Below is a summary of More United’s rules, designed to let you know how we operate and, if you’re a member or supporter, what are your rights and responsibilities.
1. Values
As a movement, we believe British politics is becoming disturbingly intolerant, and the space for those of progressive views is being increasingly diminished, along with fact-based and rational public debate. It is now urgent to provide a gathering point for those from all parties and from none to come together with the aim of dragging British politics back from the extremes. It is time to stand up for the values of tolerance, compromise, respect for others and engagement with the wider world that make us proud to be British.
We respect the role that political parties play, but we reject political tribalism. We are committed to an inclusive politics in which people of different traditions share ideas and work together to deliver common aims.
We believe that the purpose of politics should be to build a society in which every person can meaningfully participate, where each is given the opportunity to develop their unique talents, and where all can rely on mutual support.
To this end, More United stands for the following Values:
OPPORTUNITY
An innovative, efficient, market-based economy, that uncompromisingly tackles the gap between rich and poor, and supports strong public services.
DEMOCRACY
A fair and inclusive democracy that empowers people rather than politicians, builds trust and devolves power within the United Kingdom.
ENVIRONMENT
A green economy that protects the environment and prioritises measures to address climate change, whilst ensuring that all investment in infrastructure and the built environment meets the highest sustainability standards.
TOLERANCE
A free, diverse society where our differences are celebrated and respected, where hate crime is cracked down on, and where local authorities are incentivised to build social cohesion and inclusive communities.
OPENNESS
A Britain that welcomes immigration, but understands it must work for everyone, works to bring down international barriers, rather than raising them and has a close relationship with Europe.
2. How you can become a Member
To become a Member, you must support our Values and have made a Donation (of any amount) to More United in the past 12 months. For full details of how to join, see www.moreunited.org.uk/join.
If you wish to terminate your membership, you can do so simply by not donating further, in which case your membership will lapse 12 months after your last donation. Alternatively, should you wish to terminate your membership more urgently, you may email your request to [email protected]. We will not be able to refund any membership donation already contributed in the previous 12 months.
3. Your Member rights
Members are fundamental to the More United movement. As a Member, you have the right to vote on which candidates More United supports to the extent a Poll is held, as well as key policy areas we endorse. You will also be consulted on important issues and decisions from time to time.
To start the voting process, the Board or sub-committee may call a Poll.
As a Member, you will be notified by email of each Poll via email and have a right to vote in it. You will be informed of the deadline for voting.
Each Member will have one vote per Poll. In the unlikely event of a deadlock, the Poll will be run again.
4. How you can become a Supporter
You can become a Supporter of More United by signing up for free on our website at www.moreunited.org.uk. Supporters will not be able to vote on online Polls for candidates or other key decisions.
5. Donations
Donations from a single Member of up to £1,000 in any 12-month period will be designated to our Campaign Fund, unless otherwise identified or agreed with the Member in question. This support may include donations to a candidate, volunteer recruitment and mobilisation, or any other campaign activity that furthers the aims of More United.
Donations from a single Member of more than £1,000 in any 12-month period may be used only for the purposes of supporting the operations of More United and will not be included in any donations to candidates.
6. Candidate support
Below is our candidate selection process, which was first enacted at scale in the General Election 2017. We will continue to review the candidate selection process and received feedback from More United members in order to improve it.
More United will support candidates standing in UK elections. At first, we will support candidates in UK Parliament elections, with the possibility of expanding to other elections in future.
Candidates for General Elections will be selected according to the following criteria:
- They publicly stand by More United’s values
- They are standing in a seat they can win, as assessed by election data specialists
- More United members have voted to back them in a simple majority online poll
There may be exceptional circumstances whereby candidates can be backed for alternative reasons, for example where there is a local context to be taken into account. This will be clearly communicated to members. However, in all cases, candidates must pass a vote of More United members to receive any support.
