Women’s Equality Party Conference 2023
Saturday 4th - Sunday 5th November
Party Business Outcomes
A motion is a proposal for debate at party conference, and these are the motions which were scheduled by the Agenda Committee for debate at Conference 2023, and the outcomes of those debates and any votes.
2023 Motions:
Policy motions:
P1. Wealth tax for equality
Proposed by: Haringey Branch
Read the Motion in full >>
Outcome: motion passed
P2. Local services must be local
Proposed by: Caroline Hunt
Read the Motion in full >>
Amendment Title: Including other vital services in the call for local services to be
local
Proposed by: WE Richmond Branch
Amendment Title: Policy consistency in local services motion
Proposed by: The Steering Committee of the Women’s Equality Party
These two amendments were accepted by the motion proposer.
Read amended motion in full >>
Outcome: motion passed as amended
Amendment Title: Local Services in Less Populated Areas
Proposed by: WE Edinburgh Branch
Read amended motion in full >>
Outcome: amendment fell
P3. Local Authorities must review schools’ ability to meet new Government standards on equal access to sport and provide the wherewithal to meet them where lacking
Proposed by: Stacy Hart
Read the Motion in full >>
Amendment Title: A gender balanced choice of sports as well as equal access.
This amendment was accepted by the motion proposer.
Read amended motion in full >>
Outcome: motion passed as amended
P4. Inclusive and participatory design of the built environment and social infrastructure
Proposed by: Milton Keynes Branch
Outcome: motion passed
P5. Reforming probation
Proposed by: Madeline Petrillo
Outcome: motion passed
P6. Stop stringing us along on childcare
Proposed by: Mandu Reid, Leader of the Women’s Equality Party
Outcome: motion passed
Business Motion:
B1. Virtual branch
Proposed by: Jacquie Cottrell
Amendment Title: Adding necessary constitutional amendments
Amendment proposed by: The Steering Committee of the Women’s Equality Party
This amendment was accepted by the motion proposer.
Read amended motion in full >>
Outcome: motion passed as amended
Special Debates:
SD1. WE in Scotland. The future.
Proposed by: Edinburgh and the Lothians Branch
Special debates are not voted on
SD2. A feminist foreign policy to address international crises
Proposed by: Glasgow Branch
Special debates are not voted on
Published motions 2023
Women’s Equality Party Conference 2023
Saturday 4th - Sunday 5th November
A motion is a proposal for debate at party conference, and these are the motions which have been admitted by the Agenda Committee for debate at Conference 2023. You can also find out more about how party business works, what happens at conference, and view the party business timeline.
Read the full guidelines and FAQs >>
Read the standing orders:
Standing Orders >>
Standing Orders - Large print >>
2023 Motions:
Policy motions:
P1. Wealth tax for equality
Proposed by: Haringey Branch
Read the Motion in full >>
P2. Local services must be local
Proposed by: Caroline Hunt
Read the Motion in full >>
Amendment Title: Including other vital services in the call for local services to be
local
Proposed by: WE Richmond Branch
Amendment Title: Policy consistency in local services motion
Proposed by: The Steering Committee of the Women’s Equality Party
These amendments have been accepted by the motion proposer.
Amendment Title: Local Services in Less Populated Areas
Proposed by: WE Edinburgh Branch
This amendment will be up for debate.
Read amended motion in full >>
P3. Local Authorities must review schools’ ability to meet new Government standards on equal access to sport and provide the wherewithal to meet them where lacking
Proposed by: Stacy Hart
Read the Motion in full >>
Amendment Title: A gender balanced choice of sports as well as equal access.
This amendment has been accepted by the motion proposer.
Read amended motion in full >>
P4. Inclusive and participatory design of the built environment and social infrastructure
Proposed by: Milton Keynes Branch
P5. Reforming probation
Proposed by: Madeline Petrillo
P6. Stop stringing us along on childcare
Proposed by: Mandu Reid, Leader of the Women’s Equality Party
Business Motion:
B1. Virtual branch
Proposed by: Jacquie Cottrell
Amendment Title: Adding necessary constitutional amendments
Amendment proposed by: The Steering Committee of the Women’s Equality Party
This amendment has been accepted by the motion proposer.
Read amended motion in full >>
Special Debates:
SD1. WE in Scotland. The future.
Proposed by: Edinburgh and the Lothians Branch
SD2. A feminist foreign policy to address international crises
Proposed by: Glasgow Branch
NOTICES OF ELECTION: Policy Representatives and Steering Committee
The Steering Committee gives notice that it will hold elections for four Policy Representatives and one Steering Committee member of the Women’s Equality Party.
The ballot will be held at conference on 4th November 2023. The elections will be overseen by Chief Returning Officer, Alison Smith.
Do you care passionately about one of our core policy areas? Do you love talking about our party and working with others to develop ground-breaking feminist policies? Are you excited by the idea of steering the party in new and exciting directions?
👉 WE need you to contest these elections! 👈
✋ Put yourself forward for election as a Policy Representative. You can put your passion into action and work with our Party Leader, the central office team and our members to help the party create ground-breaking, change-making policies.
✋ Contest the election to become a member of the party's Steering Committee. Join the group of brilliant members driving our strategy and direction between party conferences.
