The Recall of MPs Act 2015 (Recall Petition) Regulations 2016

Prosecutions for corrupt or illegal practices

28.  In section 173 (incapacities on conviction of corrupt or illegal practice)—

(a) in subsection (1), after “subsection (2)” insert “and (2A)”;

(b) in subsection (2), for “section 60” to the end substitute “a corrupt practice under regulation 118 (personation) or 120 (offences relating to applications for postal and proxy signing) of the Recall of MPs Act 2015 (Recall Petition) Regulations 2016, or an illegal practice under regulation 119 of those Regulations (other signing offences).”;

(c) after subsection (2), insert—

“(2A) A court before which a person is convicted of an offence referred to in subsection (2B) may, if they think it just in the special circumstances of the case, mitigate or entirely remit any incapacity imposed by virtue of this section.

(2B) Those offences are any offence under the following provisions of the Recall of MPs Act 2015 (Recall Petition) Regulations 2016—

(a) regulation 119 (other signing offences),

(b) regulation 125 (broadcasting from outside the United Kingdom),

(c) regulation 126 (imitation official petition notice cards).”.