Guidance for Candidates and Agents at UK Parliamentary general elections in Great Britain

We call the time when the spending laws apply the ‘regulated period’.

The regulated period

At a UK Parliamentary general election (UKPGE), there can be two separate regulated periods. We call these the ‘long campaign’ and the ‘short campaign’.

The short campaign begins on the day after the date you officially become a candidate and ends on polling day.1

There is no long campaign at the 2024 UK Parliamentary general election.

When does a person officially become a candidate?

The earliest date you can officially become a candidate is the date of the dissolution of Parliament.2  Parliament will be dissolved on 30 May 2024.

You will become a candidate on this date if you or others have already announced your intention to stand.3  For example, your party may have issued a press release when you were selected, you might have mentioned your intention at a residents’ meeting, or you may have already begun campaigning.

If your intention to stand has not been announced by the date of the dissolution of Parliament, you will officially become a candidate on the earlier of:

• the date your intention to stand is announced
• the date when you submit your nomination papers4

This must be prior to the close of nominations, which is 4pm on 7 June 2024.5