Standing Orders

1. Party Congresses

Attendance and Participation

1.1. Party congresses shall be attended by all members or, where membership exceeds 500, by elected delegates and sortitioned delegates as set out in Constitution Article 5.2.

1.2. All congresses shall be broadcast online where feasible, enabling remote observation by members who are not delegates.

1.3. Voting on all matters at congresses shall be open to all members through secure online voting systems, regardless of physical attendance, as set out in Constitution Article 19.2.

1.4. Observers and guests may attend with the permission of the Congress Chair but do not have the right to speak unless invited.

Agenda and Order of Business

1.5. The Political Council shall circulate the proposed agenda to all members at least 30 days before the Congress.

1.6. The agenda shall include: reports from the Political Council, Executive Committee and Financial Audit Committee; policy motions; elections where scheduled; and any matters of fundamental importance.

1.7. The Congress Chair may propose adjustments to the order of business to manage time or ensure balanced debate. The Chair’s decision on adjustments is final.

Motions

1.8. Motions to Congress may be submitted by any member, local branch, Thinking School or affiliated organisation through the party’s online platform.

1.9. Motions must be submitted at least 30 days before the Congress. The Political Council shall publish all submitted motions to the membership at least 15 days before the Congress.

1.10. Motions shall not exceed 400 words.

1.11. A Policy Motions Committee shall be elected by the Congress at each Ordinary Congress to serve until the next. The Committee is responsible for reviewing motions submitted for the next Congress and ensuring they meet the criteria in 1.12. Until the first Policy Motions Committee is elected, the Political Council shall fulfil this role.

1.12. Motions must:

a. Not be contrary to the Constitution.

b. Not be retrospective in their effect.

c. Not be ambiguous, vague or trivial.

d. Not seek to re-present a motion that was debated and defeated at a Congress or in a party referendum within the preceding 12 months, except where the Policy Motions Committee grants an exemption for urgent policy.

e. Require a consequential action by the party.

1.13. Where multiple motions address the same topic, the Policy Motions Committee shall facilitate negotiation between motion submitters to produce a composite motion where possible.

1.14. All motions that meet the criteria in 1.12 shall be published on the party’s online platform and made available for member discussion before the Congress.

Speaking and Debate

1.15. The Congress Chair shall call for a speaker to introduce each motion.

1.16. The introducing speaker shall have up to 5 minutes. Speakers for and against shall have up to 3 minutes each.

1.17. The Congress Chair may reduce speaking times if necessary to ensure the completion of business.

1.18. No member may speak more than once on the same motion.

1.19. The Congress Chair may end a speaker’s contribution if the speaker exceeds the allotted time or does not speak to the motion under debate.

Voting at Congress

1.20. Voting shall take place only on motions and amendments that have been debated. Motions that have not been debated shall fall.

1.21. Votes are conducted by simple majority of eligible voters, except where the Constitution requires a qualified majority (two thirds for Constitution amendments under Article 21.3; three quarters for dissolution under Article 22.1).

1.22. Voting on Congress business shall be conducted through the party’s secure online voting system, open to all members for a defined voting window announced by the Congress Chair.

1.23. Results shall be announced by the Congress Chair as soon as practicable.

Chairing

1.24. The Congress shall be chaired by a Congress Chair appointed by the Political Council. The Congress Chair should not be a member of the Political Council or the Executive Committee.

1.25. The Congress Chair is responsible for ensuring that debate is fair, orderly and conducted in line with these Standing Orders.

1.26. The rulings of the Congress Chair on procedural matters are final.

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2. Local Branch Meetings and Assemblies

Branch Meetings

2.1. Local branch meetings shall occur at least once per calendar month, as set out in Constitution Article 9.7.

2.2. All branch members must be invited at least fourteen days before any branch meeting.

2.3. Branch meetings shall make provision for members to participate remotely via online link, as set out in Constitution Article 19.3.

2.4. Decision making at branch meetings shall be by simple majority of those present and voting.

2.5. The minutes and recorded decisions of all branch meetings shall be made available to all branch members within seven days.

2.6. Alongside standard agenda items set by the branch committee, members shall be free to propose and add items to the agenda democratically.

Community Assemblies

2.7. Each local branch shall run regular public facing community assemblies, as set out in Constitution Article 9.3(f).

2.8. Community assemblies are open to all residents in the branch area, not only party members.

2.9. Community members must be invited to assemblies at least fourteen days in advance, to the best of the branch’s ability and capacity.

2.10. Assemblies shall serve the needs of local communities while remaining consistent with the party’s principles and programme.

2.11. Political decisions or policy proposals arising from community assemblies shall reflect the democratic will of the assembly participants and shall be submitted to the branch for formal adoption.

