Good governance is what all public institutions aim for in terms of how they conduct their affairs and look after their members. For a political party like the Green Party, the aim is to have a democratic process for making decisions, free of abuse and corruption, and in line with social conventions and the rule of law.
The Party’s constitution is over 40-years old and was agreed when the Party had fewer than 10,000 members [and before the internet revolutionised how we communicate]. Conference was a meeting of members, many of whom knew each other in what was a relatively small social group.
Current governance model
Governance in the Green Party is modelled on consensus decision-making and on the separation of powers. Its outdated processes are being abused by an ideologically-driven minority, but this is how it works according to the constitution:
- The Green Party Regional Council (GPRC) is responsible for the health and wellbeing of the party, for the development of the political strategy and final approval of the manifesto, and for discipline in extremis only (supposedly).
- Green Party Executive (GPEX) is the administrative body responsible for the financial health of the party and delivery of the strategy.
- Disciplinary Committee (DC) is responsible for dealing with complaints which have not been successfully dealt with at regional or local party level.
- Standing Orders Committee (SOC), has the power to set the conference agenda and has increasingly been called upon to make rulings throughout the year that interpret the party’s constitution.
Democratic deficit
According to the constitution, conference is the supreme forum of the party where all principal policies are agreed, yet fewer than 2% of members attend conference. It is therefore easy for conference apparatus to be co-opted by the ideologically-driven blocs who are motivated to attend.
The democratic deficit is particularly acute in the case of internal elections for key national committees. Some of the internal roles are elected only at conference during a 24-hour period when even less of the fewer than 2% participate.
Over the last four years’ elections held at conference for Standing Orders Committee, fewer than half of those entitled to vote actually voted, so SOC was elected by an average of 300 of the party’s 50,000 members.
GPRC representatives are elected by their regions; in most regions few members register or understand the need for candidates, few stand for the roles, and few members participate in the regional elections. It is rare for regional representatives on the Regional Council to be held to account.
The way forward
Local parties are the beating heart of the party. By their efforts, elections are won or lost. When councillors are elected (and indeed MPs), the ‘Green in the room’ effect takes hold and councils and national policies and practices can be transformed.
Yet, there is little connection between local parties and central governance. As well as dealing with the basic abuses of power that has led to Greens in Exiles needing to form, ideas for new delegate conferences might be the link that could return the party to the majority of its members.