until removed from the Advisory Council. When this occurs the next meeting of the Advisory Council will elect a replacement by a simple majority vote.

7) The Advisory Council may call an Extraordinary General Members’ Meeting by a two-thirds majority of Advisory Council members voting in a properly convened meeting with a quorum of two-thirds, even if this is opposed by the National Chairman. Alternatively, the National Chairman may call such a meeting at any time he deems it necessary. Should such a meeting be called it must be held within forty days, and the matter which led to it being called shall be put to the members to decide. The decision of any members meeting overrides any decision of the Chairman or the Advisory Council.

8) The Deputy Chairman shall appoint the National Treasurer from among the members of the Advisory Council. The National Treasurer shall administer the central funds of the party, and shall be required to provide to the National Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Advisory Council regular accounts of all items of income and expenditure. All cheques paid out from these central funds must bear the signature of two members of the Advisory Council, as approved by the National Treasurer. The signatories may not be the National Chairman or the Deputy Chairman.

9) The National Treasurer shall, by prior arrangement be required to make available current financial records for inspection by any member of the Advisory Council at any meeting of the Advisory Council.

10) All party financial records, every account, item of expenditure or fundraising venture entered into by the party must be under the control of the National Treasurer and open to inspection by the National Chairman at any time and any member of the Advisory Council at any duly convened meeting, and incorporated into the yearly accounts.

11) A member of the Advisory Council shall not be removed from the Advisory Council on the day of an Advisory Council meeting.

12) The first Deputy Chairman is to be elected by the members present at the EGM that accepts this Constitution by a simple show of hands. Thereafter the Deputy Chairman is elected on a yearly basis by the Advisory Council at the first meeting of each year.

13) The Deputy Chairman may serve multiple terms and may only be removed mid-term by a two thirds majority vote by the Advisory Council at a duly convened meeting.

SECTION 6: DISCIPLINE

1) The disciplinary code of the party is embodied in the Code of Conduct, which comprises Annex 1 of this Constitution.

2) Members who have offended against the Code of Conduct or otherwise acted in a manner contrary to the interests of the party shall be liable to disciplinary sanction.

3) Ultimate authority to determine how the ‘interests of the party’ may be defined rests with the National Chairman of the party or with any official or group of officials and/or members of the party authorised by him to act in that capacity.

4) In the first instance of any member being believed to have committed an offence as defined in this section, that member will normally be subject to a written reprimand. Such reprimands may be issued by any official senior to the member being reprimanded.

6) In the event of a written reprimand, the member concerned has the right of appeal to the National Chairman within fourteen days.

7) If after the fourteen days elapses and the member has not appealed yet continues to act in the manner which gave rise to the reprimand then he may be expelled or suspended.

8) In the case of a serious offence being committed and where it is judged that there would be some immediate risk to the well-being of the party in that person continuing to exercise their rights of membership, the National Chairman or other senior official authorised by him, may immediately suspend or expel from membership any such member prior to a disciplinary tribunal being held to determine whether that person has committed an offence.

9) If a member is expelled or suspended, either after first receiving a reprimand or as a result of an immediate risk that requires that the member be disciplined immediately, the member concerned should be sent in writing the details of the alleged offence, within two weeks of the notice of suspension or expulsion being sent.

10) If written details of the alleged offence are not sent within fourteen days then the suspension or expulsion is automatically lifted.

11) Upon receipt of the details of the alleged offence the member has fourteen days in which to ask for a disciplinary tribunal. Failure to reply will mean that the suspension or expulsion stands.

12) The disciplinary tribunal must be held within two calendar months of receipt of the request for a tribunal from the suspended or expelled member. Failure to hold the tribunal within a month will result in the suspension or expulsion being automatically lifted.

13) The disciplinary tribunal shall be composed of senior party officials where possible and shall be selected according to the convenience of the party by the National Chairman. Such a tribunal shall consist of a tribunal chairman and two other party members. Such a tribunal shall, as far as possible, be conducted in a place and at a time reasonably accessible to the accused and with a minimum of fourteen days notice.

14) The disciplinary tribunal shall have the power to rescind an expulsion or suspension; suspend from membership; increase the period of suspension of membership; impose restrictions upon a person; and shall also have the power to expel from membership those guilty of offences against the Code of Conduct or who have otherwise acted in a manner contrary to the interests of the party.

15) In the event of a disciplinary tribunal being conducted as specified above, it will be left to the discretion of the official responsible to formulate the precise procedure for the conduct of such an enquiry, though this must be reasonable and fair. Complex cases may call for a tribunal prosecutor to marshal the evidence and present the case. Witnesses may be called by both sides.

