together gibraltar Party Charter

1. Mission Statement 
2. Membership
3. Code of Conduct
4. AGMs and EGMs
5. Management Board
6. The Executive 
7. Leadership  

1. Mission Statement

The objective of this Party Charter is to set out how Together Gibraltar will organise itself as a party. It has been created in order to fulfil the Party's commitment to democracy, openness, accountability and transparency. Any amendments or additions to this Charter must be proposed by any member of the Executive of the party by filing a motion before an AGM or EGM. Said motion will be debated on by Executive members who may wish to contribute to said debate, and will be voted on by the entire membership.

2. Membership

The membership is the core of the party, and all decisions on the future of the party will be taken together. Membership subscriptions will be processed by the Management board. Membership is free but members will be asked to make a donation to the party. Minimum donation is £1, but members can donate larger amounts if they wish.

All party donations will be anonymous unless the donor opts in to a public disclosure register. Donations during a General Election or a By-Election will be governed by the rules set by the Returning Officer. Members are entitled to vote in AGM’s and EGM’s for motions, leadership contests, Executive elections and elections for the Management Board. Only one vote will be allowed per member.  

3. Code of conduct

Executive members of Together Gibraltar, its Managing Board and MPs are bound by the Party's Code of Conduct, as follows. 

  • Members are encouraged to attend all public meetings and take part in the Party's essential democratic functions. Repeated absences of meetings without prior notice or without valid reasons will be seen as a breach of this code of conduct.

  • No member will discriminate against any member of the public based on race, religion, gender, sexual preference, ethnicity or age.

  • No member will harass, bully, insult or persecute any member of the public for any reason.

  • No member will bear false witness using the party machinery for personal gain.

  • Members are encouraged to engage in public debate, but will do so in a respectful, mindful and dignified manner.

  • Party Executive members share a responsibility to uphold our democratic institutions and to act as responsible advocates of the party's message and values. All reasonable precautions must be taken to ensure the content published in their social media accounts is fact-checked and does not contribute to targeted disinformation campaigns.

  • Party Executive members accept that Together Gibraltar’s position on issues of health, public health, or the environment are driven by scientific evidence. Executive members are bound by the above clauses to reflect party values to this effect.

  • Executive members do not speak on behalf of the Party unless instructed to do so by the Leadership of the Party. They will, however, be mindful that any opinions expressed could be taken for being the position of the Party and therefore have a responsibility to this effect.

  • Differences of opinion with positions adopted by the Party through internal consensus, are encouraged to be resolved internally.

  • Damage to the Party’s integrity, image or credibility, whether intentional or by negligence of this code of conduct will be taken as a breach of this code of conduct.

  • Breaches of the code will result in a disciplinary meeting convened by the Party Chair, and could result in a warning, removal from the Executive, or ultimately, expulsion from the Party.

4. AGMs and EGMs  

Together Gibraltar will hold Annual General Meetings to cover ordinary and special business. The Party Chair can call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) after receiving in writing a request from any member of the Executive or by 20% of the Party’s duly registered membership.  

The Agenda for each meeting will be agreed upon by the Executive and published on the Party website at least 3 days in advance, and can include any of the following items:  

i. AGM

  • Communications from the Chair 

  • Presentation of minutes from previous AGM / EGM 

  • Party Leader's Address 

  • Executive Member's Address 

  • Leadership elections 

  • Management Board Elections 

  • Executive elections 

  • Motions (can be moved and seconded by Executive members) 

  • Petitions (can be presented by any party member after gathering 50 or more signatures from party members) 

  • Questions for leader from the floor (any member can pose a question) 

  • An AGM shall be called with no less than 14 day’s notice to membership

ii. EGM  

  • Communications from the Chair 

  • Party Leader's Address 

  • Motions (can be moved and seconded by Executive members) 

  • Quorum – half of the members of the Executive committee plus one. If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the scheduled time of the meeting, it shall be cancelled. 

iii. Motions

Any motions voted in by members at an AGM or EGM will become Party Policy, and filed in the Party's records as well as published on the Party's website for the General Public. 

5. Management Board  

Members of party's Management Board will be proposed and seconded by members of the Executive, and will be voted for by the Membership every two years by members at an AGM or EGM, or upon the resignation of a post-holder. They will consist of the following:  

i. Chair  

Responsibilities include the organisation and chairing of AGMs and EGMs, management of Party's Code of Conduct and the disciplinary process. In addition, the Party Chair will coordinate and delegate responsibilities to the rest of the Management Board and the Executive.  

ii. Secretary  

Responsibilities include preparation of minutes, filing, membership list, communications to members, booking of premises for AGMs and EGMs, and party stationery.  

iii. Treasurer  

Responsibilities include keeping the party books, filing party accounts, audits, management of the party's bank affairs and petty cash.  

6. The Executive  

Together Gibraltar will have Executive elections every two years, or upon resignations, at an AGM or EGM. At inception the Party executive will roll until the General Election at which point the rollover of two years will commence to take into account the extraordinary circumstances of having launched soon before. Prospective Executive members must be proposed and seconded by party members. The number of Executive members can vary as dictated by the Party Leader, but will be no less than 10, and no more than 25.  

7. Leadership Elections  

Leadership Elections will take place automatically every two years at an AGM, or before that at an EGM if a Vote of No Confidence is successfully obtained by 40% of the party's Executive, or if the Leader resigns.  

A Party Leader will be selected in the following manner:  

  • The Process will be overseen by the Party Chair, with the support and assistance of the Secretary 

  • Candidates must be proposed and seconded by Executive members at an Executive meeting held not less than 48 hours before the AGM / EGM. 

  • At the AGM / EGM, Candidates will be given 30 minutes to address the membership on why they should be considered for the position. 

  • Members will be allowed to vote for their preferred leader by secret ballot, or by show of hands, as dictated by the Chair. 

  • Poll results will be made available to the general public as soon as they are available