Guidance for Candidates and Agents at Greater London Authority elections

Apart from meeting the qualifications for standing for election, you must also not be disqualified.

The full range of disqualifications is complex and if you are in any doubt about whether you are disqualified, you must do everything you can to check that you are not disqualified before submitting your nomination papers. 

You must be sure that you are not disqualified as you will be asked to sign one of the required nomination papers to confirm that you are not disqualified. 

It is a criminal offence to make a false statement on your nomination papers as to your qualification for being elected, so if you are in any doubt you should contact your employer, consult the legislation or, if necessary, take your own independent legal advice. 

The Returning Officer will not be able to confirm whether or not you are disqualified.  

There are certain people who are disqualified from being elected as the Mayor of London or a Constituency / London-wide Assembly Member. You cannot be a candidate if at the time of your nomination and on polling day: 

• You are a member of staff of the GLA.1 For further information, see Working for the GLA.
• You hold an office or appointment designated by the Secretary of State2 as disqualifying you from being the Mayor of London or a Constituency or London-wide Member of the London Assembly. The Order listing the disqualifying offices and appointments is The Greater London Authority (Disqualification) Order 2000 (as amended). 
• You are a paid officer of a London borough council3 who is employed under the direction of that council’s executive (where executive arrangements are operating) or of committees or joint committees whose membership includes the Mayor of London. For further details, see Certain paid officers at London borough councils.  
• You hold a politically restricted post in a ‘local authority’.4 More information is set out in our guidance on politically restricted posts.
• You are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order.5 More information is set out in our guidance on bankruptcy restrictions or interim orders. 
• You have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more (including a suspended sentence), without the option of a fine, during the five years before polling day,6 and the ordinary period allowed for making an appeal or applications in respect of the conviction has passed. A person who is in the process of making an appeal or application in relation to the conviction is not disqualified at any time before the end of the day on which the appeal or application is disposed of, abandoned or fails by reason of non-prosecution.7   
• You have been disqualified under the Representation of the People Act 19838   
  • The disqualification for an illegal practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for three years. 
  • The disqualification for a corrupt practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for five years, unless at any time within that period a court determines that the conviction should not be upheld, in which case the disqualification ends at that time.
  • The disqualification of no return and declaration after election of Mayor of London begins 6 weeks following the day of which the deadline for delivery of returns
• You are subject to the notification requirement of or under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and the ordinary period allowed for making an appeal or application in respect of the order or notification has passed.  A disqualification set under s.21A of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 will only apply to a person who is subject to any relevant notification requirements or relevant order made on or after 28 June 2022. A person who is in the process of making an appeal or application in relation to the disqualification is not disqualified at any time before the end of the day on which the appeal or application is disposed of, abandoned or fails by reason of non-prosecution.9   
• You have been convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence10 motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office. The effect of a disqualification order is that the person will be disqualified from standing for, being elected to, and holding any relevant elective office for five years.

A person may be disqualified from being or becoming a member of certain authorities following a conviction under the Localism Act 2011.11     

A person may also be disqualified from election if they have been disqualified from standing for election following a decision of the First-tier Tribunal (formerly the Adjudication Panel for England), or the Adjudication Panel for Wales.