Outcome of Annual Conference

The conference considered four propositions seperately and each was voted on. Option One was to leave the constitution as it is at present. Option Two (from the Policy Unit) was for the Chairman to be advised and assisted by a nationally elected executive of eight, however the Chairman would continue to be the governing body.

Option Three, also from the Policy Unit, was for a governing body to be a national executive comprising a chairman plus eight seperately elected members of an executive committee. Option Four, Arthur Kemp's proposals (amended in unspecified ways by nick griffin), involved a governing body of an executive committee comprising the Chairman, two representatives from each region plus three members appointed by the chairman; the National Nominating Officer, National Treasurer, and National Organiser.

Option One did not need to be printed. Options Two and Three were printed and distributed but probably not read by many. Option Four was not printed but a sheet summarising its main points was distributed.

Option One received three votes. Options 2 and 3 together received seventeen votes. Option Four received (I believe) 42 votes, therefore Option Four would go to the EGM.

When I left on Saturday I was concerned that Arthur Kemp's proposals might have been changed in unspecified ways and that our proposals had not been properly examined. However on Sunday morning Arthur Kemp explained his proposals in greater details and they appeared not to have been changed in essense.

There was a suggstion from Clive Jefferson that the Chairman should have the right to remove members of the executive committee. I argued that this would remove the essence of Arthur Kemp's proposal and it would transform the executive back to the current Advisory Council. Our Chairman put Clive Jefferson's suggestion to the vote and it was decisively defeated.

Arthur Kemp's proposals will be 'honed and debugged' and even substantive amendments will be considered. Presumably these amendments will be put to the EGM so that members will have the opportunity to decide whether or not to accept them. However the one amendment that would be debarred would be the suggestion that members of the executive could be removed by the Chairman. That could not be proposed because the Annual Conference has voted on it and rejected it specifically and decisively.

Whilst I would have prefered to have seen one of the Policy Unit's motions passed I believe that Arthur Kemp's proposals are infinitely superior to the present constitution. I am cautiously optimistic that it will be passed by the EGM – I hope without substantive amenments that are destructive of its essentials.

I hope that these constitutional proposals will please sufficient alienated members to reinvigorate the Movement. It will not satify all of those seeking complete constitutional change, however even they must accept that Arthue Kemp's proposals are a significant improvement. It will enable members of the executive to express their opinions and raise questions freely and fearlessly. This will lead to an improved quality of decision making.

We must all recognise that we cannot have everything that we want, however we must see that this proposal – as long as it is not changed unfavourable before the EGM – is something that we can all accept.

Andrew Brons

Submission from Peter Strudwick

CONSTITUTION OF BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY

This constitution shall come into effect on ……….. day of …………. 2010 and supersedes all earlier constitutions which shall hereby become null, void and of no effect.

Party Name

The party’s official designation is “The British National Party” (also known as “the B.N.P.”) Its status is that of an unincorporated association comprising all persons who have lawfully become members of the party and who are pledged to carry out, through their membership, the party’s aims and objectives. Each member on joining agrees to be bound by the terms of this constitution, including the respecting of the contractual rights and liberties of other members.

Political Objectives

The party’s political philosophy is rooted in the ideology of nationalism which is the translation into effective action of patriotic sentiment, love of country and the preservation of our ancestral homeland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the unshakeable conviction of a British nationalist that the territorial integrity of the homeland is sacrosanct and that all policies, economic, social and foreign policy shall be conceived and maintained in the spirit of that conviction.

The principles of self-determination and non-intervention in the affairs of independent states (unless a proven British national interest is involved) shall be the necessary, if not the sufficient, condition of our involvement in the political process.

The party believes that economic prosperity and stability is best achieved through a predominantly private enterprise-based economy but within a framework of regulatory state intervention where necessary to eliminate cartels, restrictive practices and monopoly capitalism. In particular, we oppose unchecked free movement of labour and capital across national boundaries where it threatens the employment and well-being of our own nationals.

Specifically, our party asserts that finance shall exist to serve the nation, its industries and businesses and not to act as their masters.

Our party believes in a productive partnership of capital and labour, efficient management and a trade union movement responsive to its members’ collective bargaining interest in fair wages and good working conditions.

In international affairs, our party endorses the need for maximum international co-operation between states and the reciprocity principle of ambassadorship, including Britain’s membership of the United Nations (albeit under a reformed charter) but we firmly reject the doctrine of internationalism which, as a political construct, we hold to be in antithesis to nationalism and national preference.

Party Structure

The party believes firmly in the principles of representative democracy, embracing acceptance of the widest possible participation by its members in the party’s activities. We assert that our growth and development can therefore best be achieved by a “bottoms-up” rather than a “tops-down” approach through the promotion of local activism on the widest possible scale in all regions of our country.

These principles are reflected in the organigram set down herewith in this Constitution. In replacement of earlier constitutional arrangements the party’s governance shall be vested in a body to be known as the National Executive Council (N.E.C.)

The N.E.C. shall consist of the Party Chairman and all members of a Political Committee and an Administration Committee. The former shall comprise the following: the Party Chairman (who shall chair the Political Committee’s meetings), Deputy Chairman, National Organiser, Elections Officer, Nominating Officer, Publications Officer, Regional Organisers (up to 12 in number), Portfolio Holders (comprising between 8-10 persons), Young B.N.P. Chairman, Councillor representatives (up to three in number) and MPs/MEPs, such as shall have been elected.

The Political Committee shall meet a minimum of four times a year and its minutes shall be available to all members on request.

The Administration Committee shall comprise the following: a National Administrator (who shall chair the meetings of the Administration Committee), National Treasurer, Regional/Deputy Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Web Manager, Chairman of Board of Trustees, National Fundraiser, and co-opted members (up to four in number).

The Administration Committee shall meet a minimum of four times a year and its minutes shall be available to all members on request.

As per the organigram below, portfolio holders will be members who are responsible for research and political development in the main areas of the party’s programme. Their function is to work closely with the party chairman and to provide specific and high quality policy formulation to advance the party’s profile.

Office of Chairman

The Party Chairman, who is also the Party Leader, is the senior political officer of the party by virtue of the confidence reposed in him or her by the party’s members through election. As such, the Chairman has executive powers over the conduct of the party’s political programme and activities but not so as to derogate from powers vested by the Constitution in other officers of the party. The Chairman and National Administrator, who is the party’s principal administration officer, shall at all times and whenever possible work in co-operation with each other in the best interests of the party.

Party Organisation

The nationwide administrative organisation of the party shall be settled on a geographical basis into regions. All branches, groups and contacts within a specific region shall be administered by that region and no other.

Each party region shall consist of a county or group of counties and within such party region branches, groups and contacts shall be based as a matter of administrative convenience on cities, towns and, where appropriate, parliamentary constituencies.

Branch organisers, group organisers and contacts shall be appointed and answerable to their respective regional organiser. Each regional organiser shall be appointed by and be answerable to the National Administrator.

