UK Parliamentary election: Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr constituency

25 June 2024

When a validly nominated political party candidate has their party's support withdrawn after an election nomination deadline has passed, there is no legal mechanism to remove their name from the ballot paper.

If a candidate in these circumstances has opted to include a political party description and emblem on the ballot paper, by law this must also still be included.

Emma Palmer, Acting Returning Officer for Powys County Council said:  "Acting Returning Officers have no legal powers to amend a ballot paper or stop an election in these circumstances. Everything must continue as planned in line with electoral law."

If a candidate who has had party support withdrawn is elected, the result stands. They take office in the usual way and can either serve as an independent Member of Parliament, join a political party or resign the seat.  If an MP changes party affiliation a by-election is not automatically triggered. If they chose to resign, a by-election would be held. If they wanted to, they would be able to stand in the by-election as an independent candidate or for another political party.

Please do not contact Powys County Council's Election Service as they have no further information.