(Subsequent to Gaitskill Amendment) (I)
There shall be two classes of members, namely:
(a) Affiliated Members. (b)
Individual Members. (2)
Affiliated Members shall consist of:
(a) Trade Unions affiliated
to the Trades Union Congress or recognised by the General Council of the Trades
Union Congress as bonafide Trade Unions.
(b) Co-operative Societies.
(c) Socialist Societies.
(d) Professional
organisations which, in the opinion of the National Executive Committee, have
interests consistent with those of other affiliated organisations.
(e) Constituency Labour
Parties and Central Labour Parties in Divided Boroughs.
(f) County or Area
Federations of Constituency Labour Parties, hereinafter referred to as
Federations. (3)
Political organisations not affiliated to or associated under a National
Agreement with the Party on I January I946, having their own Programme,
Principles and Policy for distinctive and separate propaganda, or possessing
Branches in the Constituencies or engaged in the promotion of Parliamentary or
Local Government Candidatures, or owing allegiance to any political organisation
situated abroad, shall be ineligible for affiliation to the Party. (4)
Individual Members shall be persons of not less than fifteen years of age who
subscribe to the conditions of membership, provided they are not members of
Political Parties or organisations ancillary or subsidiary thereto declared by
the Annual Conference of the Labour Party (hereinafter referred to as 'the
Party') or by the National Executive Committee in pursuance of Conference
decisions to be ineligible for affiliation to the Party. (5)
British citizens temporarily resident abroad may become Individual Members, or
retain such membership of the Party, by enrolment with the Head Office provided
they accept the conditions of membership in Clause III. (1)
Each affiliated organisation must:
(a) Accept the Programme,
Principles and Policy of the Party.
(b) Agree to conform to the
Constitution and Standing Orders of the Party.
(c) Submit its Political
Rules to the National Executive Committee. (2)
Each Constituency Labour Party, Central Labour Party, and Federation must, in
addition to the conditions mentioned in Section I of this Clause, adopt the
Rules laid down by the Party Conference. (3)
Each Individual Member must:
(a) Accept and conform to the
Constitution, Programme, Principles and Policy of the Party.
(b) If eligible, be a member
of a Trade Union affiliated to the Trades Union Congress or recognised by the
General Council of the Trades Union Congress as a bona fide Trade Union.
(c) Unless temporarily
resident abroad, be a member of a Constituency Labour Party, either where he or
she resides, or where he or she is registered as a Parliamentary or Local
Government elector. (1)
To organise and maintain in Parliament and in the country a Political Labour
Party. (2)
To co-operate with the General Council of the Trades Union Congress, or other
Kindred Organisations, in joint political or other action in harmony with the
Party Constitution and Standing Orders. (3)
To give effect as far as may be practicable to the principles from time to time
approved by the Party Conference. (4)
To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry
and the most equitable distribution thereof that may be possible upon the basis
of the common ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange,
and the best obtainable system of popular administration and control of each
industry or service (5)
Generally to promote the Political, Social and Economic Emancipation of the
People, and more particularly of those who depend directly upon their own
exertions by hand or by brain for the means of life.
INTER-COMMONWEALTH (6)
To co-operate with the Labour and Socialist organisations in the Commonwealth
Overseas with a view to promoting the purposes of the Party, and to take common
action for the promotion of a higher standard of social and economic life for
the working population of the respective countries.
INTERNATIONAL
(7)
To co-operate with the Labour and Socialist organisations in other countries and
to support the United Nations Organisation and its various agencies and other
international organisations for the promotion of peace, the adjustment and
settlement of international disputes by conciliation or judicial arbitration,
the establishment and defence of human rights, and the improvement of the social
and economic standards and conditions of work of the people of the world. (1)
The Party Conference shall decide from time to time what specific proposals of
legislative, financial or administrative reform shall be included in the Party
Programme. No proposal shall be included in the Party Programme unless it has
been adopted by the Party Conference by a majority of not less than two-thirds
of the votes recorded on a card vote. (2)
The National Executive Committee and the Parliamentary Committee of the
Parliamentary Labour Party shall decide which items from the Party Programme
shall be included in the Manifesto which shall be issued by the National
Executive Committee prior to every General Election. The Joint Meeting of the
two Committees shall also define the attitude of the Party to the principal
issues raised by the Election which are not covered by the Manifesto. (1)
The work of the Party shall be under the direction and control of the Party
Conference, which shall itself be subject to the Constitution and Standing
Orders of the Party. The Party Conference shall meet regularly once in every
year and also at such other times as it may be convened by the National
Executive Committee. (2)
The Party Conference shall be constituted as follows:
(a) Delegates duly appointed
by each affiliated Trade Union or other organisations to the number of one
delegate for each 5,000 members or part thereof on whom affiliation fees and
byelection insurance premiums were paid for the year ending 31 December
preceding the Conference.