16) The member who is subject to the disciplinary tribunal may bring one representative to assist in their defence, who may or may not be a member.

17) An appeal within two weeks to the National Chairman against a disciplinary tribunal decision or sanction may be made by the guilty party. If the member is found innocent then there is no means to appeal.

SECTION 7: NATIONWIDE ORGANISATION OF THE PARTY

1) The nationwide organisation of the party shall be divided on a geographical basis into regions, branches, groups and contacts. Additionally specialist circles may be formed from time to time on a non-geographical basis, the membership of which need not necessarily be party members.

2) The region will normally consist of a county or group of counties, determined according to convenience by the party leadership. The normal basis will be the regions as used for the European Elections.

3) Within each region the strength of the party will be divided into smaller units to be known as branches, groups and contacts. These will normally be based on local authority boundaries but may be further broken down into cities, towns, parliamentary constituencies or groups or parts thereof, situated in close proximity to each other.

4) Contact, group and branch organisers are appointed/removed by their Regional Organiser and he, in turn, by the National Chairman.

5) As with the regional based party structure, the heads of circles are likewise subordinate to the National Chairman and count as party officials.

6) Branch, group and contact organisers will have full authority over the affairs of their branches and groups within the limits of this Constitution. This authority will include the power to appoint all other branch or group officials as are deemed necessary to the running of their local units including fund holders. The latter authority does not apply to contacts, since contacts are a smaller, pre-group phase of organisation. The membership, in any locality or circle, may naturally make their preference clear for their choice of any local official, but the final decision rests with the official responsible for the appointment.

7) All groups and branches must have a fund holder and an organiser. The National Treasurer may demand the removal of a local Fundholder against the wishes of the Regional Organiser or local organiser.

8) Branches, groups and contacts within any region shall be distinguished from one another according to the discretion of the National Chairman using nationally standard criteria. Responsibility for establishing branches, groups and contacts within a region, for determining lines of demarcation between them and for defining the precise criteria whereby a unit qualifies to be registered as a branch shall lie with the Regional Organiser, who shall be answerable in turn to the National Chairman.

SECTION 8: PARTY MONIES AND PROPERTY

1) CENTRAL FUNDS

(a) Property or funds entrusted to, or held by, a member or ex-member or any body or unit of the party for party purposes, shall be held and used by him, or her, or them, as trustee for the party for the time being, subject to any lawful and constitutional directive imposed or given by the donor or the person entrusting the property or funds to the said trustee.

(b) A trustee shall, if so required by the Deputy Chairman of the party or any official thus authorised by him, transfer ownership and possession of property and funds held in trust for and on behalf of the party to any person or persons nominated as trustees for the party thereby. Every such trustee shall, so far as may be within his or her power, obey the directions of the Deputy Chairman or any official authorised by him as to the use or disposal of property or funds held by them for and on behalf of the party.

(c) Save the exception provided for in Section 8, sub-section 1, para. (d) below, no official other than the National Treasurer and the Deputy Chairman or some official authorised by him, may commit or involve the party in any expenditure of central funds or any other form of transaction without the written consent of the Deputy Chairman or an official authorised by him for such a purpose.

(d) The central funds of the party shall be administered by a National Treasurer, who shall be required to keep regular accounts of all items of income and expenditure and who shall not be the same person as the party auditor. All cheques paid out from these central funds must bear the signature of the National Treasurer and one other party official to be appointed by the Deputy Chairman. The Deputy Chairman shall determine, by arrangement with the National Treasurer, the maximum limit on any item of expenditure which may be made without his (the Deputy Chairman’s) consent.

(e) All debts and liabilities properly incurred by the party at a national level shall be solely the responsibility of the National Chairman.

2) LOCAL FUNDS

(a) All local funds of the party shall be administered by the Regional Treasurer in a single regional account, who shall be required to keep regular accounts of all items of income and expenditure concerned, and to keep and submit to the relevant authorities, all records required under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 and any subsequent related legislation. All cheques paid out from the regional funds must bear the signature of the Regional Treasurer and Regional Organiser. Limits of expenditure for any local funds shall be determined in accordance with the same procedure as that specified in the foregoing sub-section.

(b) Regions may operate other accounts subject to the prior approval of the National Treasurer and their being operated in accordance with the requirements of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 and any subsequent related legislation.

