Our Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT FRIENDS OF PALESTINE

 

(As amended at the AGM held on 3 November, 2016.)

 

 

  1. The Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine is an unincorporated, not-for–profit organisation staffed entirely by volunteers. It has the aims and objectives listed in 2. and 3.

 

2.  Aims

 

  • We hold that human rights are universal and indivisible and should be upheld without exception. This is as applicable in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory which consists of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (the ‘OPT’) as it is

 

  • We advocate the establishment of a democratic state of Palestine living in peace and security alongside Israel in the OPT in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. We recognise and accept the democratic decisions of the Palestinian People and call on all parties to recognise such

 

  • We oppose all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism, anti-Arab racism or Islamophobia in any circumstance and we categorically and unequivocally condemn all violence and use of force against civilians no matter who the victims or the perpetrators may

 

  • We reject, and will challenge, accusations of anti-Semitism levelled against party members, organisations or other individuals within and outside the Liberal Democrat Party merely because they express concern at Israeli government policies to its own non-Jewish citizens and its programmes and methods in the

 

  • We call for an end to the Israeli occupation and the evacuation of all Israeli settlements, save for equitable arrangements mutually agreed by the negotiating parties and which are not influenced by the duress inherent in

 

  • We support a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem in accordance with international law and the relevant UN

 

  • We call for a shared Jerusalem open to all faiths, serving as the capital of two States, providing for the fulfilment of the political aspirations of both the Palestinian and Israeli

 

  • We support full acceptance of Israel by all Arab and Muslim States and normalised diplomatic and economic relations throughout the region as an integral part of an overall peace

 

3.  Objectives

 

  • To inform, educate and positively influence party members and the Party leadership so that together we ensure the Party’s Middle East policy places a priority on the right of the Palestinian people to achieve a life of peace, well-being and security with its

 

  • To assist the party in strengthening its links with UK-based Arab businesses and NGOs by entering dialogue with them and engaging with Arab communities across the

 

  • To provide briefings to MPs and MEP’s on developments in the Middle East including lines to take, Q&A briefs and other

 

  • To develop, broaden interest and expand membership of the LDFP throughout the Party by, although not exclusively, organising fringe events at Party

 

  • To defend the cause of human rights and achievement of sovereignty for the Palestinian People in the media, Parliament and Party, where the achievement of this core principle is

 

  • To liaise with Palestinian politicians and other national representatives and delegations and to inform Party leadership and members of the outcome of such

 

  • To maintain a positive and professional dialogue and exchange with other Party and parliamentary groups working for peace in the Middle

 

4.Membership

 

4.1         Membership is open to all members of the Party who agree with the fundamental values and objectives of LDFP without discrimination as to age, ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender or sexual orientation, upon payment of the annual subscription in respect of the current calendar year. All members are entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting and other membership meetings of the LDFP.

 

4.2 A member who acts in a way which in the opinion of a majority of the members of the Committee brings the Association into disrepute may be suspended from the membership by the Chair either for a specified period or permanently after first being given one week’s notice that suspension may take place. This notice must be communicated to members of the Committee at the same time.

 

4.3 Any member so suspended will have a right of appeal to a panel of three members of LDFP who are not members of the Committee and who are appointed by the President of LDFP. Before going to appeal, any member whom the committee has decided to suspend in accordance with the above procedures shall first contest the decision of the committee to suspend him at a special meeting of the committee convened for this purpose. He may nominate another member of LDFP to accompany him to this special meeting and that other member shall, if the person suspended so wishes, speak on his behalf or in support of his position. 

4.4       If the decision of the special meeting is to uphold the suspension and the member does appeal to the independent panel described in 4.3 above, the majority decision of the panel as to whether to uphold suspension will be final.

4.5       An Associate Member shall be a person who declares their support for the fundamental values and objectives of the Liberal Democrat Party as set out in the Party’s constitution, is not currently a member of the Party but wishes to be associated with the aims and objectives of LDFP and is not a member of any other political party. Associate members shall pay the same annual subscription as members of LDFP and are entitled to attend its meetings but shall not have the right to vote at the AGM or other membership meetings or hold elected office in LDFP.

 

5.  Meetings

 

  • The Annual General Meeting of the LDFP will be held at or as close in time to the Party’s annual Autumn conference as possible. The functions of the AGM will be:

 

  • to receive an annual report on the activities of the LDFP and reports by individual officers of the LDFP;

 

  • to elect the officers of the LDFP;

 

  • to approve the accounts of the LDFP for the past twelve-month period;

 

  • to fix the annual subscription;

 

  • to deal with any other

 

  • All members who have paid their subscription are entitled to attend and vote at the AGM. Other membership meetings may be held at other times of the year at the request of the chair of the LDFP or by notice to the Secretary given by not less than ten members or ten percent of the actual current membership (whichever is greater) by twenty-one days’ notice in writing to the address of the Chair and specifying the item or items to be discussed at the meeting.

 

  • With the exception of the AGM, all such meetings must be in Westminster or its vicinity unless otherwise agreed by the Chair. If the Chair is reluctant to approve any decision taken at a meeting of the membership (save at the AGM), he or she may request the secretary to ballot the actual current membership by email within twenty-eight days of the decision taken at the meeting. If the membership fails to ratify the decision of the meeting by an absolute majority of votes then the decision shall not stand, save that a decision by a meeting to change the name, aims or objectives of the LDFP or to wind up or merge the LDFP must be by a majority of three quarters of votes cast both at the meeting and in any email ballot of

 

 

  • Notice of the date and time of the AGM shall be sent out at least 21 days before the meeting and shall invite nominations for election of officers which may be submitted up to and during the AGM. In the event that there is a contested election for any officer post, the election shall be conducted by secret ballot of those present using the single transferable vote.

 

6.  Officers

 

  • The officers of the LDFP (hereafter referred to collectively as ‘the Committee) shall be the chair, the vice chair, the secretary, the communications lead, the treasurer, and any other officers nominated by the AGM or co-opted by Committee. The AGM or the Committee shall also elect an honorary president of the

 

  • The officers of the LDFP shall perform their duties towards the LDFP with the utmost good

 

7.  Notices

 

All notices to the officers of the Association or to members of the Association shall be by email and the expression ‘written notice’ shall be construed accordingly save in the case of a member who has previously informed the membership secretary that he or she does not have an email address, in which case notice must be given to or by such person by post at the address provided to the membership secretary.

 

  1. Dissolution or merger of the LDFP

 

Dissolution or merger of the LDFP shall be by a decision of the Membership in accordance with 5 above and must be by a majority of three quarters of votes cast. In the event of dissolution, all assets of the Association shall be donated to the Party unless otherwise agreed in the decision to dissolve or merge.