Leadership Elections: Conservative Party - Commons Library briefing - UK Parliament Leadership Elections: Conservative Party Leadership Elections: Conservative Party Published Monday, July 11, 2016 This House of Commons Library briefing paper sets out the current rules for election of a Conservative Party leader, and the background to their introduction. Jump to full report >> 2016 contest On 24 June 2016, the day after the UK’s referendum on its continued membership of the European Union, David Cameron announced his resignation. He stated that in his view, the aim should be to have a new Prime Minister in place by the start of the Conservative Party conference in October. The next leader of the Conservative Party will be announced on 9 September 2016. The 1922 Committee met on 27 June 2016 recommended that the election should be completed by 2 September 2016. The following day the Conservative Party Board met and instead proposed the leadership election should be completed by 9 September 2016 to allow for the “full participation of members”. This timetable was agreed by the Board of the full 1922 Committee on 29 June.

Nominations opened immediately and closed on Thursday 30 June at midday. The system of electing the Leader of the Conservative Party consists of two stages: Conservative Members of Parliament select a choice of two candidates to present to the membership of the whole Party; Party members vote, on a "one member one vote" basis, for their preferred candidate from a shortlist of two. The result of the first ballot of Conservative Members of Parliament was announced on Tuesday 5 July at 19:00. Theresa May - 165 votes Stephen Crabb - 34 votes Liam Fox - 16 votes Liam Fox was therefore eliminated. Later in the evening Stephen Crabb also confirmed he would drop out. It meant that the third of the three candidates in the ballot in the next round would be elimanted, with the top two due to go forward to the vote by the Conservative Party membership. The second ballot result was announced around 16:30 on Thursday 7 July. Theresa May - 199 votes Andrea Leadsom - 84 votes Michael Gove - 46 votes. On Monday 11 July Andrea Leadsome announced she was withdrawing her candicacy and was supporting Theresa May.

David Cameron later announced that he would resign as Prime Minister on Wednesday 13 July following his last Prime Minister's Questions. Theresa May is expected to be confirmed as Prime Minister by Wednesday evening. Leadership election rules A leadership contest can be triggered in two ways; if 15% of Conservative MPs write to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee saying they no longer have confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party, or if he or she resigns. The current rules for electing the leader of the Conservative Party were introduced in 1998. This House of Commons Library briefing paper sets out the current rules, and the background to their introduction. It sets out details of the previous elections held under the current rules. It also includes brief details of the pre-1998 rules. The appendices to the note include details of Conservative Party leaders since 1900, election results from 1965-1997, the election rules as set out in the Conservative Party Constitution, and Chairs of the 1922 Committee since 1923.

Explained: the Conservative leadership election | Politics | The Guardian Conservatives Explained: the Conservative leadership election In the wake of William Hague's resignation following the Tories disastrous general election campaign and the first round of the contest to replace him, Julian Glover explains how the party will choose a new leader Tuesday 10 July 2001 13.35 EDT First published on Tuesday 10 July 2001 13.35 EDT Close What will happen? The contest has two stages. The first part of the contest allows MPs to choose two candidates from a wider field of contenders. The second stage allows the party membership as a whole to select one of these contenders as the new leader. Has this system been used before? No. The new rules are radically different to the old process, used to select every Tory leader since Edward Heath. Before William Hague changed the rules to expand the role of the party membership, a contest was triggered when an MP notified the chairman of the backbench 1922 committee that he or she wanted to stand and received two nominations. The subsequent process involved a series of ballots of the parliamentary party. So what happens now? Any Conservative MP that wants to stand allows their name to go forward.

Five candidates joined the contest - Michael Ancram, David Davis, Kenneth Clarke, Iain Duncan-Smith and Michael Portillo. The first round of voting has taken place will all 166 Conservative MPs voting. The poll was open from 1pm to 5pm. Votes were counted - taking 20 minutes. In theory the candidate with the fewest votes was supposed to drop out. In fact the last two candidates - Michael Ancram and David Davis - tied on 21 votes. All five candidates will therefore go on to the next round, on Thursday July 12. The two last candidates in that vote will drop out. Does that vote decide the result? Far from it. It will leave the remaining three MPs to fight on. MPs will keep voting until only two candidates are left. This knockout stage is important, since MPs who back the weaker candidates in the first rounds will be free to support other candidates later on. Expect plenty of horse trading. Some defeated candidates may ask their supporters to back another candidate - but there is no way they can make this happen. Votes continue to take place, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, until there are only two candidates left. And what happens next?

Ballot papers are sent to every member of the Conservative party - around 300,000 people - and the two candidates prepare to spend their summer campaigning around the country. Members can choose between the two candidates who survived the parliamentary vote. The one with the most votes becomes leader. So who will win? It is almost certain that Michael Portillo will win the parliamentary vote - but that does not mean he will win in the end. No one knows quite how many Conservative members there are or which candidate they are most likely to back. It's widely assumed that members would choose a rightwinger - but last time they were surveyed, before the 1997 contest, most members came out in favour of Ken Clarke, the most leftwing candidate. A recent poll confirmed this result may be repeated. This uncertainty makes the fight for the second slot on the membership ballot important. Rightwing MPs will try to deny Kenneth Clarke a place - whether they can is yet to become clear. How long will it all take? Months. The timetable is as follows: Tuesday July 10: First round ballot of the 166 Conservative MPs. Thursday July 12: Second round vote of MPs. Again the candidate who finishes last is eliminated.