Branch organisers and group organisers shall have full executive powers over the affairs of their branches and groups. All branches shall have a fundholder to be appointed by the National Treasurer to whom such fundholder is answerable.

The elevation of contact designation to group status, or group to branch status shall be the responsibility of the regional organiser.

Party Membership

Membership is open to all individuals who support the principles of our party and who wish to advance its objectives. An applicant for membership must be over the age of 16 and may not belong to another political party.

Upon admission to membership an individual acquires such rights and assumes such obligations as are consistent with the proper functioning of an unincorporated association, including the exercise at all times of good faith, and respect towards other members.

In the event of a member engaging in activities prejudicial to the good name of the party it will be open to the National Administrator, on submission from the relevant regional organiser, to remit such matter to the Disciplinary Committee for an opinion as to continued membership or suspension from membership. If a member is required to leave the party no part of any subscription already paid is refundable. Any period of suspension shall be discounted in assessing any period of ‘continuous membership’ for the purposes of this constitution.

An individual may resign membership by letter in writing to the National Administrator or simply by not renewing membership in the following year.

Individual membership subscriptions shall be set at a rate to be agreed by the National Executive Council on recommendation made by the National Treasurer. In the event of disagreement amongst the Executive Council the rate shall be determined by simple majority vote.

No party member shall be liable for any debts or liabilities incurred in good faith and in pursuance of the party’s activities beyond the amount of that member’s subscription in the year in which such debts or liabilities were duly incurred. Nor may any party member be held accountable for the debts and liabilities of any other member of the party, or of the party itself.

Board of Trustees

The legal title to all the party’s assets shall be vested in a board of trustees which, in accordance with statute law, shall consist of not more than four persons. The Board’s function shall be to ensure that any capital receipts from donations, legacies and bequests made to the party are productively invested for the benefit of the party and that all capital expenditures are made with a view to obtaining the best possible appreciation of capital while ensuring a reasonable income from such investment. The Board of Trustees shall, at all times, keep a recognised simple accounting system.

The Board should give due and proper consideration to any request by the Chairman as to the allocation of capital monies but they should at all times act independently and not be constrained to accede to such request.

Only party members are eligible to become members of the Board of Trustees and should comprise persons of proven professional or business competence as known to a regional organiser or on account of established reputation.

The Board shall work closely with the National Administrator and National Treasurer and the Chairman of the Board shall be a member of the National Executive Council.

In the event of a trustee retiring, dying, being adjudged bankrupt or being convicted of a criminal offence involving dishonesty, such trustee shall be replaced by a new trustee from within the party membership.

No trustee shall be made liable for any losses incurred during the trusteeship unless the same shall have arisen out of gross negligence or criminal activity, in which case only the trustee responsible, and not that person’s co-trustees, shall be accountable in any action brought for breach of trust.

Party Funds

The central funds of the party shall be administered by the National Treasurer, who shall be responsible for keeping regular accounts of all items of income and expenditure and submitting to the relevant authorities as required under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000 (“the PPERA”). All cheques disbursed from central funds shall bear the signature of the National Treasurer and the National Administrator. No signatures may be placed on cheques until after the details of the amount being paid and the payee’s name have been recorded on the cheque itself.

The funds of all regions, branches and groups shall be administered by the Deputy National Treasurer in a single regional account. The Deputy Treasurer, to be appointed by the National Treasurer with the approval of the Chairman and National Executive Council, shall keep regular accounts of all items of income and expenditure within each region and shall submit to the relevant authorities all records required under PPERA.

All cheques paid out from regional funds must bear the signatures of the Deputy Treasurer and regional fundholder.

The National Treasurer shall inspect all regional party funds from time to time, on giving reasonable notice of intention to do so, for the purposes of ensuring conformity. In the event of a branch or group becoming disbanded for any reason, all monies and financial books and records shall be passed into the custody and control of the regional treasurer.

Fund Raising

The party recognises the usefulness of a fundraiser and therefore endorses the value of a professional relationship with any individual, body of persons or consultancy able to fulfil this function. The party’s relationship with such fundraiser should be that of principal and agent. At all times the fundraiser should keep the National Administrator, National Treasurer and Board of Trustees fully informed of fundraising projects and activities. For this purpose, meetings of the above-named parties and, where appropriate, the Party Chairman should be convened to set targets and establish criteria for producing mutually beneficial results.

A fundraiser shall receive a commission for work undertaken on behalf of the party, which will be contractually established and noted in the accounting books of the party. Any salary to be paid in addition shall be secondary and of little more than nominal value, to be determined by the National Treasurer and National Administrator.

Indemnity for Party Officials

All designated officers of the party shall be entitled to be indemnified out of the central funds of the party against all losses and liabilities sustained or incurred by them in the bona-fide exercise of their duties provided that a full statement of the losses and liabilities is placed with the Board of Trustees for their verification and approval. A certificate to such effect shall be placed with the Chairman and National Administrator who shall endorse the certificate as a matter of due administration which is not then open to challenge by any member of the party.

Statements to Media

All statements to the media shall be made through the office of the National Administrator, who may designate for the purpose a suitable person to act as Press Officer, or, at local level, by an accredited regional press officer. No individual member, unless by prior authorisation from the National Administrator, may be interviewed by or give a statement to news media outlets on matters internal to their own region. That stated, a party elected representative may give interviews to local media outlets on issues relating to that person’s political work.

Disciplinary Procedures

The party embraces the concept of a Code of Conduct regulated by a three-stage process, according to the seriousness of the alleged offence: reprimand, suspension and dismissal. If a member is considered to have breached the code the member concerned will be sent a written reprimand by the regional organiser of the area in which the member lives.

A copy of such reprimand shall be submitted within seven days to the National Administrator who will then, in the first instance, seek to effect a conciliation. If that is successful the matter rests; in the event of it not being settled the matter shall not be pursued after the elapse of two months provided that no further instance of breach of association rules shall have occurred in the meantime. A second reprimand shall lead to automatic suspension, upon which event the member has a right of appeal within fourteen days of suspension to the National Administrator whose adjudication shall be final. If the suspension is confirmed the member is suspended from the party for a period of six months after which period the member’s rights shall be fully restored.

In the event of a breach of party rules, adjudged by the National Administrator, after discussion with the appropriate regional organiser, to be a serious offence, the member shall be required to appear before a party disciplinary tribunal at which the member may be represented for the purpose of the hearing, if he or she so wishes. According to standard tribunal practice, all arguments, both for and against expulsion, shall be heard before the Disciplinary Committee, as constituted.

If the member is found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the party the member shall then be expelled and not be permitted to re-apply for membership until two years have elapsed. If the member is acquitted of wrongdoing full rights shall be restored to that member with immediate effect.

Elections to the Party Leadership

Elections for the post of National Chairman shall be held alternate years. Nominations shall open on 20th July in the relevant 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 members paid up by 1st July.

