IMAGINE : Political Party in Great Britain

Aims and Objectives

Aim

We want to build a society based on fairness, equality, and solidarity.

We want to achieve a more equal economic and social order by tackling: inequalities of wealth and power; unsustainable exploitation of natural resources; and systemic discrimination in all its forms including classism, racism, sexism, transphobia, disability prejudice, nationality or ethnicity. We will seek an equitable distribution of power and democratic accountability across the English regions in line with the devolved powers in Wales and Scotland. We will promote peace and international solidarity. We will enact these values in how we organise this collectivist party that will promote diversity and participative democracy.

Main Objectives

• Introduce new, radical and participative, federal regional and local governance structures.
• Apply mutual ownership models to public utilities (initially water companies) and strongly support and develop current public services further via state finance and increased rent-only council housing construction.
• Reform the tax system to redress the mal-distribution of income and wealth, including higher taxation on high incomes, introduce land value taxation and establish a new regional investment bank.
• Reform the welfare system to provide a safety net for all who need it and ensure there are decent well-paid jobs for everyone, including via a regional/local jobguarantee scheme.
• Reform the education system that is fully funded by the state, provides a more holistic learning environment, promotes research and development, life-long learning, including via an expanded further-education provision across the region, and understanding of the impact of the developments in artificial intelligence, enabling everyone to fulfil their potential.
• Fully publicly funded and owned cradle to grave health service focusing on prevention and tackling socio-economic drivers of health inequalities.
• Fully publicly funded and owned social care service that places the cared for and the carers at the centre and addresses effective integration with the health service.
• Urgently tackle regional climate emergency impacts, damage to the lakes, rivers, seas, oceans and the decline of biodiversity in the region, recognising that climate and social justice go hand in hand.
• Promote and campaign for peace, campaign against war, international solidarity, internationalism, peace and justice as core principles of foreign policy.

Contestation of Elections

The Party will contest local, regional and general parliamentary elections – and subsequently devolved government elections in the region – starting with the metropolitan local authority elections in England 2026.

Candidate Selection Process

A member, having been a member for six months and is of good standing in the Party – and is not directly associated of any other political party (unless specifically permitted to do so by the Executive Committee) – may formally put themselves forward to the Executive Committee to be considered for selection as a candidate in elections at any level. The candidate should meet the criteria set out in the party’s code of conduct, provides evidence and commits to it and will be chosen, as far as is possible, to achieve a balance of gender, race, and diverse backgrounds. Commitment to the Party’s aims and objectives, as indicated in the code of conduct, should be demonstrated:

• Understanding of and commitment to promoting the Party’s aims, objectives, policies, and practices
• Understanding of and commitment to equality and diversity
• If possible, to be resident in the area where they wish to stand
• Undertake a clear commitment to campaigning throughout the year and during the election.

While local Unit (s) are being established, a minimum of five members of the Executive Committee will be responsible for selecting candidates.

Party Management Structure

Party Officers

Party Officers will be full members of the Executive Committee. The Officers will serve their term for three years. Replacement of Officers is addressed elsewhere in the document.

The roles of the three principal Party officers will be as follows:

The Leader

The role of the leader is to ensure that policy and other decisions of the Party are taken collectively, in line with the constitution. A further role will be to lead and manage, with assistance from others all the communications of the Party to the public and to other target audiences.

The Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for the accounting procedures of the Party, including its income and expenditure; the record of membership payments, monitoring and submitting the election accounts of any elections to the returning officer, in a timely fashion. The Treasurer will provide regular reports on finance and membership to the Executive Committee and to party members. The party’s registered treasurer will be responsible for the whole party’s compliance with the requirements of Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA). The treasurer will also be responsible for handling members’ personal data and for abiding by the Data Protection Act.

Financial accounting and auditing procedures are set out in the Financial Scheme.

Nominating Office (General Secretary)

The Nominating Officer will have overall responsibility for arranging the nomination of candidates and approving the party identity marks used on nomination forms and ballot papers at elections. They will oversee the membership affairs of the Party, together with the Treasurer, the meetings of the EC, and the Party Conference arrangements. They will also act as the Returning Officer.

The Party officers will be voted into office by the full Party membership (see below), though initially they are appointed by the current collective group of ten.

Non Statutory Officer roles

The Campaigns Manager

The role of the Campaigns Manager is to coordinate and supervise the main Party campaigns – ensuring that they are focused appropriately on influencing the key target audiences, namely public and private body influencing organisations and the public, linked with associated media (social and conventional) materials and messaging – in association with the Leader, the Treasurer and the Nominating Officer (General Secretary). The Campaigns Manager will report on progress, on a monthly basis to the Executive Committee.