(c) Contact areas, as distinct from groups and branches, do not raise money to be administered by the Regional Treasurer. Contacts, for the purposes of the law, are treated as individuals and are not able to collect or receive donations. Any monies raised by individuals for the immediate furtherance of the party in a contact area (e.g. the purchase of leaflets or papers etc.) are permissible.

(d) No local unit may operate any kind of account.

(e) In the event that, for any reason, local funds are not able to be administered by the Regional Treasurer, then the funds will be administered by the National Treasurer or another treasurer appointed by either him or the Deputy Chairman.

(f) Any financial undertakings entered into by any local unit or region of the party are the sole responsibility of that local unit/region, and no party organisation outside that unit/region may be charged with liability for debts arising therefrom. No organiser shall commit his branch/group to spend against future anticipated income and thereby place his unit in debt. All debts and liabilities incurred by any local unit shall be the personal responsibility of the organiser of that unit/region and not that of the party.

(g) The arrangements for the method and frequency whereby regional treasurers keep the National Treasurer and local units within the region informed of the position of the regional account shall be determined by the National Treasurer who shall have the right, and is expected, to inspect all regional financial records on reasonable notice.

(h) In the event of a local unit disbanding for any reason, all monies and property belonging to that unit shall revert automatically to the ownership of the party and the custody of the Regional Treasurer of the party.

SECTION 9: PUBLICATION OF PARTY LITERATURE

1) All publication of party literature at local level and on local initiative will require the consent of the party’s Director of Publicity. This consent may be obtained by either the prior submission of any such literature for inspection by the party’s Director of Publicity or by his granting to the local official concerned authority to print such literature as he sees fit.

2) The elected National Chairman will reserve the absolute right to order to be withdrawn from distribution any item of party literature or other publicity material published which does not comply with the aforementioned rules or which, in its content or quality of production, does not reflect creditably on the party.

SECTION 10: STATEMENTS TO THE MEDIA

1) INTERNAL AFFAIRS

(a) No member of the party may be interviewed by, or give any statement to, the news media on matters internal to the party who has not been given prior authorisation to do so by his or her Regional Organiser or by a national official of the party.

2) LOCAL POLITICS

(a) No member of the party may be interviewed by, or give any statements to, the news media on matters of local politics who has not been given prior authorisation to do so by his or her Regional Organiser or by a national official of the party. The exception to this rule is any elected representative for that local area.

3) NATIONAL ISSUES

(a) No member of the party may be interviewed by, or give any statements to, the news media on national issues who has not been given prior authorisation to do so by his or her Regional Organiser or by a national official of the party.

SECTION 11: ELECTIONS

1) No local branch or group of the party may undertake to contest any election, whether parliamentary or local government, without the prior consent of the National Chairman or national official or Regional Organiser authorised by him.

2) Local units must submit their choice of candidate for approval to the National Chairman or a person authorised by him to approve candidates.

SECTION 12: ACTIVITIES

1) No local branch or group of the party my undertake to promote any activity on a scale requiring support from members outside that branch or group without the prior consent of the local Regional Organiser.

2) In the same way no region of the party may undertake to promote any activity on a scale requiring support from members outside that region without the prior consent of the National Chairman or senior official delegated by him.

SECTION 13: GENERAL MEMBERS’ MEETINGS AND THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE

1) There shall be an Annual Conference held in the Autumn of each year open to all full members.

2) The Chairman of the meeting shall be selected by the Advisory Council and shall not be the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman.

3) The Chairman of the meeting shall decide on the conduct of the meeting.

4) At least fourteen days notice must be given for the date of the conference and fourteen days notice given for any constitutional changes that are to be debated.

5) The primary purpose for the Annual Conference is to debate policy. Full members must be notified of policy motions at least fourteen days prior to the Conference.

6) In the event of the National Chairman or the Advisory Council calling an Extraordinary General Members’ Meeting, at least fourteen days notice must be given to all full members by post with notification of the proposed motions. All full members are allowed to attend and vote at an EGM.

7) Any full member wishing to submit an amendment to any motion on the agenda of an EGM or Annual Conference must have a separate proposer and seconder for such a resolution who are both full members of the party and must submit the resolution to the Chairman of the meeting before the motion is debated.

8) Policy motions are passed by a simple majority. Policy motions passed by a 2/3 majority must appear in the manifesto.

