Your Party

Survey: YP and the GLA elections in London

The latest Your Party survey is on Your Party and the GLA elections in London. It has been proposed that we field candidates in the Greater London Assembly elections as well as the European elections - which are both held on June 10th. (In these elections voters vote for the Mayor, Constituency Members and London Wide Members.) We would like to know what you think about this proposal.

The other surveys. (Our surveys are hosted by YouGov, an online research and polling company.)

YP on TV?

Dan Thompson may be on BBC1's Politics Show on Sunday 21st March. He says:

if a major news/political event occurs then this could change but, on the assumption that it goes ahead, I'd like to get views on the proposed topic of debate which is voter apathy. We've done quite a lot of research on this and related matters but I'd like to get everyone's views before the program - why is there apathy? is it apathy or disillusionment? how can it be addressed?

The YPP list has started making some good comments on this, but you can't read them unless you join it (well, yes, that's a structural flaw I can only blame myself for), so here I am, brazenly and party-servingly, abstracting the discussion:

... The trend of ideological convergence between the major parties (as they compete for the median voter) is potentially an important factor in voter apathy...

... I would say that it is definitely 'disillusionment' - everyone I speak to about politics have quite strong views this way or that but the common denominator is that they feel that their vote at the elections doesn’t count for anything...

... People sometimes don't believe they can make any difference during the election - so don't vote, but they also have to accept part of the responsibility of their decision and that they have, in part, allowed this world situation to occur (whether you regard it as good or bad)...

... To get people to vote in these elections we need not only to persuade them that it makes a difference who wins, but also that they are voting for a body that has an impact on their lives...

... People in general are not 'apathetic' they simply just don’t have the opportunity to take part. Raise any debate within any UK community e.g. fox hunting, the Euro, the Budget, Iraq and you will have a plethora of different views and often have a heated discussion on your hands. No, there certainly isn’t any apathy towards politics in this country just apathy to the Ballot box...

Electoral Commission research seems to bear this out, saying that

the main obstacle to mobilising the electorate to participate in 2004 will be the deep-rooted and wisdespread scepticism about the impact of voting per se. Even at the general election - in almost everyone's eyes the most important electoral contest - the sense that the vote is a functioning democratic 'lever' appears almost absent.

Any comments for Dan? Pop them in the form below, or join the YPP list.

Your Party in the news, March 2004

Dan Thompson interviewed on R4's Today programme, 15 March 2004.

BBC: Britain's new party goes online

But the initial members had drawn up four key values for its European election platform - honesty, transparency, democratic legitimacy and being effective. Mr Thompson said he and other donors were prepared to underwrite the party's costs, although much of the workload was being carried out by volunteers.

- it's hard to overstate just how much great work the volunteers are doing.

Manchester Online: Politics launched on the web

Sunday Telegraph: It's Your Party and you can log on if you want to (registration may be required).

Sunday Times: Atticus mentions YP briefly.

(YP's media team.)

Service update

We're having a few 'day one' teething problems with our new website. Many apologies to all. We're working on it.

Your Party is launched today

Press release, 15 March 2004:

Your Party – www.yourparty.org - is launched today

Your Party (www.yourparty.org) - a new online political party - is launched today and announces its intention to field candidates in the forthcoming European elections.

The party is based on the principles of democracy and genuine popular involvement. Members will choose all candidates and make all policy decisions. Issues before the House of Commons, European Parliament or local government will be voted on by the membership. Party representatives must then vote in accordance with the party's decision.

Membership is open to everyone at the party's website, www.yourparty.org. Members will be entitled to vote on party policies, put forward their own policy proposals and register to stand as candidates in European and other elections.

The party will be non-ideological, and will assess every issue on its merits. By steering clear of the adversarial conflict, endemic in British politics, members will be able openly to discuss and scrutinize every issue. Your Party believes that this process will lead to better-informed, more effective and more democratic decision-making and policies.