No member of the party may become a candidate for the post of National Chairman unless 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 two consecutive years and has secured the signatures on his or her nomination papers of 150 members who have a minimum of 18 months’ continuous membership, with no more than 20 signatures being obtained from any one region, as defined in the party structures. No member may nominate more than one candidate. On 1st July each year a statement shall be issued detailing the total number of members with at least 18 months’ continuous membership. Candidates and campaign managers will be issued with a list of such members in electronic format subject to signing a Data Protection Act declaration

Notification of a leadership election shall be issued in the September issue of British Nationalist and the October issue shall include an A4 manifesto sheet from each candidate (designed and supplied by them) and a ballot paper. These will be sent by post to all members, including those who normally receive their bulletins electronically.

A pre-recorded debate between the candidates shall be publicised on BNPtv. A dedicated page on the BNP website will give each candidate up to six sides of A4 designed by them. ‘Voice of Freedom’ shall give each candidate equal space to set out their programme. At least three hustings meetings shall be held, equal time being given for each candidate in different parts of the country which shall be open to all paid-up members from the areas in question. In the event that unavoidable external circumstances render any of these methods of communication impossible or impracticable they may be replaced as decided by majority vote of a special meeting of the National Executive Council.

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 senior officials appointed by the National Executive Council who are not candidates, together with the candidates and up to two scrutineers each.

The election shall take place on a first past the post basis.

In any relevant 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 where no leadership challenge is entered, the currently serving National Chairman will be deemed to be nominated automatically should he wish to stand again.

In the event of a General Election being called before the ballot papers have been posted, the campaign may be suspended at the discretion of the National Executive Council by a simple majority vote, the schedule being resumed immediately after polling day.

The successful candidate in any such election shall be considered as occupying the office of National Chairman as from completion of the counting of votes in that election.

No organisational or structural changes within the party may be made without approval of the party’s members as convened under procedures governing the conduct of an Extraordinary General Meeting or Special General Meeting.

In the event of illness or disability of any officer any function currently performed may be exercised by another member under such terms and conditions jointly agreed between the Chairman and National Administrator and endorsed by the National Executive Council, if necessary by majority vote.

Voting Members

The party endorses the concept of a “voting member”. The rules and procedures relative thereto shall be established by the Chairman and National Administrator and published in the party bulletin and on the website.

Official Central Policy Unit Proposals

Voting members will get a chance to vote on the constitutional recommendations formulated by the Policy Committee at the Annual Conference of the British National Party which is due to be held on 10th-12th December 2010.

This follows work done on this issue since August, when I and fellow members of the Policy Committee were asked by the Chairman and Advisory Council to carry out a consultation of the membership about possible changes to the Constitution, with particular reference to two areas.

This was the governance of the Party nationally; and the rules for internal elections.

Our alternative recommendations, together with one drawn up by our Party Chairman, will be considered by eligible members at conference, and I would urge people to attend.

In the end, the Policy Committee is suggesting two distinct sets of proposals called:

Option Two (fairly modest reforms); and

Option Three (more far reaching reforms).

Option One would be to leave the present Constitution as it stands.

We suggest that the order in which members should be asked to express their opinions would be the most far-reaching first (Option Three), followed by the next most far-reaching (Option Two), followed by a proposal to leave the Constitution as it stands (Option One).

If Option Three is approved, the others fall. If Option Three is rejected but Option Two is approved then Option One falls. If both Option Three and Option Two are rejected, there should be a vote on Option One (leave the Constitution as it stands). If Options Three, Two and One are rejected, then I think that the Conference should be invited to vote on a motion to refer the matter back to the Policy Committee for further consideration.

I would ask you to view the proposals flexibly. It is unlikely that you will approve of everything in Option Three, Option Two or Option One (the present Constitution). I would ask you to vote for the option that accords most with your ideas. It would still be possible to make further amendments in subsequent years.

Andrew Brons

DRAFT OUTLINE CONSTITUTION – OPTION TWO

Central Policy Unit - November 2010

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP

The Party shall be governed by the directly elected Party Leader advised and assisted by a directly but separately elected Executive Council of eight members.

The electorate for the Executive Council shall comprise Voting Members, voting by secret ballot. Nomination of Executive Council Members, who must be Voting Members, shall be by 20 Voting Members in writing. Canvassing for nominations is permitted. Sitting members standing for re-election shall be deemed validly nominated ex officio. The Executive Council shall be elected annually.

The Leader shall be subject to an election if challenged or in the event of his or her resignation, death or incapacity to continue in office, the latter certified by unanimous vote of all members of the Executive Council. Challengers must be Voting Members and must be nominated by 100 Voting Members. The Party Leader shall be deemed nominated, if willing to stand, automatically ex officio. Normally these elections shall coincide with the annual Executive Council elections, but if the Executive Council carry a vote of No Confidence in the Leader by a vote of three-quarters of all its current members an election for both the Leader and the Council shall follow as soon as practicable, as shall be the case if an Annual Conference so votes by a 2/3 majority of Voting Members present. The Leader cannot otherwise be removed from office without ratification by a ballot of the Voting Members and nor can the leader expel or suspend from office any elected member of the Executive Council. The Executive Council may not suspend or expel any of its own members, although it may by a vote carried by three-quarters of all its members trigger an election of the Executive Council as a whole and thereby compel its members to stand for re-election along with any new candidates who may be nominated. The Leader may also dissolve the Executive Council and compel its members to stand for re-election along with any new candidates validly nominated. Further, if the leader should dissolve the Executive Council, he will also trigger a leadership election.

The Executive Council and Party Leader shall meet normally monthly,. Each member, including the Leader, shall have one vote, but the Leader, as ex officio Chairman of the Executive Council, shall have an additional casting vote in the event of an equality of votes. The Leader shall have day to day authority for managing the Party and shall have ultimate authority over and responsibility for governing and running the Party and determining Party Policy, approving Manifestoes, managing financial affairs and so on. Votes and deliberations of the Executive Council shall serve to advise the Party Leader, but he is not bound to abide thereby should he or she decide otherwise. The Party Leader shall have final authority over the operation and governance of the Party, subject to this Constitution.

The Executive Council shall be responsible for monitoring and confirming by report to each Annual Conference that the Party is run according to the law, and in particular that Party Accounts have been submitted to the relevant authorities in good order and in good time in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Law. Responsibility for running the Party and its financial affairs, complying with legal requirements etc. shall lie entirely with the Party Leader. The Executive Council shall only be responsible for monitoring and reporting on these matters. The Executive Council shall report in writing to the Annual Conference as to the proper conduct and running of the Party, or otherwise, such report to be made available to all Voting Members attending this Conference.

Executive Departments, as defined by the Leader advised by the Executive Council, such as Organisation, Publicity, Elections, Fund-Raising, Finance/Treasurer, Policy & Internal Education, and also the Editors of Party publications shall report to the Leader and the Executive Council. Executive Departments may, but need not, be headed by Executive Council members or the Party Leader, who may also discharge other Party offices.

