The draft Your Party constitution is for a highly centralised, London-based party which echoes the Labour Party. It “devolves” – they literally use the word – power from the centre to non-autonomous entities in Scotland and Wales.
We need a Federal party – a completely different approach – where authority lies with the members, and is granted to the executives firstly of the Scottish, Welsh and English parties, and then to the Federal executive, as the members wish.
The current draft reflects the British nationalist ideal that the UK is essentially England and that Scotland and Wales are some sort of add-ons for which special provision must be made. Therefore there are supposed to be Scottish and Welsh subsidiary – not equal – parties, whereas England does not have a separate party but is presumed to be the main body of the organisation.
Scotland and Wales are treated separately as “nations” while England isn’t. It is just assumed to be identical with the party as a whole. This is typical of the unthinking Anglocentrism of the authors.
I do not see how any Scot can respectably subscribe to the party on its currently drafted constitution.
I have therefore sent my written suggestion for Amendment to a true Federal format.
This is the original:
This is the amendment which I have submitted:
The draft constitution does not include the north of Ireland at all. I do not know if the party plans to operate there. I assume the omission means not.
I would urge members – not just those in Scotland and Wales – to support this fundamental change in the way the party is structured. Unless there is a genuine federal structure, Your Party will be dead in the water in Scotland. The pledge it will not be a “branch office” needs to have concrete form.
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“a highly centralised, London based party”
So, it doesn’t represent England either.
RIP
Is Corbyn a fool or a fifth columnist?
This is so unexpected 🙄
A party that would advocate for a break-up of the country it intends to govern? Political fantasy. Corbyn’s party needs to appeal to the majority of UK citizens – that vast majority who oppose creating even more borders. Left wing ideology always meant universalism and internationalism, not tribalism.
Can any member propose amendments in YP to the leadership? Is it only VIPs or people selected by lot who can decide whether it will be discussed at a forthcoming conference?
in the Your Party members’ portal, there is a list of “TEXTS FOR CROWDEDITING”, which include the Standing Orders, Constitution, Political Statement, and Year 1 Organisational Strategy. Any member can approve or dispute parts of each text, using the web interface. The intro page says:
“Help shape Your Party’s founding documents!
We promised to do things differently — and this is where it begins. Below you will find the first drafts of Your Party’s four founding documents: our Political Statement, Constitution, Standing Orders, and Organisational Strategy. Together, they set out our principles, our purpose, and how we organise to win. But they’re not final — these are just drafts. The final product is in your hands. Over the coming weeks, members will debate and amend these documents at regional assemblies, while you can also suggest edits through this Crowdediting tool. Harnessing the wisdom of a mass movement, the documents will evolve iteratively in response to member feedback, before amendments are voted on by delegates at our founding conference. The final decision will then be taken by all members in online votes. This is real democracy in action — get involved, as we build a new party by and for the people, not the powerful.”
The portal doesn’t seem to have any provision for VIP status, so nobody’s input would be privileged over anyone else’s. To elevate his own recommendations over those of ordinary members, Craig would have to catch the ear of somebody in head office. Maybe he could even be appointed as a spad, on the basis of acknowledged expertise, but I’m not sure how to swerve the criticisms he made about the closed circles of unelected influencers and advisers in an earlier article (It’s Your Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To).
Couldn’t agree with you more. It’s throwing a bone to these nations – like mine – as if they’re going to be satisfied with getting their own ‘regional office’
“We need a Federal party – a completely different approach – where authority lies with the members, and is granted to the executives firstly of the Scottish, Welsh and English parties, and then to the Federal executive, as the members wish.”
Your Party:
“Political parties may be established in Scotland (Alba) and Wales (Cymru), as in England, but the devolved national structures – including governance and leadership – shall be determined by Scottish and Welsh members at their own founding conferences, to be held in the Party’s first year.”
Craig:
“Decision making power will not be devolved from the federal centre. It rests with the members and flows up to the various bodies of the various national parties.”
Doesn’t that basically amount to the same thing, with members at national levels deciding their own constitutions?
I humbly refer honourable readers to my previous answer:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2025/10/i-have-joined-your-party/comment-page-2/#comment-1088804
I told you it is a unionist party!
Federal!
Where will the party be registered with the Electoral Commission?
There are no independence parties at Holyrood – yet around half of Scots want the illegal union to be over – I like many other Scots have NO party to vote for next year – it looks like I’ll be spoiling my ballot paper.
Interesting post from Peter Bell on the “Spoil the Vote” campaign recently in Ireland…
https://peterabell.substack.com/p/looking-at-alternatives