Your Party was formed by Dan Thompson, Rod McLaren, Simon Morris and Liz Morris in January 2004 - as a way of addressing increasing public apathy and disillusionment towards mainstream politics, harnessing the rising popularity of single-issue campaigns and capitalising on the increasing impact of the internet on politics.

Thompson, McLaren and Simon Morris previously worked together at 365 Corporation, which was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1999 and rapidly built up more than 3 million users a month for its websites.

Thompson stated "Election turnouts may be falling but it's not like people stopped caring about political issues. Huge numbers of ordinary people are going on marches, joining organisations and taking local action on causes they care about. We want to give everybody a political party that focuses on their concerns and lets them take the decisions."

McLaren adds: "Millions of people in the US, and elsewhere in the world, are using the internet to get more involved with organisations such as MoveOn.org. (a network of 1,700,000 online activists in the US) and the Howard Dean web campaign. The internet's a fantastic tool for giving people the chance of genuine involvement and a real say."

"Your party aims to have the biggest membership of any political party in Britain within 5 years. Joining other political parties can mean knocking on doors and delivering leaflets. With Your Party you can be an MEP in June and an MP next year and you have a say on every single issue" said Simon Morris.

Liz Morris says "As a mother with a young child, and I'm sure it's the same for every busy person, it's virtually impossible to get involved in traditional politics. I love the idea of a party where I can go online at a time that suits me and have a voice and a vote on the issues I care about."

Thompson concludes "We believe that politics should be about arriving at the best possible decisions - about how to provide great health care and how to cut crime; not about who said what when".

For more information contact: Liz Morris on 07837 137 143 or media@yourparty.org.

Notes To Editors

These notes are divided into 3 sections:

A - Background statistics
B - Your Party's aims
C - Founders' biographies

A – Background statistics:

Voter Turnout

(Source: The Electoral Commission: Public Opinion and the 2004 Elections)

• June 2001 General Election – 59.4% of electorate (lowest since 1918);
• Only 24% of electorate actually voted for the Labour Party in 2001
• European Elections – turnout fell from 36.4% in 1994 to 24% in 1999; projected to fall to 19% in 2004
• GLA Elections – 33% turnout.

Attitudes to politics and politicians

• Only 20% of people trust government to ‘tell the truth' (MORI)

Mass involvement in single issues/campaigns

• "This apparently accelerating trend away from participation in the institutions of democracy contrasts with what seems to be a growing tendency for people to make their voice heard through participation in various forms of direct action rather than through the ballot box." - (Electoral Commission - ‘Election 2001: the official results')
• Countryside Alliance London Rally 2003 - 407,791 protesters (Source: Police & Countryside Alliance – they operated an agreed count method.)
• Stop the War Coalition anti-war march (14/02.03)– Estimates range from 750,000 (police) to 2,000,000 (organisers)
• RSPCA Membership: 450,000 donors. (RSPCA – estimates)
• Student Fees Protesters - On 27 Oct 2003 between 10,000-31,000 protesters rallied in London against top-up fees. (N.B. the Met claim the number was 10,000 and the NUS claim it was closer to 31,000)

Internet as a means of mass involvement

• Howard Dean supporters – grew from an organisation of 432 supporters to in excess of 200,000; raised $45m in campaign finance faster than any other political party in US history. (Source: www.headshift.com)
• Moveon.Org – Nationwide network of >1,700,000 online activists has contributed more than $2m to key Congressional campaigns during 2000 election.
• Philippines – 'People Power II' campaign saw hundreds of thousands of people mobilised against the former President, through an internet and SMS campaign. (Source: http://wireless.itworld.com/4273/CW_1-31-01_it/page_1.html)
• HEDRA research – 50%+ of young people would be more likely to vote if they could do so via the internet; (http://www.e-democracy.gov.uk);
• ICM research – 40% of young people would spend more time considering party policies and candidates if they could do so via the internet; (http://www.e-democracy.gov.uk)

B - Your Party's Aims:

Your Party aims to help you get involved in a way that actually results in positive change. If you've ever wanted your political representatives to listen to you, or got frustrated with the 'political system', or simply wanted to help, then Your Party is for you.

