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Labour Leadership Election 2016 (Timetable & Rules)

CLICK THIS LINK FOR THE 2015 RESULT OF THE LABOUR LEADERSHIP ELECTION

The Labour Party National Executive Committee has agreed the timetable for the election of the Leader of the Labour Party. The election will conclude with a Leadership Conference on 24 September 2016.
See here for procedural documents relating to the contest.

Frequently Asked Questions


Who will be the candidates?

MPs and MEPs nominate candidates who the eligible members and supporters will then vote for. Candidates nominations open on Monday 18 July and close on Wednesday 20 July. The incumbent leader will automatically be a candidate.

Who can vote in the leadership election?

Labour Party members
Any eligible Labour Party member who became a member on or before 12 January 2016 will be entitled to a vote.

Registered Supporters
The NEC has agreed that the one-off payment for Registered Supporters in this contest will be £25. Applications to be a Registered Supporter will open at 5pm on Monday 18 July and close at 5pm on Wednesday 20 July.

Affiliated supporters
Members of affiliated trade unions, socialist societies and other affiliated organisations who individually sign up as an affiliated supporter to the Labour Party. They must have been a member of that organisation on or before the 12 January 2016.

Affiliated supporters already on the Party’s membership system will be eligible to vote, subject to affiliates reconfirming their eligibility and that:
  • They remain a member of the trade union or socialist society (and pay the political levy where appropriate).
  • They remain on the electoral register at the address provided.
  • In all other respects must meet the qualification criteria of membership of the Labour Party.
New affiliate supporters may be recruited from membership of affiliated organisations and socialist societies (as at freeze date) by 8th August 2016.

When will eligible electors get their ballot paper?

Ballot papers will be sent out in the post (Labour Party members only) and by email from the week commencing Monday 22 August.  All ballots must be returned by Wednesday 21 September at midday. Members will have a choice of returning their paper ballot paper or voting online but should use only one method and your vote will only be counted once.

How does the voting work?

Eligible electors will be asked to rank candidates in order of preference with ‘1’ being their top preference. You don’t need to use all your preferences if you don’t wish to. 
If no candidate receives more than 50 per cent of first preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first preference votes will be eliminated and their second preference votes allocated. This process is repeated until a candidate has more than 50 per cent of votes.

When will the result be announced?

The result will be announced at a Special Conference on Saturday 24 September in Liverpool.

Got a question that isn’t answered here?

Please email us at leadership2016@labour.org.uk