Proposed New LME Constitution 

The Labour Movement for Europe is seeking to formalise and update the mechanisms for our membership to help shape our activities. As an organisation that has both quadrupled in size and is seeking to address the post Brexit landscape, our Executive has put forward a change in how it is elected to ensure the participation of voices from across our movement. 

The proposed new Constitution creates a National Council elected from the regions and UK nations. These are defined by the previous European parliamentary constituencies to ensure that they cover the entirety of the UK whilst maintaining a functional group size. The Executive is also committed to ensuring that the LME is representative of our movement - to that end the Executive are also proposing to have a small number of co-optees to ensure a diverse representation in our structures of Governance.  The  National Chair, together with the Honorary Secretary, Membership Secretary and Treasurer will form the new Executive. 

Name

1. The organisation shall be known as the Labour Movement for Europe or LME.

Aims

2. The LME exists to promote positive debate of the European Union both within the Labour Movement and beyond.

3. The LME is affiliated to the Labour Party as a Socialist Society.

4. The LME shall seek to work with other organisations that share similar aims and objectives to build a pro-European consensus in the UK.

Membership

5. A member shall be any person who accepts the aims of the LME, is an individual member of the Labour Party or is eligible to be a member of the Labour Party and has paid the annual LME subscription.

Structure

6. The LME’s structure shall consist of the National Membership, National Council, the National Executive, the Westminster Parliamentary Group and LME Branches.

National Council

7. The National Council is responsible for developing the policy and strategic objectives of LME and for implementing the aims of the organisation, according to an annual work plan.

8. All members of the National Council must be members of the LME and members of the Labour Party or its PES sister party where applicable or the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party.

9. Ad hoc working groups may be formed by the National Council to undertake specific work in line with the aims of LME and the annual work plan.

10. The National Council will consist of:

a) The LME Honorary President and Vice Presidents.

b) The National Chair.

c) 4 Members of the Westminster Parliamentary Groups.

d) The following National/ Regional Representatives will be elected. Regions will be coterminous with the previous European Parliamentary Constituencies. One member for each nation (Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland).

e) For the first AGM after the adoption of the new constitution, English regional representatives will be elected before that AGM for these groups:

a) South East and South West

b) London and Eastern

c) West Midlands and East Midlands

d) North West, Yorkshire & Humber and Northern

The election will be by STV. People will vote only for the representative for their group of regions. For each group, the candidate with the highest vote shall be elected first. The next candidate elected will be the one with the highest vote who is from the opposite gender. In the case of three regions, the third person elected will be the one with the next highest vote (of either gender). Future elections will rotate the groupings in a cycle that ensures that the “group of 3” is rotated in turn so that each region takes part in the group of 3.

f) 2 non-Parliamentary members who are aged 30 or under and are elected at the time of the appropriate AGM, at least one of which shall be female.

g) 5 Co-opted representatives LGBTQ, BAME, Disability, Co-op, Women

h) Brussels Labour will nominate a representative.

i) The National Council upon the recommendation of the National Chair, may appoint a further 5 co-opted members who will reflect pro-European feelings from throughout the Labour Movement.

j) All members of the National Council (b, e, f, g), with the exception of the LME Honorary President and Vice-President and the 4 members of the Westminster Parliamentary Groups will serve for a term of two years subject to continued support and unless they resign before the end of their term in which case a replacement should be elected at the first appropriate meeting subject to the notification guidelines in the procedural motions.

11. The Vice Chair, National Secretary, National Treasurer, and Membership Secretary will be appointed from within the National Council by a simple majority vote. The above office holders along with the National Chair will form the Executive Group.

12. The LME Honorary President and Vice Presidents will be appointed by the National Executive upon the recommendation of the National Chair.

14. The LME Honorary President and Honorary Vice Presidents hold office for five years.

15. The National Chair of the LME will be directly elected by the Membership at the time of the appropriate AGM or EGM.

16. All members of the National Executive, including the National Chair, take office immediately after the AGM or EGM of their election.