9) The Annual Conference shall elect five full members to sit on the Advisory Council. These full members may not be Regional Organisers. To be elected onto the Advisory Council the full member must be present at the Annual Conference. He must have a proposer and a seconder at the Annual Conference. Each candidate may make a five minute speech to the Conference. After each candidate has made his speech, their proposer may make a 2 minute speech, and their seconder a one minute speech. Thereafter the candidates will be elected by a show of hands. Should less than five full members apply for the positions, then those who do apply are elected automatically. Any spare places will be filled by the Deputy Chairman from any full members who may or may not be present before the next Advisory Council meeting. If elected members resign from the Advisory Council during the year, then the Deputy Chairman may co-opt a replacement. Elected members of the Advisory Council sit on the Advisory Council until the next Annual Conference.

SECTION 14: REVISIONS TO THIS CONSTITUTION

1) Any changes made to this Constitution may only be made by a 2/3 majority vote at a properly convened Extraordinary General Meeting of members with over two years continuous membership or at the Annual Conference which is only open to members with over two years continuous membership.

2) Voting at an EGM or at the Annual Conference will be by a show of hands.

3) Proposals to amend the constitution must be sent in a members’ bulletin prior to the EGM or Annual Conference and must be received at least fourteen days prior to the EGM or Annual Conference. The proposals may be amended by the Conference or EGM.

4) Changes shall be effective from the time the vote is taken. They must be published in the next members’ bulletin and published on the main party website within fourteen days.

5) Proposals to change the constitution may only be made in the first instance by the National Chairman, the Deputy Chairman or the Advisory Council by a simple majority. However these motions can be amended by full members as outlined in Section 13 7) above. As only the National Chairman or the Advisory Council by a 2/3 majority may call an EGM, any other Constitutional proposal must be made via the Annual Conference.

Annex 1: CODE OF CONDUCT

1) All persons occupying any positions of authority within the party and thereby authorised to issue directives to other members for the performance of party tasks are expected to communicate such directives with courtesy and dignity, mindful of the fact that the party is an organisation, not of conscripts, but of volunteers who for the most part give their services unpaid and are able to leave the party at any time they wish.

2) All members when engaged in party tasks are expected to act in accordance with whatever directives may be issued to them by the senior party official present, providing that such directives are reasonable, lawful and in compliance with the Constitution of the party.

3) All party members when present on party activities and functions are expected to be of clean and tidy appearance.

4) All party members are expected at all times to conduct themselves in a manner that will bring credit upon the party and to refrain from any acts, whether from a party political or private motive and whether political or private in nature, which are likely to bring the party into disrepute.

5) PROSCRIPTIONS

(a) The National Chairman may proscribe individuals, organisations or publications which are so hostile to the party, or whose views and/or behaviour are so likely to bring discredit upon the party, that members should have no contact with them.

(b) Such a hostile individual, publications or group is thenceforth regarded as a rotten apple and proscription is the means by which they are prevented from contaminating others. Not only are the proscribed barred from attending party functions and activities, but party members are barred from attending events organised by them and barred from sharing platforms with them, distributing or advertising literature and electronic media produced by or in support of them, and promoting events at which they are known or – in the opinion of the party leadership – likely to be attending.

(c) Proscriptions shall come into effect on publication in the National members’ bulletin and remain in force until further notice. A full list appears on the party’s website.

6) No party member is permitted to present as party policy any political viewpoint that has not been adopted as such. Any party member, when presenting any viewpoint which differs from adopted party policy, must stress that that viewpoint reflects only their own private opinion and is not part of any policy adopted by the party.

7) Every party member has the right to express criticism or dissent on matters internal to the party and to work, within the framework of the Constitution, to achieve internal change within the party. Members are expected to take concerns to their local or regional organiser and they in turn, should a quick resolution not be possible, to take it on to the Advisory Council. Further, an AC member so approached must raise the subject at the next AC meeting or in communication with the National Chairman and other AC colleagues. An official who airs criticism or dissent publicly or to subordinate members without first exhausting the proper channels shall be guilty of a serious disciplinary offence. As a general rule, good news should be passed to subordinate members while problems and criticisms should only be passed to more senior party officials.

8) The spreading of false or malicious rumours shall be considered an offence against this Code of Conduct. So too shall be the deliberate causing of disruption to the working of the party.

9) No party member or official shall transmit by any means – written, verbal or electronic – to another person or organisation matters that are internal to the party unless prior permission has been given by a member of the Advisory Council.

10) No party member or official shall call any activity or meeting beyond their position of authority. Any such call shall be considered an offence against this Code of Conduct.

11) Non-compliance with any part of this Constitution is an offence against this Code of Conduct