It aims to:

• Gain proper representation for you – our goal is to have the first representatives that are directly controlled by the citizens. (We are planning to put candidates forward for the European Elections in 2004.)
• Generate new ideas and solutions from informed and constructive debate. These will go to all party participants and, once approved, will be supported and promoted by Your Party.
• Involve you in the political and governmental system, and give you the information and tools to get the best out of them. Our website will develop to give you what you need - from the right number to call at your local council to the tools to create a petition to be signed by hundreds of thousands of people.

Ultimately - and we know how idealistic this sounds - we hope that by involving people in the political process we can contribute positively to society and people's lives.

C - Founders' Biographies:

Dan Thompson has a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse. His career in business encompassed music (Sanctuary Music and Rhythm King Records); video and computer games (Renegade Software and Time Warner Interactive); and internet and telecoms (365 Corporation). In 2001 Dan retired from full-time business to focus on his charity and cause interests.

Rod McLaren is an artist and internet/mobile consultant. He led the product design and delivery teams at 365 Corporation and Eckoh Technologies.

Simon Morris is a businesssman with a background in media and marketing. His career has involved working for Virgin, SEGA, BSkyB, Ginger and 365 Corporation. He lives in London with his wife and 3 children.

Liz is at home looking after her 18 month old daughter and is currently studying for an Environmental Postgraduate degree. Her background is an English Literature degree from Cardiff University and 10 years UK and International marketing experience in the character licensing and interactive games businesses. She has worked for Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Time Warner Interactive & Accolade.

Your Party's new website

We'll be launching our new website on Monday 15 March.

We have been undertaking consultative surveys with you on how to take the party forward and our general approach to Europe. The latest is on Your Party, Marketing & MEP Candidates. (Our surveys are hosted by You Gov.)

And some coverage today:

• The Telegraph has a piece on YP today: It's Your Party and you can log on if you want to (registration may be required).
• And the Sunday Times' Atticus mentions YP briefly.

Survey results: The European Union & The Party Constitution

Results from survey 5, on The European Union and the Party Constitution. (You can still take this survey here, and there's a complete list of our surveys here.)

The European Union (EU) is an inefficient institution which allows an unacceptable degree of waste and corruption. It fails to connect with the people, it lacks transparency, and it is in danger of losing democratic legitimacy. On the other hand, these problems can be addressed and solved; it is important that the EU should succeed; potentially, our membership of the EU is a positive rather than a negative. Britain should be tough and energetic in striving to improve the EU, rather than quit.

• Broadly accept this position 90%
• Reject this position 8%
• Don’t know 2%

There was a strong sense that an elected Your Party representative to the European Parliament could act as an uncompromising champion for positive change. By being more closely connected to the British population, and by being free from a political-party ideology, that champion could have a stronger voice and a more clearly defined role to affect the EU agenda.

• Broadly agree with this 84%
• Disagree 9%
• Don’t know 7%

It was suggested that an elected Your Party representative to the European Parliament could act as ‘champion for whistleblowers’, someone positively engaged with the EU but nevertheless strongly challenging waste, corruption, obscurity, and undemocratic processes.

• Broadly support this position 93%
• Reject 4%
• Don’t know 3%

Some suggested that existing parties were hamstrung by internal splits and ideologies to properly represent the interests of the British people in the European Parliament, and this is something which makes the EP ineffective. Do you agree or disagree?

• Agree 61%
• Disagree 21%
• Don't know 18%

And on the Your Party constitution...

All major policy decisions should be taken by the membership

• Broadly agree 95%
• Disagree 3%
• Don't know 2%

There will be some decisions that the membership will not want to vote on because, for example, they are minor, purely technical or administrative in nature. Examples of such decisions might include matters relating to the look of the website or to the numerous minor amendment votes that an MP faces in the House of Commons.

