Candidates in the next United Kingdom general election
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Prospective parliamentary candidates are in the process of being selected for the next United Kingdom general election.[1]
Due to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, most constituency boundaries will change at this election. The table below shows both the new and old constituency names. Candidates may have been selected on either the old or the new boundaries.[2] A number of former MPs intend to stand in the election including Douglas Alexander, Heidi Alexander and Matthew Green.[3]
As of 27 April 2024, a total of 100 MPs have announced they are standing down at the next election.[4]
Parties[edit]
As of 1 May 2024, over twenty parties have announced their intention to field candidates at the next general election:
| Parties | Number of candidates announced as of 1 May | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative Party | 342 | |
| Labour Party | 426 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 447 | |
| Reform UK | 437 | |
| Green Party of England and Wales | 270 | |
| Scottish Greens | 16 [note 1] | |
| Green Party Northern Ireland | 4 | |
| Scottish Family Party | 8 | |
| Scottish National Party | 56 | |
| Plaid Cymru | 25 | |
| Alliance Party of Northern Ireland | 7 | |
| Ulster Unionist Party | 5 | |
| True and Fair Party | 5 | |
| Social Democratic and Labour Party | 1 | |
| Social Democratic Party | 90 | |
| UKIP | 3 | |
| Workers Party | 62 | |
| Climate Party | 1 | |
| Ashfield Independents | 2 | |
| Kingston Independent Residents Group (KIRG) | 1 | |
| Consensus | 1 | |
| Liverpool Community Independents | 1 | |
| Swale Independents | 1 | |
| Somerset Unionist Party | 1 | |
| Alliance for Democracy and Freedom | 4 | |
| The Borough First | 1 | |
| Social Justice Party (UK) | 1 | |
| New Open Non-Political Organised Leadership | 4 | |
| Libertarian Party (UK) | 1 | |
| Christian Party (UK) | 1 | |
| Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition | 2 | |
| Independent | 21 | |
Candidate selection process[edit]
Each party has its own selection process. The processes used by Labour and the Conservatives have been described by PoliticsHome as "secretive" and "controversial".[6]
In June 2022, former Channel 4 journalist Michael Crick launched a Twitter account called Tomorrow's MPs, documenting the selection process of parties candidates in the runup to the next general election.[7]
Conservative[edit]
On 5 April 2023, Home Secretary and Fareham MP Suella Braverman defeated Meon Valley MP Flick Drummond by a majority of local party members of 77 to 54, to be preselected for the new seat of Fareham and Waterlooville.[8]
On 17 April 2023, Chairman of the Conservative Party Greg Hands announced the first 19 seats that would open selections.[9] The seats were listed by ConservativeHome as Bicester and Woodstock, Calder Valley, Camborne and Redruth, Canterbury, Coventry South, Earley and Woodley, Eltham and Chislehurst, Hazel Grove, Hove and Portslade, Isle of Wight East, Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, Milton Keynes South, Norwich North, Selby, South Cambridgeshire, South West Devon, Tamworth, West Bromwich and West Lancashire.[10]
On 29 May, the Conservative Campaign Headquarters announced the next 24 seats that would open selections: Altrincham and Sale West, Bishop Auckland, Bromsgrove, Broxbourne, Chippenham, Coventry North West, Eastleigh, Esher and Walton, Exeter East and Exmouth, Halifax, Hendon, Henley, Mid Bedfordshire, Newport West and Islwyn, Norwich South, Reigate, Rugby, Scarborough and Whitby, South Shropshire, Stevenage, Stoke-on-Trent Central, Walsall and Bloxwich, West Suffolk and Wolverhampton West.[11]
On 2 June 2023, Bromsgrove Conservatives began their selection process for a candidate.[12]
On 12 June, Boris Johnson resigned as an MP, triggering a by-election.[13][14] The same day, Nigel Adams also resigned as an MP.[15] On 19 June, David Warburton gave up his seat in Parliament.[16]
On 11 August, the Conservatives opened selections for 26 seats: Alyn and Deeside, Bridlington and The Wolds, Bristol North West, Bury South, Clwyd North, Colchester, Crawley, Croydon East, Doncaster North, Dorking and Horley, Frome and East Somerset, Glastonbury and Somerton, Heywood and Middleton North, Huntingdon, Leeds East, Leeds West and Pudsey, Mid Cheshire, North West Leicestershire, Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley, Richmond Park, Sittingbourne and Sheppey, Southampton Itchen, St Albans, Wakefield and Rothwell, Waveney Valley and Wirral West.[17]
Nadine Dorries announced her intentions to resign and officially resigned on 29 August.[18] Chris Pincher left Parliament on 7 September.[19]
