Psychedelic Future Party: Constitution

1) NAME:

1.1 The name of our party is the Psychedelic Future Party.

2) BELIEFS & AIMS:

2.1 We occupy the political Centre, and believe that conservatives, liberals,
progressives and traditionalists are all equally necessary and useful in any
society, because these are not ideological stances but fundamental
personality types. The Psychedelic Future Party prefers to point in new
directions rather than perpetuate the stagnant Left-Right divide: for instance,
instead of attempting to solve economic problems by raising taxes or making
cuts, we would look to generate new revenue, beginning by licensing
cannabis along similar lines as alcohol, and creating a whole new industry
around legalised tryptamines and phenethylamines.

2.2 The Psychedelic Future Party believes it is clear that legalising

psychedelic plants and chemicals will bring radical positive societal change,
and that psychedelic modes of thinking may offer new and transformative
ways of looking at the world and addressing current issues and divides, in
diverse areas including policing, health, economics, community cohesion, and
others.

3) OBJECTIVES:

3.1 The primary objective of the Psychedelic Future Party is to advance its
Aims and Beliefs by standing candidates in elections. The party intends to
contest relevant elections (which will not be confined to parish or community
elections) in Great Britain, and is accordingly applying to be registered in the
Great Britain register only. We are applying to register in England, Wales, and
Scotland because we hope to expand to field candidates across these areas.
Initially the party will only be fielding candidates in council and Parliamentary
elections in its local area.

3.2 We may engage in any other forms of lawful activity intended to further
our Aims and Beliefs.

4) PARTY STRUCTURE:

4.1 The Psychedelic Future Party has among its Officers a Leader who, as
well as funding the establishment and continuing existence of the party, shall
stand in local and Parliamentary elections as its representative; as the first
such representative, the Leader will be primarily responsible for publically
elucidating the party’s Aims and Beliefs, as well as communicating these to
anyone who may wish to join the party (See Section 5, “Membership.”). The
Leader will chair all party meetings unless incapacitated, in which case the
meeting will either be chaired by another Officer or postponed.
4.2 The Psychedelic Future Party has a Treasurer whose duties are set down
in Section 8 (“Finances”). At every monthly meeting of the party its Treasurer
will inform members about the party’s financial position and recent financial
activities. The Treasurer will ensure that the party’s annual statement of
accounts, plus the annual confirmation of registered details and fee, are
submitted to the Electoral Commission in a timely manner. Should there be
any changes of registered Officers, or changes to Officers’ names or
addresses, the Electoral Commission will be immediately informed so the
party’s entry in the register can be altered: the Treasurer will then be
responsible for making any necessary payments.

4.3 The Psychedelic Future Party has a Nominating Officer responsible for
completing the relevant forms when standing candidates in elections: the
Nominating Officer shall approve candidates, submit lists of the candidates to
the Electoral Commission, and control the use of registered Psychedelic
Future Party descriptions and emblems. Furthermore, in the event of the
Leader’s/Treasurer’s death or long-term incapacitation, the party has agreed
that it will be the Nominating Officer’s responsibility to complete any of their
outstanding party obligations and then, if no successor to the Leader has
previously been chosen, to dissolve the party following the process laid down
in Section 10.

4.4 The roles of party Leader, Treasurer, and Nominating Officer are held
indefinitely. However a) if the Leader wishes to relinquish his position, he can
do so either after finding someone who will henceforth act as Leader in
accordance with this Constitution, or else he must initiate the winding-up of
the Psychedelic Future Party by the process set down in Section 10; and b) if
the Treasurer or the Nominating Officer wish to relinquish their position, the
Leader will be responsible for finding someone to replace them; if he is unable
to do so the Psychedelic Future Party must be wound-up.

4.5 Should the individual currently holding the role of Nominating Officer in the
Psychedelic Future Party relinquish this role, his successor shall be picked by
the Leader and this successor’s term of office will be one year, which period
may be renewed at the Leader’s discretion; if it is not renewed, someone else
will be required to fill this role.

4.6 Members of the Psychedelic Future Party may be invited to take on other
Officer roles, if there is unanimous agreement among the existing Officers for
them to do so. Such roles will include Press Officer, Campaigns Officer, and
Secretary, and shall be occupied for one year, which period may be extended
at the other Officers’ discretion. Whenever possible, decisions to be made
among Officers ought to be reached by dialogue and consensus: when this is
not possible, matters shall be decided democratically, with all Officers having
a single vote and the outcome being decided by a majority. In the event of a
tie, the Leader shall determine the outcome.