• Broadly agree 85%
• Disagree 8%
• Don't know 7%

However, to ensure that the membership can take any decisions they wish to, there should be simple 'safety net' provisions whereby the membership can ask for a vote on any particular issue (even if it is a minor, purely technical or administrative issue)

• Broadly agree 94%
• Disagree 5%
• Don't know 1%

The party needs an Executive Board which will be responsible for running the Your Party organisation on a day-to-day basis (but not for taking policy decisions)

• Broadly agree 95%
• Disagree 2%
• Don't know 3%

Positions on such a Board should be subject to membership elections at each AGM (with the exception of the initial Interim Board which would oversee operations prior to the first AGM):

• Broadly agree 93%
• Disagree 4%
• Don't know 3%

Survey: Your Party, Marketing & MEP Candidates

The latest Your Party survey is on Your Party, Marketing & MEP Candidates. (Our surveys are hosted by YouGov, an online research and polling company.)

Your Party draft constitution

This is the draft constitution for Your Party, which will be registered with the Electoral Commission in due course. We have a constitution so that it's clear how the party is structured, how it makes decisions, what its rules are, and how those can be changed. It's a bit of a dry and longish read, but we hope it's reasonably clear. You can give us feedback on it either by leaving a comment on it on this web page (below), or by emailing us at info@yourparty.org.

Your Party Constitution

A: Name

The political party described in this Constitution is named Your Party and first came together as an organisation in 2004.

B: Beliefs and Aims

Your Party believes that:

• Popular involvement in the decision making process will lead to better and more legitimate decisions;
• Elected representatives should serve the interests of their electorates;
• Informed and responsible decision making is the key to an effective democratic process.

Your Party aims to:

• Promote better decisions and legislation at all levels of government;
• Enable positive change at all levels of society;
• Encourage greater efficiency and effectiveness in all state and governmental bodies;
• Gain representation for its members at all levels of government - local, national and European;
• Generate innovative new ideas and solutions from informed and constructive debate;
• Involve its members and the population as a whole in the political and governmental system while giving them information and tools to get the best out of it.

C: Your Party Objectives

C1. Your Party seeks to advance its beliefs and aims at every level of decision making. It will work outside as well as inside existing political structures and encourage people and communities to seek political power.

C2. Your Party strives to translate its beliefs and aims into policies and programmes which will be kept under review to ensure that they meet the changing circumstances of the modern world. Your Party believes this is best achieved by an open, informed debate on the issues involved, engaging the membership at all stages of policy development.

C3. In order to put its policies into effect, Your Party will seek to identify suitable candidates from among its membership to stand for public office. It will support these candidates with briefings and training and by improving political campaigning methods.

C4. From time to time Your Party may campaign on specific issues, and in doing so it may make common cause with other groups and organisations whose aims are compatible.

C5. Your Party is an open and outward looking organisation, always seeking new members, new ideas and new methods of engaging with its members.

D: Basis of Membership

D1. Membership of Your Party is open to all UK residents and UK nationals abroad.

D2. Membership of the Your Party shall be available on application to Your Party, subject to any terms and conditions of membership.

D3. The Your Party Board may decide to set variable rates of subscription for members and to vary the rights afforded to members accordingly. Any such proposals will be subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

D4. Your Party members have the right to disagree with any aspect of Your Party policy. However, those who stand for public office have a special responsibility to think through their disagreement and in their campaigning to make clear the difference between Your Party’s policy and their own view.

E: Rights of Members

All members of Your Party have the following rights, which are to be respected and upheld by other members and by all the bodies functioning under this Constitution:

a) to be offered equal opportunity to participate in the activities of Your Party, and not to be excluded by the deliberate withholding of information or by other unfair means. This does not preclude the establishment of varying levels (and rights) of membership to be recommended annually by the Your Party Board and approved at the AGM, provided that members within each category of membership shall be afforded equality of opportunity;

b) to have such details about themselves as may be held by Your Party kept confidential and not disclosed to any other person without their permission;

F: Refusal or Revocation of Membership and Disputes among Members

F1. Membership of Your Party may be refused or revoked by any two members of the Your Party Board where there is misconduct that is deemed to bring Your Party or any of its activities into disrepute. Any such revocation or refusal of membership shall be reported to the next Your Party Board meeting

F2. Members of Your Party who fail to comply with Government legislation relating to political parties and elections, automatically and immediately forfeit their membership of Your Party without appeal. After the election in question any such person may re-apply for membership and, if the application is refused, may appeal according to the procedure in clause F3.

