Recall of MPs Act 2015 Explanatory Notes

Recall of MPs Act 2015

2015 CHAPTER 25

Commentary on Sections (and Schedules)

Section 10: Persons entitled to sign a recall petition

52. Section 10 provides for who is entitled to sign the recall petition. The general rule is that a person is entitled to sign the recall petition on any day in the signing period on which he or she would be entitled to vote in a UK Parliamentary election in the constituency, provided that he or she is included in the relevant register of parliamentary electors as a result of an application made on or before the day the Speaker’s notice was given and is aged 18 or over, or the date of his or her 18th birthday is before the end of the signing period (subsections (1) and (2)). Alterations to the register of parliamentary electors that take effect after the day on which the Speaker’s notice is given and on or before the cut-off day as a result of a late application for registration do not have effect for recall petition purposes (subsection (2)). Alterations to that register that take effect after the cut-off day also do not have effect for those purposes unless they are made as a result of a court order or the correction of an error (subsection (3)). The cut-off day means the third working day before the beginning of the signing period (subsection (4)(a)).

53. Schedule 2 inserts section 13BC of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (“RPA 1983”) and makes other amendments relating to alterations to the electoral register (subsection (6)).