PARTY PRESIDENT

The Leader, advised by the Executive Council, shall initially and once only appoint a Voting Member of sufficient standing and record of service as to command widespread respect within the Party as Party President.

The Party President shall be appointed for life or until resignation unless successfully challenged for office. Such challenges will require the nomination by 10% of the total Voting Membership of a Voting Member as a rival candidate, and the same rules shall apply for candidates nominated in the event of the death or resignation of the President. Presidential Elections should wherever practicable coincide with annual Executive elections, although the Leader may at his or her discretion conduct such elections at other times.

The role of the Party President shall be

(i) to ensure that the roll of Voting Members is kept in an accurate and up-to-date manner in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

(ii) To oversee the conduct of internal elections and ensure they are carried out in accordance with the Constitution. He or she may appoint a Returning Officer answerable to him or her for this purpose. The certification of the President that the election was validly and properly conducted shall be a requirement for a valid election to have occurred.

(iii) To monitor internal debate, particularly in the course of internal elections, and ensure it remains within bounds which will not bring the Party into disrepute. The President may advise the Leader to take disciplinary action against those concerned if his or her admonitions be not heeded.

(iv) To act as an ombudsman to assist in the resolution of disputes within the Party and to hear, in confidence if deemed necessary, grievances and concerns of members and assist in their resolution.

(v) Generally to advise and assist in sustaining standards of fairness and avoidance of harm to the Party’s reputation in the conduct of its internal affairs.
The President may be invited to attend and advise at meetings of the Executive Council at its discretion but shall not have a vote at such meetings. The President shall be invited to attend and advise at meetings of the Advisory Council.

REGIONAL ORGANISATION

Regional Organisers shall be appointed by the Party Leader, with advice from the Executive Council. They shall each govern each Region as the Chairman of a Regional Executive comprising representatives from the constituent Branches and other units in the Region. The Regional Organiser shall have final operational authority for running their Region but shall be advised by the Regional Executive.

LOCAL UNIT ORGANISATION

Branch and other local unit Organisers shall be appointed, or their election by their unit subject to approval and ratification, by the Regional Organiser. Each Branch or other local unit shall be governed by a committee elected by paid-up members of the unit. Whilst only Voting Members are eligible to hold Branch or other Party offices, all paid-up Party members can vote in local unit committee elections. The local unit shall determine the size and responsibilities of its committee, subject to ratification and possible amendment by the Regional Organiser. Additionally, the requirement that all unit offices be held by Voting Members may be waived temporarily by the Regional Organiser or Party Leader in the case of units not yet possessed of sufficient Voting Members to fill the necessary positions. However non-Voting Members so elected would be expected to qualify for Voting Membership as soon as reasonably practicable.

HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY

Superior executive bodies shall have the right to dissolve inferior ones reporting to them in the event of misconduct and/or incompetence, appointing new organisers and calling new elections. They shall also have the authority to establish, set the boundaries of, and disestablish such inferior bodies. E.g. the Party Leader has the power to determine the number of and areas covered by Regions, and Branches within Regions, whilst Regional Executives can do likewise for Branches and other local units within their jurisdictions.

NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

A National Advisory Council comprising all Regional Organisers, Executive Department Heads, National Officials e.g. the Party Treasurer and publication editors, plus the Party Leader, the Executive Council and any other persons the Leader shall see fit to invite shall meet at least twice and preferably four times annually to discuss strategic and broader issues. The results of such discussions and any votes taken shall be advisory but not binding on the Leadership.

ANNUAL PARTY CONFERENCE

An Annual Party Conference shall be held once in each calendar year at which all Voting Members may attend and vote. Ordinary Members may attend but not vote. Changes to this Constitution may only be effected by a two-thirds majority vote of the Voting Members at an Annual Conference. A two-thirds majority of the Voting Members present at an Annual Conference, sobeit their number comprises at least 40% of the total Voting Membership, may by resolution dissolve the Executive Council and force an election of its members, and additionally, if a rival candidate or candidate then be validly nominated, the Party Leader.

Policy Resolutions adopted by the Annual Conference shall be advisory but not binding on the Party.

VOTING MEMBERS

Voting Members shall from the implementation of this Constitution comprise all persons who have been paid-up Members of the Party in good standing for the past two years continuously.

Within 12 months after the initial implementation of this Constitution, the following further requirements shall be enforced on Voting Members, and shall thereafter be in force in addition to the requirement for 24 months of membership. They shall have successfully completed a course of instruction in Party ideology and policy according to such rules as may from time to time be laid down by the Leader, or have been granted specific personal exemption, in exceptional cases, from that requirement by the Leader, and shall in addition have been certified by their local unit or in exceptional cases directly by the Leader as active Party members of good character. If a potential Voting Member feels that such a certificate has been unreasonably withheld by their local unit they may appeal to the relevant Regional Executive and thence to the Party Leader, whose decision shall be final.

The maintenance of an accurate and up-to-date register of Voting Members shall be the responsibility of the Party President, exercised through appropriate subsidiary department/officers. Only Voting Members shall be permitted to see or have access to or custody of any Party membership lists, national or local, and divulging the contents of such lists to anyone not themselves a Voting Member, without explicit permission of all the members concerned or a Court Order of which the Party Leader has been made aware and with which he or she has authorised compliance, shall be a serious disciplinary offence.

PARTY DISCIPLINE

Superior executive bodies shall have the right to initiate disciplinary action against members of inferior ones reporting to them, and against Voting and Ordinary Members in their areas of responsibility in the event of misconduct, defined as any action likely to bring the party into disrepute or deliberately and improperly obstruct its normal and proper operation, the latter including wilfully refusing to obey the reasonable and lawful instructions of superior Party authority to refrain from a particular conduct, speech or action deemed by that superior harmful to the Party.

Internal debate and dissent, and campaigning for election to office within the Party, conducted in a temperate and responsible manner not lowering the Party in public repute or making public confidential internal information shall not per se be an occasion of disciplinary action, in conformance with our principles of freedom of speech and internal democracy.

Members subject to disciplinary action must be informed in writing of the allegations against them in reasonable time to defend themselves, and must be tried by a Disciplinary Tribunal appointed by the relevant Regional Executive or the Party Leader, comprised of Voting Members who are as far as possible uninvolved in the matters concerning their Tribunal and likely to be impartial. The Rules of fairness and Natural Justice shall be followed throughout, and right of appeal against the Tribunal’s decisions shall exist for any member to the Party Leader.

Pending a disciplinary hearing, members may be suspended from Party office and barred from attending Party meetings and activities, but Voting Members shall retain rights to vote and nominate candidates for national, regional and local office until and unless expelled by a Tribunal.

CHANGES TO THIS CONSTITUTION

Changes to this Constitution may only be made by a vote of 60% of Voting Members present at an Annual Conference.