17. A member of the National Executive holds office until their term expires or in the event of a vote on a motion to remove them from office by two-thirds of those present at a General Meeting.

18. Co-opted members of the Council will be co-opted by a two-thirds majority of the National Council or by a unanimous decision of the National Executive Officers.

19. A co-opted member takes office at the first meeting of the National Council after their co-option.

20. The National Council shall meet not fewer than three times a year.

21. Meetings of the National Council shall be responsible for determining the direction of LME between AGMs.

Westminster Parliamentary Groups

22. LME Parliamentary Group shall be formed in both the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It shall consist of any Labour MP or Labour Peer who is a member of the LME. Two members of each Parliamentary Group shall be members of the National Executive.

23. The LME Parliamentary Groups shall nominate representatives to the National Executive for a term of their choosing.

24. The Parliamentary Groups shall be responsible for co-ordinating parliamentary activity and disseminating LME material amongst the PLP and Labour Peers.

Branches

28. An LME Branch shall consist of all LME members from within each region and one branch for all LME members living abroad. Separate local groups can be set up within a Constituency with the consent of the Executive.

29. LME branches should

a) Hold annual elections to a committee with at least a Chair and Secretary and Treasurer with all members of the branch eligible to vote;

b) Work with the National Executive to promote the work of the LME in the branch.

30. Branches shall be formed with the approval of the National Executive.

31. Each new branch may apply to the National Executive for an initial and unique start-up grant. The National Executive shall agree on the amount given based on the number of branches members, potential branch members and the content of the Proposal.

32. The LME nationally will fund the activity of branches, by agreement with the National Executive. However, should a branch be large and active enough, it can open a bank account by agreement with the National Executive and receive an annual grant based on a basis agreed by the National Executive. Where a branch has its own bank account, it must provide audited accounts annually to the National Executive.

General Meetings

33. The General Meeting shall be the sovereign body of LME and shall determine the policies of the organisation within the aims of LME and this constitution. The aims shall be further defined and elaborated by all the policy documents and resolutions approved by the General Meetings of LME.

34. All members of LME may attend, speak, propose resolutions, amendments and constitutional amendments and take part in a vote at General Meetings.

35. Each General Meeting shall deal with the following business:

a) Any resolutions and amendments proposed; and

b) Any amendments proposed to this constitution.

36. A General Meeting shall be quorate if 10% of the members are present or 20 members are present, whichever is the smaller number.

37. The National Chair shall call and chair each General Meeting. The National Council shall call General Meetings if requested to do so by 40 members or more.

Annual General Meeting

38. An Annual General Meeting shall be held within 14 months of the previous Annual General Meeting. In addition to the business of a General Meeting, the AGM shall deal with:

a) Agreement of the annual subscriptions;

b) Approval of financial and membership reports;

c) The validation of the election of members of the National Executive and any other elections necessary.

Rules of Procedure

39. The conduct of General Meetings and other business of the LME shall be according to the Rules of Procedure separate from this Constitution.

Amendments to the Constitution

40. Amendments to the Constitution shall be discussed by General Meetings and adopted if two-thirds of the members present are in favour.

Interpretations to the Constitution

41. At any meeting of LME, the Chair shall uphold and interpret this Constitution. Their interpretation may be overturned by two-thirds of those present at the meeting in which the dispute arises.

Arbitration Board

42. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Constitution, any member may appeal to an Arbitration Board, which shall arbitrate on all disputes arising within the Constitution. It shall have three members, who shall be:

a) A member of the LME National Executive;

b) A former member of the LME National Executive who has not served on the National Executive for at least a year; and

c) An ordinary member of LME elected by the General Meeting where the dispute arises, providing a simple majority of those present are in favour.

Dissolution

43. The LME may be dissolved by an Annual General Meeting or General Meetings of the membership on a resolution proposed and supported by a simple majority of the National Executive and carried by the votes of two-thirds of the members present. The membership must be notified of such a motion two weeks in advance. On the passing of such a resolution, the National Executive shall proceed to wind up the affairs of the organisation in as advantageous a manner as is reasonably possible and shall report back all relevant matters to the former membership within one year of the decision being taken.