Equalities Officer

The Equalities Officer will be a voting member of the Party’s Executive Committee. They will be responsible for promoting equalities policies and practices within the party as required by law and ensure that the party’s policies and actions are designed to tackle inequalities in locally and regionally.

Communities Officer

The Communities Officer will be a voting member of the party’s Executive Committee. They will be responsible for fostering links with and involvement of diverse communities and trade unions locally and regionally to inform the party’s policies and practices.

Provision for Replacement of Officers

Should it be necessary for any of the Principal Officers of the Party to resign from the post, for whatever reason, the Executive Committee will meet to appoint a replacement within 14 days.

Party Executive Committee

The operational management of the Party will be the responsibility of the Nominating Officer (General Secretary), together with the all other Officers of the Party, reporting directly to the Party’s Executive Committee on a monthly basis.

The Party’s Executive Committee (EC) will be made up of 10 members from diverse communities and ages. All officers of the Party will automatically become members of the Executive Committee (i.e. one-third of the Committee).

All Party members will be eligible to serve on the EC. All EC members (officers and nonofficers) will serve will serve for a period of three years. They will retire after serving their period of office. Officers may stand for re-election. The Nominating Officer (General Secretary) of the Party will chair the EC but will not have a casting vote. The quorum for the EC meetings will be six members, with at least two of the Party officers being present. EC meetings will take place monthly, or as required by unforeseen events (to be specified).

Membership of the EC will be voted on by the full Party membership two months prior to each annual Party meeting, via an externally supervised ballot. The term of office of all EC members (officers and non-officers) to be served will be three years and be subject to a simple majority vote prior to the forthcoming Party conference. In the event that any one of the EC members resigns during their period of office, the EC will appoint a member of the Party to serve until the next annual meeting. The retiring member will be replaced within 14 days of the EC receiving notification of the retirement.

The Executive Committee will report annually to the plenary Party meetings of elected representatives of the Party membership.

Adoption of Party Policies, Priorities, and Campaigns

The Party’s principal policy proposals, priorities, and campaigns, following previous discussions and suggestions from within the Party membership, will be proposed by the Campaigns Manager to the ten-member Executive Committee, prior and will be agreed by the EC, on the basis of a two to one majority. These proposals will be discussed and voted on annually by representatives of the Party’s local groups (representing 50 members’ votes), at the annual conference, and by all members attending the conference. A simple majority will suffice to endorse the Party’s policies, as recorded in a card vote in all cases.

Between annual Party meetings, any new or changed policy positions that may be required will be made by the Executive Committee on the basis of a two to one majority.

Overall Party Governance Arrangements

Party Conference Arrangements

Attendance of Members

The annual (or special convened) Party conference – the first annual conference will be held in the autumn of 2026 – will be open to be attended all individual members as visitors, with individual voting rights. The programme of the Conference will be sent to members electronically (by text and by email), three weeks prior to conference being held, However, the date of the conference and its location will be advertised to members some three months in advance.

A quorum for the Party conference, in order to take substantive decisions, such as on party structure, all financial matters, and on new major policies, as proposed by the EC, will be 40% of the total Party membership, recorded at one month prior to the Party conference.

The purpose of the Party conference, at which all of the EC members, including all officers, will be present to discuss, amend, and endorse party policy documents, to confirm or amend all operational management procedures of the Party, and any other business that has been previously submitted, in writing to the Nominating Officer (General Secretary), four weeks prior to the date of the annual (or special) conference, and has been approved by the EC for discussion.

As indicated above, the EC will prepare a written annual report (content to be specified), including an audited financial report, to be circulated one month before the annual Party conference, to be submitted for endorsement at the annual Party conference. A special Party conference may be called by the EC, as necessitated by events (to be specified).

Local Groups/Units (not accounting Units)

The number of local groups will be based on the number of constituencies within the North East region. In the event that local groups/units may be established, for a minimum membership of 20, then members will be enabled to meet locally to discuss Party policies and other Party matters. Once the 20-member minimum has been reached the Party Treasure for should be informed for verification, so that the local group/unit can be registered as such and notified to the EC of the Party. The quorum for local groups will be seven members. While the various local units are in the process of being formed, the initial membership of the local units denoted by the local constituency, will all be able to attend the Party conference and will be able to communicate with members of the EC.

The local groups will be led by a Convenor, responsible for calling meetings as required, but not less than every other month.

Once the local groups reach 50 as a total of members they will elect a Chair in addition to the Convenor.