Jump to find out how to apply >>
Procedure document for Policy Representatives >>
Procedure document for Steering Committee >>
What does a Policy Representative do?
It has never been more important that our party leads the way in reimagining politics with innovative policy that meets the moment. Our Policy Representatives work as a team to brainstorm and amplify our extraordinary policies far and wide. They also work across the party with the central office team, branches, caucuses, and the Steering Committee to create policy that leaves no woman behind.
The Policy Representatives team organises two online policy forums for members each year to support the development of party policy and helps to continue policy work between meeting and conferences.
As a collective, the Policy Representatives support the Leader of the Party’s strategic vision by providing advice and guidance on policy.
What's needed for this role?
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An understanding the party’s mission, policies and objectives
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An active party membership
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An eagerness to stay up to date with policy developments
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Excitement about the opportunity to work with other Policy Representatives
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A keen mind for the intricate details of policy
What does a Steering Committee member do?
The Steering Committee is the Party’s central decision-making body outside of Party conferences. It steers the direction of the Party by agreeing strategy, planning ahead and reacting to internal and external factors. It monitors the Party’s activities and outcomes against its mission, aims and objectives, and makes sure the Party’s activities are within the budget it sets and approves each year. It is also the body with the sole discretion to decide when and where WE stand candidates in elections.
As a member of the Steering Committee you would be working with other members on the committee to ensure that the big strategic decisions have been made and that you are steering the party in the right direction.
What's needed for this role?
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An understanding the party’s mission, policies and objectives
-
An active party membership
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A passion for sharing your ideas as well as listening to others and working as a team to find solutions
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A skill for analysis, and care when assessing risks and someone who can think strategically
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A commitment to steering and growing our movement of political activists, and to making it diverse and representative of all women
How do I put myself forward?
When nominations open on Friday 1st September at 9:00am you can submit your nomination to the returning officer on [email protected].
Make sure you have read through the full procedure documentation, then send us a short statement, a photo and video making your case for why members should vote for you!
Procedure document for Policy Representatives >>
Procedure document for Steering Committee >>
You might want to refer to your personal connection to and passion for women’s equality and the particular policy areas you’re interested in or your ideas on strategising; experience of public speaking, building relationships to effect change, monitoring policy developments, an understanding of our policy areas, an understanding of how our party works, providing briefings or supporting campaigns, for example.
Make sure you include which role you are nominating yourself for in your email!
Specifications:
1. A photo
2. A film
3. A short statement
4. Your social media handles (if you wish to use these to support your campaign)
And then... send them to [email protected]
The Returning Officer(s) will check that your submissions meet the specified requirements and will confirm receipt of your submission.
Nominations will open at 9:00am, Friday 1st September.
The deadline for submitting your nomination is 5:00pm, Saturday 30th September
What is the process of election?
All member delegates at conference will have the opportunity to vote electronically for these roles on 4th November. The successful candidates will be elected by a simple majority.
The photos, videos and statements of all validly nominated candidates will be made available to members on Thursday 5th October.
Women’s Equality Party Conference 2023
Party Business
Conference is where you shape the future of your party.
Conference is the supreme governing body of the party, and is responsible for policy-making and decision-making. This is where we debate and vote on party policies, and vote on any changes or additions to the way the party operates.
The Standing Orders are the rules that govern business proceedings during conference, and they will be published nearer to the time. But before we get down to debating and voting at conference, party members get the chance to submit motions for debate at conference.
1. PROPOSING MOTIONS AND AMENDMENTS
Party members have the opportunity to propose a motion(s) with their branch/caucus or with the support of 19 other members. Once motions are published, all members will then be given the chance to submit amendments to the motions.
Whether or not you submit a motion, you can take part in the process at conference through debating the motion and voting.
For this reason, all delegates should read through motions in advance of the conference. Motions and amendments will be published following the deadlines for submission and linked to on this page.
More information about party business including the full timeline, guidelines and submission forms, and motions FAQs to find out more about submitting motions and how party business will work.
2. MOTION DEBATES
Debates are used to discuss and deliberate on the motions proposed by members. All motions to be debated will be announced and published in advance of the conference, except for any emergency motions which are brought during conference.
Even if you have not proposed a motion, take an active role by debating the motion and using your vote to decide whether it should become party policy, or change the way we run our party.
Read all about what happens at conference, how to take part in debating and voting on motions and how party business works.
3. COMMITTEE ELECTIONS
As part of the 2023 conference we will be electing four Policy Representatives and there will be elections to the Steering Committee.
WE are looking for brilliant convenors with a passion for policy to become our Policy Representatives. Successful candidates will develop party policy between conferences and convene meetings with members and supporters to develop the ideas of our movement. WE are looking for passionate and committed Party members to join our Steering Committee - the party’s strategic decision-making body in between conferences. Those successfully elected to the committee will help to steer the party through its next phase and increase our strategic influence in our core policy areas.
Ahead of conference the Chief Returning Officer will publish the notice of election, guidance for the election period and members will be invited to put themselves forward as a candidate. The election will be announced to members, so look out for an email coming soon.
The ballot will be open at conference and there will also be opportunities for delegates to meet and talk to candidates.