If there are more than two candidates still in the contest voting goes to a third round, otherwise the remaining two go forward to a postal ballot of the party's members. Tuesday July 17: The third and final ballot of MPs - if needed. August: Postal ballot forms sent out to the party's 300,000 members to vote on the top two candidates from the poll of MPs. Tuesday September 11: Closing date for the return of postal votes. Wednesday September 12: The winner announced at a meeting of Conservative MPs and activists. Monday October 8: Conservative party conference begins. The new leader will set out their agenda for rebuilding the party's fortunes. Special report Leadership Election Rules LEADERSHIP ELECTION RULES The Labour Party Rule Book 2008 Chapter 4 2. Election of leader and deputy leader A. The leader and deputy leader shall be elected separately in accordance with rule C below, unless rule E below applies. B. Nomination i. In the case of a vacancy for leader or deputy leader, each nomination must be supported by 12.5 per cent of the Commons members of the PLP. Nominations not attaining this threshold shall be null and void.

ii. Where there is no vacancy, nominations shall be sought each year prior to the annual session of party conference. In this case any nomination must be supported by 20 per cent of the Commons members of the PLP. Nominations not attaining this threshold shall be null and void. iii. Affiliated organisations, CLPs and Labour Members of the European Parliament may also nominate for each of the offices of leader and deputy leader. All nominees must be Commons members of the PLP. iv. Nominees shall inform the General Secretary in writing of the acceptance or otherwise of their nomination at least two clear weeks before the commencement of the procedures for voting laid out in rule C below. Unless written consent to nomination is received, nominations shall be rendered null and void. v. Valid nominations shall be printed in the final agenda for party conference, together with the names of the nominating organisations and Commons members of the PLP supporting the nominations. In the case of a vacancy under E below this information shall be included with the documentation circulated with any ballot. vi.

Nominees who do not attend the relevant party conference shall be deemed to have withdrawn their nominations, unless they send to the secretary – on or before the day on which the conference opens – an explanation in writing of their absence satisfactory to the CAC. C. Voting i. Voting in the election of leader and deputy leader shall take place so that the results are declared at an annual session of party conference; except in the case of a vacancy occurring under E below of this rule when the timetable for the ballot shall be as determined by the NEC. ii. Voting shall take place consecutively in three sections as follows: a. Section 1 shall consist of Commons members of the PLP and members of the European PLP. Each such member shall be entitled to one vote in each ballot held under this section of the rules. b. Section 2 shall consist of a vote of all eligible individual members of the party on the basis of one member one vote. This ballot shall take place on a national basis and shall be counted and recorded as an aggregate vote broken down by CLP. Eligible members shall be those currently on the national membership list who are endorsed and have not lapsed from membership. c.

Section 3 shall consist of those members of affiliated organisations who have indicated their support for the Labour Party and that they are not members or supporters of any other party or otherwise ineligible to be members of the Labour Party. Voting shall take place under the procedures of each affiliated organisation, but on a one-person one-vote basis recorded by affiliated organisations and aggregated for a national total. The ballot paper shall provide for the declaration of support and eligibility required under this rule if no prior declaration has been made. iii. The votes of each nominee in each section shall be calculated as a percentage of the total votes cast in that section and shall then be apportioned as follows: a. Section 1 (members of the Commons and European PLPs) – one third b. Section 2 (individual members of the Labour Party) – one third c. Section 3 (members of affiliated organisations) – one third. iv. The votes apportioned as provided in iii above shall be totalled and the candidate receiving more than half of the votes so apportioned shall be declared elected. If no candidate reaches this total on the first ballot, further ballots shall be held on an elimination basis. The redistribution of votes shall be according to preferences indicated on the ballot paper. v.

The votes cast for each nominee in each section shall be recorded and published in a form to be determined by the NEC as soon as possible following any election. D. Timing of an election i. When the PLP is in opposition in the House of Commons, the election of the leader and deputy leader shall take place at each annual session of party conference. ii. When the PLP is in government and the leader and/ or deputy leader are prime minister and/ or in Cabinet, an election shall proceed only if requested by a majority of party conference on a card vote. iii. In any other circumstances an election shall only be held when a vacancy occurs, subject to E below. E. Procedure in a vacancy i. When the party is in government and the party leader is prime minister and the party leader, for whatever reason, becomes permanently unavailable, the Cabinet shall, in consultation with the NEC, appoint one of its members to serve as party leader until a ballot under these rules can be carried out. ii. When the party is in government and the deputy leader becomes party leader under i above of this rule, the Cabinet may, in consultation with the NEC, appoint one of its members to serve as deputy leader until the next party conference.

The Cabinet may alternatively, in consultation with the NEC, leave the post vacant until the next party conference. iii. When the party is in government and the deputy leader, for whatever reason, becomes permanently unavailable, the Cabinet may, in consultation with the NEC, appoint one of its members to serve as deputy leader until the next party conference. The Cabinet may alternatively, in consultation with the NEC, leave the post vacant until the next party conference. iv. When the party is in opposition and the party leader, for whatever reason, becomes permanently unavailable, the deputy leader shall automatically become party leader on a pro-tem basis. The NEC shall decide whether to hold an immediate ballot as provided under E above or to elect a new leader at the next annual session of party conference. v. When the party is in opposition and the leader and deputy leader, for whatever reason, both become permanently unavailable, the NEC shall order a postal ballot as provided under E above. In consultation with the Shadow Cabinet they may choose to appoint a member of the Shadow Cabinet to serve as party leader until the outcome of that ballot. LABOUR PARTY (New System as of 1 March 2014) Revised Rules (refer also to previous rules above) B. Nomination i.

In the case of a vacancy for leader or deputy leader, each nomination must be supported by 15 per cent of the Commons members of the PLP. Nominations not attaining this threshold shall be null and void. C. Voting i. The General Secretary shall be the Returning Officer. ii. The Returning Officer shall appoint a Labour Party legal advisor to act as Deputy Returning Officer who shall advise on any matters of dispute in respect of eligibility or procedure. iii. An Independent Scrutineer will be appointed by the Returning Officer to oversee and verify the ballot, and the results shall be declared at a session of Party Conference. iv. The timetable for the election, including any freeze date, and the procedures for agreeing the list of those eligible to vote must be approved by the Independent Scrutineer. v. The procedures shall ensure that each candidate has equal access to the eligible electorate and has equal treatment in all other matters pertaining to the election. vi. Votes shall be cast in a single section, by Labour Party members, affiliated supporters and registered supporters. vii. The precise eligibility criteria shall be defined by the National Executive Committee and set out in procedural guidelines and in each annual report to conference. viii.

