The Transform Party Constitution 

1. Names and objects 

a. This organisation shall be known as ‘The Transform Party’ – below referred to as ‘the Party’. 

b. Its purpose is to create a socially progressive, anti-capitalist political voice for socialism and ultimately to win power. 

2. Core principles 

a. Is a left party, of and for the working class in all its diversity, seeking to redistribute wealth and power from the elite to the people. 

b. Is eco-socialist, supporting transformative political, social and economic change in order to build a truly sustainable world and achieve climate justice. 

c. Is internationalist, opposing war, imperialism and colonialism, welcoming migrants and standing in solidarity with oppressed people everywhere. 

d. Is feminist and anti-racist, fighting for a world where social injustices including racism, xenophobia, ableism, homophobia, transphobia and the oppression of women have been eradicated. 

e. Is committed to reducing regional inequality within Britain and supports the right of the devolved nations to determine their constitutional futures. 

f. Is a democratic party, in which members empower, organise and educate each other. 

g. Develops policy democratically, drawing on the knowledge and experience of its members. 

h. Contests elections in order to offer voters a socialist alternative and build power locally and nationally, without promoting the idea that voting alone can solve the present crises. 

i. Seeks to build power in communities, workplaces and on the streets. 

j. Builds meaningful relationships with a wide range of organisations including trade unions, community and campaign groups, social justice movements and left organisations outside Britain. 

3. Party structure 

a. Transform Council 

i) The Transform Council (TC) is the elected political leadership of the party who is responsible to the conference and the membership. The TC meets at a minimum once every calendar month with the option to postpone for a maximum length of time of one calendar month. 

ii.) It carries out conference decisions, ensures the effective activity of the party between conferences and makes all decisions necessary to advance party policy. 

iii.) Its membership comprises the Officers, 15 elected members, a rep from each National Party (Scotland and Wales), a rep from each caucus, the trade union section and a rep from each regional branch. 

iv.) If there is no regional branch established, local branches in that region can take its place. 

v.) All of these roles will be elected by all members of the party who have been members for at least one month at the date of the election. [This period of voting eligibility shall not apply to the initial vote for Officers in 2023] 

vi.) Each candidate must be proposed and seconded by party members. 

vii.) An election address for each candidate not exceeding 300 words will be circulated to the members with the ballot. 

viii.) Voting is on the Alternative Vote (AV) system (please see Section 10a for more details). 

ix.) If the candidate stands unopposed they will be automatically elected to that position. 

x.) The term of office will be two years. No person may serve more than two consecutive terms without a two year break. 

xi.) The person may hold other positions during the break. 

xii.) Candidates must be at least 16 years of age. 

xiii.) In the case that any position should become unfilled, a special election may be held for that position at the discretion of the NC. Should a Transform Council member miss three consecutive meetings, the place shall be declared vacant. A byelection shall be held to elect a replacement. The person who had been the Transform Council member may stand for their old position. 

xiv.) The National Committee may accept non-voting Observers from friendly organisations 

b. Officers 

i.) These are National Secretary, Treasurer, four Principal Speakers, of which at least two must be women, National Organiser, Youth Officer, Campaigns Officer, Strategy Officer, Communications Officer, Policy Officer, Membership Officer, Trade Union Officer, International Officer, Elections Officer, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. 

ii.) All of these roles will be elected by all members of the party who have been members for at least one month at the date of the election. [This period of membership for voting eligibility shall not apply to the initial vote in 2023] 

iii.) All elected Officers and representatives are accountable to Party members. The Party may at any time, by means of a majority vote of its branches, trigger a recall 

election for any elected position. Elected Officers and representatives are accountable to the members who elected them. The national party, regional party, branch or caucus that elected them may by a majority vote of its members trigger a recall election. After a recall election, a further recall is not possible for 6 months. 

c. Executive Committee 

i.) The Executive Committee (EC) is a subset of the Transform Council (TC). Between meetings of the TC, the EC will ensure the smooth functioning of the party and will report into the TC. 

ii.) The Executive Committee is composed of elected Officers. 

iii.) The EC meets at least once per fortnight. This meeting can take place either remotely or in person. 

iv.) All EC members are to be elected and are accountable to the party members. They are subject to immediate recall at any time by majority decision of the Party Conference. 

v.) all EC members must act under the discipline of the party, abide by the party’s policy positions and decisions, and actively work to promote the agreed policies of the party. 

d. National Parties 

i.) National Parties will exist in both Scotland and Wales, comprised of members living in those nations. 

ii.) The National Parties will operate autonomously, and produce policies specific to their own nation and create their own Party structures. 

iii.) Each National Party will be required to elect one representative to serve on the Transform Council (NC). 

