We are thrilled to be having our first in-person conference since our 2019 re-founding. We hope you can join us for a day of connecting with other LGBTQ+ members of the party, discussing pressing issues for our community, and adopting resolutions to shape the policy direction of both Out for Independence and the Party. The Conference will be on 27 May 2023 in Glasgow. If you would like to attend, you can register here.
This is your chance to make your voice heard about what issues you want us to champion and how you want to engage with us as an affiliate. One of the key ways you can do that is by submitting a resolution to be debated at our conference!
If you would like to submit a policy resolution, please send it to national.secretary@outforindy.scot by 6 May 2023. Once we publish the resolutions, we will accept amendments up until 20 May 2023. For the best chance of your resolution being accepted, please consider the following guidelines:
- You can submit a resolution on any topic, but priority is given to issues that directly or disproportionately affect the LGBTQIA+ community or directly relate to the running of OFI.
- Resolutions that simply restate existing party policy are unlikely to be accepted.
- Please keep the text of your resolution concise. You can also submit a supporting statement if you’d like to elaborate on its importance and relevance.
- If you need help drafting your resolution, please get in touch at info@outforindy.scot.
- If you cannot attend in person you can still submit a resolution and have someone else move it for you, along as you advise us ahead of time. If you have any questions about the process for this, please get in touch at info@outforindy.scot.
You may wish to also consult the Party’s guide to writing conference resolutions, as it has much helpful and relevant advice. We have reproduced it below.
We look forward to seeing you at Conference!
Guidance on writing a Conference resolution
Selecting a topic
Please consult existing party policy on your chosen topic for a resolution. Resolutions that are a simple restatement of policy are less likely to be selected for debate.
Drafting a Resolution
Resolutions should be clearly and concisely written. They should establish a clear position in principle and avoid lengthy presentation of evidence which can be used in a speech.
Structuring a Resolution
Resolutions should ideally be structured in the following way:
State the issue or problem requiring debate or action.
e.g. Conference deplores the Labour Government’s failure to tackle pensioner poverty, and the extension of means-testing they have undertaken…
State the principle or values or aspiration of the resolution.
e.g. Conference believes that every pensioner in Scotland should be entitled to a decent minimum income in retirement, without the indignity and complexity of claiming means-tested benefits…
State the policy proposal or position.
e.g. Conference therefore proposes the development of a Citizen’s Pension, to provide every pensioner in Scotland with a decent minimum income in retirement…
Submitting a resolution
To assist the Conferences Committee in the selection of resolutions for debate at National Conference a supporting statement would be helpful. This can simply make the case for selecting a resolution or to provide definitions, facts and figures or sources of further information. Supporting statements should be no longer than 200 words.
Criteria for selecting a resolution
Conferences Committee members consider a number of factors when selecting resolutions:
Coherence – Is the resolution clearly written and easy to understand? If the resolution does not make sense or is difficult to understand, it is unlikely to be selected.
Timing – Has this issue been debated recently? If the proposition contained in the resolution has been debated at National Council or Annual Conference in the last 2 years, it is less likely to be selected.
Consistency – Is the proposal in the resolution consistent with the values and existing policies of the SNP? While, of course, resolutions that represent a change in SNP policy or a departure from a current position are acceptable, The Conferences Committee must consider whether the resolution would undermine the core values and policies of the SNP.