No person shall be entitled to receive more than one vote. Votes shall be cast by each individual and counted on the basis of one person one vote. ix. Voting shall be by preferential ballot. The votes shall be totalled and the candidate receiving more than half of the votes so apportioned shall be declared elected. If no candidate reaches this total on the count of first preference votes, a redistribution of votes shall take place according to preferences indicated on the ballot paper. x. The votes cast for each nominee shall be recorded and published in a form to be determined by the NEC as soon as possible following any election. xi. In the event of any conflict between these rules and the constitutional rules and other general rules of the Party, these rules shall prevail. Source: Ray Collins, Building a One Nation Labour Party: The Collins Review into Labour Party Reform (London: Labour Party, 2014), pp. 41-2. Note: Rules changes passed at special Labour Party conference, London, 1 March 2014.

Voting: affiliates (unions and socialist societies): 48.42% in favour, 1.58% against; CLPs: 37.87% in favour, 12.13% against; Total: 86.29% in favour, 13.71% against. Constitution of the Conservative Party (as amended July 2004) Part III Leadership 10. There shall be a Leader of the Party (referred to in this Constitution as “the Leader”) drawn from those elected to Parliament, who shall be elected by the Party Members and Scottish Party Members in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2. Rules for the Election of the Leader 1. The Leader shall be elected by the Party Members and Scottish Party Members. 2. A Leader resigning from the Leadership of the Party is not eligible for re-nomination in the consequent Leadership election. Election of Leader 3. Upon the initiation of an election for the Leader, it shall be the duty of the 1922 Committee to present to the Party, as soon as reasonably practicable, a choice of candidates for election as Leader.

The rules for deciding the procedure by which the 1922 Committee selects candidates for submission for election shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the 1922 Committee after consultation of the Board. 4. If there is only one candidate at the time laid down for the close of nominations, that candidate shall be declared Leader of the Party. 5. Only those Party Members and Scottish Party Members who were members of the Party from the time of the call for nominations by the Chairman of the 1922 Committee for the election of the Leader and have been members for at least three months immediately prior to the close of the ballot for the election of the Leader shall be entitled to vote. 6. A candidate achieving more than 50% of the vote among the Party Membership shall be declared elected Leader of the Party. 7. In the event of there being only one valid nomination at the close of nominations prior to the first ballot being held by the Parliamentary Party for the election of the new Leader, the election of the nominee may if so ordered by the Board be ratified by a ballot of the Party Members and Scottish Party Members to be held within one month of the close of nomination. 8.

Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the rules for the conduct of the ballot or ballots of Party Members and Scottish Party Members shall be agreed by the Board and the Executive Committee of the 1922 Committee. 9. The Chairman of the 1922 Committee, acting on behalf of the Party, shall act as Returning Officer for all stages of the election. 1922 Committee Procedure for the Election of the Leader of the Conservative Party General 1. If the position of the Leader of the Party becomes vacant the Chairman of the 1922 Committee shall arrange for an election to begin as soon as practicable. 2. The Chairman of the 1922 Committee will be responsible for the conduct of all ballots specified in these rules and will settle all matters in relation thereto. 3. These rules are drawn up under the authority of the 1922 Committee, and any future changes which may be deemed necessary will be made by the 1922 Committee, as provided for in Schedule 2 of the Constitution of the Conservative Party. Part 1: VOTE OF CONFIDENCE 4.

If a number of Members of the House of Commons, in receipt of the Conservative Whip, amounting to not less than 15% of the members of the Parliamentary Party advise the Chairman of the 1922 Committee in writing, either collectively or separately, that they wish there to be a vote of confidence in the Leader, the Chairman, without disclosing the names of any of the signatories, shall inform the Leader of the Party that a vote of confidence is to be held. 5. The Chairman, after consultation with the Leader, shall determine the actual date of such a vote which shall be held as soon as possible in the circumstances prevailing. 6. If the Leader receives a simple majority of the votes cast in such a ballot, he shall remain as Leader and no further vote of confidence shall be called for a period of at least twelve months from the date of the ballot. 7. If the Leader fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, he shall resign as Leader of the Party and shall not be permitted to stand in the election which follows. 8.

The Chairman of the 1922 Committee, in declaring the result of a ballot in which a leader fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, shall announce that an election of a new leader will take place according to these rules. Part 2: PROCEDURE FOR THE SELECTION OF TWO CANDIDATES BY THE PARLIAMENTARY PARTY FOR PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY FOR ELECTION AS LEADER General 9. The Chairman of the 1922 Committee, acting on behalf of the Party, shall act as Returning Officer for all stages of the election. 10. The Returning Officer shall call for nominations for the position of Leader of the Party from Members of the House of Commons in receipt of the Conservative Whip. 11. Candidates will be proposed and seconded in writing by Members of the House of Commons in receipt of the Conservative Whip. 12. Each candidate will indicate on the nomination paper that he is prepared to accept nomination, and that he will abide fully by the rules governing the election. 13. The Returning Officer and scrutineers designated by him will receive nominations. 14.

The names of the proposer and seconder of each candidate will be published by the Returning Officer. 15. Nominations will close at Noon on a Thursday and the Returning Officer will immediately publish a list of the valid nominations received. 16. If only one valid nomination is received, the Returning Officer shall declare that candidate elected. 17. If two valid nominations are received, the Returning Officer shall declare that these two candidates will go forward for election by the general membership of the Conservative Party. 18. If more than two valid nominations are received, the Returning Officer shall announce that a ballot will be held on the Tuesday immediately following the closing date for nominations. First Ballot 19. The Returning Officer will prepare a ballot paper listing the names of the candidates and will issue a copy for the purpose of balloting to each Member of the House of Commons in receipt of the Conservative Whip. 20. Each voter will indicate one choice from the candidates listed. 21. Where any Member is unavoidably absent from the House on the day of the ballot for any reason acceptable to the Returning Officer, the Returning Officer shall make appropriate arrangements for the appointment of a proxy. 22.

