Labour Party Rule Book
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The Labour Party Rule Book is the governing document for the Labour Party in the United Kingdom. It dates back to the foundation of the Labour Party, and is a fundamental statement of objectives and governance rules of one of the oldest democratic socialist parties in the world.
Summary[edit]
The Labour Party Constitution forms the first chapter of the Rule Book and contains the most important and legally binding principles and provisions for Labour Party governance. The chapter is divided into ten sections named Clause I to Clause X. Clause IV is the best known Aims and values clause, which was significantly changed in 1995 after Tony Blair became leader of the Labour Party. Other issues of recent controversy have been the means of electing the Leader (Chapter 4), the mechanism for selecting candidates for the Westminster parliament (Chapter 5) and the Party's disciplinary rules (Chapters 1,2 & 6).
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The Labour Party was founded exclusively as a federation of organisations including many Trade Unions[1], its initial formation was called the Labour Representation Committee (LRC) , to coordinate attempts to support MPs sponsored by trade unions and represent the working-class population.[2]. This committee included two members from the ILP, two from the SDF, one Fabian, and seven trade unionists. It introduced individual membership in 1918[3]. It remains an organisation consisting of organisational affiliates and individual members.
The primary organs of government consist of the National Executive Committee, the National Constitutional Committee, Labour Party conference and the National Policy Forum
The rules may be amended by Labour Party conference. The appendices may be amended by the party's National Executive Committee confirmed by the following Labour Party conference. Rule changes are vested the day after the conference passing them unless the rule itself has a separate vesting date. The rules are published and made available by the Labour Party with varying levels of delay, often measured in months.
Legal Status[edit]
The Labour Party is an unincorporated association without a separate legal personality, and the rule book legally regulates the organisation and the relationship with members. See the Labour Party ref 233.
The Labour Party is an unincorporated association. As such, it has no separate legal personality from that of its individual members and as a matter of law is not a legal entity distinct from them. It is, however, subject to rules, currently those in the Rule Book. The nature of the relationship between an unincorporated association and its individual members is governed by the law of contract: -
In Evangelou et al v McNicol [2016 ] EWA Civ 817 per Beatson LJ:
19. The nature of the relationship between an unincorporated association and its individual members is governed by the law of contract:-
- The contract is found in the rules to which each member adheres when he or she joins the association: see Choudhry v Tresiman [2003] EWHC 1203 (Comm) at [38] per Stanley Burnton J.
- A person who joins an unincorporated association thus does so on the basis that he or she will be bound by its constitution and rules, if accessible, whether or not he or she has seen them and irrespective of whether he or she is actually aware of particular provisions: John v Rees [1970] 1 Ch 345 at 388D – E; Raggett v Musgrave (1827) 2 C & P 556 at 557.
- The constitution and rules of an unincorporated association can only be altered in accordance with the constitution and rules themselves: Dawkins v Antrobus (1881) 17 Ch D 615 at 621, Harington v Sendall [1903] 1 Ch 921 at 926 and Re Tobacco Trade Benevolent Society (Sinclair v Finlay) [1958] 3 All ER 353 at 355B – C.
Previous Rules[edit]
- Labour Party Rule Book 2022-1
- Labour Party Rule Book 2020
- Labour Party Rule Book 2019
- Labour Party Rule Book 2018
- Labour Party Rule Book 2017
- Labour Party Rule Book 2016
- Labour Party Rule Book 2015
- The Collins Review into Labour Party Reform 2014
- Labour Party Rule Book 2014
- Labour Party Rule Book 2013
- Labour Party Rule Book 2011 (including Refounding Labour amendments)
- Labour Party Rule Book 2008
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Pelling, Henry (1965). Origins of the Labour Party (2nd ed.). Oxford Paperbacks. p. 209. ISBN 0198811101. Search this book on
- ↑ Thorpe, Andrew (2008). A History of the British Labour Party (3rd ed.). Macmillan. p. 8. ISBN 9781137114853. Retrieved 2 June 2015. Search this book on
- ↑ "An Introduction to the ILP's history". www.independentlabour.org.uk. Independent Labour Publications.
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