Once the membership of a local group/unit reaches 50 then it will be possible to submit one resolution to the annual conference for adoption and to vote as a block on all policy proposals. Voting mandates will be subject to a two to one majority.

There will also be provision for elected representatives from the Party’s local units/groups, with one representative for up to every 50 local members. The local units will be able to submit one resolution to be discussed by the annual conference. In the interim period while the various local units are in the process of being formed, the initial membership of the local units, denoted by local authority Ward location, will all be able to attend the Party conference. Whether the local group/unit representatives attending the annual conference will be mandated to vote on policy issues tabled at the conference will be up to the decisions of the Party’s local groups.

Accounting units and organisations within the party.

The financial affairs of local units or other organisations of the party, whether currently existing or to be established in future, will be wholly controlled by the party’s registered treasurer.

Financial Accounts and Auditing Procedure

The drawing up of balance sheet and income and expenditure accounts will be the responsibility of the Treasurer, appointed by the Party Conference, and reporting quarterly to the Executive Committee. An audited annual statement will be circulated and presented to the membership at the annual Party conference. The accounts will be audited annually by an independent accountancy firm (to be appointed), reporting to an Audit Committee, comprising the General Secretary and two suitably qualified independent Party members, appointed at the previous AGM. The party’s financial year will run from 1 January to 31 December.

There will be a specific debate held at the Party conference to consider and accept the annual financial statement. A vote on acceptance will be held, and a simple majority will be sufficient for acceptance.

Individual Party Membership Procedures

The only general barriers to membership will be age (16 minimum) or membership of another political party, unless either that party is affiliated to Imagine or the Executive Committee decides otherwise on the grounds that such other membership is not detrimental to the interests of the Party. The party may (via the EC) decide to affiliate with organisations that are aligned to the vision, values and policies of Imagine.

Membership will require the payment of an annual fee of £60 that may also be paid monthly (£5). Unwaged and student members will pay an annual fee of £12 or a £1 a month. A party card (physical and digital) will be issued in return on supply of address, phone number, and email address.

By applying to become a member of Imagine Party the applicant will agree to accept and conform to the constitution, values, policy campaigns of the Party. Their membership will be registered at the address where they reside and if eligible be registered as an elector at that address.

By supplying personal data to register the members will agree that – the Imagine Party, elected representatives of the Imagine Party, and any candidates in internal elections of the party in which they are entitled to participate – may contact them via authorised personnel using any of the data supplied by them. They will be eligible to vote in party elections four weeks after receipt of joining.

By entering their email address and/or phone number the member will agree to receive communications from the Party, from which they can opt-out using the unsubscribe link in each email sent by the Party. Text messages can be opted out at any time using the appropriate stop message.

A register of the membership of the Party will be kept by the Treasurer and submitted monthly to the EC for information. The Party will not share personal details with anyone outside the Imagine Party. Only authorised personnel of the Party approved by the EC will be able to access personal details of members.

Code of Conduct

General

All Party members will be expected to abide by Imagine’s aims, objectives, principles and values and to behave with courtesy towards other members on all occasions, both orally and in writing. Examples (not exhaustive) of misconduct include, derogatory remarks, discourtesy, making unsubstantiated accusations of lying, swearing at another member during an oral debate or about protected characteristics as set out in the 2010 Equalities Act. A member who is reported as not following the Party’s code of conduct and expression of values – especially in respect of discrimination in all its forms including classism, racism, sexism, transphobia, disability prejudice, nationality or ethnicity – in this or any other respect, unless a reasonable explanation or apology is offered and accepted, may result in immediate suspension of membership. See Disciplinary procedures below.

Any reported and verified unlawful attacks on individuals or groups inside or outside the Party will result in immediate suspension and termination membership if proven.

Disciplinary and Disputes Resolution Procedures

On suspension of a member of the Party (including non-payment of membership fees) an investigation of the issue or complaint will be conducted by the EC, with representation of the member suspended to make representations orally and in writing. The decision to terminate membership will then be made by five members of the EC, on the basis of a simple majority.

The member concerned will be entitled to appeal the decision of the EC members. An appeal panel made up of five volunteer members chosen from the membership and who are not members of the EC will consider the appeal. The decision of the appeal panel will be final. If proven to have breached the code of conduct termination of membership will immediately follow.

Change of Constitution and Dissolution Procedures

Any proposed changes to the Party Constitution will be proposed by a simple majority in the Executive Committee and will be decided by a two-thirds majority vote of the full Party membership. The same procedure will apply to the Dissolution.