The ballot will be secret and neither the names of those who have voted for a particular candidate nor the names of those who have abstained from voting shall be disclosed by the Returning Officer. 23. The Returning Officer will announce the number of votes received by each candidate. 24. If there are three candidates in the first ballot, then the two candidates who receive the highest number of votes shall go forward to the general membership of the Conservative Party for election. 25. If there are more than three candidates in the first ballot, then the candidate receiving the fewest votes in the ballot shall withdraw and a further ballot will be held on the following Thursday. 26. In the event of two or more candidates equally possessing the least number of votes the ballot shall be re-run. In the event of a further tie for the least votes these candidates shall be eliminated unless doing so resulted in only one candidate remaining, in which case the ballot shall continue to be re-run. 27. Any candidate may withdraw his or her name by advising the Returning Officer to that effect up to 24 hours prior to the opening of the ballot. Second Ballot 28.

After the first ballot no new nominations will be accepted and the nominations already made for the candidates proceeding to the second ballot will remain valid. 29. Rules 19-23 & 26 will apply for the second ballot. 30. Any candidate may withdraw his or her name by advising the Returning Officer to that effect no less than 24 hours prior to the opening of this and any subsequent ballot unless by doing so only one nomination remains, in which case withdrawal is not permitted. 31. If there are three candidates in the second ballot, the two candidates who receive the highest number of votes shall go forward to the general membership of the Conservative Party for election 32. If there are more than three candidates in the second ballot, then the candidate receiving the fewest votes shall withdraw and a further ballot will be held on the following Tuesday. Subsequent Ballots 33. This process shall be repeated, with ballots being held on Tuesdays and Thursdays respectively, until a ballot has been held in which only three candidates are eligible to stand. 34.

When only three candidates are balloting should a tie occur for the candidates with the least number of votes, the ballot is re-run until the matter is resolved by one candidate being eliminated as having the least votes. 35. Neither of the two candidates to go forward to the general membership may withdraw without the agreement of both the Chairman of the 1922 Committee and the Board of the Party. The candidate remaining would be subject to ratification under Schedule 2, rule 7. In the event of the death of either candidate the ballot of the Parliamentary Party will be reopened and re-run. Part 3: PROCEDURE FOR THE ELECTION OF LEADER OF THE PARTY BY THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY 36. The two candidates selected by the Parliamentary Party will go forward to a postal ballot of all members of the Conservative Party as defined in Schedule 2, rule 5 of the Party’s Constitution. 37. The Returning Officer shall agree with the Board the closing date for the ballot which shall be as soon as practicable after the date of the last ballot of the Parliamentary Party. 38. The ballot shall be closed at Noon on the date selected and the votes counted thereafter. 39.

In the event of both candidates receiving an equal number of votes the matter shall be resolved by re-balloting the membership of the Party. 40. The Returning Officer shall agree with the Board who is responsible, under his direction, for receiving and counting votes in the postal ballot. 41. The Returning Officer will announce the result of the election as soon as practicable to a meeting of the Parliamentary Party and representative members of the Conservative Party, to be called by the Board. 42. The Chairman of the 1922 Committee shall agree with the Board, from time to time, but not less than once in each parliament, a set of appropriate regulations governing the administration, permitted expenditure, methods of communication, election addresses and any other such questions concerning advertising and communicating with and canvassing the electorate as appear to them necessary and desirable. Part 4: PROCEDURE FOR HUSTINGS DURING THE ELECTION OF LEADER OF THE PARTY 43. It shall be the responsibility of the Board of the Party, in agreement with the Chairman of the 1922 Committee (The Returning Officer), to arrange how best to ensure that members of the Party have an opportunity to meet, listen to and question the final two Leadership Candidates. 44.

At the earliest convenient time in the election process, the Board, in agreement with the Chairman of the 1922 Committee, shall discuss with all Leadership Candidates proposals to facilitate and schedule a number of meetings, to be held throughout the country, in order that a plan can be devised before the final stages of the election process commence. 45. The cost of meetings held under the auspices of the Board of the Party shall be divided equally among Candidates, but the cost of the meetings shall not be a charge against the maximum permitted expenditure. 46. Meetings held under the auspices of the Board of the Party shall have priority over all other meetings arranged by any body, organisation or group. 47. In consultation with Conservative Central Office, the Board of the Party will appoint one or more senior members of the Party staff to facilitate and organise meetings throughout the country. The member(s) of staff concerned will also be responsible for liaising with the Leadership Candidates. The member(s) of staff so appointed shall be responsible to the Board of the Party. These regulations shall be agreed between the Chairman of the 1922 Committee and the Board and put before the 1922 Committee for approval.

The Constitution of the Federal Party (as amended March 2009) Article 8.4 ... Any election rules must provide for elections to be by STV and secret ballot. Article 10 The Leader 10.1 The Leader of the Party shall be elected by the members of the Party in accordance with election rules made pursuant to Article 8.4.

10.2 An election for the Leader shall be called upon: (a) the Leader asking for an election; (b) the death or incapacity of the Leader; (c) the Leader ceasing to be a Member of the House of Commons (other than a temporary cessation by reason of a dissolution); (d) the receipt by the President of the resignation of the Leader or of a declaration of intent to resign upon the election of a new Leader; (e) a vote of no confidence in the Leader being passed by a majority of all Members of the Parliamentary Party in the House of Commons; (f) the receipt by the President of a requisition submitted by at least 75 Local Parties (including for this purpose, the Specified Associated Organisation or Organisations representing youth and/or students) following the decision of a quorate general meeting; or (g) the first anniversary of the preceding general election being reached without an election being called under any of paragraphs (a) through (f), provided that: (i) the Federal Executive may postpone such an election for no more than one year by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting; and (ii) this paragraph (g) shall not apply if the Leader is a member of the Government

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10.3 Upon election, the Leader shall hold office until death, incapacity or resignation or the completion of an election called under this Article. 10.4 Upon the calling of an election, the Federal Executive shall publish a timetable for nominations, withdrawals, despatch and receipt of ballot papers and the holding of ballots and shall appoint a disinterested person or body to receive and count the ballot papers. 10.5 Nominations must be of a Member of the Parliamentary Party in the House of Commons, who must be proposed and seconded by other such Members and supported by 200 members in aggregate in not less than 20 Local Parties (including, for this purpose, the Specified Associated Organisations representing youth and students as provided by Article 13.8) and must indicate acceptance of nomination. CONSTITUTION SPRING 2010 8. PARTY LEADER AND DEPUTY LEADER i) There shall be a Leader and Deputy Leader or Co-Leaders of the Green Party. They shall be voting members of the Executive.

