Motion #12

Add Constitution Section on Spokespeople

Synopsis

This motion would add a section on Spokespeople to the constitution. This motion would outline that spokespeople are selected by the party (Co-)Leader(s) and Deputy Leader(s), following their elections. This motion will also outline Spokespeople’s expectations, accountability, etc.

Background

The selection process of Spokespeople is unclear to those not in GPEx. As our Spokespeople are effectively seen as our Party’s ‘frontbench’, with Party (Co-)Leader(s) and Deputy Leader(s) are often held responsible for Party Spokespeople by the general public, there should be a clear selection process, by the Party (Co-)Leader(s) and Deputy Leader(s), and recall process of our Party’s Spokespeople.

Motion

SOC notes: This motion will require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Add a new section to the constitution titled Spokespeople.

The content of this section will state:

1) As a minimum, there shall be a Spokesperson for each post listed below, with the potential for conference to change or add new Spokesperson roles when necessary.

Currently Spokesperson posts are:

• Animal Rights Spokesperson

• Business, Economy and Finance Spokesperson

• Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Spokesperson

• Education Spokesperson

• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Spokesperson

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Spokesperson

• Energy Spokesperson

• Foreign Affairs and International Development Spokesperson

• Green New Deal Spokesperson

• Health and Social Care Spokesperson

• Housing, Communities and Local Government Spokesperson

• Justice Spokesperson

• Migration and Refugee Support Spokesperson

• Transport Spokesperson

• Wales Spokesperson

• Work and Pensions Spokesperson

• Youth and Student Spokespeople

2) Spokespeople will be the public faces of the Party, responsible for presenting Green Party policy and promoting its campaigns, relevant to their role, to the public on a daily basis.

3) The Youth & Student Spokespeople shall be the elected Co-Chairs of the Young Greens of England and Wales, as per the constitution and standing orders of the Young Greens of England and Wales, which takes precedence over the points listed below.

4) The Wales Spokesperson shall be the elected Wales Green Party Leader, as per the constitution and standing orders of the Wales Green Party, which takes precedence over the points listed below.

5) Applicants for Spokespeople shall have been a member of the Party for the three complete years preceding the date of close of applications, shall not be a member of the Green Party Executive, and shall be required to complete a standard application form. Applications of candidates must be supported by the signatures of a minimum of twenty members of the Party.

6) Spokespeople shall be selected every two years, following Leader and Deputy Leader elections. The selection shall be by the (Co-)Leader(s) and Deputy Leader(s) of the Party. Application forms must be submitted within one month of the Leader and Deputy Leader election results announcements. Spokespeople must be selected and announced within one month of the application closing date.

7) Spokespeople will be accountable to the Party (Co-)Leader(s) and Deputy Leader(s) and will be expected to outline their future plans and work to the (Co-)Leader(s) and Deputy Leader(s).

8) Spokespeople, in exercising their duties, will at all times abide by Party policy, the Policies for a Sustainable Society, Philosophical Basis and the Spokesperson Code of Conduct.

9) Spokespeople will submit an Annual Report which will be made available on the members’ website, with a deadline of a week before Autumn Conference.

10) In the event of ten per cent of the membership or twenty percent of constituted Local Parties petitioning the Regional Council, a two-thirds majority of Spokespeople, or a unanimous decision by (Co-)Leader(s) and Deputy Leader(s) to recall a Spokesperson, a new selection process for that post only shall be held in which the current post-holder shall not be eligible to apply. The current post-holder will retain their post until the result of that selection.

11) In the event of the resignation or suspension of a Spokesperson, there will be a new selection by the (Co-)Leader(s) and Deputy Leader(s) for that post only. They shall serve a term lasting as if they were starting following the selection of the previous post-holder.