F3. Anyone whose membership is refused or revoked may appeal in writing to the Party Chair who shall take reasonable steps to ascertain the full facts of the case. The case will then be referred to the Your Party Board, whose decision shall be final. A person whose membership has been refused or revoked may not apply for membership again until one year has passed.

F4. In any dispute between members or groups of members efforts must first be made to resolve the matter at the most practical level. If this has proved impossible the dispute may be referred to the Your Party Board for resolution.

G: Your Party referenda

G1. Members shall be entitled to vote in Your Party referenda, subject to the conditions and schedule of membership agreed annually at the AGM.

G2. Referenda shall be held on all major changes in Your Party policy and on all major new activities planned. Referenda may be called either by a majority vote of the Your Party Board or by a petition of 1% of the Your Party voting membership (or 50 voting members, whichever is the greater), to be submitted to the Party Chair.

G3. The Your Party Board shall approve the questions to be put to any referendum. The Board shall be responsible for providing information on the issues to be decided in any referendum to the membership. The board should use all practicable efforts to present information on a fair and impartial basis.

G4. The Your Party Board may make arrangements for the provision of resources to groups of members who wish to campaign on the issues put forward in the referendum. Any such resources shall be allocated on a fair and equal basis.

G5. Any referendum shall be decided using the Alternative Transferable Vote system as defined by the Electoral Reform Society. The Your Party Board shall be responsible for appointing a Returning Officer for any vote, who shall ensure that the result of the vote is fair and accurate. The Returning Officer shall not vote. The Returning Officer shall be entitled to take disciplinary action against any member who s/he believes may be attempting to defraud or unfairly influence the referendum.

G6. In the event of any fraud or reasonable suspicion of fraud the Returning Officer shall take such steps as s/he deems necessary to ensure the integrity of the vote up to and including declaring the result of the referendum null and void (in this instance another referendum on the same issue shall be held as soon as is reasonable).

G7. Challenges to the decisions of the Returning Officer shall be made in writing to the Party Chair. The decisions of the Returning Officer may only be overturned by a two-thirds majority of a vote of the Your Party Board.

G8. Once an issue has been decided on at a referendum the result shall be binding on all members and officers of Your Party. The result of the vote shall be the policy of Your Party and shall be binding on all Your Party activities for a period of one year. The result of the vote may only be challenged in that year if:

a) There is a vote on that issue in any assembly where Your Party has representation;

b) There is a material change in circumstance affecting the issue in question;

A request for such a challenge may be put in writing to the Party Chair, who shall raise the matter at the next Your Party Board.The result shall continue to be Your Party policy after this year unless another referendum is called as per the provisions laid out in G2.

G9. Party policy shall consist only of resolutions passed at referenda. Such other election manifestos and policy statements as may be produced by Your Party from time to time shall not contradict Your Party policy but may discuss, explain, promote or amplify it.

H: The Your Party Board (YPB)

H1. The Your Party Board (YPB) shall consist of the Party Chair (elected once a year at the Your Party AGM using the Alternative Transferable Vote) plus eight other members elected once every year at the party AGM using the Single Transferable Vote. The first Your Party Board shall be made up of volunteers co-opted by the party founders and shall hold office until the first AGM in May 2005.

H2. Any casual vacancy amongst members of the YPB shall remain unfilled. The YPB may co-opt members to fill vacant roles in an advisory capacity until the next AGM.

H3. The Party Chair shall be the Leader for the purposes of the regulations laid out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (PPERA) 2000. The Party Chair shall be responsible for upholding the constitution, beliefs and aims of Your Party. The Party Chair shall endeavour to remain independent in all internal party matters and to present a positive image of Your Party to the wider public.