ii) The Leader and Deputy or Co-Leaders will be the primary public faces of the party, responsible for presenting Green Party policy and promoting its electoral activity and campaigns to the public on a daily basis. iii) Candidates for Leader and Deputy Leader or Co-Leader shall have been a member of the Party for the three complete years preceding the date of close of nominations, and shall be required to complete a standard application form. Nominations of candidates must be supported by the signatures of a minimum of twenty members of the Party. iv) Two members of opposite sexes may together stand for the office of Leader in order to hold the post as a job share. The post of Deputy Leader may not be held as a job share. In the event of the election of two people job sharing the Leader post, they shall be known as 'Co-Leaders', no election for Deputy Leader shall take place, and the duties, responsibilities and votes of both posts will be held by the Co-Leaders. Members standing to be Co-Leaders may not simultaneously be candidates as individuals for either Leader or Deputy Leader. v) The Leader and Deputy Leader or Co-Leaders shall be elected every two years.

The election shall be by a postal ballot of all members of the Party, voting to close on the Friday evening of the nearest Autumn Conference. The deadline for receipt of ballot papers returned by post may be set up to a week prior to Conference, at the discretion of the ERO. Members will be able to cast their postal ballots at Conference if they wish. A hustings will take place on the Friday of Conference. The vote may be counted and the result announced at Conference at the discretion of the ERO. vi) The vote for Leader shall be counted first. Candidates for Deputy Leader of the same sex as the newly elected Leader will then be disqualified. In the event of the Leader election being won by two people standing as a job share, they shall be known as 'Co-Leaders' and no count for Deputy Leader shall take place. vii) Elections for the Leader and Deputy Leader will include the opportunity for each candidate to address members through specific mailings, a party membership newsletter and web based communications. Regional parties will be encouraged to hold hustings.

viii) The Leader and Deputy Leader will be accountable to party committees in the same way as other members of the Executive and will be expected to outline their future plans and work to the Executive and GPRC. ix) The Leader and Deputy Leader in exercising their duties will at all times abide by Party policy, the PSS and Philosophical Basis. x) In the event of ten per cent of the membership petitioning the Regional Council to recall the Leader or either or both of two Co-Leaders, a new election for both posts of Leader and Deputy Leader shall be held in which the current postholders shall be eligible to stand. In the event of a similar petition to recall the Deputy Leader, a new election for that post only will be held, in which the current postholder and other members of the same sex as the current postholder shall be eligible to stand, subject to clause 8 (iii) above. The current postholders will retain their -post until the result of that election. xi) The Leader and Deputy Leader or Co-Leaders will present an Annual Report to Conference alongside other Executive members.

xii) Should the Leader or one of the two Co-Leaders resign there will be a byelection for both Leader and Deputy Leader or both Co-Leaders. Should the Deputy Leader resign, there will be a byelection for Deputy Leader. They shall serve a term lasting as if it were starting at the previous Autumn Conference, or if held after May, lasting as if it were starting at the following Autumn Conference. xiii) ln the event of the suspension or resignation of the Leader, the Deputy Leader shall have the position of Acting Leader until a new election has taken place. In the event of the suspension or resignation of one of two Co-Leaders, the other Co-Leader shall have the position of Acting Leader until a new election has taken place. In the event of the suspension or resignation of both the Leader and Deputy Leader, or of both of two Co-Leaders, the Chair of GPEx shall have the position of Acting Leader until a new election has taken place. Constitution of the Scottish National Party National Office Bearers 15.5. The following specific provisions shall apply to the position of Leader: (a) The Leader shall be the registered leader of the Party.

(b) If the Leader is a Member of the Scottish Parliament, he or she shall be the leader of the Parliamentary group. 15.6 The following specific provisions shall apply to the position of Depute Leader: (a) The Depute Leader shall be next in seniority to the Leader. (b) Should the office of Leader for any reason fall vacant, the Depute Leader shall act as Leader until such time as a new Leader can be elected. (c) If the Depute Leader is a Member of the Scottish Parliament, he or she shall be the deputy leader of the Parliamentary Group if the Leader is also a Member of the Scottish Parliament but shall be the leader of the Parliamentary Group if the Leader is not also a Member of the Scottish Parliament. 15.7 The following specific provisions shall apply to both the Leader and Depute Leader: (a) The Leader and Depute Leader shall be elected annually in a vote of all members of the Party conducted in accordance with the Leadership Election Rules. (b) A candidate for Leader or Depute Leader must have the nominations of at least a hundred members, who must be drawn from at least twenty Branches.

(c) Subject to their agreement, the incumbent Leader and Depute Leader shall automatically be deemed nominated for re-election. (d) Where only one candidate is nominated for Leader or Depute Leader, it shall not be necessary to hold an election as required by 15.7(a). 2.5 Rules for the Election of National Officers ... 1.4 The President and the Leader of the Party’s group in the National Assembly shall be elected by postal ballot of the entire membership in accordance with these rules. In the case of these posts, if there is only one nomination, the person nominated shall be elected or re-elected without an election being held. ... 1.6 The terms of office of the President and the Leader of the Party's Group in the National Assembly shall be two years, and shall be co-terminous. The National Executive shall have the discretion to run the elections in parallel or separately as it deems appropriate. ... 5.1 In the case of the election of a President or the Leader of the party's group in the National Assembly, the Designated Officer shall organise at least four hustings meetings, on separate dates at least one week between the first and the last, at which all members on the electoral roll may meet and question the candidates.