(b) Delegates duly appointed
by Constituency Labour Parties (or Trades Councils acting as such) to the number
of one delegate for each ooo individual members or part thereof on whom
affiliation fees and by-election insurance premiums were paid for the year
ending 31 December preceding the Conference; where the individual and affiliated
women's membership exceeds 2,500 an additional woman delegate may be appointed;
where the membership of Young Socialist Branches within a constituency is 200 or
more an additional Young Socialist delegate may be appointed.
(c) Delegates duly appointed
by Central Labour Parties or Trades Councils acting as such in Divided Boroughs
not exceeding one for each Central Labour Party provided the affiliation fees
and by-election insurance premiums have been paid for the year ending 3 I
December preceding the Conference.
(d) Delegates duly appointed
by Federations not exceeding one for each Federation provided the affiliation
fees have been paid for the year ending 3I December preceding the Conference.
(e) Ex officio Members of the
Party Conference as follows:
(i) Members of the National
Executive Committee.
(ii) Members of the
Parliamentary Labour Party.
(iii) Parliamentary Labour
Candidates whose candidatures have been duly endorsed by the National Executive
Committee.
(iv) The Secretary of the
Party. Ex officio Members shall have no voting power.
(f) Any special Party
Conference shall be called on the same basis of representation as that upon
which the last Annual Party Conference was convened. (3)
In the event of a duly appointed delegate being elected as Treasurer or as a
member of the National Executive Committee, the Affiliated Organisation
responsible for his or her appointment as a delegate may claim authority at
subsequent Party Conferences during his or her period of Office, to appoint a
delegate additional to the number applicable to it under paras. (a), (b) and (c)
of Section 2 of this Clause, provided the delegate elected as Treasurer or as a
member of the National Executive Committee: (i) Remains qualified to be
appointed as a delegate under Clause VII; and (ii) Continues to be duly
appointed as a delegate by the Affiliated Organisation claiming authority to
appoint an additional delegate within the provisions of this Section. (1)
Every Delegate must be an individual member of the Labour Party as described in
Clause II, Section 4, except persons resident in Northern Ireland who are duly
appointed Delegates of affiliated trade unions and who individually accept and
conform to the Constitution, Programme, Principles and Policy of the Party. (2)
Delegates must be bona fide members or paid permanent officials of the
organisation appointing them, except in the case of Members of the Parliamentary
Labour Party or dulyendorsed Parliamentary Labour Candidates appointed to
represent Constituencies in accordance with Section 4 of this Clause. (3)
Delegates appointed by Federations or Central Labour Parties must be resident
within the area of the organisation concerned or be registered therein as
Parliamentary or Local Government electors. (4)
Members of the Parliamentary Labour Party and dulyendorsed Parliamentary Labour
Candidates may be appointed as Delegates by Constituency Labour Parties
responsible for their candidatures; otherwise, Delegates appointed by
Constituency Labour Parties must be resident in the Constituency appointing
them, or registered as Parliamentary or Local Government electors therein. (5)
No person shall act as a Delegate for more than one organisation. (6)
No person shall act as a Delegate who does not pay the political levy of his or
her Trade Union. (7)
Members of Parliament not members of the Parliamentary Labour Party are
ineligible to act as Delegates. (8)
The following are also ineligible to act as Delegates: (a)
Persons acting as candidates or supporting candidates in opposition to
duly-endorsed Labour Candidates. (b)
Persons who are members of political parties or organisations ancillary or
subsidiary thereto declared by the Annual Party Conference or by the National
Executive Committee in pursuance of the Conference decisions to be ineligible
for affiliation to the Labour Party. (1)
There shall be a National Executive Committee of the Party consisting of 25
members and a Treasurer, elected by the Party Conference at its regular Annual
Meeting in such proportion and under such conditions as may be set out in the
Standing Orders for the time being in force. The Leader and Deputy Leader of the
Parliamentary Labour Party shall be ex officio members of the National Executive
Committee. The National Executive Committee shall, subject to the control and
directions of the Party Conference, be the Administrative Authority of the
Party. (2)
The duties and powers of the National Executive Committee shall include the
following:
(a) To ensure the
establishment of, and to keep in active operation, a Constituency Labour Party
in every Constituency, a Central Labour Party in every Divided Borough and a
Federation in every suitable area, in accordance with the Rules laid down by the
Party Conference for the purpose.
