Who is eligible to vote?

All fully paid up Labour Party members who have 6 months membership by the Freeze Date.

What does it take to trigger a full selection under the new rules?

CLPs will proceed to a full selection should one third or more of Labour Party branches who indicate a preference, or one third or more of affiliated branches indicate they wish a selection to take place.

What defines a third?

For the purposes of the trigger ballot, a third is rounded up to the nearest whole number. For example:

A third of 9 branches is 3 branches, a third of 10 branches is 4 branches. A third of 6 branches is 2 branches, a third of 7 branches is 3 branches.

How does it differ from the previous process?

The substantive change to the current process is that a full selection will be triggered if EITHER a third of party branches who indicate a preference OR a third of all affiliate branches request one.

What happens over August?

Most CLPs do not meet in August as many members are away, so trigger ballots will not take place in this month.

What is a branch?

The Labour Party branches entitled to take part in the trigger ballot process are those in existence at the freeze date. Any dispute as to the status of a Labour Party branch will be referred to the Chair of the NEC Organisation Sub-Committee for resolution.

What is an affiliate branch?

The affiliated organisations entitled to return a ballot, will be those that were affiliated to the CLP as at 31 December of the previous year and had paid their affiliation fee at least 35 days prior to the closing date for the return of ballots.

Do women’s forums get a vote in the trigger ballot process?

No, only Labour Party branches and affiliated organisation branches may vote in this process.

What is the timetable for trigger ballots?

The timetable will be drawn up by the General Secretary in consultation with the Regional Director.

Who is in charge of when the process can start?

The CLP EC and an NEC rep are responsible for the smooth running of the trigger ballot. The General Secretary in consultation with the Regional Director will decide the timings. If you would like to discuss timing, please contact your Regional Director.

If I have any issues/questions who should I speak to?

Either your Regional Director or the Labour Party Governance and Legal Unit.

What happens to those who are suspended?

Tigger ballots will not take place in seats where the sitting MP is currently suspended from the Labour Party. Suspended members are not eligible to represent the Labour Party at any level. Therefore, should a sitting MP still be suspended at the time a General Election is called, they would not be eligible to stand as a Labour candidate.

If a CLP represented by a woman moves to a full selection, will it automatically be AWS?

Yes, the party is committed to increasing women’s representation in Parliament

If a sitting member is triggered will they automatically be on the shortlist for the selection?

Yes.

How can an MP check if their membership list is up to date?

The Rule Book entitles MPs to have access to the membership list for their CLPs. At the commencement of this process, sitting MPs will be supplied with a formal list of members entitled to participate in the selection.

What is the freeze date?

The freeze date is the date when the NEC rep and CLP officers first meet. To participate in the selection, an individual must have been a member for 6 months by the freeze date.

Do affiliated supporters have a vote?

Only through their affiliated organisation if it is affiliated to the CLP.

Who monitors the CLP trigger process?

The regional office, the General Secretary’s office and the NEC.

Why have Labour launched the trigger ballot process now?

In anticipation of an Autumn election the NEC has taken the decision to begin the Trigger Ballot process to ensure we are prepared to fight a General Election.

What role does the Chief Whip play in reselection?

The Chief Whip produces a Whip’s Report on each MP which is provided at each Trigger meeting.

What happens when an MP is pregnant or on maternity leave?

MPs will not face a trigger ballot when they are pregnant, on maternity leave, or for a period of 12 months following their return from maternity leave. Should a General Election be called in this period the sitting MP will be deemed reselected, subject to NEC endorsement.

What if an MP has only recently been elected?

There will be no trigger ballots in CLPs where an MP has been elected in a by-election held since the last General Election.