The National Pensioners' Convention (NPC) is the principal organisation representing pensioners in the United Kingdom. It is made up of around 1,000 bodies representing 1.5 million members, organised into 16 federal regional units which include Northern Ireland.
The NPC was founded by former Transport and General Workers' Union trade-union leader, Jack Jones in 1979. He served as its President until 2001, when he was succeeded by Rodney Bickerstaffe, who had been General Secretary of UNISON. Frank Cooper was the next President, with Bev Morrison as Campaign Officer.
The NPC’s federal structure promotes the principle of Delegatory Democracy, so that the widest possible number of pensioners can have their views represented and discussed. Major policy issues are dealt with at the biennial Delegate Conference open to all recognised national affiliates and regional NPC groups.
Delegatory Democracy can be illustrated by this; most people won’t have the requisite expertise or time to inform themselves on a wide range of issues. Therefore, every voter has the option to delegate his or her proxy, on each voting issue, to another person or organisation, that is, to a delegate whom the voter chooses. Such a delegate presumably will have more expertise, interest or longevity in the issue at hand and will be trusted by the voter. |
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