(b) To enforce the
Constitution, Standing Orders, and Rules of the Party and to take any action it
deems necessary for such purpose, whether by way of disaffiliation of an
organisation or expulsion of an individual, or otherwise. Any such action shall
be reported to the next Annual Conference of the Party.
(c) To confer with the
Parliamentary Labour Party at the opening of each Parliamentary Session, and at
any other time when it or the Parliamentary Party may desire a conference on any
matters relating to the work and progress of the Party.
(d) To see that all its
Officers and members conform to the Constitution, Rules and Standing Orders of
the Party.
(e) To present to the Annual
Party Conference a Report covering the work and progress of the Party during its
period of office, together with a Financial Statement and Accounts duly audited.
The Report, Financial Statement and Accounts shall be sent to affiliated
organisations at least two clear weeks before the opening of the Annual Party
Conference.
(f) To propose to the Annual
Party Conference such APPENDIX I amendments to the Constitution, Rules and
Standing Orders as may be deemed desirable and to submit to the Annual Party
Conference or to any Special Party Conference, called in accordance with the
Standing Orders, such resolutions and declarations affecting the Programme,
Principles and Policy of the Party as in its view may be necessitated by
political circumstances.
(g) To organise and maintain
such fund or funds as may be thought necessary for any or all of the objects for
which the Party exists, including a fund to finance Parliamentary byelections
and a fund established for the purpose of insuring against the forfeiture of
Returning Officers' Deposits at every Parliamentary General Election.
(h) To secure advances from
time to time or to raise loans, either on mortgage or otherwise and on such
terms as it may deem expedient; to employ any part of the funds at its disposal
in the purchase of any freehold or leasehold building or site and for in the
building, leasing holding or rental of any premises and in the fitting-up and
maintenance thereof; and to invest any moneys not immediately required in such
securities as it may deem proper and to realise or to vary such investments from
time to time and to appoint Trustees andfor form a Society, Association, Company
or Companies in accordance with the provisions of the Friendly Societies Acts or
the Companies Acts for any or all of the above purposes and to define the powers
of such Trustees, Society, Association, Company or Companies and the manner in
which such powers shall be exercised.
(i) To sanction, where local
circumstances render it necessary, modifications in the rules laid down by the
Annual Party Conference for the various classes of Party Organisations in the
Constituencies and Regions, provided that such modifications comply with the
spirit and intention of the Annual Party Conference and do not alter the
objects, basis or conditions of affiliated and individual membership, vary the
procedure for the selection of Parliamentary Candidates (except as provided in
the rules) or effect a change in the relationship of Central Labour Parties or
Constituency Labour Parties with the Labour Party. (3)
The decision of the National Executive Committee, subject to any modification by
the Party Conference, as to the meaning and effect of any rule or any part of
this Constitution and Standing Orders, shall be final. (4)
The National Executive Committee shall have power to adjudicate in disputes that
may arise between affiliated and other Party organisations, and in disputes
which occur within the Party's Regional, Federation, or Constituency machinery,
and its decisions shall be binding on all organisations concerned. (1)
The National Executive Committee shall co-operate with the Constituency Labour
Party for each Constituency in selecting a Labour Candidate for any
Parliamentary Election. (2)
The selection of Labour Candidates for Parliamentary Elections shall be made in
accordance with the procedure laid down by the Annual Party Conference in the
Rules which apply to Constituency and Central Labour Parties. (3)
The selection of Labour Candidates for Parliamentary Elections shall not be
regarded as completed until the name of the person selected has been placed
before a meeting of the National Executive Committee, and his or her selection
has been duly endorsed. (4)
No Parliamentary candidature shall be endorsed until the National Executive
Committee has received an undertaking by one of its affiliated organisations (or
is otherwise satisfied) that the election expenses of the Candidate are
guaranteed. (5)
Labour Candidates for Parliamentary Elections duly endorsed by the National
Executive Committee shall appear before the electors under the designation of'
Labour Candidate' only. At any Parliamentary General Election they shall include
in their Election Addresses and give prominence in their campaigns to the issues
for that Election as defined by the National Executive Committee in its
Manifesto. (6)
At a Parliamentary By-Election a duly-endorsed Labour Candidate shall submit his
or her Election Address to the National Executive Committee for approval. The
National APPENDIX I Executive Committee, whenever it considers it necessary
shall give advice and guidance on any special issue to be raised, or in the
conduct of the Campaign during such By-Election. (7)
