Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

30 Changes to the register. U.K.

(1) A party may apply to the Commission to have its entry in the register altered by—

(a) changing its registered name,

(b) (if registered in the Great Britain register) changing the part or parts of Great Britain in respect of which it is registered,

F1 (ba) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F2 (bb) the addition, alteration, substitution or removal of a description,]

(c) the addition, substitution or removal of an emblem,

(d) the addition or removal of a statement that a party is registered as a party with a campaigns officer, or

(e) the addition of information prescribed under paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 since—

(i) the time when the party applied for registration, or

(ii) if a notification has been previously given under section 32 in relation to the party, the time when the last such notification was given.

(2) Subject to subsections (3) to [F3 (6A)], the Commission shall grant an application under this section.

F4 (2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) The Commission shall refuse an application to change a party’s registered name if, in their opinion, any of paragraphs (a) to (f) of section 28(4) apply to the new name.

(4) The Commission shall refuse an application to change the part or parts of Great Britain in respect of which a party is registered if, in their opinion, the change would be likely to result in—

(a) such confusion in relation to the party’s registered name as is mentioned in paragraph (a) of section 28(4),[F5 or

(aa) such confusion in relation to a registered description of the party as is mentioned in paragraph (b) of section 28A(2),] or

(b) such confusion in relation to a registered emblem of the party as is mentioned in paragraph (a) of section 29(2).

[F6 (4A) The Commission shall refuse an application to add a description if—

(a) the party already has 12 descriptions (or such other maximum number of descriptions as is substituted by order under section 28A(6)),

(b) the length of the description exceeds six words, or

(c) in the Commission's opinion, any of paragraphs (a) to (g) of section 28A(2) apply to the description.

(4B) The Commission shall refuse an application to alter a description if the effect of the alteration—

(a) is that the length of the description as altered will exceed six words, or

(b) in their opinion, is that any of paragraphs (a) to (g) of section 28A(2) will apply to the description as altered.

(4C) The Commission shall refuse to substitute a description if—

(a) the length of the new description will exceed six words, or

(b) in their opinion any of paragraphs (a) to (g) of section 28A(2) apply to the new description.

(4D) In the application of subsection (4A)(b), (4B)(a) or (4C)(a) above to a party which has made a declaration falling within section 28(2) which specifies Wales as a part of Great Britain in respect of which it is registered, for “six words” substitute six words in either English or Welsh or, if the description is also expressed in the other of those languages, six words in that other language.]

(5) The Commission shall refuse an application to add an emblem if—

(a) the party already has three registered emblems, or

(b) in the Commission’s opinion, any of paragraphs (a) to (d) of section 29(2) apply to the emblem.

(6) The Commission shall refuse to substitute an emblem if in their opinion any of paragraphs (a) to (d) of section 29(2) apply to the new emblem.

[F7 (6A) If an application under this section for the substitution or removal of a description is granted at any time between—

(a) the date of publication of the notice of election at an election in which there are one or more candidates standing in the name of the party, and

(b) the poll at the election,

the change does not take effect until the day following the poll.]

(7) For the purposes of subsection (3), [F8 (4A), (4B), (4C),](5) or (6)—

(a) section 28(4)(a) and section 28(5),[F9 or

(aa) section 28A(2)(a) and section 28(5) as it applies by virtue of section 28A(3), or

(ab) section 28A(2)(a) as it applies by virtue of section 28B(2),] or

(b) section 29(2)(a) and section 28(5) (as it applies by virtue of section 29(3)),

as the case may be, shall each have effect as if the words “applying to be” were omitted.

(8) Where the Commission refuse an application by a party under this section, they shall notify the party of their reasons for refusing the application.

(9) Part II of Schedule 4 applies to applications under this section.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 30(1)(ba) repealed (31.12.2020) by The European Parliamentary Elections Etc. (Repeal, Revocation, Amendment and Saving Provisions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1310), reg. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. 1 (as amended by S.I. 2019/1389, regs. 1, 2(2))

F2 S. 30(1)(bb) inserted (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 49(2)(a), 77(2); S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 6 (subject to art. 6, Sch. 2)

F3 Word in s. 30(2) substituted (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 49(2)(b), 77(2); S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 6 (subject to art. 6, Sch. 2)

F4 S. 30(2A) repealed (31.12.2020) by The European Parliamentary Elections Etc. (Repeal, Revocation, Amendment and Saving Provisions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1310), reg. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. 1 (as amended by S.I. 2019/1389, regs. 1, 2(2))

F5 S. 30(1)(aa) and preceding word inserted (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 49(2)(c), 77(2); S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 6 (subject to art. 6, Sch. 2)

F6 S. 30(4A)-(4D) inserted (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 49(2)(d), 77(2); S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 6 (subject to art. 6, Sch. 2)

F7 S. 30(6A) inserted (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 49(2)(e), 77(2); S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 6 (subject to art. 6, Sch. 2)

F8 Words in s. 30(7) substituted (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 49(2)(f), 77(2); S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 6 (subject to art. 6, Sch. 2)

F9 S. 30(7)(aa)(ab) and preceding word inserted (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 49(2)(g), 77(2); S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 6 (subject to art. 6, Sch. 2)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 30 wholly in force at 16.2.2001; s. 30 not in force at Royal Assent and in force for specified purposes at 14.12.2000, see s. 163(2)(4); s. 30 in force at 16.2.2001 by S.I. 2001/222, art. 2, Sch. 1 Pt. I (subject to transitional provisions in Sch. 1 Pt. II)