8.—(1) This rule sets out the requirements for statements of party membership that must be included in nomination papers as mentioned in rule 5(3)(c).
(2) The statement must state whether the candidate has been a member of any registered political party at any time during the relevant period.
(3) If the candidate has been a member of one or more registered political parties at any time during the relevant period, the statement must also include the following information in relation to the party or (as the case may be) each of the parties of which the candidate has been a member—
(a)the party’s registered name or, where the party has two registered names, the party’s registered names, and
(b)the dates during the relevant period when the candidate has been a member of the party.
(4) Paragraph (3) does not apply where—
(a)the nomination paper includes a description that is likely to lead electors to associate the candidate with a registered political party or with two or more registered political parties and is permitted under rule 6(3) or (as the case may be) rule 6(4), and
(b)the candidate has not at any time during the relevant period been a member of a registered political party other than the party or parties to which that description relates.
(5) A candidate who knowingly fails to include in the nomination paper a statement of party membership that complies with the requirements of this rule is guilty of a corrupt practice.
(6) In this rule—
(a)“registered political party” means a party that is registered under Part 2 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 at any time during the relevant period when the candidate is a member;
(b)references to a registered name of a registered political party are to a name of the party registered under section 28 of that Act;
(c)“the relevant period” means the period of 12 months ending with the day on which the notice of election is published.
Commencement Information
I1Sch. 2 rule 8 in force at 17.12.2021, see rule 1