Part 7Associations
Special provision for political parties
I1104Selection of candidates
1
This section applies to an association which is a registered political party.
2
A person does not contravene this Part only by acting in accordance with selection arrangements.
3
Selection arrangements are arrangements—
a
which the party makes for regulating the selection of its candidates in a relevant election,
b
the purpose of which is to reduce inequality in the party's representation in the body concerned, and
c
which, subject to subsection (7), are a proportionate means of achieving that purpose.
4
The reference in subsection (3)(b) to inequality in a party's representation in a body is a reference to inequality between—
a
the number of the party's candidates elected to be members of the body who share a protected characteristic, and
b
the number of the party's candidates so elected who do not share that characteristic.
5
For the purposes of subsection (4), persons share the protected characteristic of disability if they are disabled persons (and section 6(3)(b) is accordingly to be ignored).
6
Selection arrangements do not include short-listing only such persons as have a particular protected characteristic.
7
But subsection (6) does not apply to the protected characteristic of sex; and subsection (3)(c) does not apply to short-listing in reliance on this subsection.
8
The following elections are relevant elections—
a
Parliamentary Elections;
F1b
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
c
elections to the Scottish Parliament;
d
elections to the National Assembly for Wales;
e
local government elections within the meaning of section 191, 203 or 204 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (excluding elections for the Mayor of London).