H4. At the first meeting of the Your Party Board following the AGM, the Your Party Board shall elect individuals to perform the roles of Treasurer and Nominations officer (as required by the PPERA 2000) from its membership. The Board shall then decide on the roles and responsibilities of each of its members and publicise these to the Your Party membership.

H5. The YPB may elect or appoint such committees as it decides are necessary, and shall specify the extent to which its powers are delegated to each committee.

H6. The YPB directs the work of Your Party, and is responsible for implementing Your Party’s Objectives. In particular, the YPB shall:

a) be responsible for the organisation and finances of the Party;

b) determine Party priorities and approve the annual budget for income and expenditure;

c) initiate and progress campaigns and political action;

d) keep Your Party members informed of any upcoming votes in Parliament and any other relevant assemblies;

e) develop Your Party’s political strategy;

f) receive regular reports on Your Party’s finances from the Treasurer;

g) ensure that Your Party policy is regularly reviewed;

h) determine questions which should be decided by Your Party referenda;

i) propose membership subscription fees (and any resulting variation in the rights of members) to the Annual General Meeting;

j) approve the arrangements for the selection of official Your Party candidates for election to public office;

k) establish such organisations within Your Party as are necessary to facilitate productive debate on policies and issues;

l) approve the affiliation of other organisations to Your Party.

H7. The YPB is responsible for deciding Standing Orders for meetings.

H8. The Your Party Board shall meet at least twice a month, as and when is required for the good administration of Your Party. The quorum for the Your Party Board shall be 50% plus one of its current membership.

H9. Any member of the Your Party Board may be suspended from office by either a petition of 10% of the total membership or a motion of no-confidence passed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Your Party Board. The matter shall then be put to a Your Party Referendum. In the event that the referendum result is that Your Party has no confidence in the aforesaid member, they shall be removed from office (otherwise they shall be reinstated with immediate effect).

H10. There shall be an Interim Board, nominated by the party founders. They shall hold office until the 2005 AGM, and shall have the right to exercise all the powers of the Your Party Board.

I: Annual General Meeting

I1. The Your Party Annual General Meeting shall be held each year by the fourth week in May at the latest. The first Your Party AGM shall be held in May 2005. The functions of AGM are:

a) to receive a report from the YPB on its work;

b) to consider any motions;

c) to receive audited accounts and a report from the Treasurer;

d) to decide on the membership subscriptions and affiliation fees proposed by the YPB;

e) to elect the Party Chair for the next year;

f) to elect the Your Party Board for the next year.

I2. The Your Party Annual General Meeting shall be presided over by an independent chair, who shall be nominated by the Your Party Board. S/he shall act as Returning Officer for the election of the Party Chair and other members of the Party Board.

I3. The deadline for the submission of motions and nominations for the Your Party Board shall be publicised to all members at least two calendar months prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting. Nominations must remain open for at least two weeks.

I4. All members shall be allowed to attend the Annual General Meeting, provided they pay a sum as determined by the Your Party Board to cover the costs of the event. In the event a member does not wish to, or cannot attend the AGM they shall be entitled to vote by proxy. Fair and reasonable arrangements for the casting of proxy votes shall be publicised by the Your Party Board alongside the deadline for the submission of motions and nominations.

I5. The standing orders for the Annual General Meeting shall be as recommended by the Your Party Board and approved by a Your Party referendum.

I6. Any decisions of the Annual General Meeting shall take precedence over any previous decision and shall be binding until the next AGM.

I7. A Special General Meeting may be called on a single specific issue by a two-thirds majority of the Your Party Board or a petition of 5% of the membership. The Special General Meeting shall be notified to all members and shall be held no less than two weeks and no more than six weeks after notification. The provisions laid out in I4 shall apply equally to SGMs. The resolution of the Special General Meeting shall be binding on Your Party until challenged at an AGM.