DRAFT OUTLINE CONSTITUTION – OPTION THREE

Central Policy Unit - November 2010

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP

The Party shall be governed by a National Executive, comprising the directly elected Party Leader and a directly but separately elected Executive Council of eight members.

The electorate for the Executive Council and Party Leader shall comprise Voting Members only, voting by secret ballot. Nomination of Executive Council Members, who must be Voting Members, shall be by 20 Voting Members in writing. Canvassing for nominations is permitted. Sitting members, standing for re-election shall be deemed validly nominated ex officio. The Executive Council shall be elected annually.

The Leader shall be subject to an election if challenged, or in the event of his or her resignation, death or incapacity to continue in office, the latter certified by the unanimous vote of all current members of the Executive Council. Challengers must be Voting Members and must be nominated by 100 Voting Members. The Party Leader shall be deemed nominated, if willing to stand, automatically ex officio. Normally these elections shall coincide with the annual Executive Council elections, but if the Executive Council carry by a three-quarters majority of all its current members a vote of No Confidence in the Leader an election for both the Leader and the Council shall follow as soon as practicable, as shall be the case if an Annual Conference so votes by a 2/3 majority of Voting Members present. The Leader cannot otherwise be removed from office without ratification by a ballot of the Voting Members and nor can the leader expel or suspend from office any elected member of the National Executive. The National Executive may not suspend or expel any of its own members, although it may by a majority vote of three-quarters of its current members trigger an election of the National Executive and thereby compel its members to stand for re-election along with any new candidates who may be nominated.

The National Executive shall meet normally monthly, and shall have joint and collective responsibility for governing and running the Party and determining Party Policy, approving Manifestoes, managing financial affairs and so on. Each member, including the Leader, shall have one vote, but the Leader, as Chairman of the National Executive, shall have an additional casting vote in the event of an equality of votes. The quorum at National Executive meetings shall be attendance by at least 50% of its members, and all members shall be advised, in writing by post or e-mail acknowledged as received by the addressee, at least 48 hours in advance of the date and venue of meetings.

The Leader shall have day to day authority over the Party when for reasons of time consultation with the rest of the National Executive is not practicable, but is answerable to, and his/her decisions taken alone must where relevant be ratified, and if practicable may be reversed, by the National Executive. The leader may not commit the Party to expenditure beyond a limit to be laid down by the National Executive without the prior authorisation of the National Executive. Nor should the Leader take major decisions, e.g. whether a bye-election should be contested, without the agreement of the rest of the National Executive unless this cannot be secured in time. In urgent situations a vote of the National Executive may be conducted over the telephone or by e-mail. Votes over the telephone should be confirmed in writing subsequently by those involved.

The National Executive, comprising Leader and Executive Council, shall have final authority over and responsibility for the operation and governance of the Party, subject to this Constitution.

The National Executive shall be responsible for ensuring that the Party is run according to the law, and in particular for ensuring that Party Accounts are submitted to the relevant authorities in good order and in good time in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Law.

Executive Departments, as defined by the National Executive, such as Organisation, Publicity, Elections, Fund-Raising, Finance/Treasurer, Policy & Internal Education, and also the Editors of Party publications shall report to the National Executive. Executive Departments may, but need not, be headed by National Executive members, who may also discharge other Party offices.

PARTY PRESIDENT

The National Executive shall initially and once only appoint a Voting Member of sufficient standing and record of service as to command widespread respect within the Party as Party President.

The Party President shall be appointed for life or until resignation unless successfully challenged for office. Such challenges will require the nomination by 10% of the total Voting Membership of a Voting Member as a rival candidate, and the same rules shall apply for candidates nominated in the event of the death or resignation of the President. Presidential Elections should wherever practicable coincide with annual Executive elections, although the National Executive may at its discretion conduct such elections at other times.

The role of the Party President shall be

(i) to ensure that the roll of Voting Members is kept in an accurate and up-to-date manner in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

(ii) To oversee the conduct of internal elections and ensure they are carried out in accordance with the Constitution. He or she may appoint a Returning Officer answerable to them for this purpose. The certification of the President that the election was validly and properly conducted shall be a requirement for a valid election to have occurred.

(iii) To monitor internal debate, particularly in the course of internal elections, and ensure it remains within bounds which will not bring the Party into disrepute. The President may advise the National Executive to take disciplinary action against those concerned if his or her admonitions be not heeded.

(iv) To act as an ombudsman to assist in the resolution of disputes within the Party and to hear, in confidence if deemed necessary, grievances and concerns of members and assist in their resolution.

(v) Generally to advise and assist in sustaining standards of fairness and avoidance of harm to the Party’s reputation in the conduct of its internal affairs.
The President may be invited to attend and advise at meetings of the National Executive at its discretion but shall not have a vote at such meetings. The President shall be invited to attend and advise at meetings of the Advisory Council.

REGIONAL ORGANISATION

Regional Organisers shall be appointed by the National Executive. They shall each govern each Region as the Chairman of a Regional Executive comprising representatives from the constituent Branches and other units in the Region. The Regional Organiser shall have day-to-day operational authority for running their Region but shall be answerable to the Regional Executive.

LOCAL UNIT ORGANISATION

Branch and other local unit Organisers shall be appointed, or their election by their unit subject to approval and ratification, by the Regional Executive. Each Branch or other local unit shall be governed by a committee elected by paid-up members of the unit. Whilst only Voting Members are eligible to hold Branch or other Party offices, all paid-up Party members can vote in local unit committee elections. The local unit shall determine the size and responsibilities of its committee, subject to ratification and possible amendment by the Regional Executive. Additionally, the requirement that all unit offices be held by Voting Members may be waived temporarily by the Regional Executive or National Executive in the case of units not yet possessed of sufficient Voting Members to fill the necessary positions. However non-Voting Members so elected would be expected to qualify for Voting Membership as soon as reasonably practicable.

HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY

Superior executive bodies shall have the right to dissolve inferior ones reporting to them in the event of misconduct and/or incompetence, appointing new organisers and calling new elections. They shall also have the authority to establish, set the boundaries of, and disestablish such inferior bodies. E.g. the National Executive has the power to determine the number of and areas covered by Regions, and Branches within Regions, whilst Regional Executives can do likewise for Branches and other local units within their jurisdictions.

NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

A National Advisory Council comprising all Regional Organisers, Executive Department Heads, National Officials e.g. the Party Treasurer and publication editors, plus the National Executive and any other persons the National Executive shall see fit to invite shall meet at least twice and preferably four times annually to discuss strategic and broader issues. The results of such discussions and any votes taken shall be advisory but not binding on the National Executive.

