This note examines the history of disqualification provisions applicable to Members of the House of Commons.
Disqualification for membership of the House of Commons (39 KB , PDF)
This note examines the history of disqualification provisions applicable to Members of the House of Commons. Apart from common and statute law exclusions of aliens and minors, and disqualification for electoral offences set out in the Representation of the People Act 1983, the main legislation is consolidated in the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975. It also summarises recent changes, such as developments in the law of bankruptcy and mental health and the removal of the prohibition on non-Commonwealth legislators.
This note is no longer being updated. Current details of the disqualification provisions that apply to Members of the House of Commons can be found in chapter 3 of Erskine May (25th edition).
Disqualification for membership of the House of Commons (39 KB , PDF)
Voter Authority Certificates (VACs) are a new form of photo ID for use when voting in UK Parliamentary, PCC and English local elections. They are designed for people who don’t have another form of photo ID accepted at the polls.
Voters need to show photographic ID at polling stations in several types of UK elections. Those who try to vote in person at these elections without ID will be turned away and asked to come back to the polling station with it. Voters need to be registered to vote to take part in any UK election.
Some British citizens living abroad can register to vote in UK Parliamentary elections. These people can also vote in referendums that use the Parliamentary electoral register. British citizens living abroad can’t vote in other types of elections.
