How to register a political party

Why Register?
 
Political Parties must register with the Electoral Commission (http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/) in order to contest or field candidates at local government elections (except as stated below).

A party name cannot be used on a ballot paper unless entered on the register of political parties maintained by the Commission.

If a party has registered with the Commission, the party name and emblem(s) are protected, and cannot be used by any other party contesting seats in the same part of the United Kingdom.

Exceptions:

· A candidate may choose to use the word 'independent' on the ballot paper

· For parish council (England) and community council (Wales) elections candidates may use up to 6 words on the ballot paper to describe themselves without the need to register as a party with the Commission. (Such parties may nevertheless choose to register if they wish to prevent other parties using their party name and emblem(s))

There is no need to register to contest them.

How to Register

You will need to provide the following information to the Commission:

· the party name
· names and addresses of certain office holders
· a copy of the party's constitution
· a financial scheme which sets out arrangements for regulating the financial affairs of the party

An application form and guidance notes on registering as a political party are available from the Electoral Commission's website http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/

You will also need to decide whether your party is a single organisation with no division of financial responsibility or a party with a central organisation with one or more affiliated organisations each of which is responsible for its own financial affairs. The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (PPERA) refers to these organisations as accounting units and you will need to provide the Commission with details about them.

Parties which only contest parish or community council elections (described by the PPERA as 'minor' parties) do not have to register with the Commission. If they choose to do so in order to protect their party name and emblem(s) they are exempt from the requirement to submit a financial scheme and copy of the party constitution.

Fee

A fee is payable for registration.

Statutory responsibilities of registered parties.

Registered parties are subject to the reporting requirements set out in the PPERA in respect of funding and expenditure. They need to keep the particulars on the register up to date, report certain donations, provide annual accounts and, if contesting a particular election, provide details of campaign spending.

For further information can be obtained from the Electoral Commission's website http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/

The Registrations and Compliance Team
Electoral Commission
Treyelyan House
30 Great Peter Street
London
SW1P 2HW

Telephone: 020 7271 0500 (switchboard)
Fax: 020 7271 0505
Email: info@electoralcommission.org.uk

Contact: Electoral Team, Resource Services, Swale House, Frenchgate, Richmond, North Yorkshire DL10 4JE