ANNUAL PARTY CONFERENCE

An Annual Party Conference shall be held once in each calendar year at which all Voting Members may attend and vote. Ordinary Members may attend but not vote. Changes to this Constitution may only be effected by a two-thirds majority vote of the Voting Members at an Annual Conference. A two-thirds majority of the Voting Members present at an Annual Conference, sobeit their number comprises at least 40% of the total Voting Membership, may by resolution dissolve the National Executive and force an election of its members, including the Leader.

Policy Resolutions adopted by the Annual Conference shall be advisory but not binding on the Party.

The Annual Conference shall elect a National Audit Committee of not less than 3 and not more than 5 Voting Members, which shall be responsible for monitoring the accounts and financial affairs of the Party and reporting to the Annual Conference that they have been conducted in an honest and transparent manner, or otherwise. The Party Leader and members of the Executive Council shall not be eligible for membership of this Committee.

VOTING MEMBERS

Voting Members shall from the implementation of this Constitution comprise all persons who have been paid-up Members of the Party in good standing for the past two years continuously.

Within 12 months after the initial implementation of this Constitution, the following further requirements shall be enforced on Voting Members, and shall thereafter be in force in addition to the requirement for 24 months of membership. They shall have successfully completed a course of instruction in Party ideology and policy according to such rules as may from time to time be laid down by the National Executive, or have been granted specific personal exemption, in exceptional cases, from that requirement by the National Executive, and shall in addition have been certified by their local unit or in exceptional cases directly by the National Executive as active Party members of good character. If a potential Voting Member feels that such a certificate has been unreasonably withheld by their local unit they may appeal to the relevant Regional Executive and thence to the National Executive, whose decision shall be final.

The maintenance of an accurate and up-to-date register of Voting Members shall be the responsibility of the Party President, exercised through appropriate subsidiary department/officers. Only Voting Members shall be permitted to see or have access to or custody of any Party membership lists, national or local, and divulging the contents of such lists to anyone not themselves a Voting Member, without explicit permission of all the members concerned or a Court Order of which the National Executive have been made aware and with which they have authorised compliance, shall be a serious disciplinary offence.

PARTY DISCIPLINE

Superior executive bodies shall have the right to initiate disciplinary action against members of inferior ones reporting to them, and against Voting and Ordinary Members in their areas of responsibility in the event of misconduct, defined as any action likely to bring the party into disrepute or deliberately and improperly obstruct its normal and proper operation, the latter including wilfully refusing to obey the reasonable and lawful instructions of superior Party authority to refrain from a particular conduct, speech or action deemed by that superior harmful to the Party.

Internal debate and dissent, and campaigning for election to office within the Party, conducted in a temperate and responsible manner not lowering the Party in public repute or making public confidential internal information shall not per se be an occasion of disciplinary action, in conformance with our principles of freedom of speech and internal democracy.

Members subject to disciplinary action must be informed in writing of the allegations against them in reasonable time to defend themselves, and must be tried by a Disciplinary Tribunal appointed by the relevant Regional or the National Executive, comprised of Voting Members who are as far as possible uninvolved in the matters concerning their Tribunal and likely to be impartial. The Rules of fairness and Natural Justice shall be followed throughout, and right of appeal against the Tribunal’s decisions shall exist for any member to the National Executive.

Pending a disciplinary hearing, members may be suspended from Party office and barred from attending Party meetings and activities, but Voting Members shall retain rights to vote and nominate candidates for national, regional and local office until and unless expelled by a Tribunal.

CHANGES TO THIS CONSTITUTION

Changes to this Constitution may only be made by a vote of 60% of Voting Members present at an Annual Conference.

Submission from Claire Khaw

The British National Party is a democratic nationalist party. Nationalism is an ideology of National Interest and British Nationalist Party is the party of the British National Interest.

Nationalism rejects all ideologies that do not serve the long term British National Interest. The Party rejects the incoherent classification of ideologies of the “Right” and “Left” and is only concerned with exhorting what is good and forbidding what is evil, what works and what does not.

Nationalism is in essence pragmatic and responsive to change, and strives to pass on these characteristics to citizens at large, desiring to make them robust, rational and resourceful.

The Nation is necessarily an abstract concept that encompasses the greater good of the greatest number of British citizens, in the long term, and this necessarily requires its political thinkers to think in centuries, not in terms of short-term gains or the narrow self-interest of certain groups.

The Party recognizes that furthering or protecting the interests of a particular group, class, religion or race will be divisive, although it will strive to correct any inequitable inequalities which exist and which cause resentment and strife amongst the peoples of Britain.

All people value liberty and the concomitant of this is personal responsibility. In pursuit of good government, British Nationalism will strive to strike the right balance that will be perceived to be just by the majority.

The Party believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few, where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe, and where we live together, freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect.

Submission from A. Kemp

Proposed Constitution of the British National Party (3rd Draft: December 2010)

Chapter 1: Name and policy

1.1 The name of this organisation is the “British National Party” (the “Party”).

1.2 The Party’s policy shall be determined by the principles and guidelines laid down by a full and properly constituted Annual General Meeting (the “Conference”).

1.3 Policy decisions taken at the Conference shall be binding unless revoked or amended by subsequent Conferences.

Chapter 2: Party Structure

The party hierarchy will be structured as follows:

2.1 Members

2.2 Local structures (“Contacts”; “Groups”; “Branches”; and “Organisers”);

2.3 Regional structures (“Sub Regional Organisers”; “Regional Councils”; “Regional Organisers”);

2.4 National structures (“National Executive”; “Party Officials”; “Chairman”; “Executive Board”);

2.5 National Leader.

2.6 Details of structure.

2.7 Members. Any British citizen over the age of 16 may join the Party upon completion of a membership application form and payment of membership fees. Party membership may be extended to non-British citizens upon request. The membership fee is determined by the National Executive.

All members are subject to the Code of Conduct (Annexure A).

Party membership lists are to be kept by the Party Chairman and deployed only with his or her consent for the purposes of contacting members on a national or local level.

In this regard, the Party Chairman must keep three sets of lists: (1) those members who have more than three years’ membership; (2) those members who have more than one years’ membership; and (3) all members.

The Party Chairman is empowered to refuse any individual membership application deemed not to be in the interests of the party. This decision must be ratified by the National Executive.

2.8 Local structures.

2.9 Contacts

A “contact” is a person who serves as a primary point of contact for new enquiries or activism in which there are currently no Party groups or branches in existence.

2.10 Groups

A “group” is an organisation of members within a local area of fewer than 10 but more than five individuals. Each group shall elect from its midst, by popular and secret ballot, a group leader and other officials deemed necessary (treasurer etc.).

2.11 Branches

A “branch” is an organisation of members within a local area of more than 10 members, and whose level of activism is deemed sufficiently high by the Regional Organiser to warrant branch status. Each branch shall elect by popular and secret ballot, a branch chairman and other officials deemed necessary (treasurer etc.).

All Groups and Branches have the right to elect, from within their own ranks, new leaders at any time they deem fit.