J: The Finances of Your Party

J1. The finances of Your Party are the responsibility of the Your Party Board who, at their first meeting after Your Party’s Annual General Meeting, will elect a Treasurer (as set out in H4) who must keep a proper set of books and who has overall responsibility for the drawing and paying of monies and for all monetary transactions.

J2. The Treasurer has a place as of right on any committee appointed to oversee the finances of Your Party, and has a right to address any meeting of that committee, or the Your Party Board, on the financial implications of a proposal before the vote on that proposal is taken.

J3. At the end of each financial year Your Party’s accounts are to be audited by a qualified accountant appointed by the previous year’s Annual General Meeting and whose report is to be embodied in the annual accounts. The Annual General Meeting may resolve to delegate the appointment to the Your Party Board.

J4. The Your Party Board must agree a budget for each financial year and observe the restraints imposed by the budget, taking any action that may be necessary to contain excess of expenditure or manage any shortfall in income.

J5. This constitution specifically prohibits Your Party from borrowing money, secured or unsecured, by way of overdraft or loan without a two-thirds majority vote of the Your Party Board.

J6. In addition to the provisions laid out above, the Your Party Board shall also prepare and maintain a Financial Scheme (which shall detail the arrangements for the monitoring of donations) and Financial Regulations (which shall lay out Your Party’s internal financial procedures).

K: Candidates

K1. The Your Party Board is responsible for the system of candidate approval for elections to the UK and European Parliaments, as well as in any local government or devolved assembly elections.

K2. All Your Party candidates at any election must be paid up members of the Party, in accordance with the schedule agreed yearly at the Annual General Meeting.

K3. All members of Your Party may apply to become official candidates, but no member can become an official candidate until they have been properly approved under the rules established by the Your Party Board. No member may describe themselves as a Parliamentary candidate, or prospective candidate, unless they have been so approved.

K4. All Your Party candidates have the duty to promote the Beliefs and Aims of Your Party, as set out in this constitution. YP candidates and elected representatives must promote and adhere to all YP policies, particularly when voting in local, national or European assemblies.

K5. Elected representatives of Your Party will be immediately suspended from the party by the Party Chair if they clearly vote against YP policy in any local, regional, national or international assembly. They may appeal this decision to the Your Party Board who shall vote on whether the representative should be expelled on a simple majority basis. If the decision of the Party Chair to suspend the representative is not appealed within 14 days, they shall be deemed to have resigned from Your Party.

K6. Because of their public status, Your Party candidates in all elections have a special duty not to do or say anything that may bring Your Party into disrepute, a duty which, if they are elected, continues throughout their time in office.

L: Dissolution of Your Party

L1. Your Party may only be dissolved if a proposal to that effect is passed by both:

a) a three-quarters majority at a properly convened Special General Meeting; and subsequently

b) a four-fifths majority in a Your Party referendum, provided that at least half of the entire membership vote in favour of the dissolution.

L2. The Your Party Referendum provided for in clause L1 must be completed within three months of the success of a dissolution motion at a Special General Meeting.

L3. Any proposal to dissolve Your Party must incorporate proposals for the disposal of the assets and records of Your Party.

L4. Section L of the Constitution may only be amended by a three-quarters majority at a Special General Meeting, followed by a four-fifths majority in a Your Party referendum, provided that at least half of the entire membership vote in favour of the amendment.

M: Amendments and Interpretation

M1. This Constitution may only be amended by a two-thirds majority of members voting in a Your Party referendum. Constitutional Amendments may be proposed by the Your Party Board or by a petition of 5% of the Your Party membership (or 50 members, whichever is the greater).

M2. If there is any question of interpretation of this Constitution, or if a matter arises where the Constitution is silent, the Party Chair shall give a ruling which may be reversed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a meeting of the Your Party Board.

Downing Street Says

Downing Street Says is an interesting new transparency/accountability-of-the-gov project from a bunch of people, including the Public Whip, BBCi and MySociety folk. Looks genuinely useful, and well done to them.