2.12. Community assemblies shall make provision for remote participation via online link where feasible.

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3. Conduct of Party Elections

Local Branch Officers

3.1. All local branch members in good standing have the right to vote for their local branch officers.

3.2. Full notice of election must be sent to all branch members at least twenty eight days before the election.

3.3. Any branch member in good standing wishing to stand for a local officer position must submit a nomination supported by at least one seconder from the branch membership, no later than fourteen days before the election.

3.4. A full candidate list must be provided to all branch members no later than ten days before the election.

3.5. Voting for local branch officers shall be conducted by one member one vote, using a single transferable vote system.

3.6. Local branch officers serve a term of one year. No officer may hold the same position for more than two consecutive terms, as set out in Constitution Article 9.6.

3.7. If a local branch officer resigns or is removed mid term, a by election for that position shall be held within 30 days. If a by election is not practicable within this period, the branch committee may appoint an interim officer until the next scheduled election.

3.8. Members have the right to recall their local branch officers by a majority vote at an all member meeting, as set out in Constitution Article 9.6.

Political Council and National Officers

3.9. All party members in good standing have the right to vote for members of the Political Council.

3.10. Full notice of election must be sent to all members at least six weeks before the election.

3.11. Any member in good standing wishing to stand for the Political Council must submit a nomination supported by at least 5 seconders from the membership, no later than twenty days before the election.

3.12. A full candidate list must be provided to all members no later than ten days before the election.

3.13. Voting for the Political Council shall be conducted by one member one vote, using a single transferable vote system, through the party’s online voting system.

3.14. Members of the Political Council serve a term of two years, as set out in Constitution Article 6.6.

3.15. If a Political Council member resigns, is recalled or is otherwise removed mid term, a by election shall be held within 60 days. If a by election is not practicable, the Political Council may co-opt a replacement from the most recent election results, subject to ratification at the next Congress.

3.16. Members have the right to recall Political Council members through the petition process set out in Constitution Article 6.7.

Candidates for Public Office

3.17. The selection of candidates for public office shall follow the process set out in Constitution Article 15.2.

3.18. The Political Council shall publish clear guidelines for candidate selection, including timelines, eligibility requirements and the due diligence process, at least 60 days before the candidate submission deadline.

3.19. Voting for candidate selection shall be conducted by one member one vote of all local members in the relevant constituency, using a single transferable vote system.

3.20. Incumbent publicly elected party members shall be subject to reselection before the relevant scheduled public election.

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4. Policy Development

4.1. Policy development follows the process set out in Constitution Article 17.

Local Policy

4.2. Local policy proposals may be initiated by any branch member or by a community assembly, as set out in Constitution Article 17.2.

4.3. The branch forms a policy working group to develop the proposal. The working group may include branch members, community assembly participants and representatives of local affiliated organisations.

4.4. The working group shall ground its proposals in evidence, drawing on Thinking School research where relevant.

4.5. The branch membership votes to accept, reject or send back the proposal at a branch meeting.

4.6. Accepted local policies are submitted to the Political Council and may be proposed as national policy through the Congress motion process.

National Policy

4.7. National policy proposals are submitted to the Congress as motions in accordance with the procedures set out in Section 1 of these Standing Orders.

4.8. Approved motions are developed by a Policy Working Group composed of elected members and Political Council representatives, with advisory input from the relevant Thinking School, as set out in Constitution Article 17.3.

4.9. The Policy Working Group produces a detailed policy document, submitted to all members for ratification in an online vote.

4.10. Members may vote to accept, reject or send back the document for revision.

4.11. Ratified policies become party policy and are binding on the party’s representatives and public office holders.

Year-Round Engagement

4.12. The party shall maintain an online platform for year round policy discussion, enabling members to propose, discuss and refine policy ideas between congresses, as set out in Constitution Article 19.5.

4.13. The most supported proposals on the platform shall be prioritised for formal submission as motions to the next Congress.

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5. Conduct at Meetings

5.1. All participants in party meetings, congresses and assemblies must conduct themselves in accordance with the Code of Conduct set out in Constitution Article 11.

5.2. The meeting chair may require any participant to withdraw if their conduct disrupts proceedings. Disruptive behaviour may be referred to the Disciplinary Committee.

5.3. Offensive, discriminatory, threatening or abusive language or behaviour will not be tolerated at any party event.

5.4. In the event of serious disruption to a Congress session, the Congress Chair may determine that the affected business is put to a vote of all members online without further debate.

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6. Amendments to the Standing Orders

6.1. These Standing Orders may be amended by the Congress.

6.2. Amendments to the Standing Orders require a two thirds majority of those present and voting.

6.3. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Political Council at least 30 days before the Congress and distributed to members at least 15 days before.