Royal Charter

The MCC Committee, in response to Member concerns, decided it was time to incorporate the Club so it was no longer a Private Member Club likely to attract potenial unlimited financial liabilities for the Membership in the future. The MCC Royal Charter Petition was approved at SGM by MCC Members on 25th June 2012 by a majority of 6018 votes.

The Committee considered this a unique opportunity to end an outdated arcane system of arbitrary government first introduced in 1787 and replace it with a pre-eminent form of modern democratic government with Royal Patronage. This would be a fitting tribute to a Club whose roots date back to the financial donation made the Prince of Wales when Lord’s was purchased by MCC in 1866 and the fact the Late Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed two terms as the Club President.

Problems

Today the Club remains an unincorporated Private Member Club today.Why?

On 1st July 2013 the Royal Charter became effective with a similar set of Rules operating as before. The MCC renmains a Charter Company with an appellate function awaiting Incorporation.

A Lawyer specialising in the implementation of Royal Charter Incorporation, for example  www.cipr.co.uk

“The Royal Charter exists as a dormant shell only.  It can only start to operate once the undertaking and assets (plus any liabilities, where appropriate) of the unincorporated form of the MCC have transferred to it.  It seems that a key part of that exercise will be to ensure that the MCC’s membership transfers to the Charter body – something that might usually be undertaken at the point of subscription renewal”.

The implications here are serious with the fact that no Incorporation has taken place and the MCC Committee must remain culpable:- 1) Unlimited Member liability still exists 2) the status of Lord’s Cricket Ground is uncertain and open to potential execution * 3) the status and role of the Club Trustees remain undetermined by Statute Law 4) no acceptable form of democratic government by the Membership is in place 5) Member approval at SGM has been sought by the MCC Committee at SGM to execute the requirements of Royal Charter Incorporation.

Resolution

The MCC Committee should publish a ROYAL CHARTER CONSULTATION GREEN PAPER without delay and instruct a Special Working Party to oversee the necessary changes to determine the Incorporaton of MCC.

• Richard Bramwell QC (2004) recommended Lord’s Cricke Ground should become a wholly-owned subsidiary of MCC