The Designated Officer shall notify all branch and constituency secretaries of the dates of all such meetings, at least one week in advance of the first. The branch and constituency secretaries shall be responsible for passing on this information to all members. The National Executive Committee shall appoint a chair for each of the meetings. Election- President and the Leader of the party's group in the National Assembly 6.1 The term of office for these two posts shall end at the same time, which shall be the date of the Annual Conference two years after the commencement of the term of office. The Designated Officer shall set a timetable for the election of these officials, in consultation with the National Executive Committee, such that the election process can be completed at least one week before the party's annual conference. 6.2 No member of the Party's Group in the National Assembly shall be eligible to stand for the post of President of the Party, and in the event that a person elected as President of the Party subsequently becomes a member of the National Assembly, (s)he shall resign as President, and the National Executive Committee shall organise a by-election in accordance with these rules.

6.3 All valid candidates shall have the right to prepare a statement of up to 300 words in Welsh and up to 300 words in English, which shall be issued to members with the ballot papers. 6.4 The Designated Officer shall send to each member of the party whose name appears on the electoral roll the statements prepared by each candidate. Including these statements in, or with, any of the party’s publications which are sent to all members shall be considered to meet the requirements of this rule. 6.5 In the same mailing, there shall also be included a ballot paper, drawn up in accordance with the Rules for Internal Elections, together with a statement of the way in which the ballot papers are to be completed and returned. There shall also be included a pre-addressed envelope for the return of the ballot paper. Brexit: New Conservative Party leader and UK prime minister election timetable unveiled Brexit: New Conservative Party leader and UK prime minister election timetable unveiled Executive of the 1922 Committee has advised closing nominations for the contest at noon on Thursday.

Close In a related video, David Cameron announces he will resign after the EU referendum result Reuters Nominations to become David Cameron's successor as Conservative leader and UK prime minister should open this Wednesday (29 June) and close at noon on Thursday, an influential group of Tory MPs have proposed. Follow IBTimes UK's live blog of the Brexit vote aftermath The executive of the 1922 Committee, which is made up of the party's backbench MPs and chaired by Brexit backer Graham Brady, also advised electing a new leader by 2 September. The move comes after Cameron announced his intention to resign as prime minister and Conservative leader in the wake of the UK's decision to vote to split from the EU in a 23 June referendum. Cameron, who was elected to the top of the Conservative Party in December 2005, had advised electing his successor by October. Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson, chief spokesman of the successful Vote Leave campaign, is expected to run in the race as is Home Secretary Theresa May. Brexit backers Andrea Leadsom, a former city minister, and Dr Liam Fox, a former defence secretary, have so far failed to rule out putting their names in the hat.

Remain campaigner Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, has also hinted at running. The 330 Conservative MPs, like the party's 2005 leadership election, will vote until two contenders are left, and the candidates will go head-to-head in a vote decided by the party's membership. Conservative Party leadership election rules 1. The Leader shall be elected by the Party Members and Scottish Party Members. 2. A Leader resigning from the Leadership of the Party is not eligible for re-nomination in the consequent Leadership election. 3. Upon the initiation of an election for the Leader, it shall be the duty of the 1922 Committee to present to the Party, as soon as reasonably practicable, a choice of candidates for election as Leader. The rules for deciding the procedure by which the 1922 Committee selects candidates for submission for election shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the 1922 Committee after consultation of the Board. 4. If there is only one candidate at the time laid down for the close of nominations, that candidate shall be declared Leader of the Party. 5.

Only those Party Members and Scottish Party Members who were members of the Party from the time of the call for nominations by the Chairman of the 1922 Committee for the election of the Leader and have been members for at least three months immediately prior to the close of the ballot for the election of the Leader shall be entitled to vote. 6. A candidate achieving more than 50% of the vote among the Party Membership shall be declared elected Leader of the Party. 7. In the event of there being only one valid nomination at the close of nominations prior to the first ballot being held by the Parliamentary Party for the election of the new Leader, the election of the nominee may if so ordered by the Board be ratified by a ballot of the Party Members and Scottish Party Members to be held within one month of the close of nomination. 8. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the rules for the conduct of the ballot or ballots of Party Members and Scottish Party Members shall be agreed by the Board and the Executive Committee of the 1922 Committee. 9. The Chairman of the 1922 Committee, acting on behalf of the Party, shall act as Returning Officer for all stages of the election.

More from IBTimes UK Party Structure and Organisation Volunteer Party Structure and Organisation Almost all of the Conservatives who work for the Party do so on a voluntary basis. They run their local Associations and donate tens of the thousands of hours of their time every year to help the Party. They campaign all year round, delivering leaflets and canvassing voters in their local area. Our volunteers are also the people who raise the money to run the Party across the country, through membership subscriptions and holding events in their local area. Each local Association corresponds to a parliamentary constituency. While Associations vary in size, almost all follow the same structure. Officers of the Association are elected annually to positions that include President, Chairman, and two Deputy Chairmen – a Deputy Chairman Membership and a Deputy Chairman Political. Most also have officers with specific responsibilities and an Executive Council, which draws representatives from the Wards that make up constituencies. Areas and Regions For organisational purposes, the country is broken up into Regions, with each Region containing a number of Areas. Both Regions and Areas also have a similar structure to constituencies - namely Regional and Area Chairman, and Deputy Chairmen for Membership and Political. The National Convention The National Convention is effectively the parliament of the Voluntary Party.

It is comprised of all Association Chairs, officers from Areas and Regions as well as 42 representatives from Conservative Future and the Conservative Women's Organisation. The Convention meets twice a year – its Annual General Meeting is usually held at Spring Forum, with another meeting usually held at Party Conference. Its purpose is to receive the Annual Report, elect the Convention’s new officers and to set the Voluntary Party’s direction. The most senior volunteers within the Conservative Party are the Officers of the National Convention; led by the Chairman, they represent the views of the Voluntary Party to the leadership of the main Party. The Chairman of the Convention is also a Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party. The President is the Chairman of the Party Conference and there are also three Vice Presidents. All of these five senior volunteers are elected at Spring Forum, and also sit on the main Board of the Party. Members of the Board The Board is the ultimate decision making body of the Conservative Party. It is responsible for all operational matters including; fundraising, membership and candidates.