e. Regional Parties 

i.) Where the Transform Council (TC) so determines, there shall be established, in a defined region of the UK, a Regional Party. 

ii.) Regional Parties need to elect roles including Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary as a minimum requirement to be an established Regional Party. 

iii.) Other roles can be added, including, but not limited to: Treasurer, Campaigns Officer, Communications Officer, Membership Officer, Policy Officer, Political Education Officer, Fundraising Officer, Organiser, Trade Union Liaison Officer, LGBTQ+ Officer, Youth Officer, Women’s Officer, BAME Officer and Disability Officer. 

iv.) The Regional Organising Committee shall be responsible for developing the activities of the Party in its region. It shall seek out electoral opportunities at both Parliamentary and Local Government levels, establish relationships with civic and community groups, identify significant local issues and organise training and recruitment of party members. 

v.) Only members affiliated with a Regional Party may vote in that Regional Party’s elections for the Regional Organisation Committee. 

vi.) Regional Parties are required to conduct their political work in line with party policy, as agreed by the Annual Conference and Transform Council. 

f. Local branches 

i.) Members may organise in local, geographical branches. A branch needs a minimum of six members before it can request to be recognised by the Transform Council. 

ii.) While branches are in the formation stage and don’t have enough members to be recognised, the Party will support them to do that. Eg. Covering leaflet costs or helping organise public meetings. 

iii.) Branches are required to conduct their political work in line with party policy, as agreed by the Annual Conference and Transform Council. 

iv.) Recognised branches may send one rep, agreed by the branch, to the Transform Council if a Regional Party is not yet established.

g. Trade union section 

i.) Members may organise based on having trade union membership. 

ii.) The trade union section is required to conduct their political work in line with party policy, as agreed by the Annual Conference and Transform Council. 

iii.) The trade union section may send one rep, agreed by the section, to the Transform Council. 

h. Caucuses 

i.) Members may organise as a Caucus on the basis of a shared oppression e.g women, disabled members, LGBTQ+, ethnic minority members. 

ii.) They will conduct their work in line with party policy and act in an advisory and informative role to the party and its leadership. 

iii.) They need at least 6 members and must get prior approval from the Transform Council to form. 

iv.) Recognised caucuses may send one rep, agreed by the branch, to the Transform Council. 

i. Standing orders 

i.) The Transform Council shall set its own standing orders. 

ii.) All branches, caucuses and party committees may devise their own standing orders, subject to approval by the Transform Council. 

4. Finances 

i.) The Party shall maintain a financial scheme approved by the Electoral Commission and shall consist of a central organisation only. 

ii.) The Party will comply with its legal obligations under PPERA 2000, including using 1 January to 31 December as the financial year, maintaining adequate financial records, identifying and reporting donations and loans, producing an annual statement of accounts by the end of the first quarter of the following year and providing all relevant information to the Election Commission. 

iii.) Accounts will be audited every year independently by an external and professionally qualified person. 

5. Membership 

i.) Membership shall be open to all people aged sixteen years or over who are resident in the United Kingdom or who are British citizens currently abroad. 

ii.) Members are required to pay subscriptions, the rates of which are decided by the Party’s Transform Council. 

iii.) If a member is facing financial insecurity and needs a payment break they may request to be put on the Pay It Forward (PIF) scheme. This means their membership fees will be covered for at least 3 months and they’ll be able to remain as a Party member. 

iv.) If they require an extension they can request this with the Party. 

v.) The Party is committed to making the organisation and its events accessible to all members and venues for Party events and meetings must be accessible. 

vi.) The Party’s Transform Council, committees and any other bodies should comprise at least 50% women. Where this proves impossible after a repeat ballot, and where the party’s membership is below 2,000, the person with the next highest number of ballots will be deemed elected. 

6. Programme 

a. Policy 

i.) At all levels the Party will ensure that members, elected representatives, any affiliated organisations and, where practicable, the wider community are able to contribute to the process of policy consideration and formulation. 

ii.) The Party’s policies are decided by an annual membership conference and these comprise our detailed positions. The annual membership conference is the sovereign body of the party. 

iii.) The Executive Committee (EC) shall propose which items from the Party programme shall be included in any General Election manifesto, and will issue that manifesto to the Transform Council (TC) for final ratification. 

iv.) Members may organise in platforms of like-minded members within the party, to articulate a particular position, but they must work publicly within the policy framework agreed by the Party Conference and Transform Council. 

b. Conference 

i.) Party Conferences shall be called by the Transform Council at intervals not exceeding 14 months, and notice given to the membership at least 8 weeks before the proposed conference start date. 

ii.) The Transform Council may call Special Party Conferences with a restricted Agenda, and notice given to the membership at least 8 weeks before the proposed conference start date. 

iii.) The Transform Council will make all arrangements for the Conference via a Conference Arrangements Committee which will be agreed as a sub-group of the Transform Council. It may be supplemented by local members. 

iv.) Attendance at any Conference may be virtual rather than physical, with the Conference being live streamed. On all motions, remote voting by paid up members shall be possible. 

v.) All party members may participate in Party Conferences on a voting basis. When the membership of the party exceeds 2,000 members the EC will propose a delegation scheme as a constitutional amendment to the next Party Conference. 

