THE
CONSTITUTION THE LIBERAL INTERNATIONAL BRITISH GROUP
1.
The name of the group shall be “The Liberal International
[British Group]” hereinafter referred to as “the Group”.
2.
The Group is an Associated Organisation of the Social and
Liberal Democrats and the term Liberal in this Constitution shall be
interpreted, wherever appropriate, to include Liberal Democrats.
3.
The Liberal International [British Group] is an association of
people working for the following objects:
a.
to affiliate to the Liberal International and to support and
assist its work;
b.
to win general acceptance within the United Kingdom for the
principles set out in the Liberal Manifesto formulated at the Oxford Conference,
April 1947, the Declaration of Oxford 1967 and the Liberal Appeal of Rome 1981;
*
c.
to assist its members in developing co‑operation with
Liberals and Liberal groups abroad;
d.
to conduct research into matters which have a bearing on the
establishment of liberal institutions, liberal economies and personal freedom
throughout the world;
e.
to initiate and
support activities to promote Liberalism internationally together with a
greater measure of co‑operation between Liberals and Liberal groups in
all countries.
4.
Membership of the Group shall be open to all those residing in
the
5.
Youth Membership of the Group shall be open to those under the
age of 25 years who accept the above objects.
6.
Honorary Associate Membership of the Group shall be open to
people of Liberal outlook in countries where no section of the Liberal
International (World Liberal Union) has been formed. Honorary Associate Membership shall be
entitled to all benefits of membership save voting rights.
7.
Corporate Membership of the Group shall be open to all formally
established associations, business firms or limited liability companies which
wish to promote the objects set out in Clause 3 above.
8.
Prospective members shall declare their membership of political
parties and shall inform the Secretary if, after joining, they become a member
of a political party which has no formal links with Liberal International.
9.
Notwithstanding Clauses 2 to 6 above the Executive Committee of
the Group shall, subject to a two‑thirds majority of those present and
excluding the President, have power to refuse membership to, or withdraw
membership from, any person whose activities are, or have been, in its opinion
inconsistent with support of the above objects or whose actions have been in
any other way seriously injurious to the Group. Any such refusal or withdrawal of membership
shall be subject to appeal to the President of the Group whose decision shall
be final.
10.
Subscriptions shall be due on 1st January in each calendar
year. Subscriptions for new members who
join between 15th September and 31st December shall be deemed to cover the
balance of that year and the following calendar year.
11.
The annual subscriptions shall be set by a General Meeting and
remain in force until altered.
12.
All members shall pay the appropriate subscription as
above. Any member who is more than
three months in arrears with his subscription shall be deemed to have resigned
and his name shall be removed from the Group's books. Exceptions to this rule may be made by the
Executive Committee.
13.
An unlimited number of Patrons shall be elected annually.
14.
The following Honorary Officers shall be elected annually by a postal
ballot of all Members and Youth Members:
a.
President (who shall be the principal public representative of
the membership and responsible to the membership for ensuring observance of the
Constitution);
b.
Up to eight Vice Presidents;
c.
A Treasurer;
d.
A Membership Treasurer;
e.
An Organising Secretary;
f.
A Minutes Secretary.
15.
The President may serve for up to three years consecutively
(subject to annual re‑election) but shall not be eligible for re‑election
for a year thereafter.
16.
There shall be an Executive Committee comprising the Honorary
Officers, one member appointed by each regional committee, each of whom may
have a named alternate, and twelve ordinary members elected annually by a
postal ballot of all Members and Youth Members. The Executive Committee shall elect a
Chairman and Vice‑Chairman from amongst its own members. The Executive Committee may, in addition,
co-opt up to four other members to fulfil specific roles or provide specific
areas of expertise. The potential co-optee must consent, in writing, prior to the relevant
Executive Committee meeting.
17.
The Chairman may serve for up to three years consecutively
(subject to annual re‑election) but shall not be eligible for re‑election
for a year thereafter.
18.
The Chairman shall have responsibility for ensuring the
organisation and work of the Group, with the help of fellow officers and a Vice‑Chairman
(likewise elected by the Executive Committee).
The Chairman and Vice‑Chairman shall have the standing of Honorary
Officers during their terms of office.
19.
All contested elections shall be conducted by single
transferable vote.
20.
LI Executive:
The group's
vice-president to LI should be the current chairman. The group's other
representative should be elected from amongst the executive, for a two year
period (i.e.: 4 LI executives/congress meetings) at the first executive meeting
after the AGM, or if a casual vacancy occur, the first executive meeting
thereafter for the duration of the term.
21.
Liberal Democrat's International Relations Committee:
The group's
representative(s) should be elected from amongst the executive at the first
executive meeting after the AGM, or if a casual vacancy occurs, the first
executive meeting thereafter for the duration of the term.
22.
Other representation:
This formula
shall apply to any other body that the Group is represented on. In the event of
representation on a new group, election will take place at the first executive
thereafter, for the duration of the life of that executive, normal procedures
following from the next AGM.
23.
The Group's representatives to other bodies will submit regular
written reports to the executive, at a period determined by the executive.
24.
A General Meeting of the Group shall be held annually. All Members, Youth Members and Honorary
Associate Members shall be entitled to attend.
Corporate Members shall be entitled to send one representative who shall
be entitled to vote.
25.
The Treasurers shall present to the Annual General Meeting an
audited statement of the Accounts for the previous financial year. The financial year of the Group shall run
from 1st January to 31st December.
26.
An Auditor shall be appointed by the Annual General Meeting.
27.
Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be sent to all members
at least six weeks in advance.
Nominations for Officers or for the Committee must be received at the
office of the Group not less than four weeks before the Annual General Meeting. The consent of nominees must first be
obtained. In the event of a contested
election, ballot papers must be sent out not less than three weeks before the
Annual General Meeting, together with such biographical details as the
candidate may have submitted with their consent to nomination, subject to a
maximum of 75 words. The ballot papers
must be returned not less than one week before the Annual General Meeting.
28.
Written notice of any resolution which a member intends to move
at the Annual General Meeting must reach the Group's office not less than seven
days before the Annual General Meeting and be signed by at least four members
of the Group. The President, or other
Chairman of the Annual General Meeting, will exercise discretion over which
will be debated and in what order. In
exceptional circumstances a simple majority of members present shall have power
to overrule the President's decision.
29.
Regional Committees may be established in any of the English
regions of the Party, or any combination thereof, or in any of the constituent
nations of the
30.
The constitution of the regional committees shall be subject to
approval by the Executive Committee.
They shall accord voting rights at their Annual General Meetings to all
members of the British Group resident in their respective regions or
nations. The Executive committee shall
arrange financial assistance for each regional committee and annual quota
payments from each regional committee by mutual agreement.
31.
The Constitution of the Group may be altered by a two‑thirds
majority of those present and voting at a General Meeting subject to 20 above.
32.
A Special General Meeting (i.e. a General Meeting other than the
Annual General Meeting) may be called by the Executive Committee and shall be
called if twenty‑five members of the Group so desire and notify the
President in writing. At least one
month's notice shall be given of a Special General Meeting.
This
Constitution was adopted at the Annual General Meeting held at the National
Liberal Club on 15 May 1990, amended at the Annual General Meetings held in
Abbey Gardens, Westminster, on 17 June 1997, the House of Lords on 27 July
1999, the House of Lords on 19 July 2000, the House of Lords on 17 July 2002.