No person may be selected as a Parliamentary Labour Candidate by a Constituency
Labour Party, and no Candidate may be endorsed by the National Executive
Committee, if the person concerned:
(a) is not an Individual
Member of the Party and, if eligible, is not a member of a Trade Union
affiliated to the Trades Union Congress or recognised by the General Council of
the Trades Union Congress as a bonafide Trade Union; or
(b) is a member of a
Political Party or organisation ancillary or subsidiary thereto declared by the
Annual Party Conference or by the National Executive Committee in pursuance of
Conference decisions to be ineligible for affiliation to the Labour Party; or
(c) does not accept and
conform to the Constitution, Programme, Principles and Policy of the Party; or
(d) does not undertake to accept and act in harmony with the Standing Orders of
the Parliamentary Labour Party. (8)
Any Candidate who, after election, fails to accept or act in harmony with the
Standing Orders of the Parliamentary Labour Party shall be considered to have
violated the terms of this Constitution. (1)
Each affiliated organisation (other than Federations, Constituency and Central
Labour Parties) shall pay an affiliation fee of Is. per member per annum to the
Party. (2)
Each Constituency Labour Party shall pay an affiliation fee of Is. per annum on
each individual member attached to the Party directly or indirectly through its
local Labour Parties, Polling District Committees, Ward Committees and Women's
Sections, subject to a minimum payment of £so per annum. (3)
Each Central Labour Party shall pay an affiliation fee at the rate of £5 per
annum for each Constituency Labour Party within the Divided Borough. (4)
Each County Federation shall pay affiliation fees in accordance with the
following scale: Per annum Federations of 2, 3 or 4 Constituency or C.L.P. £I or
£2, £3, £4 or £6. (5)
Each Individual Member of the Party shall pay a minimum membership fee of Is.
monthly to the Party to which he or she is attached in the manner laid down in
Constituency and Local Labour Party Rules except Old Age Pensioners who have
retired from work and they shall be allowed Individual Membership of the Party
on the minimum payment of Is. per annum. These contributions shall be entered on
membership cards supplied by the National Executive Committee to Constituency
Parties at Is. per card, which sum shall include the affiliation fee payable by
such organisation to the Party in respect of such members. (I)
There shall be appointed in accordance with the Standing Orders at each Annual
Party Conference a Party Conference Arrangements Committee of Five Delegates for
the Annual Party Conference in the year succeeding its appointment, or for any
Party Conference called during the intervening period. A member of the Head
Office staff shall act as Secretary to the Committee. (2)
The duties of the Party Conference Arrangements Committee shall be:
(a) To arrange the order of
the Party Conference Agenda.
(b) To act as a Standing
Orders Committee.
(c) To appoint Scrutineers
and Tellers for the Annual Party Conference from among the Delegates whose names
have been received at the Head Office of the Party two clear weeks prior to the
opening of the Conference and submit them for approval to the Conference. In the
case of a Special Party Conference called under Clause VI, the National
Executive Committee may appoint a date prior to which such names must be
received. There
shall be appointed in accordance with the Standing Orders at each Annual Party
Conference two Delegates to act as Auditors of the Party Accounts to be
submitted at the Annual Party Conference next succeeding that at which they are
appointed. The
existing Constitution and Rules or any part thereof, may be amended, rescinded,
altered or additions made thereto, by Resolution, carried on a card vote at an
Annual Party Conference (in manner provided in the Standing Orders appended
hereto) held in every third year following the year I956, unless the National
Executive Committee advises that amendments shall be specially considered at any
Annual Party Conference. Notice of Resolutions embodying any such proposals must
be sent in writing to the Secretary at the Offices of the Party as provided in
Standing Orders. The
Standing Orders of the Party Conference shall be considered for all purposes as
if they form part of this Constitution and shall have effect accordingly. New
Standing Orders may be made when required, or the existing Standing Orders
amended, rescinded, or altered by Resolution in the same manner as provided for
alterations in the Constitution itself. END.
(Source Labour Party Rulebook 1960)
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THE 1960 LABOUR PARTY CONSTITUTION
Clause I. - NAME. The Labour Party
Clause II. - MEMBERSHIP
Clause III. - CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP
Clause IV. - PARTY OBJECTS NATIONAL
Clause V. - PARTY PROGRAMME
Clause VI. - THE PARTY CONFERENCE
Clause VII. - APPOINTMENT OF DELEGATES TO THE PARTY CONFERENCE
Clause VIII. - THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Clause IX. - PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATURES
Clause X. - AFFILIATION AND MEMBERSHIP FEES
Clause XI. - PARTY CONFERENCE ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE
Clause XII. - AUDITORS
Clause XIII. - ALTERATION TO CONSTITUTION AND RULES
Clause XIV. - STANDING ORDERS