2.12 Organisers

An “organiser” is appointed by the Regional Organiser in order to kick start or set up a group or branch. An organiser can also be chosen by a group or branch as its group leader or branch chairman.

2.13 Regional Structures

2.14 Sub Regional Organisers

A “sub regional organiser” shall be elected, where practical, in regions too large to be administered by a single regional organiser. The duties of the sub regional organiser include, inter alia, the growth, nurturing, logistical aid, organisation and communication means between the groups and branches and the regional organiser.

The sub-regional organiser will report directly to the regional organiser. Each sub-regional organiser will be elected by popular and secret ballot by the groups and branches within that sub-region.

2.15 Regional Council

A “regional council” is tasked with the coordination, planning, growth, logistical aid, organisation and all other matters pertaining to a particular region. Its members shall consist of:

2.16 The elected chairman and one other member from each Branch;
2.17 The elected chairman of each Group.
2.18 All Regional Councils have the right to elect new officials at any time they deem fit.

2.19 The Regional Council shall be empowered to appoint a regional treasurer, press officer and other officials, not necessarily from within its own ranks. These officials shall sit on the regional council, but will not have voting rights ex officio to elect delegates to the National Executive, unless they themselves are elected branch or group delegates.

2.20 Regional Organiser

A “regional organiser” is tasked with the day-to-day coordination, planning, growth, logistical aid, organisation and all other matters pertaining to the Party in his or her particular region. The regional organiser will be elected by a popular and secret ballot from amongst the members of the regional council.

2.21 National Structure

2.22 The National Executive

2.23 The National Executive is tasked with the running of the party. Its members shall consist of the regional organisers and one other delegate elected from each region by the regional councils.

2.24 The National Executive shall appoint, by popular and secret ballot, from within its own ranks, subcommittees to deal with specific topics, including but not limited to finance, discipline, policy, party structure and constitution, staff appointments, training and education and any other subjects of importance which lies within its powers to determine.

These subcommittees will have advisory ability to the National Executive, whose full vote is required to action any of the suggestions or proposals which are produced by such subcommittees.

2.25 The total membership of the National Executive shall not exceed 37 persons.

2.26 This will allow for a minimum of two delegates from each region, and a further eleven which must consist of the following:
- The Party Chairman;
- The National Leader;
- The National Treasurer;
- The National Nominating Officer.

2.27 The remaining nine persons will be party officials or other individuals, nominated by three subcommittees of the National executive, namely the Staffing Subcommittee, the Finance Subcommittee and the Policy Subcommittee. Each of these three subcommittees can appoint a maximum of three persons to the National Executive.

2.28 The National Executive can meet as often as required, but at a minimum of once every eight weeks.

2.29 For ordinary meetings of the National Executive, a quorum of 60 percent is required.

2.30 Party Officials.

2.31 All Party Officials and staff must be Party members.

2.32 Prospective officials must submit their Curricula Vitae to the subcommittee dealing with staffing for review, and all appointments must ideally be made with due regard to with experience in the role for which the applicant seeks appointment.

2.33 Once the subcommittee tasked with staffing has considered all applications, it must report to the National Executive which must ratify, by popular and secret ballot, any appointments.

2.34 Party Officials will include any offices either required by law (treasurer and nominating officer, with the exception of National Leader) or any others as decided by the National Executive, such as press officer, national organiser, fundraiser etc.

2.35 Party Chairman and Executive Board.

2.36 The National Executive shall elect, not necessarily from within its own ranks, a Party Chairman and an Executive Board. This election will take place by popular and secret ballot.

2.37 The Party Chairman and Executive Board shall have a term of office equivalent to that of the National Leader.

2.38 The Chairman and the Executive Board shall be entrusted with the day-to-day running of the administrative side of the Party, subject to ratification of all their actions by the full National Executive at the earliest feasible opportunity.

2.39 National Leader.

2.40 The National Leader of the Party is entrusted with the guiding the political direction of the movement in its day-to-day interactions with the public, all with the aim of increasing support.

2.41 To this end, the National Leader may appoint spokesmen, based on prior suitable experience, and develop the political theory of the party within the confines of the policy laid down by the Annual General Meeting.

2.42 The National Leader will also sit on the National Executive and Executive Board with full voting rights.

2.43 Election of the National Leader

2.44 The National Leader is elected by a popular and secret ballot amongst Members who have been paid up members for a year or more.

2.45 Eligibility to stand for leadership: In order to qualify to be a candidate for leadership, a member must have more than three years’ continuous membership.

2.46 In addition, a candidate must have obtained at least 100 signatures from members with more than one year’s membership. These 100 signatures must be on an official nomination form which must be available to all potential candidates from the Party Chairman.

2.47 The Party will not provide membership lists to prospective candidates under any circumstances. Candidates will have to use their own resources, such as meetings and appeals, to gather the requisite signatures.

2.48 Election Process

2.49 The Party Chairman shall be Acting Leader of the Party in-between the declaration of a vacancy and the election of a new leader.

2.50 If the Party Chairman is a candidate in the election, the National Executive must elect an Acting Chairman for the interim period.

2.51 Completed official nomination forms must be submitted to the Party Chairman within deadlines specified by the circumstances, but always at least six weeks after the official declaration of a vacancy by the Chairman.

2.52 After checking and verification that all signatures are from members with more than one year’s membership, the Party Chairman shall announce the candidates via all official Party organs.

2.53 All candidates shall have equal time and space allocated to them in all the Party organs. Time and word limits shall be determined by the National Executive, with a guideline of 500 words each for written manifestoes and four minutes each for BNPtv or Radio RWB appearances.

2.54 Once the candidates are declared, all members with one year’s continuous membership shall receive, by mail, a voting ballot with all the names of prospective candidates printed thereon. This shall take place no less than three weeks from the date of the official declaration of candidates by the Party Chairman.

2.55 Prospective candidates may campaign in their own right, by using meetings and websites, on condition that they do not engage in mass email spam which is a breach of the Data Protection Act (in other words, mass emails may only be sent to people who have specifically granted permission thereto) and that no breach of the Code of Conduct (Annexure A) takes place.

2.56 A breach of the Code of Conduct (Annexure A) by any candidate will result in automatic disqualification, a decision which can be taken by the Chairman and Executive Board (excluding, if present, an incumbent standing for election), on condition that it be ratified by an emergency meeting of the National Executive.

2.57 An official can support who they choose. No official can use their position or the data they hold to declare support for any candidate.

2.58 Party members will have two weeks from date of posting of the ballots in which to return the papers marked with their choice. The returned ballots will remain sealed until the two week period is over, whereupon they will be opened and counted in the presence of the candidates and their representatives.

2.59 The candidate with the most popular votes will be declared duly elected and take up the role with immediate effect.

2.60 Election Timeframes and Extraordinary Circumstances

2.61 The position of National Leader shall be valid for four years, subject to the right of recall by the National Executive as outlined below.