It is made up of representatives from each section of the Party - the voluntary, political and professional: The Board of the Conservative Party Rt Hon Theresa May MP, Leader of the Conservative Party Rt Hon Sir Patrick McLoughlin MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party Rob Semple OBE, Chairman of the Board & Chairman of the National Conservative Convention Amanda Sater, Deputy Chairman of the Party Gerry Yates, President of the National Conservative Convention Andrew Sharpe, Vice President of the National Conservative Convention Linda Arkley, Vice President of the National Conservative Convention Tom Spiller, Vice President of the National Conservative Convention Simon Day, Chief Executive Officer, CCHQ Sir Mick Davis, Treasurer, Conservative Party Cllr Rory Love, Chairman of the Conservative Councillors’ Association Robert Forman MBE WS, Chairman, Scottish Conservative Party Jonathan Evans, Chairman of the Welsh Conservative Party Ashley Fox MEP, Leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament Rt Hon The Lord Hunt of Wirral, Chairman of the Association of Conservative Peers Graham Brady MP, Chairman of the 1922 Committee Charles Walker OBE MP, MP on the Board of the Conservative Party Chloe Smith MP, MP on the Board of the Conservative Party Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, MP on the Board of the Conservative Party

 Anthea McIntyre, Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party Stephen Phillips OBE, Secretary to the Board Follow the leader: Rules for party leadership elections - wacomms wacomms by Dean Duke David Cameron’s announcement that he wouldn’t serve a third term makes the front pages of most of the newspapers today, and on Buzzfeed Lib Dem Secretary of State Vince Cable has heaped scorn on former party president Tim Farron’s leadership ambitions.

Whatever the outcome of the general election at least one, and very possibly two, of the three main party leaders will be making way for a successor. Each of the three parties has different rules for electing leaders, and those rules will shape the nature and the outcome of any leadership elections. In that context, we thought it would be useful to provide an overview of the rules for each of the three main parties. Conservatives The Tories’ process for picking a leader is twofold: Conservative MPs narrow the field to two choices, before a postal ballot of the wider membership of the party is conducted. The Chairman of the 1922 Committee, which represents Conservative MPs, acts as the returning officer for leadership elections. Graham Brady is currently serving in this post. The Conservative Whip (currently Michael Gove) receives nominations from members of the House of Commons, and the deadline is noon “on a Thursday”. If one nomination is received, the new leader is declared elected. If two nominations are made, both names go forward for the members of the party to decide between. In the event that three or more MPs are nominated for leader, a ballot of Conservative MPs is held “on the Tuesday immediately following the closing date for nominations”.

The ballot is held under the first past the post system. If MPs are choosing between four or more candidates, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated and further ballots are held on subsequent Thursdays and Tuesdays until only two MPs remain. The wider membership of the Conservative party then chooses between these two MPs, with the vote being held via a postal ballot. The returning officer chooses the date by which ballots have to be returned and the count begins at noon that day. The result is announced at a meeting of the parliamentary party and “representative members”. Labour The Labour Party has changed its procedures for electing its leader since the election of Ed Miliband. The next election will use the “one member one vote” (OMOV) system, where all Labour members, affiliated supporters and registered supporters shall have one vote of equal value. This marks a change from the electoral college system used in previous elections where three equally weighted blocs determined the outcome: Labour MPs and MEPs, party members, and members of trade unions and affiliated socialist societies. Under this system, Ed Miliband polled fewer votes in the MP & MEP and party membership blocs but was narrowly able to win due to the strength of his support amongst the trade unions.

In order to run for leader, an MP must be nominated by 15 per cent of the party’s sitting MPs – a small increase from the previous requirement of 12.5 per cent. As an example, the party currently has 256 MPs so an MP would need to be nominated by 39 of his or her peers to run for leader at present. The precise timings of the process are determined by the party’s National Executive Committee, which has representatives from the parliamentary party, constituency parties, trade unions, socialist societies and party sections such as Young Labour. Labour’s general secretary, currently Iain McNicol, acts as returning officer for the party. A legal adviser and “independent scrutineer”, both appointed by the general secretary, also play a role in the process. The election is held using AV, with voters ranking candidates in order of preference and their votes being counted and redistributed until a candidate reaches the quota of 50 per cent + 1 votes. The result is announced at a session of the party’s conference. Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats require candidates to be nominated by 200 party members representing at least 20 local parties.

The party’s Federal Executive sets the timings for nominations, dispatch and receipt of ballot papers. Similarly to Labour, the Liberal Democrats operate on the principle of OMOV, and the party also uses AV to elect its leader. Conclusion The rules for these leadership contests are important, and the outcome of any election cannot be considered without reference to the rules. In particular, the rules for the election of a Conservative leader shape the contest, with the 1922 Committee acting as a “selectorate” that limits the membership’s choice. Labour and Lib Dem aspirants face lower barriers to being presented to their parties’ memberships. Like the Conservatives, Labour MPs have a role in nominating candidates; while the Liberal Democrats have the most open nomination process, involving party members directly. It’s likely we’ll see at least one and perhaps two of these systems springing into action shortly after the general election. about the author Dean Duke Senior Account Manager deanduke@wacomms.co.uk Dean manages complex communications programmes in sensitive sectors. Dean is responsible for ensuring the smooth delivery of public affairs and media programmes for clients in the transport, infrastructure and employee benefits sectors.

His work has ranged from supporting a £30bn deal to outsource government assets, to crisis media management for a high street name. Before joining WA Dean worked for a Democrat in the New York State Assembly, having graduated with a first class BSc in Government from University College Cork. Outside of work Dean advises a group campaigning for Irish emigrants to be given the right to vote in Irish elections. He can occasionally be found in the pub cheering on his native Cork in hurling. WA Theresa May to become British PM on Wednesday, Cameron says - timesofmalta.com Monday, July 11, 2016, 15:12 by Press Association Theresa May to become British PM on Wednesday, Cameron says Home Secretary made Conservative Party leader Theresa May (left) is the only candidate left in the race for the Tory leadership, after Andrea Leadsom (right) withdrew, saying she didn't have enough support. Photo: Reuters Update 6.10pm - May formally appointed Conservative Party leader Leadsom quits leadership race Theresa May will take the keys to No 10 by Wednesday evening, David Cameron has confirmed.