On 22 September, nominations opened in 10 seats: Bath, Bolton South and Walkden, Bridgend, Coventry South, Lancaster and Wyre, Norwich North, Telford, West Bromwich, Westmorland and Lonsdale and Wimbledon.[20]
On 30 September 2023, The Telegraph reported that the Conservatives had only selected 65 candidates out of their target of 100 before the Conservative Party Conference.[21]
On 13 October 2023, nominations opened in 18 seats: Bristol North East, Cardiff North, Cardiff West, Chester North and Neston, City of Durham, Croydon West, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Gower, Hampstead and Highgate, Harrow West, Leicester East, Mid Cheshire, Nottingham East, Oxford West and Abingdon, Queens Park and Maida Vale, Wirral West, Wolverhampton South East and Wolverhampton West.[22]
On 23 November 2023, Nick Rose the candidate for Norwich North resigned.[23]
In late 2023, two candidates were removed after MI5 warned in 2021 that they were potential Chinese spies.[24] In April 2024, the selection process was internally criticised by party members for "purging Brexit-backing candidates".[25] The preferred selection of One Nation Conservatives by the party leadership over right-wing candidates has been reported on.[26] This included the former Deputy Leader of the UK Independence Party and Conservative MEP David Campbell Bannerman who was blocked in South Norfolk.[27]
Labour[edit]
In March 2021, the local parties in East Ham and West Ham were suspended following allegations of electoral fraud, disbanding the internal selections committee.[28] This was a precursor to contentious selections across East London, between centrist supporters of Keir Starmer and Momentum backed supporters of former leader Jeremy Corbyn.[29]
The Labour Party selected many prospective parliamentary candidates throughout 2022.[30][31][32]
In July 2022, a trigger ballot was held in Ilford South to determine whether MP Sam Tarry should face reselection; Tarry lost the vote by 57.5% to 42.5%.[33] On 10 October 2022 a reselection vote was held, which Tarry lost to local council leader Jas Athwal by 361 votes to 499.[34] In late 2022, councillor Dominic Beck stood down as Labour PPC for Rother Valley.[35]
By 1 January 2023, a total of 77 Constituency Labour Parties had selected prospective parliamentary candidates.[36]
In February 2023, BBC News reported that local Labour parties were being overruled over parliamentary selections by "a clique in London".[37] Nine members of the selection committee in Bolton North East Parliamentary Labour Party resigned after the national party imposed a shortlist on them.[38] The main contention was over the fact that Leigh Drennan, the chair of North West Labour, was not shortlisted despite being endorsed by Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner.[39]
In March 2023, Labour's national executive committee resolved not to endorse Jeremy Corbyn for Islington North in the next general election, preventing him from seeking re-election as a Labour candidate.[40] It is not yet known if the local Labour Party will be able to select a new candidate.[41]
On 23 May 2023, eleven members of the Copeland local Labour Party executive resigned following the decision of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party not to longlist local councillor Joseph Ghayouba for selection.[42] Local officials said it showed a "shameless disregard for democracy" by Labour's national ruling body.[43] On 6 June 2023, former Copeland PPC Gillian Troughton withdrew from the selection in Whitehaven and Workington, describing the selection process as "frustrating and ultimately disenfranchising".[44]
On 26 May 2023, the Wirral West Constituency Labour Party was suspended by the national party, following complaints.[45] This was the same week that the local MP Margaret Greenwood announced that she will be standing down at the next general election.[46] As Wirral South is set to be abolished, incumbent MP Alison McGovern challenged neighbouring MP Mick Whitley for the nomination in Birkenhead.[47] Whitley was deselected on 16 June 2023.[48]
On 7 June 2023, MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Gerald Jones defeated MP for Cynon Valley Beth Winter for his party's selection to become the Labour candidate for the new parliamentary seat of Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, which will be contested at the next UK general election.[49] The seat was renamed from Merthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon in the final recommendations.[50]
From 15 to 16 July, 100 Labour PPCs were given a weekend for a crash course in "message discipline, media training and the art of campaigning" in Stratford-upon-Avon.[51]