2.62 If at the end of this period, no nominations are received, and the incumbent indicates his or her desire to retain the post, he or she will duly be considered to be re-elected unopposed.

2.63 If the National Leader should fall ill, be incapacitated or otherwise be unable to fulfil his or her duties to any reason whatsoever, the Party Chairman, subject to ratification by the National Executive, may declare a vacancy at any time and implement an election procedure subject to the time frames laid out above.

2.64 In exceptional circumstances, the National Leader may be removed from office by a vote of 75 percent of the full National Executive in terms of a no-confidence motion. The quorum required for such a decision is 90 percent.

2.65 In order to ensure that a decision taken in terms of section 2.64 is representative of the majority of the party structure, any National Executive taking such a decision will also instantly be dissolved and will have to seek re-election from its constituent bodies (the Regional Councils).

Chapter 3: The Annual General Meeting (“Conference”)

3.1 The Party must hold an Annual General Meeting (“Conference”) each year during the first week of November. The National Executive has the right to determine precise dates and other arrangements.

3.2 Attendance at the Conference is open to all members, restricted only by space.

3.3 Voting on Conference motions is limited to those members with more than one year’s continuous membership.

3.4 Voting on motions which determine party policy require an 80 percent quorum at the Conference, which in turn must be representative of at least 80 percent of all the active groups and branches.

Chapter 5: Candidate Selection Procedures

5.1 All candidates for local and national elections are to be selected by local organisations.

5.2 The guideline as outlined in paragraph 5.1 can only be interfered with under the following circumstances:

5.3 An 80% quorum of the National Executive agrees to deselect a local candidate after hearing all the details surrounding any such contentious nomination, or

5.4 There is no local organisation capable of choosing a candidate, in which case the Regional Organiser must take on the role of candidate selection.

Chapter 6: Revisions to this Constitution

6.1 Changes to this constitution may only be made by a 75 percent majority vote at the Annual General Meeting (“Conference”) of the Party.

6.2 Such a conference must be representative of at least 80 percent of all active groups and branches.

Code of Conduct (Annexure A)

A.1 Disciplinary Procedure

A.2 All elected Party officials and Party Officers must bring beaches of the code of conduct to the attention of the National Executive’s disciplinary subcommittee within two weeks of the breach occurring.

A.3 The disciplinary subcommittee must immediately make a recommendation to the Party Chairman to either expel or suspend the member in question, subject to appeal, or to place the member on disciplinary charges. All decisions by the Party Chairman in this regard must be ratified by the National Executive.

A.4 The National Executive shall arrange for any hearings or appeals to be heard and concluded within four weeks of any complaint, suspension or expulsion.

A.5 The disciplinary tribunal must consist of the Regional Organiser concerned, and at least two other members appointed by him. The decision of the hearing is final and no appeal is allowed after that.

A.6 If the Regional Organiser is the accused, another Regional Organiser must act in his place.

A.7 Offences.

A.8 No member of the party shall be a member of another political party. No party official may be a member of any other party.

A.9 All Members and Party Officials are obligated to treat all other Members and Party Officials with due courtesy and respect, even in the event of disagreement on fundamental issues.

A.10 All Members agree to abide the majority vote decision of any party body.

A.11 All Members are under an obligation to always act in a way which will not bring the party into disrepute. The National Executive’s disciplinary subcommittee and Party Chairman, subject to ratification by the National Executive, have the right to determine the definition of “disrepute.”

A.12 All Members are obligated to raise concerns on any aspect of Party activity or behaviour in the correct hierarchal channels, either to Group leader, Branch Chairman, Regional Organiser, Regional Council member, National Executive member or Chairman, in that order.

A.13 The distribution, by any electronic or printed means, of dissatisfaction, allegations of any sort, true or false, outside of the official channels, is expressly forbidden. In leadership election challenges, no material which brings the party into disrepute shall be distributed via any of these means.

A.14 All Party Officials are entrusted with access to confidential information and any unauthorised distribution of such material is an offence.

Submission from D. Franklin

The Advisory Council structure should be abolished. The BNP should be governed by a National Executive directly elected by paid-up BNP members in good standing. At the same time as these elections are held, there should be elections for national officers e.g. Chairman, Treasurer, secretary etc. Persons seeking election to these posts should require a (reasonable) number of nominations from paid-up members to deter frivolous candidates, but not so many that it is onerous.

All members of the National executive should be honorary i.e. unpaid. However they should be able to claim for vouched travel/subsistence expenses and loss of earnings where appropriate. Anyone who is employed and paid by the party should be disqualified from standing for the National Executive. However senior paid officers of the party should normally attend NE meetings to provide information and advice, but they will not be able to vote.

At each NE meeting the National officers and others should present a full report. The Treasurer should present proper management accounts at each meeting and full financial statements at the year end. These statements will be subject to audit by an audit committee. This committee should not have any member who is a member of the NE or be a paid member of staff. The financial statements and the findings of the audit committee should be published to the membership.

The NE should have the power to employ genuine consultants if deemed necessary. However these must be arms lengths transactions, subject to tender if possible and regularly reviewed by the NE. In no circumstances should any consultant act in a role which would give the impression that the consultant is an officer of the party or a member of staff. The main principle in appointing such consultants should be value for money, but preference should be given to BNP members wherever possible.

As regards a "leader", I feel this is only really appropriate where BNP members are elected to a public body. For example, BNP councillors, MPs (when we get some) and MEP's, should elect a leader and deputy from amongst their number.

Discipline. All organisations need some form of disciplinary code. But this must be open, honest, fair and in accordance with the law of the land and the rules of natural justice. It should be seen as a measure to be used sparingly. It should not be used as means to silence dissent or to get rid of "awkward" members.

With respect to branches and groups, I feel their organisation should mirror that of the National Executive. Local groups should be governed by elected committees with a chairman, secretary, treasurer and in this case a local organiser. Local units should hold their own funds and the treasurer should report on the state of the finances to the local committee and the membership. At the year end the treasurer should produce a financial statement which will be subject to audit by another person not on the committee.

In the longer term, I would like to see the BNP move to a system where memberships are issued locally with a proportion of the membership fee remitted to head office funds. Local groups would also be responsible for getting in renewals and maintaining membership records. There should be only 3 classes of membership; ordinary, paid life and honorary life. The latter would be awarded to members of special merit or for long term service.

Those branches and groups which do not already do so, should issue regular bulletins to their members and any registered supporters. Local unit should be encouraged to set up local websites and publish local community newsletters in areas where they are likely to stand candidates.

Dick Franklin

Submission from I. Hills

Something like a national executive committee is needed. If members in good standing in each region elect one member, this would give it democratic accountability. But this executive must have real teeth. This means complete access to the party's accounts. It also means vetting of the leader's hirings and firings, vetting of manifesto and constitutional changes, the last word in party discipline and the final say in who stands for local, general and European elections. We should, in short, be moving away from our dictatorial roots.

Ian Hills