7. Party discipline & guidance 

i.) The Party membership shall elect (using the AV voting method) 3 members to the Party Discipline and Guidance Committee, who will choose a chair from amongst themselves. 

ii.) Where issues arise involving a member of the Party Discipline and Guidance Committee, that member shall recuse themselves from involvement with that complaint, whether the member be the complainant or the person complained of. 

iii.) If the Party Discipline and Guidance Committee agree unanimously, they may issue a letter of dismissal where there is no valid complaint. Otherwise, an individual member of the Committee is assigned, by the Committee, to manage the complaint procedure. 

iv.) They will, where necessary: 

● Request further details from the complainant 

● Request a response from the person complained of 

● Collect information from other sources such as listed witnesses 

v.) The Committee will then review the case, no later than 1 month from its submission. 

vi.) Resolutions made to a case at this review require a simple majority of Party Discipline and Guidance Committee members. 

vii.) Actions by the Party Discipline and Guidance Committee include expulsion, suspension, restrictions on intraparty activity, and letter of rebuke. It may be 

appropriate instead or in addition to require either the complainant or the member complained of to attend an appropriate course at the expense of the Party. 

viii.) The Party Discipline and Guidance Committee may decide that a complaint is too minor to justify disciplinary action but send a letter to the member complained of asking that there not be a recurrence of the behaviour complained of. 

ix.) In consultation with the Executive Committee, the Party Discipline and Guidance Committee may decide it appropriate for either the complainant or the person complained of, or both, to be suspended from membership of the party pending resolution of the complaint. 

x.) Persons standing for election within the party shall not be removed from the ballot and shall not be inhibited from campaigning simply because there is a complaint lodged against them. 

xi.) Participation “in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance, and respect to others” naturally includes avoidance of any actions or words derogatory of people because of their innate characteristics or factors including for the avoidance of doubt religion, race, ethnicity, language, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, personal relationships, health, and mental health. It is possible to be progressive and forceful without being offensive. 

xii.) Behaviour likely to bring the party into disrepute shall be an offence (please read the Code of Conduct for more information). 

xiii.) Actions prior to a person joining the Party will not normally find a complaint but may be taken into account by a panel in its deliberations. 

xiv.) Abuse of the disciplinary system for improper purposes may in itself be an offence. 

xv.) The Executive Committee may ask the Party Discipline and Guidance Committee to examine the application of a member where there are concerns raised about their eligibility or past history. 

xvi.) The Appeals Committee comprises three members and is elected by online ballot of members. Postal ballots are available. Where there is no election of an Appeals Committee, the Transform Council will appoint a sub-committee to carry out this function. 

xvii.) Where either side is unhappy with the decision of the Party Discipline and Guidance Committee they take this to the Appeals Committee (or sub-committee if in place). 

xviii.) The Appeals Committee will review any appeals. 

xix.) Where either side is unhappy with the decision of the Appeals Committee they may take it to the annual membership conference which is the sovereign body of the party. 

8. Amendments 

i.) This Constitution may be amended by a majority of the Party Conference vote. 

9. Dissolution 

i.) The Party can be disbanded by the decision of a Special Conference called for that purpose. Such a conference can be called by a resolution passed by an Annual Membership Conference or by a Transform Council (TC) resolution passed by 2/3 of TC members. 

ii.) If the disbandment motion is passed, the TC will oversee the process. All remaining Party monies will be donated to an organisation which shares the values and objectives of the Party as determined by the NC. 

10. Appendix 

a. Alternative Vote (AV) 

ii.) In an Alternative Vote (AV) system, voters provide a ranking of their favourite candidates, with a 1 representing their favourite, and ascending numbers representing decreasing preference. Voters do not need to rank every candidate. 

ii.) If a candidate receives more than 50% percent of voters’ first preferences, they are elected. Otherwise, the candidate with the least number of first preferences is eliminated, and those votes are distributed to the voters’ second preference. If a ballot has no further preference, it is discarded. 

iii.) If, after redistribution, any candidate has more than 50% of remaining votes, they are the elected candidate. Otherwise, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated and their votes redistributed according to the preferences, and so on until a candidate receives more than 50% of remaining votes. 

iv.) This system cannot resolve exact ties between candidates. In this case, the Executive Committee will set a date for a re-vote no more than 2 weeks later. 

25 November 2023