NEC Elections 2020

The NEC has 19 voting members:

• 11 Regional members: one each for Scotland & Northern Ireland, Wales and the 9 English regions. These are elected by individual members by one member, one vote.  
• 1 youth representative, elected by individual members aged 30 and under.  Candidates must be under 27 at the date of nomination.  
• 2 members (1 man and 1 woman), elected by Societies and other affiliates other than the Co-operative Group.  
• 2 members nominated by the Co-operative Group 
• 1 member from Co-operatives UK.   
• 2 members of the Parliamentary Group.   

The Secretary General of Co-operatives UK, or their nominee, if a member of the Party, may sit on the NEC as a non-voting member.  

The General Secretary and the Board Secretary also attend each meeting, along with other Party staff as required. 

NEC members must have a good understanding of corporate governance and finance or be prepared to receive training.   

All NEC candidates must: 

• Have been a full member of the Co-operative Party for six months by the close of nominations (6 February 2020) i.e. have made a valid application to join by 6 May 2019, and not be in arrears. 
• Meet the legal requirements for a Board member of a registered Society.  For example, they must be over the age of 16.   
• Complete the online Candidate Nomination Form 

Additionally, no-one can be an NEC member who:  

• is not a member of a local Party, which is itself a member of the Party;  
• refuses to sign a statement accepting the code of conduct for members of the National Executive Committee 
• has been declared bankrupt or compounded with their creditors and not been discharged; 
• is subject to a disqualification order made under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 

• has been convicted of an offence where the conviction is not treated as spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 
• fails to abide by any rules for the conduct of elections made by the National Executive Committee 

Regional representatives (11) must: 

• Live in the nation/region for which you are seeking nomination. 

Additionally, the elections in the South East region, Scotland & Northern Ireland and Wales will be for women only candidates. 

Youth representative (1) must be: 

• Under 27 at the date of nomination. 

Societies representatives (1 man & 1 woman): 

• Must be nominated by a Society or Affiliate that is currently subscribed to the Co-operative Party.   

• Candidates must complete all sections of the on-line nomination form.   This information will be forwarded to local parties and branches, who will be invited to endorse a candidate in their region and for the Youth representative.   
• The information provided by candidates on the form will also be circulated with ballot papers and on the Co-operative Party’s website, together with a list of endorsing parties and branches. 
• The supporting statement may include links to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. 
• No additional printed materials may be circulated by the candidates or by others on their behalf. 
• No candidate, or person on their behalf, may use access to the Party’s membership data to promote their candidacy.   

For 2014 and future elections, where required, the NEC agreed that some seats should be reserved for women candidates to ensure a gender balance on the NEC that better reflects the overall membership.   

For the elections in 2020 the following are only open to women candidates: - South East, Scotland & Northern Ireland, Wales.  These were selected on the basis that they were not chosen in 2017 and do not have a sitting member of the NEC who would be prevented from contesting the seat. 

Members of the NEC do not receive a fee or an attendance allowance, but they are reimbursed reasonable travel expenses to attend meetings of the NEC or on the NEC’s behalf.