The current Home Secretary was officially appointed Conservative Party leader this afternoon, with party committee chairman Graham Brady saying she was the party's new leader "with immediate effect". Prime Minister Cameron said he was "delighted" that May would succeed him in Downing Street and he will go to the Palace to offer his resignation to the Queen on Wednesday afternoon. Cameron will chair his last Cabinet meeting tomorrow morning and appear in the Commons for the final time as premier when he takes to the Despatch Box for Prime Minister's Questions at noon on Wednesday. "It is clear Theresa May has the overwhelming support of the Conservative parliamentary party," Cameron said, adding that May was "strong, she is competent, she’s more than able to provide the leadership the country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support." May became the last candidate standing in the race to the Tory leadership earlier today following the surprise withdrawal of her only rival in the battle to succeed Cameron as Tory leader and UK Prime Minister. Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom offered Mrs May her "full support" after conceding that she had too little support among Tory MPs to deliver a "strong and stable government".

And, crucially, the figureheads of the Brexit campaign in last month's referendum, Michael Gove and Boris Johnson, offered the Home Secretary their backing as new Conservative leader. The chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee, Graham Brady - who oversees Tory leadership contests - said he had to consult the party's board before formally confirming Mrs May as new leader. But he made clear that there was no need to re-start the election, and there was no doubt at Westminster that it was simply a matter of time before she becomes Prime Minister. The handover of power to a new prime minister had not been expected to take place until after the conclusion of the ballot of 150,000 Conservative members on September. May was immediately put on the alert by rival party spokespeople. Labour election coordinator Jon Trickett said he was putting the whole party on general election footing, on the very day when its own leadership contest was kicked off by a formal challenge to Jeremy Corbyn from Angela Eagle. And the Liberal Democrats and Greens demanded an early election following Mrs May's "coronation". Mr Brady said that both Downing Street and Buckingham Palace had been "properly consulted and involved" in the process.

In a statement accepting that Mrs May has effectively been chosen as Tory leader, the Home Secretary's campaign manager, Chris Grayling, said she was "enormously honoured to have been entrusted with this task". Mrs May, who launched her national campaign with a speech in Birmingham just moments before Mrs Leadsom's withdrawal, was travelling back to London to make a statement. "Theresa will do everything she can to equip our country for the challenges that lie ahead," said Mr Grayling. Mrs Leadsom announced that she was quitting the contest shortly after apologising to Mrs May over an interview in which she appeared to suggest that the fact she was a mother gave her the edge over the childless Home Secretary as a future PM. Some supporters suggested she had been targeted for attack, after a string of high-profile media stories questioning the accuracy of her CV and demanding that she release her tax returns. Conservative MP Heather Wheeler said Mrs Leadsom had been the victim of a "sledging", telling BBC Radio 4's The World At One: "Politics is a tough old game.

I'm not going to get into it because half the people who were doing all the sledging, I genuinely don't know who they are." Speaking on the steps of her campaign HQ, which had opened only that day in Westminster, the Energy Minister wished Mrs May "the very greatest success" and promised her "my full support". The announcement came just moments after Mrs May launched her national campaign for what had been expected to be a nine-week contest. In a speech in Birmingham, she sought to reassure Tory Eurosceptics that her support for Remain in last month's referendum would not stop her pushing ahead with Britain's withdrawal from the EU, saying: "Brexit means Brexit and we're going to make a success of it." And she presented herself as the candidate of unity and experience, pointing out that she enjoyed the "overwhelming" support of Tories in Westminster, after winning an MPs' ballot last week with 199 votes against Mrs Leadsom's 84 and Mr Gove's 46. Mrs Leadsom conceded the point, saying: "Theresa May carries over 60 per cent of support from the Parliamentary party.

She is ideally placed to implement Brexit on the best possible terms for the British people and she has promised that she will do so." The Energy Minister said she had concluded that "the interests of our country are best served by the immediate appointment of a strong and well-supported prime minister" and was offering Mrs May her "full support". In a statement immediately after Mrs Leadsom's withdrawal, Mr Gove said: "We should now move as quickly as possible to ensure Theresa May can take over as leader. She has my full support as our next Prime Minister." And Mr Johnson - who abandoned an expected tilt for the leader's job after realising he faced competition from both Mrs Leadsom and Mr Gove - said he had "no doubt" that Mrs May would make an excellent party leader and PM. Mr Johnson said: "Theresa May will provide the authority and the leadership necessary to unite the Conservative Party and take the country forward in the coming weeks and months. Andrea's decision, which is both brave and principled, allows that process to begin immediately. "I have no doubt Theresa will make an excellent party leader and Prime Minister and I'm encouraged that she's made it clear that Brexit means Brexit - that we will leave the EU.

It is vital that we respect the will of the people and get on with exploiting new opportunities for this country." There were demands for Mrs May to call a snap general election, rather than waiting for the 2020 contest envisaged under Mr Cameron's fixed-term parliaments legislation. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: "With Theresa May's coronation we need an early general election. The Tories now have no mandate. Britain deserves better than this." And Green MP - and leadership candidate - Caroline Lucas said: "Andrea Leadsom's decision to pull out of the leadership race underlines the necessity of a general election this year, something the Greens have called for since the EU referendum result was announced. "It is unacceptable that the next person to hold the top job in British politics is appointed by 60 per cent of Tory MPs. They have no mandate to renegotiate Britain's place in the world in this post-referendum period. A general election is the only democratic way forward." Mr Trickett said: "It now looks likely that we are about to have the coronation of a new Conservative Prime Minister. "It is crucial, given the instability caused by the Brexit vote, that the country has a democratically elected Prime Minister.

I am now putting the whole of the party on a general election footing. It is time for the Labour Party to unite and ensure the millions of people in the country left behind by the Tories' failed economic policies have the opportunity to elect a Labour government." Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who had argued that the new PM must be a Brexit supporter, said he was "disappointed" that Mrs Leadsom had opted to withdraw from the Conservative leadership contest. Welcome news we have 1 candidate with overwhelming support to be next PM. Theresa May has strength, integrity & determination to do the job

Question: The chairman of which committee oversees Conservative Party leadership elections?
Answer: 1922 Committee