Where there are two or more qualifying candidates in a constituency that seeks More United support, we may endorse both without providing financial support, subject to a members’ vote. More United’s aim is to increase the number of moderate MPs in Parliament, this would ensure we do not pit like-minded candidates against each other for no reason.
Candidates from under-represented backgrounds
Candidates can spend significant amounts of their own money on getting elected. Some reports indicate it can cost MPs £34,000 of their personal funds to win and some have to drop out of the race because they cannot afford to run. This puts winning elections out of the reach of the vast majority of people in the UK.
More United is committed to ending this injustice. We will give extra support to candidates from under-represented backgrounds. This could include those with a low income, women, LGBT+ and BAME candidates.
The candidates will go through the same selection process but may be given extra funds to help them fight their election.
Candidates from under-represented parties
In the current system, smaller parties are unfairly disadvantaged. For example, the Green Party of England and Wales received 2 million votes in the 2015 General Election but returned only one seat.
We believe that a multi-party system is healthy for democracy and therefore More United may choose to lower the ‘winnability’ criteria for certain candidates from these parties. However, this will not be at the expense of an alternative candidate for whom the ‘winnability’ threshold is higher.
Forms of support
More United will work with candidates to provide a package of support designed to be as effective as possible in helping them get elected. There will be no maximum or minimum amount. Such support may include, but is not limited to:
- Formal endorsement of the candidate by More United
- Donations to a candidate’s campaign
- Voluntary support
- Secondment of campaign staff
- Campaign expertise and knowledge-sharing
- Promotion of the candidate by More United
7. How More United operates
More United is run by a Board of Directors, who work with the staff team to ensure that high standards of governance are upheld and provide independent judgement on issues such as strategy, planning and performance. More United’s members are consulted on these kinds of issues through online surveys and local events held across the UK.
8. How you shape the movement
Your priorities, as a Supporter or Member, are fundamental to setting More United’s strategy and there are a huge number of ways that you can help to shape the movement. We regularly run online surveys and votes to find out what you think about key issues. You can also come along to local meet-ups with other More United supporters, where you can brainstorm ideas and discuss issues that are important to you. The team uses your input to decide which campaigns get proposed, and which issues should be highest on the agenda.
Most importantly, you decide which MPs receive support. No MP can ever get backing from More United unless a majority of Members vote in favour (see section 6 on candidate support).
If a role becomes available, you can also apply to join the team. Vacancies for board members and staff are always publicly advertised.
9. Discipline and standards
More United recognises that Members and Supporters will encompass a broad range of opinion and that respect for and tolerance of the opinions of Members and Supporters is necessary for the movement’s ultimate success. To this end, in becoming a Member, you acknowledge your acceptance of the following standards:
- the Values of More United (see above);
- More United’s commitment to eliminating discrimination on grounds of gender, disability, race, religion or belief, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment (intended or actual) or pregnancy and maternity not justified in law or relevant to the performance of the job;
- refraining from actions or statements which are damaging, or potentially damaging, to the public reputation of More United;
- abiding by any instructions or guidance given as a result of previous disciplinary action;
- refraining from persistent conduct which is intimidating, harassing or which is aimed at causing distress or disillusionment among Members, Supporters and/or staff;
- refraining from making a public statement regarding the circumstances or persons involved in any disciplinary procedure.
Allegations of breaches of any of the above standards by a Member may trigger an investigation by More United’s Disciplinary and Standards Panel, and will be handled in accordance with the More United Discipline & Standards: Code of Conduct for Members in force at that time. If the allegations are proven, this process may lead to sanction against such Member.
10. Privacy policy
More United knows that you care how information is used and shared. For full details about how information about you will be collected by More United when you use our online services, how the information will be used, and how you can control the collection, correction and/or deletion of information, see www.moreunited.org.uk/privacy-policy
11. About these rules
If you have any comments or feedback on any aspect of these rules, please email [email protected]
There will be a review of these Rules no less than one year after their inception. Members will be encouraged to feed into this review but any changes will be at the discretion of the Board.