Candidates on a party list must each formally consent to their nomination in writing.
The content of the consent to nomination form is fixed by law.1
On the consent to nomination form candidates will be asked to state that they are not disqualified from standing.
Candidates must also state their date of birth.
Candidates are not allowed to sign the consent form earlier than one month before the deadline for submitting the nomination papers.
Their signature must be witnessed, and the witness must sign the form. There are no restrictions on who can be a witness to the consent to nomination.
If the candidate is abroad and the Regional Returning Officer (RRO) is satisfied that because of their absence from the UK it is not practical for them to give their consent in writing and deliver it by hand to the RRO, they will be allowed to provide the consent by fax or email, and not require a witness to sign the form. For more information see our guidance on how to submit nomination papers.
While the absence of a consent to nomination for a candidate on the party list does not invalidate a party list’s nomination, if a consent form for a particular candidate on the list is not submitted by 4pm, 23 working days before the poll, the RRO will remove the person from the list.