4.7 Officers may quit their role at any time, and can (except for the Leader,
Treasurer, and Nominating Officer) be removed from their role if a vote for this
measure is called by any Officer, and if a majority of the Officers then vote for
this measure to be taken.
4.8 Should an Officer fail to attend three consecutive meetings without good
reason, the Leader may remove them from their role, and replace them if the
remaining Officers agree on a replacement.

5) MEMBERSHIP:

5.1 Membership of the Psychedelic Future Party is open to all who share its
Beliefs, Aims, and Objectives, and who wish to advance its basic values of
pluralism and psychedelia and attempting to look at old issues in new ways,
beyond the Left/Right dichotomy.

5.2 The Psychedelic Future Party shall not discriminate against any person in
regards to their race, sex, sexual orientation, age, nationality, educational
background, class background or social status, nor on any other basis
proscribed by law.

5.3 Membership in the Psychedelic Future Party is free and can be obtained
simply by contacting the Officers, who will provide enquirers with information
relating to the party, and answers to questions they may have about it.

5.4 Membership can be refused or revoked on any of the following grounds:

a) membership or active support of another political party or any organisation
whose aims and principles and practices are deemed to be at odds with those
of the Psychedelic Future Party; b) disagreement with the fundamental
principles of the Psychedelic Future Party; c) personal behaviour likely to
bring the Psychedelic Future Party into disrepute; d) failure to comply with the
laws relating to political activities, political parties, and elections. The Officers
shall determine among themselves whether an individual is in breach of any
of these conditions. Where there is disagreement among the Officers, this
shall be resolved in the manner described in Section 4.6.

5.5 Any details the Psychedelic Future Party holds regarding its members will
be considered confidential.

5.6 Members are entitled to attend any meetings of the party. They are not
obligated to do so.

6) MEETINGS:

6.1 The party will hold regular meetings in which all aspects of party business
and activity will be discussed. These meetings shall occur at least once a
month; efforts shall be taken to ensure meetings occur at a time which will be
convenient to members.

6.2 All members will be informed of any party meeting no later than one week
before the meeting (unless for any reason an emergency meeting has had to
be called rendering this condition impossible), and a draft agenda will be
circulated at the same time. Members can request items to be added to the
agenda.
6.3 Non-members may attend party meetings and contribute their ideas, if
invited by any Officer. Non-members may not vote on any matters.

6.4 Motions put forward at meetings should be proposed by one member or

Officer, and seconded by another member or Officer. All motions will be
decided by a majority vote: every member and every Officer has a single vote,
but in the event of a tie the Officers shall then each have a single additional
vote; in the event that there is still a tie, the Leader shall make the final
decision. Disagreements among members regarding party matters shall
similarly be settled by a vote.

6.5 In all votes, members may request a secret ballot.

6.6 Where a vote is to be held at a party meeting, only those members who
attend the meeting shall be eligible to vote.

6.7. The meeting will be considered to be in quorum if there are two or more
Officers and/or members in attendance.

6.8 The party’s Secretary will be responsible for writing up the minutes of
every meeting and circulating them to all members of the party; these minutes
shall be approved at the next meeting. If the position of Secretary is not filled,
this role shall be undertaken by the Leader.

6.9 Working groups may be established to consider and enact party matters
separate from the main monthly meetings. Any decisions and actions made
by any such groups will need to be discussed and ratified at the regular
monthly meetings.

7) ELECTIONS:

7.1 Members may stand for the Psychedelic Future Party in any elections for
which they are eligible to stand. They can do so simply by informing the
Officers of their desire to do so.

7.2 Where two or more members wish to stand as Psychedelic Future Party
candidates in the same ward or constituency, this matter shall be settled at a
meeting of the party, by a vote along the lines set down in Section 6.4.

7.3 As the Psychedelic Future Party does not receive money from its
members, those members who wish to stand as candidates for the
Psychedelic Future Party are entirely responsible for funding their own
campaign.