 

ANNEX 1

Rules of Procedure

I. All votes on resolutions, amendments, amendments to this constitution and procedural motions shall be by show of hands unless a motion that a secret ballot be held is passed by a two-thirds majority of those members present.

II. The chair of any meeting shall only have a casting vote.

III. Resolutions to be debated at a General Meeting must be submitted in writing or by email with the names of the proposer and seconder to the National Executive at least 14 days before the General Meeting.

IV. Amendments to motions to be debated at a General Meeting must be submitted in writing or by email with the names of the proposer and seconder to the National Executive by 5pm on the day before the General Meeting.

V. Constitutional amendments and motions to remove a member of the National Executive from office must be submitted in writing or by email with the names of the proposer and seconder to the National Executive at least 14 days before the General Meeting. Amendments to any such proposals shall be submitted to the National Executive in writing or by email by 5 pm the day before a General Meeting.

VI. The Notice of a General Meeting shall be sent to members at least 30 days in advance.

VII. The text of any proposed resolutions, amendments to this constitution and motions to remove a member of the National Executive from office shall be sent to members at least 10 days in advance of a General Meeting.

a. The above deadlines may be waived by the AGM by a three-quarters majority, or in the case of amendments to the constitution, a four-fifths majority.

Procedural Motions

VIII. The following Procedural Motions may be moved at any time but shall have priority in the following order:

PM1 to remove the present Chair;

PM2 to overturn the Chair’s ruling;

PM3 to adjourn the General Meeting for a specified period of time;

PM4 to alter the agenda in a specific way to allow consideration of an issue;

PM5 to refer the matter under consideration to a specified body or person for further consideration;

PM6 that the matter under consideration be deferred to later in the meeting or to a later General Meeting, as specified;

PM7 to issue a specific instruction to the Chair, such instruction shall not contradict the Rules of Procedure;

PM8 that the General Meeting shall vote on the resolution, amendment, or part as it now stands;

PM9 to take the resolution or amendments in parts, as specified;

PM10 to allow a non-member of LME to speak;

PM11 that the resolution or amendment be withdrawn.

IX. PM1 and PM2 need to be carried by a two-thirds majority.

X. All other procedural motions need to be carried by a simple majority.

Elections

XI. The National Chair, will be elected by an online or postal ballot of the membership at the time of every second AGM, in good time for the results to be announced at the latest at the actual AGM.

XII National and Regional representatives to be elected by LME members in the respective former European Parliamentary Constituencies. The outgoing National Council shall nominate a Returning Officer.

XIII. The name and address of the Returning Officer shall be included in the Calling Notice for nominations.

XIV. The Returning Officer shall be responsible for the conduct of the elections.

XV. The Returning Officer may not be a candidate in the elections.

XVI. Elections must take place no later than a week before the AGM.

XVII. The results of the election will be announced formally at the AGM.

XVIII. Elections for all positions shall be held by Single Transferable Vote (STV). Electors may vote for as many or as few candidates as they like.

XIX. A Notice for nominations shall be sent, by the Returning Officer, to the membership at least 8 weeks before the AGM. Nominations will close 4 weeks after that Notice is sent.

XX. Candidates should nominate themselves and include a formal statement, in no more than 200 words, to the Returning Officer.

XXI. Statements will be sent to all LME members together with a ballot paper and voting instructions.

XXII. Ballot papers must be sent to members at least 3 weeks before the AGM.

XXIII. Ballot papers must be returned to the Returning Officer by the appointed deadline, which should be no later than one week before the AGM.

XXIV. The decisions of the Returning Officer with regard to the conduct of the election may be referred to an Arbitration Board, only in the event of a two-thirds majority vote of those present at an Annual General Meeting, or at the request of two-thirds of the National Executive.