On 27 July 2023, Labour opened selections for 94 "non-priority" parliamentary seats.[52] On 31 August 2023, Labour suspended the CLP in Leicester East amid the process of selecting a new candidate to replace Claudia Webbe.[53]
On 5 September 2023, Labour suspended its leadership team in the Bolton North East constituency following a disagreement over the selection of a prospective parliamentary candidate.[54]
On 8 December 2023, Labour opened selections for 211 ‘non-battleground’ parliamentary seats.[55]
In March 2024, Joel Bodmer withdrew from the selection process in Croydon East alleging abuse.[56] This was following an unauthorised breach of data.[57]
Liberal Democrats[edit]
President of the Liberal Democrats Mark Pack lists prospective parliamentary candidates on his website.[58]
In March 2024, Liberal Democrat PPC for South Shropshire Chris Naylor stood down due to ill health.[59]
Scottish National Party[edit]
SNP MPs are not automatically reselected to stand, the party has a full open reselection process. To be nominated to take part in a selection contest a party member requires either a nomination by their local campaigns committee, or 50 local branch members.[60]
On 25 August 2023, Patrick Grady was not approved as a candidate for the next general election. Glasgow Central MP Alison Thewliss ultimately won the selection contest in his seat of Glasgow North.[61] East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow MP Lisa Cameron criticised the "party hierarchy" when she faced a reselection challenge, like many sitting members, per the party rules, claiming she had spoken out about Grady.[62] She claimed she had been ostracised by the party leadership[63] and threatened to resign and call by-election in protest.[64] Cameron was challenged by Grant Costello, a digital manager for the SNP's Westminster group who lives in the constituency. Costello was endorsed by MSPs Christina McKelvie and Collette Stevenson. Ultimately, on 12 October 2023, Cameron — a social conservative — left the SNP altogether and defected to the Conservatives, two hours before the two weeks of voting was due to conclude. Grant Costello, who was leading in the voting,[65] won the selection for SNP candidate for the new seat of East Kilbride and Strathaven. Cameron is reportedly not standing for parliament again.[66][67] The same day 8 other candidates were also announced.[68]
Ahsan Khan, husband of MSP Evelyn Tweed, is seeking the SNP nomination in Stirling challenging incumbent MP Alyn Smith.[69] Argyll and Bute MP Brendan O'Hara is being challenged for reselection by Helensburgh councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess.[70] In Glasgow East, David Linden won a selection contest against neighbouring MP Alison Thewliss, whose constituency was spilt into seven.[71]
In Falkirk, two SNP councillors Gary Bouse and Paul Garner launched their campaign to succeed John McNally.[72] Toni Giugliano was cleared of breaking selection rules.[73]
On the eve of the 2023 Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election Mhairi Black reportedly threatened to quit the SNP.[74] This was over her wishes to be succeeded as SNP candidate for Paisley and Renfrewshire South by her senior adviser Robert Innes.[75] Jacqueline Cameron, the depute leader of Renfrewshire Council stood against him.[76] On 26 October 2023, Cameron was declared selected by 60%.[77]
Green Parties[edit]
The Green Party of England and Wales confirmed in January 2024[78] that it aims to field candidates in all 575 constituencies in England and Wales; it had already amended its rules at its Conference in October 2023, to facilitate this.[79]
The Wales Green Party – an autonomous party within the Green Party of England and Wales – will be standing a candidate in every constituency in Wales for the first time.[80]
Plaid Cymru[edit]
Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth was named as the candidate for Ynys Môn.[81] In October 2023 he was replaced as candidate by Llinos Medi.[82]
Other parties[edit]
During his victory speech following the 2024 Rochdale by-election, George Galloway claimed his Workers Party had 59 candidates ready to contest a general election.[83] Later, in a tweet from 2 March Galloway confirmed that this total increased to 79.[84]
Gina Millers True and Fair party plan to contest a small number of constituencies.[85] Reform UK have pulled candidates for controversial social media comments.[86]
Candidates by constituency[edit]
Candidates in bold were MPs at dissolution and represented a constituency in that parliamentary term which is succeeded at least partially by the constituency they're standing for election in at this election, in some cases not for the party they were aligned with when they were originally elected, and also includes those elected at by-elections in the preceding parliament.