The rights of membership include:
- Voting in elections for Leader and Depute Leader of the Party
- Contributing towards development of the Party’s policies
- Voting in elections for office bearers at Branch level
- Contributing to local campaign activities
- Voting to select the Party’s candidates at public elections
- Seeking to stand in internal elections for offices in the Party
- Being considered as a candidate able to stand for the Party in public elections
- Attending National Conference and National Assembly
- Receiving information on the Party’s operation and campaigns
Members must:
- Be over the age of 16
- Endorse the Aims of the Party
- Abide by the Policy and Direction of the Party
- Accept the Constitution, Rules and Standing Orders of the Party
- Pay a subscription to the Party
Members must not:
- Breach the Codes of Conduct
- Contest, or declare an intention to contest, any parliamentary or local government election except as an authorised Party candidate
- Be a member of a political party expected to contest elections in opposition to the Party
- Be a member of any organisation inconsistent with Party membership
Membership ceases when a member
- Intimates their resignation to the Party
- Publicly resigns
- Does not pay their subscription to the Party
- Becomes ineligible for membership
- Is expelled from the Party
A person may be an associate member of the Party if they are:
- under the age of 16
- An individual falling into a description of persons set out by National Conference
- Associate members over the age of 14 may vote at Branch meetings.
Associate members have all the rights and duties of ordinary members, except that they may not:
- vote in any body of the Party or in any selection contest
- Be a delegate to any body of the Party
- be eligible for election to any position in the Party where the position is to be filled before their sixteenth birthday
For a period of 90 days after membership commences, the National Executive Committee may, in exceptional circumstances, declare any membership invalid. The National Secretary will advise the individual concerned that their membership is invalid. Any subscriptions which have been paid will be refunded.
If a person who has been entered as a member is found to have been ineligible at the time of application to join the Party, the membership is invalid.
Any member who does not desire to become a member of a Geographical Branch may become a member of Headquarters Branch.