Our Interventions for Regional Assemblies: Guides and Resources

With the Your Party regional assemblies beginning over the last couple of weeks, we are entering the beginning of a period of deliberation and discussion of the four founding documents released on the 17 October.

Despite the chaotic organisation and limitations of these assemblies, they are an opportunity to put forward the vision of a radically democratic, socialist and unitary party. To get the party we need, a movement of members standing under the banner of democracy and socialism is necessary. As Democrats Socialists of Your Party, we present a set of proposals for this movement.

These proposals reflect the areas in which the Your Party draft constitution and standing orders are most flawed. Time and again, promising socialist projects have failed. They have succumbed to careerism and become top-down electoral machines, divorced from their members and the class they were built to represent.

These proposals are the first steps in creating permanent protection against this danger. We are arguing against a model that would see our party run from Westminster or party staff. We are arguing for a vibrant, member-led, and truly democratic alternative.

Our proposals provide a clear, practical framework for a Party Republic. While we urge you to read them in full, they are built on a few core, non-negotiable principles.

A Vision for a Party Republic: Our Amendments for a Democratic Future

1. Empower the Branches

A democratic party places power in the hands of its local branches. Branches must be able to  act independently, able to conduct local work, and be organised as the members in the area see fit. As such, we propose that:

• Each branch should receive at least 50% of membership fees generated by its members.
• Branches should be formed along real community lines, not just electoral boundaries.
• Local members should be able to petition to form new branches wherever it makes sense for organising. 
• Conferences to be attended by elected branch delegates.

2. A Party of the Whole Left

Your Party has unified a huge section of the left, and we believe this is a strength rather than something that should be discouraged. Open debate will create a party with stronger politics and the ability to represent the working class in all its diversity. 

The constitution, in blocking members of other “national political parties” and “organisations undermining Party values”, creates potentially extensive restrictions to open debate and member organisation. We propose that members be able to:

• Organise openly into factions or platforms.
• Advocate publicly for political positions, even if they differ from the current majority.
• Work constructively to implement democratic decisions while campaigning to change them in future. 

3. For a Collective Leadership

A democratic, socialist party requires all positions of leadership and authority be controlled by rank and file members. We stand for the socialist restructuring of society, rather than in support of individual personalities. 

The constitution suggests that the Central Executive Committee (CEC) have 40% of its members not be elected, giving guaranteed seats to MPs, Councillors and a single leader. By contrast, we propose to:

• Replace the single Leader with two Co-Chairs, elected by the membership.
• End automatic seats for public officeholders — MPs and councillors should not be able to be elected to the CEC as voting members.
• Replace the officers’ structure with a collective Steering Committee of six equal members, elected by the CEC.
• Introduce term limits: CEC and Co-Chairs may serve a maximum of two consecutive years.

4. Transparency and Openness

A party cannot be controlled by its members if their access to key information is restricted. The vague and easily abusable suggestion that party members “respect the confidentiality of internal Party matters” threatens to do just this. 

Those we elect into positions of leadership can only be held to account if they are open to scrutiny. As a result we propose that:

• All CEC and Steering Committee meetings should be open to members by default.
• Minutes and decisions must be published.
• The CEC should meet at least six times per year, and the Steering Committee every two weeks.

5. Fair and Independent Discipline

A democratic party culture requires a clear disciplinary process. This should be used to ensure the safety of party members, rather than as a way of silencing political viewpoints or discouraging debate. 

Rather than leaving all disciplinary powers with the CEC, members must have recourse to an independent disciplinary body composed of fellow members. We propose that the party:

• Create a Discipline and Grievance Commission (DGC) of 11 members selected by sortition (random draw).
• The DGC can review all disciplinary cases and make recommendations if a case was mishandled.

6. Accountability for Elected Representatives

Representatives in Parliament and local councils should serve the membership. While we support the proposal for the right of members to recall political representatives, we need other ways of ensuring that all elected representatives remain accountable. Our proposals are to:

• Establish Socialists in Office (SIO) Committees at branch and regional levels to guide and scrutinise elected representatives.
• Create a National SIO Committee, accountable to members, to coordinate oversight of MPs and national representatives.
• Have Parliamentary and Council Convenors elected by members. These offices are spokespeople for elected groups, but don’t hold leadership in the party more broadly.
• Have mandatory reselection of all elected representatives.

7. A Worker’s Wage and Party Equality

In building a party of the working class, we must ensure that our party representatives, leadership and staff remain grounded in the daily experience of members, those they serve and represent. We propose that:

• MPs and officeholders should take no more than the median local wage, with allowances only for necessary expenses.
• Staff salaries should be capped at the national average, with flexibility for high-cost areas or access needs.
• Any surplus from salaries should be donated back to the local branch. 

We offer these proposals in the spirit of comradely debate. We urge you to read them, discuss them in your branches, and advocate for them at your regional assemblies.

Let’s build a party guided by a minimum programme for maximum democracy!