7.4 Candidates will be expected to complete all the tasks legally required of
them to stand, for example in the submitting of nomination forms. The Officers
of the Psychedelic Future Party shall likewise complete all the paperwork
required of them and do everything legally required of the party in regard to its
candidates.
8) FINANCES:

8.1 The finances of the Psychedelic Future Party are the responsibility of the
Treasurer, who will keep a record of all financial transactions involving the
party.

8.2 It is anticipated that there will be few such financial transactions. The full
costs of registering and maintaining the Psychedelic Future Party are to be
borne by its Leader, with the Treasurer responsible for ensuring these
payments occur in a timely manner. Any other expenditures or incomes will be
made and recorded in accordance with the law and with the party’s financial
scheme.

8.3 Beyond the costs of establishing the party, there will be few other
expenditures: for example, party meetings will be held at locations that do not
require payment, and travel costs will be the responsibility of individual
members. Where there are expenses, they shall be paid by the Leader unless
a vote at a party meeting determines otherwise; the Treasurer shall arrange
and record all such payments.

8.4 The party may not borrow money. Nor will the party make donations to
any individual or organisation.

8.5 The party does not receive any income from its members, and it does not
accept financial donations, grants, loans or sponsorship. If any Officer,
member, potential member, or potential donor, wishes to spend money on the
Psychedelic Future Party, they may do so by standing as a candidate and
financing their own campaign.

8.6 As stated in Section 7.3, Psychedelic Future Party candidates in elections

will fund their election expenses. The Treasurer will be responsible for
working with candidates to ensure all expenses and transactions are lawful.
Candidates will be expected to keep records of every financial transaction and
to ensure the Treasurer is supplied with all such records; the Treasurer will
keep these and be responsible for showing them to anyone with the legal
authority to request them. The Treasurer will ensure that all necessary
campaign expenditure returns, and other relevant paperwork relating to
expenses, is filed with the Electoral Commission in due time, for each register
the party is on.

8.7 The Psychedelic Future Party does not currently have branches or
accounting units. If the party expands then this, along with any other details of
its structure and arrangements, may be changed by altering this Constitution
by the process set down in Section 9.

8.8 The Psychedelic Future Party’s financial scheme has been prepared, and
the Treasurer shall ensure that this scheme is followed in a full, timely, and
accurate manner, to ensure the party complies with the Political Parties,
Elections and Referendums Act 2000. The Treasurer will complete and submit
the annual statement of accounts. The Treasurer will also complete and
submit the quarterly records of donations, although as stated in Section 8.5 it
is expected that the party will be submitting nil returns for these. During
General Elections the Treasurer will complete and submit the weekly donation
reports, although it is similarly expected that these will be nil returns.

8.9 The Treasurer shall ensure that all financial matters relating to the party
are undertaken in a fair and transparent way, and that members are kept
aware of any monies spent or accrued by the party. If the other members of
the Psychedelic Future Party vote for him to do so, the Treasurer will open
and maintain a bank account in the party’s name; he will hold the chequebook
and pay in any receipts, operating in a clear and accountable manner. Should
the party be wound-up at a time when it possesses any money, this will be
donated to a charity to be chosen by a vote of all members; should the party
be wound-up at a time when it owes any debts, it will be the responsibility of
the Leader to pay these debts.

9) AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION:

9.1 This Constitution can be altered by the Officers, following a vote along the
lines laid down in Section 4.6. Party members can propose changes to the
Constitution at any point, but the final decision to make any changes lies with
the Officers.

9.2 The Psychedelic Future Party will ensure the party’s details that are
registered with the Electoral Commission are all kept up to date. If the party
alters this Constitution in the way described in 9.1, it is the responsibility of the
Leader to ensure immediately that the details of the party’s entry in the
register are updated, and the Treasurer will make any necessary payments to
the Electoral Commission.

10) WINDING-UP:

10.1 The Psychedelic Future Party will cease to function when its Leader
decides so, or if it proves impossible to fill the necessary Officer roles. All
members of the party will be given as much notice as possible of the intention
to dissolve the party, then the Leader will initiate the process of applying to
remove the Psychedelic Future Party from the register, by declaring to the
Electoral Commission that it no longer intends to stand any candidates at any
relevant elections.

10.2 All party procedures will continue to be followed until the process of
removing the Psychedelic Future Party from the register is complete.